his dress and appearance betrayed no evidence of an effort in that
direction. Whenever his friend cheated, he would invariably call her
attention to it; and as usual she would shrug her shoulders, and say,
"Bah! lose a game for a card!" and pursue the conversation.

He happened to mention mushrooms--fresh mushrooms. She threw down
her cards before the words were out of his mouth, and began to call,
"Jules! Jules!" Mr. Horace pulled the bell-cord, but madame was
too excitable for that means of communication. She ran into the
antechamber, and put her head over the banisters, calling, "Jules!
Jules!" louder and louder. She might have heard Jules's slippered feet
running from the street into the corridor and up-stairs, had she not
been so deaf. He appeared at the door.

"But where have you been? Here I have been raising the house a
half-hour, calling you. You have been in the street. I am sure you
have been in the street."

"Madame is very much mistaken," answered Jules, with resentful
dignity. He had taken off his white apron of waiter, and was
disreputable in all the shabbiness of his attire as cook. "When madame
forbids me to go into the street, I do not go into the street. I was
in the kitchen; I had fallen asleep. What does madame desire?" smiling
benevolently.

"What is this I hear? Fresh mushrooms in the market!"

"Eh, madame?"

"Fresh mushrooms in the market, and you have not brought me any!"