Paris: The Novel

like it. And he was just wondering what he was supposed to do next, when there was a sound from the entrance. Aunt Adeline looked surprised. They heard a key turning in the outer door.
    “It must be Monsieur Ney,” she said. “He doesn’t normally come at this hour.”
    A moment later, there was a soft footfall in the passage, then a light tap at the door, which Aunt Adeline quickly opened, and the owner of the establishment entered the room. Édith and Thomas stood, and Édith’s mother, unable to rise quickly enough, conveyed from her chair by an obsequious bow her cognizance of the profound respect that was due to him.
    Monsieur Frédéric Ney was a small-time attorney of just under average height, but his presence gained its force from the fact that he was so remarkably thin, and that his pale face, which reminded Thomas of a fish, was too long for his body. His trousers fitted so tightly that they were almost like the stockings of the former age. His coat today was a dark chocolate color.
    He surveyed them all. Could some sixth sense have told him that an alien presence had entered his domain? His eyes fixed upon Thomas.
    “Bonjour, Monsieur Ney,”
said Édith with a winning smile—and a faint upward twitch of the corner of the lawyer’s slightly fleshy mouth suggested that she was in his good graces. “May I present my friend Thomas Gascon. He works on Monsieur Eiffel’s tower.”
    Monsieur Ney inclined his head.
    “My felicitations, young man.” His voice was so quiet that Thomas had to lean forward slightly to be sure he heard. “Opinions may vary about the tower, but I believe that we must not be afraid of progress, so long as we never forget tradition.”
    “That’s for sure,” said Édith’s mother.
    “I took him to see Madame Govrit,” said Édith to Ney. “She doesn’t like the tower at all,” she added with a laugh.
    Again, the lawyer’s lip twitched.
    “Madame Govrit has a fine room, monsieur,” said Thomas, hoping to be agreeable. And he seemed to have succeeded, for the lawyer suddenly became quite animated.
    “It is indeed, young man, as befits a person of her station. I am proud to have such a room in this house. All our rooms, I hope, are satisfactory, but hers is, I may say, the best.”
    Thomas knew that he shouldn’t, but he could not resist.
    “I also saw Mademoiselle Bac. Her room was not so nice.”
    It was foolish of him to challenge Ney, but if he expected the lawyer to be embarrassed, he underestimated his man.
    “Ah, poor Mademoiselle Bac,” said Ney with a shake of his head. “She came to me many years ago, with little enough, but I took her in. And now …” He smiled. “It is I who pay for her food and keep.” He made a little gesture with his hands as though to say, “What can one do?”
    “He is an angel,” murmured Édith’s mother.
    “And I am sure that she is grateful, Monsieur Ney,” said Aunt Adeline, “even if she cannot express it.”
    “I am glad you say that,” Ney responded with feeling. “I am glad because there are two things in the world that I especially value.” He turned to Thomas. “Take note, young man, for these will see you safely through life. The first is gratitude. And I hope that all the residents here may have cause to feel gratitude.”
    “There is nothing that Monsieur Ney will not do for them,” cried Édith’s mother. “Nothing is too much.”
    “I hope I provide everything they need, and more than that—if funds permit,” said Monsieur Ney. He turned to Thomas again. “The second quality, young man, is loyalty—such as I am fortunate enough to receive from Madame Adeline here. Gratitude and loyalty. These are everything.”
    Thomas had the feeling that if people were ungrateful or disloyal to Monsieur Ney, they might live to regret it.
    “Are you grateful and loyal?” Ney suddenly asked Thomas.
    “I am grateful to Monsieur Eiffel for giving me a job,” said Thomas. “I should certainly be loyal to him.”
    “Voilà. We are in perfect agreement,” said Monsieur Ney. He gave Thomas a glassy stare, then smiled at Édith. “What an excellent young man.” He turned to Aunt Adeline. “When I made my rounds yesterday, you may remember I was called away. And that is why I have come intoday to see the three or four of our residents that I missed. Mademoiselle Bac was one of those.”
    “Do you wish me to accompany you, Monsieur Ney?” asked Aunt Adeline.
    “No. There is no need.”
    “She