On the third day, however, I received a visit from M. Goldberg himself.  I could not refuse to see him.  Indeed, he would not be denied, but roughly pushed Theodore aside, who tried to hinder him.  He had come armed with a riding-whip, and nothing but mine own innate dignity saved me from outrage.  He came, Sir, with a marriage licence for his sister and me in one pocket and with a denunciation to the police against me for abduction in another.  He gave me the choice.  What could I do, Sir?  I was like a helpless babe in the hands of unscrupulous brigands!

The marriage licence was for the following day—­at the mairie of the eighth arrondissement first, and in the synagogue of the Rue des Halles afterwards.  I chose the marriage licence.  What could I do, Sir?  I was helpless!

Of my wedding day I have but a dim recollection.  It was all hustle and bustle; from the mairie to the synagogue, and thence to the house of M. Goldberg in the Rue des Medecins.  I must say that the old usurer received me and my bride with marked amiability.  He was, I gathered, genuinely pleased that his sister had found happiness and a home by the side of an honourable man, seeing that he himself was on the point of contracting a fresh alliance with a Jewish lady of unsurpassed loveliness.

Of Rochez and Leah we saw nothing that day, and from one or two words which M. Goldberg let fall I concluded that he was greatly angered against his daughter because of her marriage with a fortune-hunting adventurer, who, he weirdly hinted, had already found quick and exemplary punishment for his crime.  I was sincerely glad to hear this, even though I could not get M. Goldberg to explain in what that exemplary punishment consisted.

The climax came at six o’clock of that eventful afternoon, at the hour when I, with the newly-enthroned Mme. Ratichon on my arm, was about to take leave of M. Goldberg.  I must admit that at that moment my heart was overflowing with bitterness.  I had been led like a lamb to the slaughter; I had been made to look foolish and absurd in the midst of this Israelite community which I despised; I was saddled for the rest of my life with an unprepossessing elderly wife, who could do naught for me but share the penury, the hard crusts, the onion pies with me and Theodore.  The only advantage I might ever derive from her was that she would darn my stockings, sew the buttons on my vests, and goffer the frills of my shirts!

Was this not enough to turn any man’s naturally sweet disposition to gall?  No doubt my mobile face betrayed something of the bitterness of my thoughts, for M. Goldberg at one moment slapped me vigorously on the back and bade me be of good cheer, as things were not so bad as I imagined.  I was on the point of asking him what he meant when I saw another gentleman advancing toward me.  His face, which was sallow and oily, bore a kind of obsequious smile; his clothes were of rusty black, and his features were markedly Jewish in character.  He had some law papers under his arm, and he was perpetually rubbing his thin, bony hands together as if he were for ever washing them.