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my eyes are dry now。 Ha； ha！ now I laugh； I feel my strength come back
to me； power is mine！ Oh！ say that you love me； say it again！ At this
moment it sounds like the word 'Pardon' to the man condemned to
death！〃
〃You are terrible； my friend！〃 cried Flavie。 〃Oh！ you are killing me。〃
She understood nothing of all this； but she fell upon the sofa；
exhausted by the spectacle。 Theodose flung himself at her feet。
〃Forgive me！ forgive me！〃 he said。
〃But what is the matter？ what is it？〃 she asked again。
〃They are trying to destroy me。 Oh！ promise to give me Celeste； and
you shall see what a glorious life I will make you share。 If you
hesitatevery good； that is saying you will be wholly mine； and I
will have you！〃
He made so rapid a movement that Flavie； terrified； rose and moved
away。
〃Oh！ my saint！〃 he cried； 〃at thy feet I falla miracle！ God is for
me； surely！ A flash of light has come to mean ideasuddenly！ Oh；
thanks； my good angel； my grand Saint…Theodose！ thou hast saved me！〃
Flavie could not help admiring that chameleon being； one knee on the
floor； his hands crossed on his breast； and his eyes raised to heaven
in religious ecstasy； he recited a prayer； he was a fervent Catholic；
he reverently crossed himself。 It was fine； like the vision of Saint…
Jerome。
〃Adieu！〃 he said； with a melancholy look and a moving tone of voice。
〃Oh！〃 cried Flavie； 〃leave me this handkerchief。〃
Theodose rushed away like one possessed； sprang into the street； and
darted towards the Thuilliers'； but turned； saw Flavie at her window；
and made her a little sign of triumph。
〃What a man！〃 she thought to herself。
〃Dear； good friend；〃 he said to Thuillier； in a calm and gentle；
almost caressing voice； 〃we have fallen into the hands of atrocious
scoundrels。 But I mean to read them a lesson。〃
〃What has happened？〃 asked Brigitte。
〃They want twenty…five thousand francs； and； in order to get the
better of us； the notary； or his accomplices； have determined to bid
in the property。 Thuillier； put five thousand francs in your pocket
and come with me； I will secure that house to you。 I am making myself
implacable enemies！〃 he cried； 〃they are seeking to destroy me
morally。 But all I ask is that you will disregard their infamous
calumnies and feel no change of heart to me。 After all； what is it？ If
I succeed； you will only have paid one hundred and twenty…five
thousand francs for the house instead of one hundred and twenty。〃
〃Provided the same thing doesn't happen again；〃 said Brigitte；
uneasily； her eyes dilating under the effect of a violent suspicion。
〃Preferred creditors have alone the right to bid in property； and as；
in this case； there is but one； and he has used that right； we are
safe。 The amount of his claim is really only two thousand francs； but
there are lawyers； attorneys； and so forth； to pay in such matters；
and we shall have to drop a note of a thousand francs to make the
creditor happy。〃
〃Go； Thuillier；〃 said Brigitte； 〃get your hat and gloves； and take the
moneyfrom you know where。〃
〃As I paid those fifteen thousand francs without success； I don't wish
to have any more money pass through my hands。 Thuillier must pay it
himself；〃 said Theodose； when he found himself alone with Brigitte。
〃You have； however； gained twenty thousand on the contract I enabled
you to make with Grindot； who thought he was serving the notary； and
you own a piece of property which in five years will be worth nearly a
million。 It is what is called a 'boulevard corner。'〃
Brigitte listened uneasily； precisely like a cat which hears a mouse
within the wall。 She looked Theodose straight in the eye； and； in
spite of the truth of his remarks； doubts possessed her。
〃What troubles you； little aunt？〃
〃Oh！ I shall be in mortal terror until that property is securely
ours。〃
〃You would be willing to give twenty thousand francs； wouldn't you；〃
said Theodose； 〃to make sure that Thuillier was what we call； in law；
'owner not dispossessable' of that property？ Well； then； remember that
I have saved you twice that amount。〃
〃Where are we going？〃 asked Thuillier； returning。
〃To Maitre Godeschal！ We must employ him as our attorney。〃
〃But we refused him for Celeste。〃
〃Well； that's one reason for going to him；〃 replied Theodose。 〃I have
taken his measure； he's a man of honor； and he'll think it a fine
thing to do you a service。〃
Godeschal； now Derville's successor； had formerly been； for more than
two years； head…clerk with Desroches。 Theodose； to whom that
circumstance was known； seemed to hear the name flung into his ear in
