“You are wrong,” she said by way of conclusion.  “I have done what I was bound to do.  Now it shall be as you wish.  But, for my part, I should never have had a moment’s peace if I had not put things before you.  Bad thoughts would quite upset me.”

They then began to speak of another matter.  It would be necessary to give some reason for Florent’s presence, and at the same time avoid exciting the suspicion of the police.  He told them that in order to return to France he had availed himself of the papers of a poor fellow who had died in his arms at Surinam from yellow fever.  By a singular coincidence this young fellow’s Christian name was Florent.

Florent Laquerriere, to give him his name in full, had left but one relation in Paris, a female cousin, and had been informed of her death while in America.  Nothing could therefore be easier than for Quenu’s half brother to pass himself off as the man who had died at Surinam.  Lisa offered to take upon herself the part of the female cousin.  They then agreed to relate that their cousin Florent had returned from abroad, where he had failed in his attempts to make a fortune, and that they, the Quenu-Gradelles, as they were called in the neighbourhood, had received him into their house until he could find suitable employment.  When this was all settled, Quenu insisted upon his brother making a thorough inspection of the rooms, and would not spare him the examination of a single stool.  Whilst they were in the bare looking chamber containing nothing but chairs, Lisa pushed open a door, and showing Florent a small dressing room, told him that the shop girl should sleep in it, so that he could retain the bedroom on the fifth floor.

In the evening Florent was arrayed in new clothes from head to foot.  He had insisted upon again having a black coat and black trousers, much against the advice of Quenu, upon whom black had a depressing effect.  No further attempts were made to conceal his presence in the house, and Lisa told the story which had been planned to everyone who cared to hear it.  Henceforth Florent spent almost all his time on the premises, lingering on a chair in the kitchen or leaning against the marble-work in the shop.  At meal times Quenu plied him with food, and evinced considerable vexation when he proved such a small eater and left half the contents of his liberally filled plate untouched.  Lisa had resumed her old life, evincing a kindly tolerance of her brother-in-law’s presence, even in the morning, when he somewhat interfered with the work.  Then she would momentarily forget him, and on suddenly perceiving his black form in front of her give a slight start of surprise, followed, however, by one of her sweet smiles, lest he might feel at all hurt.  This skinny man’s disinterestedness had impressed her, and she regarded him with a feeling akin to respect, mingled with vague fear.  Florent had for his part only felt that there was great affection around him.