s 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