used to sell post cards on the Boulevard St. Michel. The
curious thing was that the post cards were sold in sealed
packets as pornographic ones, but were actually photo-
graphs of chateaux on the Loire; the buyers did not discover
this till too late, and of course never complained. The
Rougiers earned about a hundred francs a week, and by
strict economy managed to be always half
starved and half drunk. The filth of their room was
such that one could smell it on the floor below. Accord-
ing to Madame F., neither of the Rougiers had taken off
their clothes for four years.
Or there was Henri, who worked in the sewers. He
was a tall, melancholy man with curly hair, rather
romantic-looking in his long, sewer-man's boots.
Henri's peculiarity was that he did not speak, except for
the purposes of work, literally for days together. Only a
year before he had been a chauffeur in good employ and
saving money. One day he fell in love, and when the girl
refused him he lost his temper and kicked her. On being
kicked the girl fell desperately in love with Henri, and
for a fortnight they lived together and spent a thousand
francs of Henri's money. Then the girl was unfaithful;
Henri planted a knife in her upper arm and was sent to
prison for six months.