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If I refused you it was because it is pretty hard on a man who can only do his poor little business by turning over his money, to have to keep your Ravenouillet notes in the drawer of his desk. Hard, hard, very hard!" "What discount do you want?" asked Bixiou. "Next to nothing," returned Vauvinet. "It will cost you a miserable fifty francs at the end of the quarter."
And Bixiou handed over two notes already drawn to his order by Ravenouillet, which Ravenouillet immediately signed and inscribed on the greasy book, in which his wife also kept account of the debts of the other lodgers. "Thanks, Ravenouillet," said Bixiou. "And here's a box at the Vaudeville for you." "Oh! my daughter will enjoy that," said Ravenouillet, departing.
"Ravenouillet His name is Ravenouillet," said Bixiou turning to Gazonal. "Have you our notebook of bills due with you?" Ravenouillet pulled out of his pocket the greasiest and stickiest book that Gazonal's eyes had ever beheld. "Write down at three months' sight two notes of five hundred francs each, which you will proceed to sign."
"There are seventy-one tenants in this house," said Bixiou, "and the average of what they owe Ravenouillet is six thousand francs a month, eighteen thousand quarterly for money advanced, postage, etc., not counting the rents due. He is Providence at thirty per cent, which we all pay him, though he never asks for anything." "Oh, Paris! Paris!" cried Gazonal.
"As Emile Blondet used to say, you shall be my benefactor," replied Bixiou. "Twenty per cent!" whispered Gazonal to Bixiou, who replied by a punch of his elbow in the provincial's oesophagus. "Bless me!" said Vauvinet opening a drawer in his desk as if to put away the Ravenouillet notes, "here's an old bill of five hundred francs stuck in the drawer! I didn't know I was so rich.
"Here's the history of Ravenouillet," continued Bixiou, when the three friends reached the boulevard. "In 1831 Massol, the councillor of state who is dealing with your case, was a lawyer-journalist who at that time never thought of being more than Keeper of the Seals, and deigned to have King Louis-Philippe on his throne. Forgive his ambition, he's from Carcassonne.
"I'm going to take you now, cousin Gazonal," said Bixiou, after indorsing the notes, "to see another comedian, who will play you a charming scene gratis." "Who is it?" said Gazonal. "A usurer. As we go along I'll tell you the debut of friend Ravenouillet in Paris." "Thanks, Monsieur Bixiou!" said the girl. "She's not a rat," explained Leon to his cousin; "she is the larva of the grasshopper."
But there's too much wear and tear; I prefer the career of porter. Massol kept his countenance, and replied: 'I think there's more wear and tear in that, but as your choice is made I'll see what I can do'; and he got him, as Ravenouillet says, his first 'cordon." "I was the first master," said Leon, "to consider the race of porter.
Only last night my concierge Ravenouillet gave a party; and I think I made a great mistake in not accepting the indirect invitation he gave me to be present." "Nevertheless," said Joseph Bridau, "it is certain that if a man doesn't mingle in the business, the interests, and the pleasures of our epoch, he can make out of the time he thus saves a pretty capital.
If we can come to an agreement about that railway stock we could share the profits, of course in due proportion and I'll allow you that on " "No, no," said Bixiou, "I want money in hand, and I must get those notes of Ravenouillet's cashed." "Ravenouillet is sound," said Vauvinet. "He puts money into the savings-bank; he is good security."
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