He could sleep well only when he had driven a good bargain during the day.

He bought at auction thousands of bottles of wine consigned by bankrupt firms, and he who scarcely ever drank, packed his wine cellars to overflowing, advising his family to use the champagne as freely as ordinary wine.

The failure of a furrier induced him to buy for fourteen thousand francs pelts worth ninety thousand.

In consequence, the entire Desnoyers family seemed suddenly to be suffering as frightfully from cold as though a polar iceberg had invaded the avenida Victor Hugo.

The father kept only one fur coat for himself but ordered three for his son.