"No, no,--don"t call me monsieur! say "my dear friend," or "neighbour,"
whichever you prefer; unless you lay aside all ceremony, I shall not have courage to intrude myself and papers into your room," said Rodolph, smiling.
"Well, pray don"t let that be any hindrance; then, if you like, I"ll call you "neighbour," because, you know, you are so."
"Father! father!" said one of Morel"s little boys, coming out of the garret, "mother is calling for you! Make haste, father,--pray do!"
The lapidary hastily followed the child back to his chamber.
"Now, then, neighbour," said Rodolph to Rigolette, "you must do me one more service."
"With all my heart, if it lies in my power to do so."
"I feel quite sure you are a clever manager and housekeeper; now we must go to work at once to provide the Morels with comfortable clothing, and such matters as may be essential for their accommodation in my apartment, which at present merely contains my slender stock of bachelor"s furniture, sent in yesterday. Beds, bedding, and a great quant.i.ty of requisites will be needed for so many persons; and I want you to a.s.sist me in procuring them all the comforts I wish them to have with as little delay as possible."
Rigolette reflected a moment, and then replied:
"You shall have all this before two hours have pa.s.sed: good clothes, nicely made, warm and comfortable, good white linen for all the family, two small beds for the children, one for the grandmother, and, in fact, all that is required; but, I can tell you, all this will cost a great, great deal of money."
"_Diable!_ and how much?"
"Oh, at least--the very least, five or six hundred francs."
"For everything?"
"Yes; you see it is a great sum of money," said Rigolette, opening her eyes very wide and shaking her head.
"But we could procure all this?"
"Within two hours."
"My little neighbour, you must be a fairy!"
"Oh, no! it is easy enough. The Temple is but two steps from here, and you will get there everything you require."
"The Temple?"
"Yes, the Temple."
"What place is that?"
"What, neighbour, don"t you know the Temple?"
"No, neighbour."
"Yet it is the place where such persons as you and I fit themselves out in furniture and clothes, when they are economical. It is much cheaper than any other place, and the things are also good."
"Really!"
"I think so. Well, now, I suppose--how much did you pay for your greatcoat?"
"I cannot say precisely."
"What, neighbour! not know how much you gave for your greatcoat?"
"I will tell you, in confidence, neighbour," said Rodolph, smiling, "that I owe for it; so, you see, I cannot exactly say."
"Oh, neighbour, neighbour, you do not appear to me to be very orderly in your habits!"
"Alas, neighbour, I fear not!"
"I must cure you of that, if you desire that we should continue friends; and I see already that we shall be, for you seem so kind! You will not be sorry to have me for a neighbour, I can see. You will a.s.sist me and I shall a.s.sist you,--we are neighbours, and that"s why. I shall look after your linen; you will give me your help in cleaning my room. I am up very early in the morning, and will call you, that you may not be late in going to your work; I will knock against the wainscot until you say to me, "Good morning, neighbour!""
"That"s agreed; you shall awaken me, you shall take charge of my linen, and I will clean out your room."
"Certainly. And, when you have anything to buy, you must go to the Temple; for see now, for example, your greatcoat must have cost you eighty francs, I have no doubt; well, you might have bought one just as good at the Temple for thirty francs."
"Really, that is marvellous! And so you think that for four or five hundred francs these poor Morels--"
"Will be completely set up, and very comfortable for a long while."
"Neighbour, an idea comes across me."
"Well, what is this idea?"
"Do you understand all about household affairs?"
"Yes; I should think so," said Rigolette, with a slight affectation of manner.
"Take my arm, then, and let us go to the Temple and buy all these things for the Morels; won"t that be a good way?"
"Oh, how capital! Poor souls! But, then, the money?"
"I have it."
"What, five hundred francs?"
"The benefactor of the Morels has given me _carte blanche_; and she will spare nothing to see these poor people restored to comfort. Is there any place where we can buy better supplies than at the Temple?"
"Certainly not; you will not find better things anywhere; and then there is everything, and all ready, there; little frocks for children, and gowns for the mother."
"Well, then, neighbour, let us go at once to the Temple:"
"Ah, _mon Dieu_! but--"
"What?"
"Nothing; only, you see, my time is everything to me, and I am already a little behindhand, through coming here to watch over poor Madame Morel; and you must know that an hour in one way, and an hour in another, that by little and little makes whole days; well, a day is thirty sous, and, whether we gain something or nothing, we must live; but bah! never mind.
I will make up for that at night, and then, d"ye see, parties of pleasure are very rare, and I call this one. It will seem to me that I am rich, rich, rich, and that it is with my own money that I shall buy all these things for the Morels. So come along, neighbour, I will throw on my shawl and cap, and then I am ready."