'
'You dare not lay a finger on me,' said Villiers, defiantly.
'Quite right,' replied Vandeloup, lighting another cigarette,
'you're rather too dirty for close companionship. I really think
you'd better go; Monsieur Sleeves no doubt expects you.'
'And this is the man that I obtained work for,' said Mr Villiers,
addressing the air.
'It's a very ungrateful world,' said Vandeloup, calmly, with a shrug
of his shoulders; 'I never expect anything from it; I'm sorry if you
do, for you are sure to be disappointed.'
Villiers, finding he could make nothing out of the imperturbable
coolness of the young Frenchman, turned to go, but as he went, said
spitefully--
'You can tell my wife I'll pay her for this.'
'Accounts are paid on Saturdays,' called out M. Vandeloup, gaily;
'if you call I will give you a receipt of the same kind as you had
to-day.'
Villiers made no response, as he was already out of hearing, and
went on his way to the station with mud on his clothes and rage in
his heart.
Vandeloup looked after him for a few minutes with a queer smile on
his lips, then turned on his heel and walked home, humming a song.
CHAPTER VIII
MADAME MIDAS STRIKES 'ILE'
Aesop knew human nature very well when he wrote his fable of the old
man and his ass, who tried to please everybody and ended up by
pleasing nobody. Bearing this in mind, Madame Midas determined to
please herself, and take no one's advice but her own with regard to
Vandeloup.
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