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claim； we'll let him have it； not counting the five hundred for you
and as much more for Desroches； provided Thuillier receives the
relinquishment of his claim by ten o'clock to…morrow morning。 What
does this Sauvaignou want？ Nothing but money。 Well； a haggler like
that won't resist the attraction of an extra thousand francs；
especially if he is only the instrument of a cupidity behind him。 It
is no matter to us how he fights it out with those who prompt him。
Now； then； do you think you can get the Thuillier family out of this？〃
〃I'll go and see Desroches at once；〃 said Godeschal。
〃Not before Thuillier gives you a power of attorney and five hundred
francs。 The money should be on the table in a case like this。〃
After the interview with Thuillier was over； la Peyrade took Godeschal
in the carriage to the rue du Bethizy； where Desroches lived；
explaining that it was on their way back to the rue Saint…Dominique
d'Enfer。 When they stopped at Desroches's door la Peyrade made an
appointment with Godeschal to meet him there the next morning at seven
o'clock。
La Peyrade's whole future and fortune lay in the outcome of this
conference。 It is therefore not astonishing that he disregarded the
customs of the bar and went to Desroches's office； to study Sauvaignou
and take part in the struggle； in spite of the danger he ran in thus
placing himself visibly before the eyes of one of the most dreaded
attorneys in Paris。
As he entered the office and made his salutations； he took note of
Sauvaignou。 The man was； as the name had already told him； from
Marseilles；the foreman of a master…carpenter； entrusted with the
giving out of sub…contracts。 The profits of this work consisted of
what he could make between the price he paid for the work and that
paid to him by the master…carpenter； this agreement being exclusive of
material； his contract being only for labor。 The master…carpenter had
failed。 Sauvaignou had thereupon appealed to the court of commerce for
recognition as creditor with a lien on the property。 He was a stocky
little man； dressed in a gray linen blouse； with a cap on his head；
and was seated in an armchair。 Three banknotes； of a thousand francs
each； lying visibly before him on Desroches's desk； informed la
Peyrade that the negotiation had already taken place； and that the
lawyers were worsted。 Godeschal's eyes told the rest； and the glance
which Desroches cast at the 〃poor man's advocate〃 was like the blow of
a pick…axe into the earth of a grave。 Stimulated by his danger； the
Provencal became magnificent。 He coolly took up the bank…notes and
folded them； as if to put them in his pocket； saying to Desroches：
〃Thuillier has changed his mind。〃
〃Very good； then we are all agreed；〃 said the terrible attorney。
〃Yes； your client must now hand over to us the fifty thousand francs
we have spent on finishing the house； according to the contract
between Thuillier and Grindot。 I did not tell you that yesterday；〃 he
added； turning to Godeschal。
〃Do you hear that？〃 said Desroches to Sauvaignou。 〃That's a case I
shall not touch without proper guarantees。〃
〃But； messieurs；〃 said Sauvaignou； 〃I can't negotiate this matter
until I have seen the worthy man who paid me five hundred francs on
account for having signed him that bit of a proxy。〃
〃Are you from Marseilles？〃 said la Peyrade； in patois。
〃Oh！ if he tackles him with patois the fellow is beaten；〃 said
Godeschal to Desroches in a low tone。
〃Yes； monsieur；〃 replied the Marseillais。
〃Well； you poor devil；〃 continued Theodose； 〃don't you see that they
want to ruin you？ Shall I tell you what you ought to do？ Pocket these
three thousand francs； and when your worthy man comes after you； take
your rule and hit him a rap over the knuckles； tell him he's a rascal
who wants you to do his dirty work； and instead of that you revoke
your proxy and will pay him his five hundred francs in the week with
three Thursdays。 Then be off with you to Marseilles with these three
thousand francs and your savings in your pocket。 If anything happens
to you there； let me know through these gentlemen； and I'll get you
out of the scrape； for； don't you see？ I'm not only a Provencal； but
I'm also one of the leading lawyers in Paris； and the friend of the
poor。〃
When the workman found a compatriot sanctioning in a tone of authority
the reasons by which he could betray Cerizet； he capitulated； asking；
however； for three thousand five hundred francs。 That demand having
been granted he remarked：
