hief men of his party to
explain Rogron's position, declaring that he had never so much as given
a flip to his cousin, and that the judge had viewed him much less as
Pierrette's guardian than as a leading elector in Provins.

To hear Vinet, people might have supposed that the Tiphaines were making
a great fuss about nothing; the mounting was bringing forth a mouse.
Sylvie, an eminently virtuous and pious woman, had discovered an
intrigue between her brother's ward and a workman, a Breton named
Brigaut. The scoundrel knew very well that the girl would have her
grandmother's money, and he wished to seduce her (Vinet to talk of
that!). Mademoiselle Rogron, who had discovered letters proving the
depravity of the girl, was not as much to blame as the Tiphaines were
trying to make out. If she did use some violence to get possession
of those letters (which was no wonder, when we consider what Breton
obstinacy is), how could Rogron be considered responsible for all that?

The lawyer went on to make the matter a partisan affair, and to give it
a political color.

"They who listen to only one bell hear only one sound," said the wise
men. "Have you heard what Vinet says? Vinet explains things clearly."

Frappier's house being thought injurious to Pierrette, owing to the
noise in the street which increased the sufferings in her head, she was
taken to that of her surrogate guardian, the change being as necessary
medically as it was judicially. The removal was made with the utmost
caution, and was calculated to produce a great public effect. Pierrette
was laid on a mattress and carried on a stretcher by two men; a Gray
Sister walked beside her with a bottle of sal volatile in her hand,
while the grandmother, Brigaut, Madame Auffray, and her maid followed.
People were at their windows and doors to see the procession pass.
Certainly the state in which they saw Pierrette, pale as death, gave
immense advantage to the party against the Rogrons. The Auffrays were
determined to prove to the whole town that the judge was right in the
decision he had given. Pierrette and her grandmother were installed on
the second floor of Monsieur Auffray's house. The notary and his wife
gave her every care with the greatest hospitality, which was not without
a little ostentation in it. Pierrette had her grandmother to nurse her;
and Monsieur Martener and the head-surgeon of the hospital attended her.

On the evening of this day exaggerations began on b