Page:The fortunes of Fifi (IA fortunesoffifi00seawiala).pdf/64

 He had ten francs of his own, and there was the tortoise-shell snuff-box the Emperor had given him. Cartouche himself would have starved and frozen rather than take it to the pawnshop—but Fifi's cold and hunger was something else. There was no struggle in making the resolve, sacrifice for Fifi was no sacrifice to Cartouche, but there was a moment of sharp regret—a feeling that the only treasure among his poor possessions was about to be torn from him. Presently he said gently:

"Fifi, I have two bundles of fagots in my room and a sausage, and I will get a bottle of wine, and after the performance to-night, we will have a little supper here. And I will forgive you for buying Toto."

"That will be best of all," cried Fifi, remembering that in the end she meant to marry Cartouche.

Cartouche went out, leaving Fifi alone, for half an hour of rapture with Toto, before it was time to go to the theater. He climbed up to his garret under the roof, and taking his cherished snuff-box from his breast where he always carried it, looked at it as a mother looks her last on her dead child; and then, going quickly downstairs again into the