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offer； neither did Minard junior or Phellion junior； for that matter。
Godeschal is the only one who risked a direct proposal； and he was
refused at once； before he dipped his beak in the water。〃
〃It is always so！〃 said la Peyrade； still looking for a ground of
quarrel。 〃Straightforward and outspoken persons are always those that
sly men boast of fooling。〃
〃Ah ca！ what's all this？〃 said Thuillier； 〃what are you insinuating？
Didn't you settle everything with Brigitte the other day？ You take a
pretty time to come and talk to me about your love…affairs； when the
sword of justice is hanging over my head。〃
〃Oh！〃 said la Peyrade； ironically； 〃so now you are going to make the
most of your interesting position of accused person！ I knew very well
how it would be； I was certain that as soon as your pamphlet appeared
the old cry of not getting what you expected out of me would come up。〃
〃Parbleu！ your pamphlet！〃 cried Thuillier。 〃I think you are a fine
fellow to boast of that when； on the contrary； it has caused the most
deplorable complications。〃
〃Deplorable？ how so？ you have just said your political fortune was
made。〃
〃Well； truly； my dear Theodose；〃 said Thuillier； with feeling； 〃I
should never have thought that you would choose the hour of adversity
to come and put your pistol at our throats and make me the object of
your sneers and innuendoes。〃
〃Well done！〃 said la Peyrade； 〃now it is the hour of adversity！ A
minute ago you were flinging yourself into my arms as a man to whom
some signal piece of luck had happened。 You ought really to choose
decidedly between being a man who needs pity and a glorious victor。〃
〃It is all very well to be witty；〃 returned Thuillier； 〃but you can't
controvert what I say。 I am logical； if I am not brilliant。 It is very
natural that I should console myself by seeing that public opinion
decides in my favor； and by reading in its organs the most honorable
assurances of sympathy； but do you suppose I wouldn't rather that
things had taken their natural course？ Besides； when I see myself the
object of unworthy vengeance on the part of persons as influential as
the Vinets； how can I help measuring the extent of the dangers to
which I am exposed？〃
〃Well；〃 said la Peyrade； with pitiless persistency； 〃I see that you
prefer to play the part of Jeremiah。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Thuillier； in a solemn tone。 〃Jeremiah laments over a
friendship I did think true and devoted； but which I find has only
sarcasms to give me when I looked for services。〃
〃What services？〃 asked la Peyrade。 〃Did you not tell me positively； no
later than yesterday； that you would not accept my help under any form
whatever？ I offered to plead your case； and you answered that you
would take a better lawyer。〃
〃Yes； in the first shock of surprise at such an unexpected blow； I did
say that foolish thing； but； on reflection； who can explain as well as
you can the intention of the words you wrote with your own pen？
Yesterday I was almost out of my mind； but you； with your wounded
self…love； which can't forgive a momentary impatience； you are very
caustic and cruel。〃
〃So；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃you formally request me to defend you before
the jury？〃
〃Yes； my dear fellow； and I don't know any other hands in which I
could better place my case。 I should have to pay a monstrous sum to
some great legal luminary； and he wouldn't defend me as ably as you。〃
〃Well； I refuse。 Roles have changed； as you see； diametrically。
Yesterday； I thought； as you do； that I was the man to defend you。
To…day； I see that you had better take the legal luminary； because；
with Vinet's antagonism against you the affair is taking such
proportions that whoever defends it assumes a fearful responsibility。〃
〃I understand；〃 said Thuillier； sarcastically。 〃Monsieur has his eye
on the magistracy； and he doesn't want to quarrel with a man who is
already talked of for Keeper of the Seals。 It is prudent； but I don't
know that it is going to help on your marriage。〃
〃You mean；〃 said la Peyrade； seizing the ball in its bound； 〃that to
get you out of the claws of that jury is a thirteenth labor of
Hercules； imposed upon me to earn the hand of Mademoiselle Colleville？
I expected that demands would multiply in proportion to the proofs of
my devotion。 But that is the very thing that has worn me out； and I
have come here to…day to put an end to this slave labor by giving back
to you your pledges。 You may dispose of Celeste's hand； for my part； I
am no longer a suitor for it。〃
The unexpectedness and squareness of this declaration left Thuillier
