merely
liquidates, he remains an honest man."

"T-t-that's very d-d-different, if it d-d-doesn't c-c-cost m-m-more,"
said Grandet.

"But a liquidation can be managed without having recourse to the courts
at all. For," said the president, sniffing a pinch of snuff, "don't you
know how failures are declared?"

"N-n-no, I n-n-never t-t-thought," answered Grandet.

"In the first place," resumed the magistrate, "by filing the schedule
in the record office of the court, which the merchant may do himself, or
his representative for him with a power of attorney duly certified. In
the second place, the failure may be declared under compulsion from the
creditors. Now if the merchant does not file his schedule, and if no
creditor appears before the courts to obtain a decree of insolvency
against the merchant, what happens?"

"W-w-what h-h-happens?"

"Why, the family of the deceased, his representatives, his heirs, or
the merchant himself, if he is not dead, or his friends if he is only
hiding, liquidate his business. Perhaps you would like to liquidate your
brother's affairs?"

"Ah! Grandet," said the notary, "that would be the right thing to do.
There is honor down here in the provinces. If you save your name--for it
is your name--you will be a man--"

"A noble man!" cried the president, interrupting his uncle.

"Certainly," answered the old man, "my b-b-brother's name was
G-G-Grandet, like m-m-mine. Th-that's c-c-certain; I d-d-don't d-d-deny
it. And th-th-this l-l-liquidation might be, in m-m-many ways, v-v-very
advan-t-t-tageous t-t-to the interests of m-m-my n-n-nephew, whom
I l-l-love. But I must consider. I don't k-k-know the t-t-tricks of
P-P-Paris. I b-b-belong to Sau-m-mur, d-d-don't you see? M-m-my vines,
my d-d-drains--in short, I've my own b-b-business. I never g-g-give
n-n-notes. What are n-n-notes? I t-t-take a good m-m-many, but I
have never s-s-signed one. I d-d-don't understand such things. I have
h-h-heard say that n-n-notes c-c-can be b-b-bought up."

"Of course," said the president. "Notes can be bought in the market,
less so much per cent. Don't you understand?"

Grandet made an ear-trumpet of his hand, and the president repeated his
words.

"Well, then," replied the man, "there's s-s-something to be g-g-got out
of it? I k-know n-nothing at my age about such th-th-things. I l-l-live
here and l-l-look after the v-v-vines. The vines g-g-grow, and it's the
w-w-wine that p-p-pays. L-l-look after th