He also was
in evening dress.
"Ah! well, my dear fellow," said he with the slight lisp which he
affected, "Valentine is determined to put on a new gown. So we must be
patient; we shall have an hour to wait."
Then, on catching sight of Mathieu, he began to apologize, evincing much
politeness and striving to accentuate his air of frigid distinction. When
the young man, whom he called his amiable tenant, had acquainted him with
the motive of his visit--the leak in the zinc roof of the little pavilion
at Janville--he at once consented to let the local plumber do any
necessary soldering. But when, after fresh explanations, he understood
that the roofing was so worn and damaged that it required to be changed
entirely, he suddenly departed from his lofty affability and began to
protest, declaring that he could not possibly expend in such repairs a
sum which would exceed the whole annual rental of six hundred francs.
"Some soldering," he repeated; "some soldering; it's understood. I will
write to the plumber." And wishing to change the subject he added: "Oh!
wait a moment, Monsieur Froment. You are a man of taste, I know, and I
want to show you a marvel.
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