old vidame added a good round sum yearly to the wages of his former provost of gallantry, which strengthened the ties of natural affection by the bonds of self-interest, and obtained for the old gentleman as much care as the most loving mistress could bestow on a sick friend.  It was this pearl of the old-fashioned comedy-valets, relic of the last century, auxiliary incorruptible from lack of passions to satisfy, on whom the old vidame and Monsieur de Maulincour now relied.

“Monsieur le baron will spoil all,” said the great man in livery, when called into counsel.  “Monsieur should eat, drink, and sleep in peace.  I take the whole matter upon myself.”

Accordingly, eight days after the conference, when Monsieur de Maulincour, perfectly restored to health, was breakfasting with his grandmother and the vidame, Justin entered to make his report.  As soon as the dowager had returned to her own apartments he said, with that mock modesty which men of talent are so apt to affect:—­

“Ferragus is not the name of the enemy who is pursuing Monsieur le baron.  This man—­this devil, rather—­is called Gratien, Henri, Victor, Jean-Joseph Bourignard.  The Sieur Gratien Bourignard is a former ship-builder, once very rich, and, above all, one of the handsomest men of his day in Paris,—­a Lovelace, capable of seducing Grandison.  My information stops short there.  He has been a simple workman; and the Companions of the Order of the Devorants did, at one time, elect him as their chief, under the title of Ferragus XXIII.  The police ought to know that, if the police were instituted to know anything.  The man has moved from the rue des Vieux-Augustins, and now roosts rue Joquelet, where Madame Jules Desmarets goes frequently to see him; sometimes her husband, on his way to the Bourse, drives her as far as the rue Vivienne, or she drives her husband to the Bourse.  Monsieur le vidame knows about these things too well to want me to tell him if it is the husband who takes the wife, or the wife who takes the husband; but Madame Jules is so pretty, I’d bet on her.  All that I have told you is positive.  Bourignard often plays at number 129.  Saving your presence, monsieur, he’s a rogue who loves women, and he has his little ways like a man of condition.  As for the rest, he wins sometimes, disguises himself like an actor, paints his face to look like anything he chooses, and lives, I may say, the most original life in the world.  I don’t doubt he has a good many lodgings, for most of the time he manages to evade what Monsieur le vidame calls ’parliamentary investigations.’  If monsieur wishes, he could be disposed of honorably, seeing what his habits are.  It is always easy to get rid of a man who loves women.  However, this capitalist talks about moving again.  Have Monsieur le vidame and Monsieur le baron any other commands to give me?”

“Justin, I am satisfied with you; don’t go any farther in the matter without my orders, but keep a close watch here, so that Monsieur le baron may have nothing to fear.”