ke mention that payment has been made, and notaries are obliged
to declare that they have seen the money passed from the lender to the
borrower. Roguin would be sent to the galleys if the law could get hold
of him.

"According to my ideas," said the judge, "the lender ought to have sued
Roguin for the costs and the caution-money; but it sometimes happens
at the Cour Royale that in matters even more plain than this the judges
stand six against six."

"Mademoiselle, what are they saying? Has Monsieur Roguin absconded?"
said Anselme, hearing at last what was going on about him. "Monsieur
said nothing of it to me,--to me who would shed my blood for him--"

Cesarine fully understood that the whole family were included in the
"for him"; for if the innocent girl could mistake the accent, she could
not misunderstand the glance, which wrapped her, as it were, in a rosy
flame.

"I know you would; I told him so. He hid everything from my mother, and
confided only in me."

"You spoke to him of me?" said Popinot; "you have read my heart? Have
you read all that is there?"

"Perhaps."

"I am very happy," said Popinot. "If you would lighten all my fears--in
a year I shall be so prosperous that your father cannot object when I
speak to him of our marriage. From henceforth I shall sleep only five
hours a night."

"Do not injure yourself," said Cesarine, with an inexpressible accent
and a look in which Popinot was suffered to read her thoughts.

"Wife," said Cesar, as they rose from table, "I think those young people
love each other."

"Well, so much the better," said Constance, in a grave voice; "my
daughter will be the wife of a man of sense and energy. Talent is the
best dower a man can offer."

She left the room hastily and went to Madame Ragon's bedchamber. Cesar
during the dinner had make various fatuous remarks, which caused the
judge and Pillerault to smile, and reminded the unhappy woman of how
unfitted her poor husband was to grapple with misfortune. Her heart was
full of tears; and she instinctively dreaded du Tillet, for every mother
knows the _Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes_, even if she does not know
Latin. Constance wept in the arms of Madame Ragon and her daughter,
though she would not tell them the cause of her distress.

"I'm nervous," she said.

The rest of the evening was spent by the elders at the card-table, and
by the young people in those little games called innocent because they
cover the innocent