determination　to　keep　silence　as　to　the　amount　of　his　fortune。　The
  persons　who　were　most　bitter　against　him　even　declared　calumniously
  that　he　had　made　over　a　large　amount　of　property　to　Dumay　to　save　it
  from　the　just　demands　of　his　associates　in　China。　Butscha　took
  advantage　of　this　state　of　feeling。　He　asked　the　fishermen；　who　owed
  him　many　a　good　turn；　to　keep　the　secret　and　lend　him　their　tongues。
  They　served　him　well。　The　captain　of　the　fishing…smack　told　Germain
  that　one　of　his　cousins；　a　sailor；　had　just　returned　from　Marseilles；
  where　he　had　been　paid　off　from　the　brig　in　which　Monsieur　Mignon
  returned　to　France。　The　brig　had　been　sold　to　the　account　of　some
  other　person　than　Monsieur　Mignon；　and　the　cargo　was　only　worth　three
  or　four　hundred　thousand　francs　at　the　utmost。
  〃Germain；〃　said　Canalis；　as　the　valet　was　leaving　the　room；　〃serve
  champagne　and　claret。　A　member　of　the　legal　fraternity　of　Havre　must
  carry　away　with　him　proper　ideas　of　a　poet's　hospitality。　Besides；　he
  has　got　a　wit　that　is　equal　to　Figaro's；〃　added　Canalis；　laying　his
  hand　on　the　dwarf's　shoulder；　〃and　we　must　make　it　foam　and　sparkle
  with　champagne；　you　and　I；　Ernest；　will　not　spare　the　bottle　either。
  Faith；　it　is　over　two　years　since　I've　been　drunk；〃　he　added；　looking
  at　La　Briere。
  〃Not　drunk　with　wine；　you　mean；〃　said　Butscha；　looking　keenly　at　him；
  〃yes；　I　can　believe　that。　You　get　drunk　every　day　on　yourself；　you
  drink　in　so　much　praise。　Ha；　you　are　handsome；　you　are　a　poet；　you　are
  famous　in　your　lifetime；　you　have　the　gift　of　an　eloquence　that　is
  equal　to　your　genius；　and　you　please　all　women；even　my　master's
  wife。　Admired　by　the　finest　sultana…valide　that　I　ever　saw　in　my　life
  （and　I　never　saw　but　her）　you　can；　if　you　choose；　marry　Mademoiselle
  de　La　Bastie。　Goodness！　the　mere　inventory　of　your　present　advantages；
  not　to　speak　of　the　future　（a　noble　title；　peerage；　embassy！）；　is
  enough　to　make　me　drunk　already；like　the　men　who　bottle　other　men's
  wine。〃
  〃All　such　social　distinctions；〃　said　Canalis；　〃are　of　little　use
  without　the　one　thing　that　gives　them　value；wealth。　Here　we　can　talk
  as　men　with　men；　fine　sentiments　only　do　in　verse。〃
  〃That　depends　on　circumstances；〃　said　the　dwarf；　with　a　knowing
  gesture。
  〃Ah！　you　writer　of　conveyances；〃　said　the　poet；　smiling　at　the
  interruption；　〃you　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　'cottage'　rhymes　with
  'pottage；'and　who　would　like　to　live　on　that　for　the　rest　of　his
  days？〃
  At　table　Butscha　played　the　part　of　Trigaudin；　in　the　〃Maison　en
  loterie；〃　in　a　way　that　alarmed　Ernest；　who　did　not　know　the　waggery
  of　a　lawyer's　office；　which　is　quite　equal　to　that　of　an　atelier。
  Butscha　poured　forth　the　scandalous　gossip　of　Havre；　the　private
  history　of　fortune　and　boudoirs；　and　the　crimes　committed　code　in
  hand；　which　are　called　in　Normandy；　〃getting　out　of　a　thing　as　best
  you　can。〃　He　spared　no　one；　and　his　liveliness　increased　with　the
