here exists a private
signed agreement between you and Rigou, and the Shopman will dismiss his
steward whenever the Abbe Brossette lays that document before his eyes;
the abbe will be able to do so after receiving an anonymous letter which
will inform him of your double-dealing. You would therefore do better
for yourself by keeping well with us instead of clamoring for your pay
in advance,--all the more because Monsieur Rigou, who is not legally
bound to give you seven and a half per cent and the interest on your
interest, will make you in court a legal tender of your twenty thousand
francs, and you will not be able to touch that money until your
suit, prolonged by legal trickery, shall be decided by the court at
Ville-aux-Fayes. But if you act wisely you will find that when Monsieur
Rigou gets possession of your pavilion at Les Aigues, you will have
very nearly thirty thousand francs in his hands and thirty thousand more
which the said Rigou may entrust to you,--which will be all the more
advantageous to you then because the peasantry will have flung them
themselves upon the estate of Les Aigues, divided into small lots like
the poverty of the world.' That's what Monsieur Gaubertin might say to
you. As for me, I have nothing to say, for it is none of my business.
Gaubertin and I have our own quarrel with that son of the people who is
ashamed of his own father, and we follow our own course. If my friend
Gaubertin feels the need of using you, I don't; I need no one, for
everybody is at my command. As to the Keeper of the Seals, that
functionary is often changed; whereas we--WE are always here, and can
bide our time."

"Well, I've warned you," returned Sibilet, feeling like a donkey under a
pack-saddle.

"Warned me of what?" said Rigou, artfully.

"Of what the Shopman is going to do," answered the steward, humbly. "He
started for the Prefecture in a rage."

"Let him go! If the Montcornets and their kind didn't use wheels, what
would become of the carriage-makers?"

"I shall bring you three thousand francs to-night," said Sibilet, "but
you ought to make over some of your maturing mortgages to me,--say, one
or two that would secure to me good lots of land."

"Well, there's that of Courtecuisse. I myself want to be easy on him
because he is the best shot in the canton; but if I make over his
mortgage to you, you will seem to be harassing him on the Shopman's
account, and that will be killing two birds with one stone;