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round cushion covered with green leather。 Behind him； Cerizet had
sheathed the walls with planks； also protecting himself with a little
wooden screen； painted white； from the draught between the window and
door； but this screen； made of two leaves； was so placed that the
warmth from the stove reached him。 The window had enormous inside
shutters of cast…iron； held； when closed； by a bar。 The door commanded
respect by an armor of the same character。
At the farther end of this room； in a corner； was a spiral…staircase；
coming； evidently； from some pulled…down shop； and bought in the rue
Chapon by Cadenet； who had fitted it through the ceiling into the room
in the entresol occupied by Cerizet。 In order to prevent all
communication with the upper floors； Cerizet had exacted that the door
of that room which opened on the common landing should be walled up。
The place had thus become a fortress。 The bedroom above had a cheap
carpet bought for twenty francs； an iron bedstead； a bureau； three
chairs； and an iron safe； made by a good workman； which Cerizet had
bought at a bargain。 He shaved before a glass on the chimney…piece； he
owned two pairs of cotton sheets and six cotton shirts； the rest of
his visible wardrobe was of the same character。 Cadenet had once seen
Cerizet dressed like a dandy of the period； he must； therefore； have
kept hidden； in some drawer of his bureau； a complete disguise with
which he could go to the opera； see the world； and not be recognized；
for； had it not been that Cadenet heard his voice； he would certainly
have asked him who he was。
What pleased the clients of this man most was his joviality and his
repartees； he talked their language。 Cadenet； his two shop…men； and
Cerizet； living in the midst of dreadful misery； behaved with the
calmness of undertakers in presence of afflicted heirs； of old
sergeants of the Guard among heaps of dead。 They no more shuddered on
hearing cries of hunger and despair than surgeons shudder at the cries
of their patients in hospital； they said； as the soldiers and the
dressers said； the perfunctory words； 〃Have patience！ a little
courage！ What's the good of grieving？ Suppose you kill yourself； what
then？ One gets accustomed to everything； be reasonable！〃
Though Cerizet took the precaution to hide the money necessary for his
morning operations in the hollow seat of the chair in which he sat；
taking out no more than a hundred francs at a time； which he put in
the pockets of his trousers； never dipping into the funds of the chair
except between the entrance of two batches of clients （keeping his
door locked and not opening it till all was safely stowed in his
pockets）； he had really nothing to fear from the various despairs
which found their way from all sides to this rendezvous of misery。
Certainly； there are many different ways of being honest and virtuous；
and the 〃Monograph of Virtue〃 has no other basis than this social
axiom。＇*＇ A man is false to his conscience； he fails； apparently； in
delicacy； he forfeits that bloom of honor which； though lost； does
not； as yet； mean general disrepute； at last； however； he fails
decidedly in honor； if he falls into the hands of the correctional
police； he is not； as yet； guilty of crime before the court of
assizes； but after he is branded with infamy by the verdict of a jury
he may still be honored at the galleys for the species of honor and
integrity practised by criminals among themselves； which consists in
not betraying each other； in sharing booty loyally； and in running all
dangers。 Well； this last form of honorwhich is perhaps a
calculation； a necessity； the practice of which offers certain
opportunities for grandeur to the guilty man and the possibility of a
return to goodreigned absolutely between Cerizet and his clients。
Never did Cerizet make an error； nor his poor people either； neither
side ever denied what was due； either capital or interests。 Many a
time Cerizet； who was born among the people； corrected from one week
to another some accidental error； to the benefit of a poor man who had
never discovered it。 He was called a Jew； but an honest one； and his
word in that city of sorrows was sacred。 A woman died； causing a loss
to him of thirty francs：
＇*＇ A book on which the author has been at work since 1833； the year
in which it was first announced。Author's note。
〃See my profits！ there they go！〃 he said to his assemblage； 〃and you
howl upon me！ You know I'll never trouble the brats； in fact； Cadenet
has already taken them bread and heel…taps。〃
