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Monsieur Choucru scratched his ear, and smiled doubtfully. "Now listen, Monsieur Choucru I am here to-day in the interests of the Petit Courier Illustré. I take the Courbevoie fête for my subject. I sketch the river, the village, the principal features of the-scene; and on Saturday my designs are in the hands of all Paris. Do you understand me?"
Au revoir, Madame. In ten minutes we shall be with you again!" Madame Choucru looked grave. She had not bargained to entertain a party of four; yet she dared not disoblige the Petit Courier Illustré. She had no time, however, to demur to the arrangement; for Müller, ingeniously taking her acquiescence for granted, darted out of the room without waiting for an answer. "Miserable man!"
Monsieur." "Will you tell me, Monsieur Choucru, what is to prevent me from giving a view of the best restaurant in Courbevoie?" Madame Choucru, from behind the comptoir, uttered a little scream.
"It is extremely urgent, Monsieur Choucru," replied Müller; "and, moreover, it is not so much my business as it is yours," "Ah bah! if it is my business, then, it may stand over till to-morrow," replied the little man, impatiently. "To-day I have eighty dinners on hand, and with M'sieur's permission".... But Müller strode to the door and caught him by the shoulder.
"No, Monsieur Choucru," he said sternly, "I will not let you ruin yourself by putting off till to-morrow what can only be done to-day. I have come here, Monsieur Choucru, to offer you fame. Fame and fortune, Monsieur Choucru! and I will not suffer you, for the sake of a few miserable dinners, to turn your back upon the most brilliant moment of your life!"
And then, in graceful recognition of the little man's rights as owner of the eyes in question, he bowed to Monsieur Choucru. Madame was inexpressibly charmed. Monsieur smiled, fidgeted, and cast longing glances towards the door. "I have eighty dinners on hand," he began again, "and if M'sieur will excuse me...."
The little woman's eyes had all this time been getting rounder and blacker. She was evidently confounded by my friend's grandiloquence. "Ah! mon Dieu! M'sieur," she said, nervously, "my husband is in the kitchen. It is a busy day with us, you understand but I will send for him." And she forthwith despatched a waiter for "Monsieur Choucru." Müller seized me by the arm.
"Eh parbleu! let it be for six, then," said Monsieur Choucru, somewhat reluctantly. Müller made the entry, shut up the pocket-book, and shook hands boisterously with his victim. "My dear Monsieur Choucru," he said, "I cannot tell you how gratifying this is to my feelings, or with what disinterested satisfaction I shall make your establishment known to the Parisian public.
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