"Now, sir," he continued, "you sent me lately a little paper, with a picture of a lady and a pair of scales on it.

It was signed Godard." "The lawyer's name." "He writes a very bad hand; I had to get my friend here, who understands all sorts of hieroglyphics and foreign languages,"-- and he pointed to Colline--"to translate it for me." "It was a notice to quit; a precautionary measure, according to the rule in such cases." "Exactly.

Now I wanted to have a talk with you about this very notice, for which I should like to substitute a lease.

This house suits me.

The staircase is clean, the street gay, and some of my friends live near; in short, a thousand reasons attach me to these premises." "But," and the landlord unfolded his receipt again, "there is that last quarter's rent to pay." "We shall pay it, sir.