to ours."

"I don't believe in Southern securities, be it said without offence to
monsieur," replied Vauvinet, with whom Gazonal was so entertained that
he did not resent his insolence.

Gazonal, that extremely penetrating intellect, thought that the
painter and Bixiou intended, by way of teaching him to know Paris, to
make him pay the thousand francs for his breakfast at the Cafe de
Paris, for this son of the Pyrenees had never got out of that armor of
distrust which incloses the provincial in Paris.

"How can you expect me to have outstanding business at seven hundred
miles from Paris?" added Vauvinet.

"Then you refuse me positively?" asked Bixiou.

"I have twenty francs, and no more," said the young usurer.

"I'm sorry for you," said the joker. "I thought I was worth a thousand
francs."

"You are worth two hundred thousand francs," replied Vauvinet, "and
sometimes you are worth your weight in gold, or at least your tongue
is; but I tell you I haven't a penny."

"Very good," replied Bixiou; "then we won't say anything more about
it. I had arranged for this evening, at Carabine's, the thing you most
wanted--you know?"