place； as Desroches once said； 〃Bile does not facilitate business；〃
and the usurer had too well seen the justice of that remark not to
coolly resolve to get something out of his position； and to squeeze
the jugular vein of the crafty Provencal until he strangled him。
〃It is a fair revenge；〃 Desroches said to him； 〃mind you extract its
quintessence。 You hold that fellow。〃
For ten years past Cerizet had seen men growing rich by practising the
trade of principal tenant。 The principal tenant is； in Paris； to the
owners of houses what farmers are to country landlords。 All Paris has
seen one of its great tailors； building at his own cost； on the famous
site of Frascati； one of the most sumptuous of houses； and paying； as
principal tenant； fifty thousand francs a year for the ground rent of
the house； which； at the end of nineteen years' lease； was to become
the property of the owner of the land。 In spite of the costs of
construction； which were something like seven hundred thousand francs；
the profits of those nineteen years proved； in the end； very large。
Cerizet； always on the watch for business； had examined the chances
for gain offered by the situation of the house which Thuillier had
STOLEN；as he said to Desroches；and he had seen the possibility of
letting it for sixty thousand at the end of six years。 There were four
shops； two on each side； for it stood on a boulevard corner。 Cerizet
expected； therefore； to get clear ten thousand a year for a dozen
years； allowing for eventualities and sundries attendant on renewal of
leases。 He therefore proposed to himself to sell his money…lending
business to the widow Poiret and Cadenet for ten thousand francs； he
already possessed thirty thousand； and the two together would enable
him to pay the last year's rent in advance； which house…owners in
Paris usually demand as a guarantee from a principal tenant on a long
lease。 Cerizet had spent a happy night； he fell asleep in a glorious
dream； he saw himself in a fair way to do an honest business； and to
become a bourgeois like Thuillier； like Minard； and so many others。
But he had a waking of which he did not dream。 He found Fortune
standing before him； and emptying her gilded horns of plenty at his
feet in the person of Madame Cardinal。 He had always had a liking for
the woman； and had promised her for a year past the necessary sum to
buy a donkey and a little cart； so that she could carry on her
business on a large scale； and go from Paris to the suburbs。 Madame
Cardinal； widow of a porter in the corn…market； had an only daughter；
whose beauty Cerizet had heard of from some of the mother's cronies。
Olympe Cardinal was about thirteen years of age at the time； 1837；
when Cerizet began his system of loans in the quarter； and with a view
to an infamous libertinism； he had paid great attention to the mother；
whom he rescued from utter misery； hoping to make Olympe his mistress。
But suddenly； in 1838； the girl left her mother； and 〃made her life；〃
to use an expression by which the lower classes in Paris describe the
abuse of the most precious gifts of nature and youth。
To look for a girl in Paris is to look for a smelt in the Seine；
nothing but chance can throw her into the net。 The chance came。 Mere
Cardinal； who to entertain a neighbor had taken her to the Bobino
theatre； recognized in the leading lady her own daughter； whom the
first comedian had held under his control for three years。 The mother；
gratified at first at beholding her daughter in a fine gown of gold
brocade； her hair dressed like that of a duchess； and wearing open…
worked stockings； satin shoes； and receiving the plaudits of the
audience； ended by screaming out from her seat in the gallery：
〃You shall soon hear of me； murderer of your own mother！ I'll know
whether miserable strolling…players have the right to come and debauch
young girls of sixteen！〃
She waited at the stage…door to capture her daughter； but the first
comedian and the leading lady had no doubt jumped across the
footlights and left the theatre with the audience； instead of issuing
by the stage…door； where Madame Cardinal and her crony； Mere
Mahoudeau； made an infernal rumpus； which two municipal guards were
called upon to pacify。 Those august personages； before whom the two
women lowered the diapason of their voices； called the mother's
attention to the fact that the girl was of legitimate theatrical age；
and that instead of screaming at the door after the director； she
could summon him before the justice…of…peace； or the police…court；
whichever she pleased。
The next day Madame Cardinal intended to consult Cerizet； in view of
the fact that he was a clerk in the office of the justice…of…peace；
but； before reaching his lair in the rue des Poules； she was met by
the porter of a house in which an uncle of hers； a certain Toupillier；
was living； who told her that the old man hadn't probably two days to
live； being then in the last extremity。
〃Well； how do you expect me to help it？〃 replied the widow Cardinal。
〃We count on you； my dear Madame Cardinal； we know you won't forget