  torrents　of　wine　which　poured　down　his　throat　like　rain　through　a
  gutter。
  〃Do　you　know；　La　Briere；〃　said　Canalis；　filling　Butscha's　glass；　〃that
  this　fellow　would　make　a　capital　secretary　to　the　embassy？〃
  〃And　oust　his　chief！〃　cried　the　dwarf　flinging　a　look　at　Canalis　whose
  insolence　was　lost　in　the　gurgling　of　carbonic　acid　gas。　〃I've　little
  enough　gratitude　and　quite　enough　scheming　to　get　astride　of　your
  shoulders。　Ha；　ha；　a　poet　carrying　a　hunchback！　that's　been　seen；
  often　seenon　book…shelves。　Come；　don't　look　at　me　as　if　I　were
  swallowing　swords。　My　dear　great　genius；　you're　a　superior　man；　you
  know　that　gratitude　is　the　word　of　fools；　they　stick　it　in　the
  dictionary；　but　it　isn't　in　the　human　heart；　pledges　are　worth
  nothing；　except　on　a　certain　mount　that　is　neither　Pindus　nor
  Parnassus。　You　think　I　owe　a　great　deal　to　my　master's　wife；　who
  brought　me　up。　Bless　you；　the　whole　town　has　paid　her　for　that　in
  praises；　respect；　and　admiration；the　very　best　of　coin。　I　don't
  recognize　any　service　that　is　only　the　capital　of　self…love。　Men　make
  a　commerce　of　their　services；　and　gratitude　goes　down　on　the　debit
  side；that's　all。　As　to　schemes；　they　are　my　divinity。　What？〃　he
  exclaimed；　at　a　gesture　of　Canalis；　〃don't　you　admire　the　faculty
  which　enables　a　wily　man　to　get　the　better　of　a　man　of　genius？　it
  takes　the　closest　observation　of　his　vices；　and　his　weaknesses；　and
  the　wit　to　seize　the　happy　moment。　Ask　diplomacy　if　its　greatest
  triumphs　are　not　those　of　craft　over　force？　If　I　were　your　secretary；
  Monsieur　le　baron；　you'd　soon　be　prime…minister；　because　it　would　be
  my　interest　to　have　you　so。　Do　you　want　a　specimen　of　my　talents　in
  that　line？　Well　then；　listen；　you　love　Mademoiselle　Modeste
  distractedly；　and　you've　good　reason　to　do　so。　The　girl　has　my　fullest
  esteem；　she　is　a　true　Parisian。　Sometimes　we　get　a　few　real　Parisians
  born　down　here　in　the　provinces。　Well；　Modeste　is　just　the　woman　to
  help　a　man's　career。　She's　got　THAT　in　her；〃　he　cried；　with　a　turn　of
  his　wrist　in　the　air。　〃But　you've　a　dangerous　competitor　in　the　duke；
  what　will　you　give　me　to　get　him　out　of　Havre　within　three　days？〃
  〃Finish　this　bottle；〃　said　the　poet；　refilling　Butscha's　glass。
  〃You'll　make　me　drunk；〃　said　the　dwarf；　tossing　off　his　ninth　glass　of
  champagne。　〃Have　you　a　bed　where　I　could　sleep　it　off？　My　master　is　as
  sober　as　the　camel　that　he　is；　and　Madame　Latournelle　too。　They　are
  brutal　enough；　both　of　them；　to　scold　me；　and　they'd　have　the　rights
  of　it　toothere　are　those　deeds　I　ought　to　be　drawing！〃　Then；
  suddenly　returning　to　his　previous　ideas；　after　the　fashion　of　a
  drunken　man；　he　exclaimed；　〃and　I've　such　a　memory；　it　is　on　a　par
  with　my　gratitude。〃
  〃Butscha！〃　cried　the　poet；　〃you　said　just　now　you　had　no　gratitude；
  you　contradict　yourself。〃
  〃Not　at　all；〃　he　replied。　〃To　forget　a　thing　means　almost　always
  recollecting　it。　Come；　come；　do　you　want　me　to　get　rid　of　the　duke？
  I'm　cut　out　for　a　secretary。〃
