dear little Alexandra think? Did he think they could
possibly manage to afford it? Of course it was bound
to pay well in the end, this had surely been made very
clear last summer; yes, and meanwhile that brigand
further on down the port who had stolen quite a few of
her fishermen from her —God pity their stomachs,
such foul liquor he sold—that brigand would receive
a slap in the face, and so would those surly, ungrateful
clients. Hotel de la Tarasque ... a bathroom . . .
Santouno! Yes, but could they, dared they venture
to afford it?
The little violinist with the hump on his back
thought they dared, but he left the decision to her,
she being such an excellent business woman: *Mais,
ma cherie, it is you who will have to decide — I am
only a child in matters of money.3 For the little
violinist knew his Mere Melanie; if he urged this
grand scheme and it happened to fail, she would very
probably turn round and beat him; so he said yet
again: 'You will have to decide/ and slipped quietly
off for a glass of brandy.
Kahn seemed confident of obtaining good terms
from the firm in Marseille that had worked for him —
Mere Melanie could pay them so much every quarter.
It would surely be very well worth their while in view
of the splendid future of the place; he would tell them
to call on Mere Melanie at once so that all might be
finished in time for next summer. Might he tell them
to call? *Ah, Madame, do not lose this great oppor-
tunity, I entreat you. You have courage, Madame;
success follows the brave. May I tell them to call?5
Mere Melanie nodded.
So that night as Mere Melanie lay abed by the side
of her little hump-backed violinist, their propinquity
was quite without blame, since nothing was thought of
but current accounts and how much they would
venture to take from her savings.
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