Did you notice how I played that game on him, my sixty francs, my landlord, my fourth of February? I don''t even owe for one quarter!
Isn''t he a fool!
So he will come at six o''clock! That''s the hour when our neighbor goes to his dinner. Mother Bougon is off washing dishes in the city.
There''s not a soul in the house.
The neighbor never comes home until eleven o''clock. The children shall stand on watch.
You shall help us.
He will give in."
"And what if he does not give in?" demanded his wife.
Jondrette made a sinister gesture, and said:--
"We''ll fix him."
And he burst out laughing.
This was the first time Marius had seen him laugh.
The laugh was cold and sweet, and provoked a shudder.
Jondrette opened a cupboard near the fireplace, and drew from it an old cap, which he placed on his head, after brushing it with his sleeve.
"Now," said he, "I''m going out.
I have some more people that I must see.
Good ones.
You''ll see how well the whole thing will work. I shall be away as short a time as possible, it''s a fine stroke of business, do you look after the house."
And with both fists thrust into the pockets of his trousers, he stood for a moment in thought, then exclaimed:--
"Do you know, it''s mighty lucky, by the way, that he didn''t recognize me!