the midst of his despair by an inward voice； and he foresaw a
possibility of wrenching from the hands of Claparon the weapon with
which Cerizet had threatened him。 He must； however； in the first
instance； gain an entrance to Desroches； and get some light on the
actual situation of his enemies。 Godeschal； by reason of the intimacy
still existing between the former clerk and his old master； could be
his go…between。 When the attorneys of Paris have ties like those which
bound Godeschal and Desroches together； they live in true fraternity；
and the result is a facility in arranging any matters which are； as
one may say； arrangeable。 They obtain from one another； on the ground
of reciprocity； all possible concessions by the application of the
proverb； 〃Pass me the rhubarb； and I'll pass you the senna；〃 which is
put in practice in all professions； between ministers； soldiers；
judges； business men； wherever； in short； enmity has not raised
barriers too strong and high between the parties。
〃I gain a pretty good fee out of this compromise；〃 is a reason that
needs no expression in words： it is visible in the gesture； the tone；
the glance； and as attorneys and solicitors meet constantly on this
ground； the matter； whatever it is； is arranged。 The counterpoise of
this fraternal system is found in what we may call professional
conscience。 The public must believe the physician who says； giving
medical testimony； 〃This body contains arsenic〃； nothing is supposed
to exceed the integrity of the legislator； the independence of the
cabinet minister。 In like manner； the attorney of Paris says to his
brother lawyer； good…humoredly； 〃You can't obtain that； my client is
furious；〃 and the other answers； 〃Very good； I must do without it。〃
Now； la Peyrade； a shrewd man； had worn his legal gown about the
Palais long enough to know how these judicial morals might be made to
serve his purpose。
〃Sit in the carriage；〃 he said to Thuillier； when they reached the rue
Vivienne； where Godeschal was now master of the practice he had
formerly served as clerk。 〃You needn't show yourself until he
undertakes the affair。〃
It was eleven o'clock at night； la Peyrade was not mistaken in
supposing that he should find a newly fledged master of a practice in
his office at that hour。
〃To what do I owe this visit； monsieur？〃 said Godeschal； coming
forward to meet the barrister。
Foreigners； provincials； and persons in high society may not be aware
that barristers are to attorneys what generals are to marshals。 There
exists a line of demarcation； strictly maintained； between the order
of barristers and the guild of attorneys and solicitors in Paris。
However venerable an attorney may be； however capable and strong in
his profession； he must go to the barrister。 The attorney is the
administrator； who maps out the plan of the campaign； collects the
munitions of war； and puts the force in motion； the barrister gives
battle。 It is not known why the law gives a man two men to defend him
any more than it is known why an author is forced to have both printer
and publisher。 The rules of the bar forbid its members to do any act
belonging to the guild of attorneys。 It is very rare that a barrister
puts his foot in an attorney's office； the two classes meet in the
law…courts。 In society； there is no barrier between them； and some
barristers； those in la Peyrade's situation particularly； demean
themselves by calling occasionally on attorneys； though even these
cases are rare； and are usually excused by some special urgency。
〃I have come on important business；〃 replied la Peyrade； 〃it concerns；
especially； a question of delicacy which you and I ought to solve
together。 Thuillier is below； in a carriage； and I have come up to see
you； not as a barrister； but as his friend。 You are in a position to
do him an immense service； and I have told him that you have too noble
a soul （as a worthy successor of our great Derville must have） not to
put your utmost capacity at his orders。 Here's the affair。〃
After explaining； wholly to his own advantage； the swindling trick
which must； he said； be met with caution and ability； the barrister
developed his plan of campaign。
〃You ought； my dear maitre； to go this very evening to Desroches；
explain the whole plot and persuade him to send to…morrow for his
client； this Sauvaignou。 We'll confess the fellow between us； and if
he wants a note for a thousand francs over and above the amount of his
claim； we'll let him have it； not counting the five hundred for you
and as much more for Desroches； provided Thuil