Dutocq meanly courted Fleury because he feared him.

Fleury, crippled with debt, played many a trick on his creditors.

Expert in legal matters, he never signed a promissory note; and had prudently attached his own salary under the names of fictitious creditors, so that he was able to draw nearly the whole of it himself.

He played ecarte, was the life of evening parties, tossed off glasses of champagne without wetting his lips, and knew all the songs of Beranger by heart.

He was proud of his full, sonorous voice.