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The cool night…air； sundry ablutions at the pump in the court…yard； quickly got the better of this small discomfort； and when I entered the cloak…room nothing of it was any longer apparent。 I found a numerous and gay company collected round a /marquise au champagne/； of which all my nieces； wearing their best dresses； with their hair puffed out and cravats of pink ribbon； took their full share notwithstanding exclamations and bewitching little grimaces that deceived nobody。 Naturally； the conversation turned on the famous article； an article by Moessard； it appears； full of frightful occupations which the Nabob was alleged to have followed fifteen or twenty years ago； at the time of his first sojourn in Paris。
It was the third attack of the kind which the /Messenger/ had published in the course of the last week； and that rogue of a Moessard had the spite to send the number each time done up in a packet to the Place Vendome。
M。 Jansoulet received it in the morning with his chocolate； and at the same hour his friends and his enemiesfor a man like the Nabob could be regarded with indifference by nonewould be reading； commenting； tracing for themselves the relation to him a line of conduct designed to save them from becoming compromised。 Today's article must be supposed to have struck hard all the same； for Jansoulet； the coachman； recounted to us a few hours ago； in the Bois； his master had not exchanged ten greetings in the course of ten drives round the lake； while ordinarily his hat is as rarely on his head as a sovereign's when he takes the air。 Then； when they got back； there was another trouble。 The three boys had just arrived at the house； all in tears and dismay； brought home from the College Bourdaloue by a worthy father in the interest of the poor little fellows themselves； who had received a temporary leave of absence in order to spare them from hearing in the parlour or the playground any unkind story or painful allusion。 Thereupon the Nabob flew into a terrible passion； which caused him to destroy a service of porcelain； and it appears that； had it not been for M。 de Gery； he would have rushed off at once to punch Moessard's head。
〃And he would have done very well；〃 remarked M。 Noel； entering at these last words； very much excited。 〃There is not a line of truth in that rascal's article。 My master had never been in Paris before last year。 From Tunis to Marseilles； from Marseilles to Tunis； those were his only journeys。 But this knave of a journalist is taking his revenge because we refused him twenty thousand francs。〃
〃There you acted very unwisely；〃 observed M。 Francis upon this Monpavon's Francis； Monpavon the old beau whose solitary tooth shakes about in the centre of his mouth at every word he says； but whom the young ladies regard with a favourable eye all the same on account of his fine manners。 〃Yes； you were unwise。 One must know how to conciliate people； so long as they are in a position to be useful to us or to injure us。 Your Nabob has turned his back too quickly upon his friends after his success； and between you and me； /mon cher/； he is not sufficiently firmly established to be able to disregard attacks of this kind。〃
I thought myself able here to put in a word in my turn：
〃That is true enough； M。 Noel； your governor is no longer the same since his election。 He has adopted a tone and manners which I can hardly but describe as reprehensible。 The day before yesterday； at the Territorial； he raised a commotion which you can hardly imagine。 He was heard to exclaim before the whole board： 'You have lied to me； you have robbed me； and made me a robber as much as yourselves。 Show me your books； you set of rogues！' If he has treated Moessard in the same sort of fashion； I am not surprised any longer that the latter should be taking his revenge in his newspaper。〃
〃But what does this article say？〃 asked M。 Barreau。 〃Who is present that has read it？〃
Nobody answered。 Several had tried to buy it； but in Paris scandal sells like bread。 At ten o'clock in the morning there was not a single copy of the /Messenger/ left in the office。 Then it occurred to one of my niecesa sharp girl； if ever there was oneto look in the pocket of one of the numerous overcoats in the cloak…room； folded carefully in large pigeon…holes。 At the first which she examined：
〃Here it is！〃 exclaimed the charming child with an air of triumph； as she drew out a /Messenger/ crumpled in the folding like a paper that has just been read。
〃Here is another！〃 cried Tom Bois l'Hery； who was making a search on his own account。 A third overcoat； a third /Messenger/。 And in every one the same thing： pushed down to the bottom of a pocket； or with its titlepage protruding； the newspaper was everywhere； just as its article must have been in every memory； and one could imagine the Nabob up above exchanging polite phrases with his guests； while they could have reeled off by heart the atrocious things that had been printed about him。 We all laughed much at this idea； but we were anxious to make acquaintance in our own turn with this curious article。
〃Come； /pere/ Passajon； read it aloud to us。〃
It was the general desire； and I assented。
I don't know if you are like me； but when I read aloud I gargle my throat with my voice； I introduce modulations and flourishes to such an extent that I understand nothing of what I am saying； like those singers to whom the sense of the words matters little； provided the notes be true。 The thing was entitled 〃The Boat of Flowers〃a sufficiently complicated story； with Chinese names； about a very rich mandarin； who had at one time in the past kept a 〃boat of flowers〃 moored quite at the far end of the town near a barrier frequented by the soldiers。 At the end of the article we were not farther on than at the beginning。 We tried certainly to wink at each other； to pretend to be clever； but； frankly； we had no reason。 A veritable puzzle without solution； and we should still be stuck fast at it if old Francis； a regular rascal who knows everything； had not explained to us that this meeting place of the soldiers must stand for the Military School； and that the 〃boat of flowers〃 did not bear so pretty a name as that in good French。 And this name； he said it aloud notwithstanding the presence of the ladies。 There was an explosion of cries； of 〃Ah's！〃 and 〃Oh's！〃 some saying； 〃I suspected it！〃 others； 〃It is impossible！〃
〃Pardon me；〃 added Francis； formerly a trumpeter in the Ninth Lancers the regiment of Mora and of Monpavon〃pardon me。 Twenty years ago； during the last half year of my service； I was in barracks in the Military School； and I remember very well that near the fortifications there was a dirty dancing…hall known as the Jansoulet Rooms； with a little furnished flat above and bedrooms at twopence…halfpenny the hour； to which one could retire between two quadrilles。〃
〃You are an infamous liar！〃 said M。 Noel； beside himself with rage〃a thief and a liar like your master。 Jansoulet has never been in Paris before now。〃
Francis was seated a little outside our circle engaged in sipping something sweet； because champagne has a bad effect on his nerves and because； too； it is not a sufficiently d