〃It is none too much for a rap over the knuckles； he might put me in
prison for assault。〃
〃Well； you needn't strike unless he insults you；〃 replied la Peyrade；
〃and that's self…defence。〃
When Desroches had assured him that la Peyrade was really a barrister
in good standing； Sauvaignou signed the relinquishment； which
contained a receipt for the amount； principal and interest； of his
claim； made in duplicate between himself and Thuillier； and witnessed
by the two attorneys； so that the paper was a final settlement of the
whole matter。
〃We'll leave the remaining fifteen hundred between you；〃 whispered la
Peyrade to Desroches and Godeschal； 〃on condition that you give me the
relinquishment； which I will have Thuillier accept and sign before his
notary； Cardot。 Poor man！ he never closed his eyes all night！〃
〃Very well；〃 replied Desroches。 〃You may congratulate yourself；〃 he
added； making Sauvaignou sign the paper； 〃that you've earned that
money pretty easily。〃
〃It is really mine； isn't it； monsieur？〃 said the Marseillais； already
uneasy。
〃Yes； and legally； too；〃 replied Desroches； 〃only you must let your
man know this morning that you have revoked your proxy under date of
yesterday。 Go out through my clerk's office； here； this way。〃
Desroches told his head…clerk what the man was to do； and he sent a
pupil…clerk with him to see that a sheriff's officer carried the
notice to Cerizet before ten o'clock。
〃I thank you； Desroches；〃 said la Peyrade； pressing the attorney's
hand； 〃you think of everything； I shall never forget this service。〃
〃Don't deposit the deed with Cardot till after twelve o'clock；〃
returned Desroches。
〃Hay！ comrade；〃 cried the barrister； in Provencal； following
Sauvaignou into the next room； 〃take your Margot to walk about
Belleville； and be sure you don't go home。〃
〃I hear；〃 said Sauvaignou。 〃I'm off to…morrow； adieu！〃
〃Adieu；〃 returned la Peyrade； with a Provencal cry。
〃There is something behind all this；〃 said Desroches in an undertone
to Godeschal； as la Peyrade followed Sauvaignou into the clerk's
office。
〃The Thuilliers get a splendid piece of property for next to nothing；〃
replied Godeschal； 〃that's all。〃
〃La Peyrade and Cerizet look to me like two divers who are fighting
under water；〃 replied Desroches。 〃What am I to say to Cerizet； who put
the matter into my hands？〃 he added； as the barrister returned to
them。
〃Tell him that Sauvaignou forced your hand；〃 replied la Peyrade。
〃And you fear nothing？〃 said Desroches； in a sudden manner。
〃I？ oh no！ I want to give Cerizet a lesson。〃
〃To…morrow； I shall know the truth；〃 said Desroches； in a low tone； to
Godeschal； 〃no one chatters like a beaten man。〃
La Peyrade departed； carrying with him the deed of relinquishment。 At
eleven o'clock he was in the courtroom of the justice…of…peace；
perfectly calm； and firm。 When he saw Cerizet come in； pale with rage；
his eyes full of venom； he said in his ear：
〃My dear friend； I'm a pretty good fellow myself； and I hold that
twenty…five thousand francs in good bank…bills at your disposal；
whenever you will return to me those notes of mine which you hold。〃
Cerizet looked at the advocate of the poor； without being able to say
one word in reply； he was green； the bile had struck in。
CHAPTER XIII
THE PERVERSITY OF DOVES
〃I am a non…dispossessable property…owner！〃 cried Thuillier； coming
home after visiting his notary。 〃No human power can get that house
away from me。 Cardot says so。〃
The bourgeoisie think much more of what their notary tells them than
of what their attorney says。 The notary is nearer to them than any
other ministerial officer。 The Parisian bourgeois never pays a visit
to his attorney without a sense of fear； whereas he mounts the stairs
with ever…renewed pleasure to see his notary； he admires that
official's virtue and his sound good sense。
〃Cardot； who is looking for an apartment for one of his clients； wants
to know about our second floor；〃 continued Thuillier。 〃If I choose
he'll introduce to me on Sunday a tenant who is ready to sign a lease
for eighteen years at forty thousand francs and taxes！ What do you say
to that； Brigitte？〃
〃Better wait；〃 she replied。 〃Ah！ that dear Theodose； what a fright he
gave me！〃
〃Hey！ my dearest girl； I must tell you that when Cardot asked who put
me in the way of this affair he said I owed him a present of at least
ten thousand francs。 The fact is； I owe it all to him。〃
〃But he is the son of the house；〃 responded Brigitte。
〃Poor lad！ I'll do him the justice to say that he asks for nothing。〃
〃Well； dear； good friend；〃 said la Peyrade； coming in about three
o'cloc