hands on--glasses, saucers, matches. His frayed sleeves, as they
swept to and fro, wiped the marble top of the table and set the
glasses rattling. Disturbed by the noise, the Marquis Tudesco,
who was asleep, half opened his eyes mechanically.

Servien kept nodding his approval and repeating that he quite
understood, to stop the old man's babble. Then he advised the
architect to try and put his invention in practice; but he only
shrugged his shoulders--it was years since he had left off trying
anything. After all, what did it matter to him whether his system
was applied or no? He was an inventor!

Recalled for the third time by his young listener to Gabrielle
T----'s mother:

"She never had any great success on the stage," he declared;
"but she was a careful woman and saved money. She was near on
fifty when I came upon her again in Paris living with Adolphe, a
very handsome young fellow of twenty-five or twenty-six, nephew
of a stockbroker. It was the most loving couple, the merriest,
happiest household in the world. Never once did I breakfast at their
little flat, fifth floor of a house in the _Rue Taitbout_,
without being melted to tears. 'Eat, my kitten,' 'Drink, my lamb!'
and such looks and endearments, and each so pleased with the
other! One day he said to her: 'My kitten, your money does not
bring you in what it ought; give me your scrip and in forty-eight
hours I shall have doubled your capital.' She went softly to her
cupboard and opening the glass doors, handed him her securities
one by one with hands that trembled a little.