And he hurried away declining to discuss anything further.
Now that Boche was alone with the Coupeaus, the concierge became quite talkative and slapped them on the shoulders.

Well, well, see what they had gotten.

Without his help, they would never have gotten the concessions.

Didn't they notice how the landlord had looked to him out of the corner of his eye for advice and how he'd made up his mind suddenly when he saw Boche smile?
He confessed to them confidentially that he was the real boss of the building.

It was he who decided who got eviction notices and who could become tenants.