without words or voice； all the more because at this moment entered
Brigitte。 The temper of the old maid had also greatly moderated since
the previous evening； and her greeting was full of the most amicable
familiarity。
〃Ah！ so here you are； you good old barrister；〃 she said。
〃Mademoiselle； your servant；〃 he replied； gravely。
〃Well；〃 she continued； paying no attention to the stiffness of his
manner； 〃the government has got itself into a pretty mess by seizing
your pamphlet。 You ought to see how the morning papers lash it！ Here；〃
she added； giving Thuillier a small sheet printed on sugar…paper； in
coarse type； and almost illegible；〃here's another； you didn't read；
the porter has just brought it up。 It is a paper from our old quarter；
'L'Echo de la Bievre。' I don't know； gentlemen； if you'll be of my
opinion； but I think nothing could be better written。 It is droll；
though； how inattentive these journalists are！ most of them write your
name without the H； I think you ought to complain of it。〃
Thuillier took the paper； and read the article inspired to the
reviewer of the tanner's organ by stomach gratitude。 Never in her life
had Brigitte paid the slightest attention to a newspaper； except to
know if it was the right size for the packages she wrapped up in it；
but now； suddenly； converted to a worship of the press by the ardor of
her sisterly love； she stood behind Thuillier and re…read； over his
shoulder； the more striking passages of the page she thought so
eloquent； pointing her finger to them。
〃Yes；〃 said Thuillier； folding up the paper； 〃that's warm； and very
flattering to me。 But here's another matter！ Monsieur has come to tell
me that he refuses to plead for me； and renounces all claim to
Celeste's hand。〃
〃That is to say；〃 said Brigitte； 〃he renounces her if； after having
pleaded； the marriage does not take place 'subito。' Well； poor fellow；
I think that's a reasonable demand。 When he has done that for us there
ought to be no further delay； and whether Mademoiselle Celeste likes
it or not； she must accept him； because； you know； there's an end to
all things。〃
〃Do you hear that； my good fellow？〃 said la Peyrade； seizing upon
Brigitte's speech。 〃When I have pleaded； the marriage is to take
place。 Your sister is frankness itself； she； at least； doesn't
practise diplomacy。〃
〃Diplomacy！〃 echoed Brigitte。 〃I'd like to see myself creeping
underground in matters。 I say things as I think them。 The workman has
worked； and he ought to have his pay。〃
〃Do be silent；〃 cried Thuillier； stamping his foot； 〃you don't say a
word that doesn't turn the knife in the wound。〃
〃The knife in the wound？〃 said Brigitte； inquiringly。 〃Ah ca！ are you
two quarrelling？〃
〃I told you；〃 said Thuillier； 〃that la Peyrade had returned our
promises； and the reason he gives is that we are asking him another
service for Celeste's hand。 He thinks he has done us enough without
it。〃
〃He has done us some services； no doubt；〃 said Brigitte； 〃but it seems
to me that we have not been ungrateful to him。 Besides； it was he who
made the blunder； and I think it rather odd he should now wish to
leave us in the lurch。〃
〃Your reasoning； mademoiselle；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃might have some
appearance of justice if I were the only barrister in Paris； but as
the streets are black with them； and as； only yesterday； Thuillier
himself spoke of engaging some more important lawyer than myself； I
have not the slightest scruple in refusing to defend him。 Now； as to
the marriage； in order that it may not be made the object of another
brutal and forcible demand upon me； I here renounce it in the most
formal manner； and nothing now prevents Mademoiselle Colleville from
accepting Monsieur Felix Phellion and all his advantages。〃
〃As you please； my dear monsieur；〃 said Brigitte； 〃if that's your last
word。 We shall not be at a loss to find a husband for Celeste；Felix
Phellion or another。 But you must permit me to tell you that the
reason you give is not the true one。 We can't go faster than the
fiddles。 If the marriage were settled to…day； there are the banns to
publish； you have sense enough to know that Monsieur le maire can't
marry you before the formalities are complied with； and before then
Thuillier's case will have been tried。〃
〃Yes；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃and if I lose the case it will be I who have
sent him to prison；just as yesterday it was I who brought about the
seizure。〃
〃As for that； it seems to me that if you had written nothing the
police would have found nothing to bite。〃
〃My dear Brigitte；〃 said Thuillier； seeing la Peyrade shrug