Chance

Unlike his uncle M. Bamatabois the older, young Jerome Bamatabois proved to be congenial company, even if slightly on the brash side. So it was that even three days after arriving in Paris, Jerome was still pretty much within Claude's sight.

On the fourth day, Jerome knocked on the door of the room in the inn where the Beauchamp family lived. "Ah, shouldn't you be in class today?" Claude said when he saw the student.

"Not yet. Listen, Monsieur Beauchamp, you know you can't stay in the inn forever. The rent is costly," Jerome said.

"Well, I don't know of a place to lease yet." Claude said in an undertone. Mimi and the children were still asleep nearby.

"We can go about this afternoon. There are some decent lodgings about," Jerome said. "I know of a place, at the Rue Plumet."

"How big?"

"Nice house, with a porter's lodge out back, and a garden."

"Adrienne would like the garden."

"Well, what are you waiting for? You can go and see it later, and ask the landlady," Jerome said enthusiastically. "Do you know how to get there?"

Claude nodded, and sneezed. "I have work, but I'll do my best."

"Bonne chance" Jerome said, disappearing down the passage. Claude watched him go before going back into his room to fetch his cobbling tools.

"Damn this cold, but I have some work to do," he told himself.

Afternoon however, had other plans.

It was about six in the evening when Claude finally was able to put down his needle and thread. His head ached, and his nose was running. He could barely walk into the door of his room without stumbling.

"Oh Claude, why did you insist?" Mimi said soothingly as she tended to him. "Now what shall we do? A doctor is a little expensive."

"I'll get over it, Mimi. In the meantime, we have to find lodgings," Claude said between sniffles.

Mimi bit her lip. "I know of a place down by the Rue Saint-Honore."

"Rue de Gres also sounded promising, I hear." Claude said. "What I really wanted to do was go to this place, on the Rue Plumet."

"Maybe tomorrow..." Mimi said, putting a wet cloth on Claude's brow. "Sleep now."

For once, Claude took her advice.
The landlady at the Rue Plumet was a wiry, spindly old woman who had a habit of wringing her hands. "Je suis desole, young man, but I have already leased out the place," she said after Claude had finished his narration early the next morning.

"Oh, to who?" Claude asked, bewildered and dismayed.

"An old gentleman and his young daughter. They're moving in later today." the landlady said kindly. "Look, there are other places nearby...or you could share the house."

"Merci Madame, but I think I'd like for my family to have a place of their own," Claude said politely with a bow before he left the street.

"Bonne chance!" the woman called after him.

"Is that all people have to say to me?" Claude mused as he turned towards the Rue de Gres.