PAY THE RENT
69
his face in billowing tobacco clouds. The wine trembled on the table
beside him.
"The old skinflint," muttered Marot. "Owns half the town and
never dreams of standing a drink. Jean-Baptiste, you're a fool for
putting up with it."
"Shhhhh," shushed Jean-Baptiste. "He's my father."
His father called out gruffly: "Today is rent-day, isn't it?"
"Yes, father. But nobody's been in yet."
"Makes his tenants bring their money to him," muttered Marot.
"Like some baron of the old days. The great coughing monseigneur."
The old man coughed and smoked away, pulling books and pencils
and ball-point pens out of his huge pockets. The
typewrit~r
clacked
on above. At length, a burly porter-type man, unshaven, tousled, a
belt bisecting his paunch, came in with money. The old man said:
"Jacques Ronsard, isn't it?" He counted the notes and made an
entry in a book. Shortly afterwards Henri Guerin came in and then
M.
and Mme. Samain. Money was received with a grunt, and book–
entries duly made. Deschamps left, De Vigny the bank-clerk came
in, Marot left, two unknown truck-drivers called for wine, Desportes
went on duty. And still the rent-money rolled in. At length a young
married couple came, embarrassed and nervous. The old man said:
"So, my young friends, you deign to call at last. My warning
has borne fruit, no?
It
is a total of, let me see, two hundred and fifty–
five new francs. The money has been a long time coming. Let me now
see the color of it."
The young man, Blanchard, mumbled. "Certain difficulties. The
laying-off of workers at the car-factory. The new baby."
"A new baby, eh? It is well that some can afford these luxuries.
But first things first, my young friend. A roof over one's head comes
first."
The young man asked for the grace of a couple of weeks more,
hope of a job was mentioned, the possibility of his being given some
washing-up work at the Hotel Belle Vue, next week without fail he
should be able to pay something on account.
"In a resort like this, my young friend, a house can be a very
valuable property. English visitors are asking for villas. It is the new
craze. Your house would serve well as a villa. I could get three times
the rent I ask from you."
