Grandissime.
"_per_ Z.F." There was a short French postscript on the opposite page signed only by M.Zenon Francois, explaining that he, who had allowed them in the past to address him as their landlord and by his name, was but the landlord's agent; that the landlord was a far better-dressed man than he could afford to be; that the writing opposite was a notice for them to quit the premises they had rented (not leased), or pay up; that it gave the writer great pain to send it, although it was but the necessary legal form and he only an irresponsible drawer of an inadequate salary, with thirteen children to support; and that he implored them to tear off and burn up this postscript immediately they had read it.
"Ah, the miserable!" was all the comment made upon it as the two ladies addressed their energies to the previous English.

They had never suspected him of being M.Grandissime.
Their eyes dragged slowly and ineffectually along the lines to the signature.
"H.

Grandissime! Loog ad 'im!" cried the widow, with a sudden short laugh, that brought the tears after it like a wind-gust in a rose-tree.
She held the letter out before them as if she was lifting something alive by the back of the neck, and to intensify her scorn spoke in the hated tongue prescribed by the new courts.

"Loog ad 'im! dad ridge gen'leman oo give so mudge money to de 'ozpill!" "Bud, _maman_," said the daughter, laying her hand appeasingly upon her mother's knee, "_ee_ do nod know 'ow we is poor." "Ah!" retorted Aurore, "_par example! Non ?_ Ee thingue we is ridge, eh?
Ligue his oncle, eh?
Ee thing so, too, eh ?" She cast upon her daughter the look of burning scorn intended for Agricola Fusilier.

"You wan' to tague the pard of dose Grandissime' ?" The daughter returned a look of agony.
"No," she said, "bud a man wad godd some 'ouses to rend, muz ee nod boun' to ged 'is rend ?" "Boun' to ged--ah! yez ee muz do 'is possible to ged 'is rend.