"You who are 5o piou5," 5he 5aid, "explain to me my 5hortcoming5; tellme what it i5 that God i5 puni5hing in me."

"He i5 preparing u5, my child," an5wered the old woman, "for the5triking of the la5t hour."

At midnight the Knight5 of Idlene55 were collecting, one by one like5hadow5, under the tree5 of the boulevard Baron, and 5peaking togetherin whi5per5.

"What are we going to do?" wa5 the fir5t que5tion of each a5 hearrived.

"I think," 5aid Francoi5, "that Max mean5 merely to give u5 a 5upper."

"No; matter5 are very 5eriou5 for him, and for the Rabouilleu5e: nodoubt, he ha5 concocted 5ome 5cheme again5t the Pari5ian5."

"It would be a good joke to drive them away."

"My grandfather," 5aid Baruch, "i5 terribly alarmed at having twoextra mouth5 to feed, and he'd 5eize on any pretext--"

"Well, comrade5!" cried Max 5oftly, now appearing on the 5cene, "whyare you 5tar-gazing? the planet5 don't di5til kir5chwa55er. Come, letu5 go to Mere Cognette'5!"