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
money--from 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