But no one appeared; she heard only the sound of voices in the reception room. It lasted some time, and Madame de Grangeville, who divined what was happening, threw herself back in her chair and began to look over the newspaper as if what were going on in her reception room did not concern her.
After some little time the outer door closed and Mademoiselle Lizida reappeared, crying:
"Heavens! how unendurable those people are getting to be! They have no manners at all; I thought that it would never end."
"Mon Dieu! it was that idiot of a grocer opposite, who has taken it into his head to come himself now."
"The grocer! what on earth can I owe to a grocer? I don't eat here, that is to say, I send out for everything."
"To be sure, no cooking is done in madame's apartment, but I make her chocolate; and then candles,--madame uses a great many of them; and I have to have oil for the lamps, and then sugar--we can't get along without sugar--and tea, and coffee--I take coffee in the morning. And then soap, and matches, and I don't know what; there's no end to the things, although we seem not to need anything.--In fact, he demands a total of ninety-six francs!"
"Yes, madame. I tell you the sugar goes fast, when one drinks tea!"
"Well, I will pay him when I have money."
"That's what I told him; but would you believe, madame, that he had the face to reply: 'Your mistress has money enough to hire cabs, for she goes out in them often enough; she ought to have some to pay her grocer!'"
"What a shocking thing! Why, it is disgusting! The idea! I must stop to think before taking a cab, because of a miserable creditor!"
"Yes, madame, things have got to that point. That is the result of our revolutions."
"Lizida, you will get nothing more at that man's shop, I forbid you!"
"Oh! madame has no need to forbid me, there's no danger of my going there again; besides, he wouldn't let me have anything more on credit! He says that if he doesn't get his money in two days he'll go before the justice of the peace."
"All right! let him go before his justice of the peace! I won't go myself, that's all.--How unfortunate it is to have to do with such people!--Heavens!--someone else is ringing; can it be that that clown has come back?"