Page:Memoirs of Vidocq, Volume 2.djvu/73

 there!"—"Do you hear that, sister? Three millions!" added Pauline, jumping like a young kid. "Three millions!" echoed Therèse, "I am delighted! We shall come in for a share!"—"Ah, woman, woman," interrupted Dufailli, "interest before all; you should rather think of your mother, who is perhaps at this moment in darkness and distress."—"Mother Thomas is an old " (what I will not sully my pages by repeating) added Therèse. "Come, that is neat, very neat," observed Boutrois, "for a daughter. 'Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long,' &c."—"I cannot swallow that three millions," said Dufailli. "Tell us, father Boutrois, all about it." Our host excused himself on the plea of business; "besides," he added, "I do not well know the particulars, and am in a great hurry."

The riot continued; I heard them ranging chairs, and the silence that followed betokened that their jaws were filled. As it was probable that there would be some suspension of these noises, I proposed that we should go to bed, which was agreed on; and as day-break was near at hand, that we might not be disturbed by the light, and make up for lost time, we drew the curtains close.

However, we were not aroused so soon as I had anticipated: sailors eat fast and drink long. Songs, which shook the very glasses, at length disturbed our repose; forty discordant voices joining in the chorus of the celebrated hymn of Roland. "Devil take the singers!" cried Dufailli, "I had the most agreeable dream;—I was at Toulon: were you ever at Toulon, old fellow? "I answered Dufailli, that I knew Toulon, but could not see what relation there could be between his agreeable dream and that city. "I was a galley-slave," he replied, "and I had just escaped." Dufailli perceived that this statement made an unpleasant impression on me, which I could not conceal. "Well, what is the matter with you countryman? I had just escaped, and that's no bad dream, I think,