  〃How　could　you　manage　it？〃　said　Canalis；　delighted　to　find　the
  conversation　taking　this　turn　of　its　own　accord。
  〃That's　none　of　your　business；〃　said　the　dwarf；　with　a　portentous
  hiccough。
  Butscha's　head　rolled　between　his　shoulders；　and　his　eyes　turned　from
  Germain　to　La　Briere；　and　from　La　Briere　to　Canalis；　after　the　manner
  of　men　who；　knowing　they　are　tipsy；　wish　to　see　what　other　men　are
  thinking　of　them；　for　in　the　shipwreck　of　drunkenness　it　is　noticeable
  that　self…love　is　the　last　thing　that　goes　to　the　bottom。
  〃Ha！　my　great　poet；　you're　a　pretty　good　trickster　yourself；　but　you
  are　not　deep　enough。　What　do　you　mean　by　taking　me　for　one　of　your　own
  readers；you　who　sent　your　friend　to　Paris；　full　gallop；　to　inquire
  into　the　property　of　the　Mignon　family？　Ha；　ha！　I　hoax；　thou　hoaxest；
  we　hoaxGood！　But　do　me　the　honor　to　believe　that　I'm　deep　enough　to
  keep　the　secrets　of　my　own　business。　As　the　head…clerk　of　a　notary；　my
  heart　is　a　locked　box；　padlocked！　My　mouth　never　opens　to　let　out
  anything　about　a　client。　I　know　all；　and　I　know　nothing。　Besides；　my
  passion　is　well　known。　I　love　Modeste；　she　is　my　pupil；　and　she　must
  make　a　good　marriage。　I'll　fool　the　duke；　if　need　be；　and　you　shall
  marry〃
  〃Germain；　coffee　and　liqueurs；〃　said　Canalis。
  〃Liqueurs！〃　repeated　Butscha　with　a　wave　of　his　hand；　and　the　air　of　a
  sham　virgin　repelling　seduction；　〃Ah；　those　poor　deeds！　one　of　'em　was
  a　marriage　contract；　and　that　second　clerk　of　mine　is　as　stupid　asas
  an　epithalamium；　and　he's　capable　of　digging　his　penknife　right
  through　the　bride's　paraphernalia；　he　thinks　he's　a　handsome　man
  because　he's　five　feet　six；idiot！〃
  〃Here　is　some　creme　de　the；　a　liqueur　of　the　West　Indies；〃　said
  Canalis。　〃You；　whom　Mademoiselle　Modeste　consults〃
  〃Yes；　she　consults　me。〃
  〃Well；　do　you　think　she　loves　me？〃　asked　the　poet。
  〃Loves　you？　yes；　more　than　she　loves　the　duke；　answered　the　dwarf；
  rousing　himself　from　a　stupor　which　was　admirably　played。　〃She　loves
  you　for　your　disinterestedness。　She　told　me　she　was　ready　to　make　the
  greatest　sacrifices　for　your　sake；　to　give　up　dress　and　spend　as
  little　as　possible　on　herself；　and　devote　her　life　to　showing　you　that
  in　marrying　her　you　hadn't　done　so〃　（hiccough）　〃bad　a　thing　for
  yourself。　She's　as　right　as　a　trivet；yes；　and　well　informed。　She
  knows　everything；　that　girl。〃
  〃And　she　has　three　hundred　thousand　francs？〃
  〃There　may　be　quite　as　much　as　that；〃　cried　the　dwarf；
  enthusiastically。　〃Papa　Mignon；mignon　by　name；　mignon　by　nature；　and
  that's　why　I　respect　him；well；　he　would　rob　himself　of　everything　to
  marry　his　daughter。　Your　Restoration〃　（hiccough）　〃has　taught　him　how
  to　live　on　half…pay；　he'd　be　quite　content　to　live　with　Dumay　on　next
  to　nothing；　if　he　could　rake　and　scrape　enough　together　to　give　the
  little　one　three　hundred　thousand　francs。　But　don't　let's　forget　that
  Dumay　is　going　to　leave　all　his　money　to　Modeste。　Dumay；　you　know；　is
  a　Breton；　and　that　f