After that it was said of him in both faubourgs：
〃He is not a bad fellow！〃
The 〃loan by the little week；〃 as interpreted by Cerizet； is not；
considering all things； so cruel a thing as the pawn…shop。 Cerizet
loaned ten francs Tuesday on condition of receiving twelve francs
Sunday morning。 In five weeks he doubled his capital； but he had to
make many compromises。 His kindness consisted in accepting； from time
to time； eleven francs and fifty centimes； sometimes the whole
interest was still owing。 When he gave fifty francs for sixty to a
fruit…stall man； or a hundred francs for one hundred and twenty to a
seller of peat…fuel； he ran great risks。
On reaching the rue des Poules through the rue des Postes； Theodose
and Dutocq saw a great assemblage of men and women； and by the light
which the wine…merchant's little oil…lamps cast upon these groups；
they were horrified at beholding that mass of red； seamed； haggard
faces； solemn with suffering； withered； distorted； swollen with wine；
pallid from liquor； some threatening； others resigned； some sarcastic
or jeering； others besotted； all rising from the midst of those
terrible rags； which no designer can surpass in his most extravagant
caricatures。
〃I shall be recognized；〃 said Theodose； pulling Dutocq away； 〃we have
done a foolish thing to come here at this hour and take him in the
midst of his business。〃
〃All the more that Claparon may be sleeping in his lair； the interior
of which we know nothing about。 Yes； there are dangers for you； but
none for me； I shall be thought to have business with my copying…
clerk； and I'll go and tell him to come and dine with us； this is
court day； so we can't have him to breakfast。 I'll tell him to meet us
at the 'Chaumiere' in one of the garden dining…rooms。〃
〃Bad； anybody could listen to us there without being seen；〃 said la
Peyrade。 〃I prefer the 'Petit Rocher de Cancale'； we can go into a
private room and speak low。〃
〃But suppose you are seen with Cerizet？〃
〃Well； then； let's go to the 'Cheval Rouge；' quai de la Tournelle。〃
〃That's best； seven o'clock； nobody will be there then。〃
Dutocq advanced alone into the midst of that congress of beggars； and
he heard his own name repeated from mouth to mouth； for he could
hardly fail to encounter among them some jail…bird familiar with the
judge's office； just as Theodose was certain to have met a client。
In these quarters the justice…of…peace is the supreme authority； all
legal contests stop short at his office； especially since the law was
passed giving to those judges sovereign power in all cases of
litigation involving not over one hundred and forty francs。 A way was
made for the judge's clerk； who was not less feared than the judge
himself。 He saw women seated on the staircase； a horrible display of
pallor and suffering of many kinds。 Dutocq was almost asphyxiated when
he opened the door of the room in which already sixty persons had left
their odors。
〃Your number？ your number？〃 cried several voices。
〃Hold your jaw！〃 cried a gruff voice from the street； 〃that's the pen
of the judge。〃
Profound silence followed。 Dutocq found his copying clerk clothed in a
jacket of yellow leather like that of the gloves of the gendarmerie；
beneath which he wore an ignoble waistcoat of knitted wool。 The reader
must imagine the man's diseased head issuing from this species of
scabbard and covered with a miserable Madras handkerchief； which；
leaving to view the forehead and neck； gave to that head； by the gleam
of a tallow candle of twelve to the pound； its naturally hideous and
threatening character。
〃It can't be done that way； papa Lantimeche；〃 Cerizet was saying to a
tall old man； seeming to be about seventy years of age； who was
standing before him with a red woollen cap in his hand； exhibiting a
bald head； and a breast covered with white hairs visible through his
miserable linen jacket。 〃Tell me exactly what you want to undertake。
One hundred francs； even on condition of getting back one hundred and
twenty； can't be let loose that way； like a dog in a church〃
The five other applicants； among whom were two women； both with
infants； one knitting； the other suckling her child； burst out
laughing。
When Cerizet saw Dutocq； he rose respectfully and went rather hastily
to meet him； adding to his client：
〃Take time to reflect； for； don't you see？ it makes me doubtful to
have such a sum as that； one hundred francs！ asked for by an old
journeyman locksmith！〃
〃But I tell you it concerns an invention；〃 cried the old workman。
〃An invention and one hundred francs！〃 said Dutocq。 〃You don't know
the laws； you mus