"Apropos of carcass," said one of the party. "May the soul of Mother
Seraphin rest in peace! for, since she was drowned, we are no longer
condemned to eat her ever lasting hash!"
"And for a week past, the governor, instead of giving us a breakfast--"
"Allows us each forty sous a day."
"That is the reason I say: may her soul rest in peace."
"Exactly; for in her time, the old boy would never have given us the forty
sous."
"It is enormous!"
"It is astonishing!"
"There is not an office in Paris--"
"In Europe."
"In the universe, where they give forty sous to a famishing clerk for his
breakfast."
"Apropos of Madame Seraphin, which of you fellows has seen the new servant
that takes her place?"
"The Alsatian girl whom Madame Pipelet, the porter's wife of No. 17, Rue du
Temple, the house where poor Louise lived, brought one evening?"
"Yes."
"I have not seen her yet."
"Nor I."
"Of course not; it is altogether impossible to see her, for the governor is
more savage than ever to prevent our entering the pavilion in the
courtyard."
"And since the porter cleans the office now, how can one get a glimpse at
his Mary?"
"Pooh! I have seen her."
"You?"
"Where was that?"
"How does she look?"
"Large or small?"
"Young or old?"
"I am sure, beforehand, that she has not so good-looking a face as poor
Louise--that good girl?"
"Come, since you have seen her, how does this new servant look?"
"When I say I saw her, I have seen her cap--a very funny cap.
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