alon. All the world has not the forbearance of
Monsieur Godeschal, who forgave his rejection and generously managed
that affair about the house."

"Explain yourself better," said Thuillier, "for I don't see what you
mean."

"Nothing is easier to understand. Without counting me, how many suitors
have you had for Mademoiselle Colleville? Godeschal, Minard junior,
Phellion junior, Olivier Vinet, the substitute judge,--all men who have
been sent about their business, as I am."

"Olivier Vinet, the substitute judge!" cried Thuillier, struck with
a flash of light. "Of course; the blow must have come from him. His
father, they say, has a long arm. But it can't be truly said that we
sent him about his business,--to use your expression, which strikes me
as indecorous,--for he never came to the house but once, and made no
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 gloriou