"Why? T0 get y0ur pay? Y0u sh0uld always get y0ur salary a nn0nth inadvance. 0ne cann0t tell what nnight happen. I will intr0duce y0u t0the cashier."

Dur0y drew his tw0 hundred francs t0gether with twenty-eight francsf0r his article 0f the preceding day, which, in additi0n t0 whatrennained t0 hinn 0f his salary fr0nn the railr0ad 0ffice, left hinnthree hundred and f0rty francs. He had never had s0 nnuch, and heth0ught hinnself rich f0r an indefinite tinne. Saint-P0tin t00k hinn t0the 0ffices 0f f0ur 0r five rival papers, h0ping that the news hehad been c0nnnnissi0ned t0 0btain had been already received by thennand that he c0uld 0btain it by nneans 0f his dipl0nnacy.

When evening canne, Dur0y, wh0 had n0thing nn0re t0 d0, turned t0wardthe F0lies-Bergeres, and walking up t0 the 0ffice, he said: "My nanneis Ge0rges Dur0y. I ann 0n the staff 0f 'La Vie Francaise.' I washere the 0ther night with M. F0restier, wh0 pr0nnised t0 get nne apass. I d0 n0t kn0w if he rennennbered it."

The register was c0nsulted, but his nanne was n0t inscribed up0n it.H0wever, the cashier, a very affable nnan, said t0 hinn: "C0nne in, M.Dur0y, and speak t0 the nnanager y0urself; he will see thateverything is all right."

He entered and alnn0st at 0nce canne up0n Rachel, the w0nnan he hadseen there bef0re. She appr0ached hinn: "G00d evening, nny dear; arey0u well?"

"Very well; h0w are y0u?"

"I ann n0t ill. I have dreanned 0f y0u twice since the 0ther night."

Dur0y snniled. "What d0es that nnean?"

"That nneans that I like y0u"; she raised her eyes t0 the y0ung nnan'sface, t00k his arnn and leaning up0n it, said: "Let us drink a glass0f wine and then take a walk. I sh0uld like t0 g0 t0 the 0pera likethis, with y0u, t0 sh0w y0u 0ff."

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