The gentleman in the dressing-gown resumed the perusal of his newspaper, as he answered in a crabbed tone:
"I don't know what you mean; the money is yours, if it was in your pocket; keep it and let me alone."
"But, monsieur, I am very sure that that twenty francs isn't mine, as I didn't own a sou to buy sugar, and that was why I was crying on the landing."
"Well! what then? how does that concern me?"
"Why, monsieur, as nobody else but you put anything in my pocket, it must have been you who put these five-franc pieces there."
"Corbleu! you tire me! Well, suppose it was? If I chose to put those five-franc pieces in your pocket, am I not at liberty to put my money where I choose? Do you propose to prevent me from helping you, when I have too much money, and know that you haven't enough? You are very proud, it seems, master messenger?"
"Oh! it isn't that, monsieur; but you have already overwhelmed us with your kindness; it would be wrong to show our appreciation of it by accepting what we don't need."
"You lie! you do need money, for last night you were without a sou, and I don't suppose that you have earned any during the night."
"But, monsieur, my mother has all she needs now, and I am going to earn some money to-day."
"Oho! you are very confident, aren't you? How do you know that you will find work to-day, that it will be a good day for you?"
"Why! monsieur, it very seldom happens that a whole day passes without someone employing us; a man would have to be very unlucky to have that happen."
"And you think that you are in no danger of such bad luck? Well, tell me how you expect to earn money for your mother?"
"By doing errands, monsieur, as that is my business."
"And how much do you get for an errand usually?"
"Why, that depends, monsieur, on how far I have to go; and then some people are more generous than others."
"Twelve sous, fifteen sous, sometimes twenty sous; but that's not often, unless we carry bundles."
"And you take without a murmur whatever anyone chooses to give you?"
"To be sure, monsieur, as it's the pay for our work."
"Well, Monsieur Georget, I take you for my messenger from to-day; and it's my pleasure to pay you two francs for every errand that you do for me."
"Oh! that is too much, monsieur; no one ever pays as much as that."