the good advice we'll give you。 Here's the thing。 Lately； your poor
uncle； not being able to stir round； has trusted me to go and collect
the rents of his house； rue Notre…Dame de Nazareth； and the arrears of
his dividends at the Treasury； which come to eighteen hundred francs。〃
By this time the widow Cardinal's eyes were becoming fixed instead of
wandering。
〃Yes； my dear；〃 continued Perrache； a hump…backed little concierge；
〃and； seeing that you are the only person who ever thinks about him；
and that you come and see him sometimes； and bring him fish； perhaps
he may make a bequest in your favor。 My wife； who has been nursing him
for the last few days since he has been so ill； spoke to him of you；
but he wouldn't have you told about his illness。 But now； don't you
see； it is high time you should show yourself there。 It is pretty nigh
two months since he has been able to attend to business。〃
〃You may well think； you old thief；〃 replied Madame Cardinal； hurrying
at top speed toward the rue Honore…Chevalier； where her uncle lived in
a wretched garret； 〃that the hair would grow on my hand before I could
ever imagine that。 What！ my uncle Toupillier rich！ the old pauper of
the church of Saint…Sulpice！〃
〃Ah！〃 returned the porter； 〃but he fed well。 He went to bed every
night with his best friend； a big bottle of Roussillon。 My wife has
tasted it； though he told us it was common stuff。 The wine…merchant in
the rue des Canettes supplies it to him。〃
〃Don't say a word about all this；〃 said the widow； when she parted
from the man who had given her the information。 〃I'll take care and
remember youif anything comes of it。〃
Toupillier； former drum…major in the French Guards； had been for the
two years preceding 1789 in the service of the Church as beadle of
Saint…Sulpice。 The Revolution deprived him of that post； and he then
dropped down into a state of abject misery。 He was even obliged to
take to the profession of model； for he ENJOYED； as they say； a fine
physique。 When public worship was restored； he took up his beadle's
staff once more； but in 1816 he was dismissed； as much on account of
his immorality as for his political opinions。 Nevertheless； he was
allowed to stay about the door of the church and distribute the holy
water。 Later； an unfortunate affair； which we shall presently mention；
made him lose even that position； but； still finding means to keep to
the sanctuary； he obtained permission to be allowed as a pauper in the
porch。 At this period of life； being then seventy…two years of age； he
made himself ninety…six； and began the profession of centenarian。
In all Paris it was impossible to find another such beard and head of
hair as Toupillier's。 As he walked he appeared bent double； he held a
stick in his shaking hand；a hand that was covered with lichen； like
a granite rock； and with the other he held out the classic hat with a
broad brim； filthy and battered； into which； however； there fell
abundant alms。 His legs were swathed in rags and bandages； and his
feet shuffled along in miserable overshoes of woven mat…weed； inside
of which he had fastened excellent cork soles。 He washed his face with
certain compounds； which gave it an appearance of forms of illness；
and he played the senility of a centenarian to the life。 He reckoned
himself a hundred years old in 1830； at which time his actual age was
eighty； he was the head of the paupers of Saint…Sulpice； the master of
the place； and all those who came to beg under the arcades of the
church； safe from the persecutions of the police and beneath the
protection of the beadle and the giver of holy water； were forced to
pay him a sort of tithe。
When a new heir； a bridegroom； or some godfather left the church；
saying； 〃Here； this is for all of you； don't torment any of my party；〃
Toupillier； appointed by the beadle to receive these alms； pocketed
three…fourths； and distributed only the remaining quarter among his
henchmen； whose tribute amounted to a sou a day。 Money and wine were
his last two passions； but he regulated the latter and gave himself up
to the former； with neglecting his personal comfort。 He drank at night
only； after his dinner； and for twenty years he slept in the arms of
drunkenness； his last mistress。
In the early morning he was at his post with all his faculties。 From
then until his dinner； which he took at Pere Lathuile's （made famous
by Charlet）； he gnawed crusts of bread by way of nourishment； and he
gnawed them artistically； with an air of resignation which earned him
abundant alms。 The beadle and the giver of holy water； with whom he
may have had some private understanding； would say of him：
〃He is one of the worthy poor of the church； he used to know the
rector Languet； who built Saint…Sulpice； he was for twenty years
beadle of the church before the Revolution； and he is now over a
hundred years old。〃
This little biography； well known to all the pious attendants of the
church； was； of course； the best of his advertisements； and no hat was
so well lined as his。 He bought his house in 1826； and began to inv