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As soon as they had got Burle away they returned to the cafe where they found Laguitte in reality greatly disturbed, with tears in his eyes but affecting stolid indifference and slowly finishing his beer. "Listen, Major," began Morandot, "that was very wrong on your part. The captain is your inferior in rank, and you know that he won't be allowed to fight you."
The two officers looked surprised at the major's sudden bad temper. Melanie attempted to restore peace and with a light laugh placed her hands on the arms of both men. However, Laguitte disengaged himself. "No," he roared, "leave me alone. Why does he refuse to chink glasses with you? I shall not allow you to be insulted do you hear? I am quite sick of him."
When Charles had laid his books aside Laguitte was surprised to see a maid come in to lay the cloth. "So you keep a servant now," he remarked to Mme Burle. "I had to get one," she answered with a sigh. "My legs are not what they used to be, and the household was going to rack and ruin. Fortunately Cabrol let me have his daughter. You know old Cabrol, who sweeps the market?
With increasing profanity the major rose to his feet, shook his fist at the ceiling and then fell back in his chair. Mme Burle again repeated: "He has stolen. It was inevitable." Then without a word of judgment or condemnation she added simply: "Two thousand francs we have not got them. There are barely thirty francs in the house." "I expected as much," said Laguitte.
Burle, choking with emotion, grasped his old friend's hands, stammering confused words of thanks. The vileness of the action committed for his sake brought tears into his eyes. "I never did such a thing before," growled Laguitte, "but I was driven to it. Curse it, to think that I haven't those two thousand francs in my drawer! It is enough to make one hate cards. It is my own fault.
The arrival of the major had at first interested him, but, seeing that he remained unnoticed, he had been unable to struggle against his sleepiness. His grandmother turned toward the table to slap his frail little hands, whitening in the lamplight, when Laguitte stopped her. "No no!" he said. "Let the poor little man sleep. I haven't got anything funny to say. There's no need for him to hear me."
Ah, you aren't over-proud, and I shall never forgive you for all this." They had now reached the Place aux Herbes. Gagneux's house was quite dark, but Laguitte knocked so loudly that he was eventually admitted. Burle remained alone in the dense obscurity and did not even attempt to seek any shelter.
When the widow saw the two men leaving the divan she moved toward Burle and said coaxingly: "What, are you going already, Captain?" "Yes, he's going," brutally answered Laguitte, "and I don't intend to let him set foot here again."
Laguitte went away, feeling greatly perplexed. Where had the five hundred and forty-five francs gone? Had the idiot taken to drinking or gambling? He decided to pay Burle a surprise visit that very evening at his own house, and maybe by questioning his mother he might learn something.
"Wasn't it Melanie who was leaving here as I came along?" asked Laguitte. Burle shrugged his shoulders. "Yes," he mumbled. "She has been dunning me for two hundred francs, but she can't screw ten out of me not even tenpence." "Indeed!" said the major, just to try him. "I heard that you had made up with her." "I? Certainly not. I have done with the likes of her for good."
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