Elie Magus here bowed to the Vervelle family and went away. Grassou
accompanied him to the landing.

"There's no one but you who would fish up such whales."

"One hundred thousand francs of 'dot'!"

"Yes, but what a family!"

"Three hundred thousand francs of expectations, a house in the rue
Boucherat, and a country-house at Ville d'Avray!"

"Bottles and corks! bottles and corks!" said the painter; "they set my
teeth on edge."

"Safe from want for the rest of your days," said Elie Magus as he
departed.

That idea entered the head of Pierre Grassou as the daylight had burst
into his garret that morning.

While he posed the father of the young person, he thought the
bottle-dealer had a good countenance, and he admired the face full of
violent tones. The mother and daughter hovered about the easel,
marvelling at all his preparations; they evidently thought him a
demigod. This visible admiration pleased Fougeres. The golden calf
threw upon the family its fantastic reflections.

"You must earn lots of money; but of course you don't spend it as you