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and distinct tones；
〃The deuce！ the deuce！〃
〃That seems clear to you； doesn't it？〃 said Jules。 〃Well； in the
depths of my heart there is a voice that pleads for my wife； and makes
itself heard above the pangs of jealousy。 I must endure the worst of
all agony until to…morrow； but to…morrow； between nine and ten I shall
know all； I shall be happy or wretched for all my life。 Think of me
then； Jacquet。〃
〃I shall be at your house to…morrow at eight o'clock。 We will go
together； I'll wait for you； if you like； in the street。 You may run
some danger； and you ought to have near you some devoted person who'll
understand a mere sign； and whom you can safely trust。 Count on me。〃
〃Even to help me in killing some one？〃
〃The deuce！ the deuce！〃 said Jacquet； repeating； as it were； the same
musical note。 〃I have two children and a wife。〃
Jules pressed his friend's hand and went away； but returned
immediately。
〃I forgot the letter；〃 he said。 〃But that's not all； I must reseal
it。〃
〃The deuce！ the deuce！ you opened it without saving the seal； however；
it is still possible to restore it。 Leave it with me and I'll bring it
to you /secundum scripturam/。〃
〃At what time？〃
〃Half…past five。〃
〃If I am not yet in； give it to the porter and tell him to send it up
to madame。〃
〃Do you want me to…morrow？〃
〃No。 Adieu。〃
Jules drove at once to the place de la Rotonde du Temple； where he
left his cabriolet and went on foot to the rue des Enfants…Rouges。 He
found the house of Madame Etienne Gruget and examined it。 There； the
mystery on which depended the fate of so many persons would be cleared
up； there； at this moment； was Ferragus； and to Ferragus all the
threads of this strange plot led。 The Gordian knot of the drama；
already so bloody； was surely in a meeting between Madame Jules； her
husband； and that man； and a blade able to cut the closest of such
knots would not be wanting。
The house was one of those which belong to the class called
/cabajoutis/。 This significant name is given by the populace of Paris
to houses which are built； as it were； piecemeal。 They are nearly
always composed of buildings originally separate but afterwards united
according to the fancy of the various proprietors who successively
enlarge them； or else they are houses begun； left unfinished； again
built upon； and completed；unfortunate structures which have passed；
like certain peoples； under many dynasties of capricious masters。
Neither the floors nor the windows have an /ensemble/；to borrow one
of the most picturesque terms of the art of painting； all is discord；
even the external decoration。 The /cabajoutis/ is to Parisian
architecture what the /capharnaum/ is to the apartment；a poke…hole；
where the most heterogeneous articles are flung pell…mell。
〃Madame Etienne？〃 asked Jules of the portress。
This portress had her lodge under the main entrance； in a sort of
chicken coop； or wooden house on rollers； not unlike those sentry…
boxes which the police have lately set up by the stands of hackney…
coaches。
〃Hein？〃 said the portress； without laying down the stocking she was
knitting。
In Paris the various component parts which make up the physiognomy of
any given portion of the monstrous city； are admirably in keeping with
its general character。 Thus porter； concierge； or Suisse； whatever
name may be given to that essential muscle of the Parisian monster； is
always in conformity with the neighborhood of which he is a part； in
fact； he is often an epitome of it。 The lazy porter of the faubourg
Saint…Germain； with lace on every seam of his coat； dabbles in stocks；
he of the Chaussee d'Antin takes his ease； reads the money…articles in
the newspapers； and has a business of his own in the faubourg
Montmartre。 The portress in the quarter of prostitution was formerly a
prostitute； in the Marais； she has morals； is cross…grained； and full
of crotchets。
On seeing Monsieur Jules this particular portress； holding her
knitting in one hand； took a knife and stirred the half…extinguished
peat in her foot…warmer； then she said：
〃You want Madame Etienne； do you mean Madame Etienne Gruget？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Jules； assuming a vexed air。
〃Who makes trimmings？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； then； monsieur；〃 she said； issuing from her cage； and laying
her hand on Jules' arm and leading him to the end of a long passage…
way； vaulted like a cellar； 〃go up the second staircase at the end of
the court…yardwhere you will see the windows with the pots of pinks；
that's where Madame Etienne lives。〃
〃Thank you； madame。 Do you think she is alone？〃
〃Why shouldn't she be alone？ she's a widow。〃
Jules hastened up a dark stairway； the steps of which were knobby with
hardened mud left by the feet of those who came and went。 On the
second floor he saw three doors but no signs of pinks。 Fortunately； on
one of the doors； the oiliest and darkest of the three； he read these
words； chalked on a panel： 〃Ida will come to…night at nine o'clock。〃
〃This is the place；〃 thought Jules。
He pulled an old bellrope； black with age； and heard the smothered
sound of a cracked bell and the barking of an asthmatic little dog。 By
the way the sounds echoed from the interior he knew that the rooms
were encumbered with articles which left no space for reverberation；
a characteristic feature of the homes of workmen and humble
households； where space and air are always lacking。
Jules looked out mechanically for the pinks； and found them on the
outer sill of a sash window between two filthy drain…pipes。 So here
were flowers； here； a garden； two yards long and six inches wide；
here； a wheat…ear； here； a whole life epitomized； but here； too； all
the miseries of that life。 A ray of light falling from heaven as if by
special favor on those puny flowers and the vigorous wheat…ear brought
out in full relief the dust； the grease； and that nameless color；
peculiar to Parisian squalor； made of dirt； which crusted and spotted
the damp walls； the worm…eaten balusters； the disjointed window…
casings； and the door originally red。 Presently the cough of an old
woman； and a heavy female step； shuffling painfully in list slippers；
announced the coming of the mother of Ida Gruget。 The creature opened
the door and came out upon the landing； looked up； and said：
〃Ah！ is this Monsieur Bocquillon？ Why； no？ But perhaps you're his
brother。 What can I do for you？ Come in； monsieur。〃
Jules followed her into the first room； where he saw； huddled
together； cages； household utensils； ovens； furniture； little
earthenware dishes full of food or water for the dog and the cats； a
wooden clock； bed…quilts； engravings of Eisen； heaps of old iron； all
these things mingled and massed together in a way that produced a most
grotesque effect；a true Parisian dusthole； in which were not lacking
a few old numbers of the 〃Constitutionel。〃
Jules； impelled by a sense of prudence； paid no attention to the
widow's invitation when she said civilly； showing him an inner room：
〃Come in here； monsieur； and warm yourself。〃
Fearing to be overheard by Ferragus； Jules asked himself whether it
were not wisest to conclude the arrangement he had come to make with
the old woman in the crowded antechamber。 A hen； which descended
cackling from a loft； roused him from this inward meditation。 He came
to a resolution； and followed Ida's mother into the inner room；
whither they were accompanied by the wheezy pug； a personage otherwise
mute； who jumped upon a stool。 Madame Gruget showed the assumption of
semi…pauperism when she invited her visitor to warm himself。 Her fire…
pot contained； or rather concealed two bits of sticks； which lay
apart： the grating was on the ground； its handle in the ashes。 The
mantel…shelf； adorned with a little wax Jesus under a shade of squares
of glass held together with blue paper； was piled with wools； bobbins；
and tools used in the making of gimps and trimmings。 Jules examined
everything in the room with a curiosity that was full of interest； and
showed； in spite of himself； an inward satisfaction。
〃Well； monsieur； tell me； do you want to buy any of my things？〃 said
the old woman； seating herself in a cane a