Although Finot was still proprietor of the
other newspaper, which he had divided into shares, holding all the
shares himself, the proprietor and editor "de visu" was one of his
friends, named Lousteau, the son of that very sub-delegate of Issoudun
on whom the Bridaus' grandfather, Doctor Rouget, had vowed vengeance;
consequently he was the nephew of Madame Hochon. To make himself
agreeable to his uncle, Finot gave Philippe the place Giroudeau was
quitting; cutting off, however, half the salary. Moreover, daily, at
five o'clock, Giroudeau audited the accounts and carried away the
receipts. Coloquinte, the old veteran, who was the office boy and did
errands, also kept an eye on the slippery Philippe; who was, however,
behaving properly. A salary of six hundred francs, and the five
hundred of his cross sufficed him to live, all the more because,
living in a warm office all day and at the theatre on a free pass
every evening, he had only to provide himself with food and a place to
sleep in. Coloquinte was departing with the stamped papers on his
head, and Philippe was brushing his false sleeves of green linen, when
Joseph entered.
"Bless me, here's the cub!" cried Philippe. "Well, we'll go and dine
together. You shall go to the opera; Florine and Florentine have got a
box. I'm going with Giroudeau; you shall be of the party, and I'll
introduce you to Nathan."
He took his leaded cane, and moistened a cigar.
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