_July 6th._--As our house was very cold, and the stone floors were
thought to be bad for Catherine, we took a house in the Rue Reservoir,
which we this day went to; before we went, however, we had quite a
battle with Madame Vernier. We warned her a fortnight before that we
were going to quit the house; but it was at five in the afternoon,
and she said we ought to have given her warning before twelve; she
therefore charged us for another month. As mamma knew this was
an imposition she was determined not to pay it. She sent for the
proprietor of the house (who was very civil), and also for Madame
Vernier. The proprietor talked to her a long time, but she would
take no less; he then wanted Miss Wragge to go with her to the _juge
de paix_, which of course she did not do. Madame Vernier had been a
camp-follower: she was a great, fat woman with a voice like a man's. We
heard of several tricks that she had played the English; she said that
the French had payed plenty of contributions, and she was determined
that the English should make up for it. Once when some people would
not pay her what she asked for, she went round the house and picked
out every scratch and hole, saying a franc for this, and so much for
that, till she made up the sum she wanted. Another time she charged an
unreasonable price to some people who were dining there (her husband
was a _restaurateur_), and on their refusing to pay it she locked the
gates and threatened to detain their trunks. As the gentleman was very
lame, he was glad to pay what she required and get off, though they
had bargained before for dinner at so much less per head! When mamma
knew what a woman she was she determined not to pay her for the next
month. Accordingly she sent for papa, who was at Paris, and papa and
Dr. Murdoch (who had resided long in France and spoke French perfectly)
went along with Madame Vernier to the _juge de paix_, who said she
was wrong, and in case of her detaining our trunks gave papa the name
of a _huissier_. Madame Vernier told the _juge de paix_ that papa had
attempted to strangle her, to which he replied that she looked more
likely to strangle one of the _garde de corps_. She told him that he
knew nothing at all about it, and came away in a great passion. She
then got a relation of hers who was a lawyer's clerk (or something of
the kind), and she brought him upstairs to convince us. The proprietor
tried to persuade her to take the money; she, however, refused it; but
when she found papa was determined not to give any more they all went
downstairs, and after consulting a little while, she sent up to say she
would take the money. After this contest she was, like a tamed lion,
and was quite civil. We went to our house in the Rue Reservoir, which
we did not find quite so comfortable as we had expected.
[Illustration: MADAME VERNIER]