"Is this the conductor?
Ah! Pierrotin, is it you ?" she exclaimed, leaving her son and taking the coachman apart a few steps.
"I hope you're well, Madame Clapart," he replied, with an air that expressed both respect and familiarity.
"Yes, Pierrotin, very well.

Please take good care of my Oscar; he is travelling alone for the first time." "Oh! so he is going alone to Monsieur Moreau!" cried Pierrotin, for the purpose of finding out whether he were really going there.
"Yes," said the mother.
"Then Madame Moreau is willing ?" returned Pierrotin, with a sly look.
"Ah!" said the mother, "it will not be all roses for him, poor child! But his future absolutely requires that I should send him." This answer struck Pierrotin, who hesitated to confide his fears for the steward to Madame Clapart, while she, on her part, was afraid of injuring her boy if she asked Pierrotin for a care which might have transformed him into a mentor.

During this short deliberation, which was ostensibly covered by a few phrases as to the weather, the journey, and the stopping-places along the road, we will ourselves explain what were the ties that united Madame Clapart with Pierrotin, and authorized the two confidential remarks which they have just exchanged.
Often--that is to say, three or four times a month--Pierrotin, on his way to Paris, would find the steward on the road near La Cave.

As soon as the vehicle came up, Moreau would sign to a gardener, who, with Pierrotin's help, would put upon the coach either one or two baskets containing the fruits and vegetables of the season, chickens, eggs, butter, and game.

The steward always paid the carriage and Pierrotin's fee, adding the money necessary to pay the toll at the barriere, if the baskets contained anything dutiable.