nothing is settled," said Boucard, "let us all agree to go to the
upper boxes of the Francais and see Talma in 'Nero.' Simonnin may go to
the pit."

And thereupon the head clerk sat down at his table, and the others
followed his example.

"_Given in June eighteen hundred and fourteen_ (in words)," said
Godeschal. "Ready?"

"Yes," replied the two copying-clerks and the engrosser, whose pens
forthwith began to creak over the stamped paper, making as much noise
in the office as a hundred cockchafers imprisoned by schoolboys in paper
cages.

"_And we hope that my lords on the Bench_," the extemporizing clerk went
on. "Stop! I must read my sentence through again. I do not understand it
myself."

"Forty-six (that must often happen) and three forty-nines," said
Boucard.

"_We hope_," Godeschal began again, after reading all through the
document, "_that my lords on the Bench will not be less magnanimous than
the august author of the decree, and that they will do justice against
the miserable claims of the acting committee of the chief Board of the
Legion of Honor by interpreting the law in the wide sense we have here
set forth_----"

"Monsieur Godeschal, wouldn't you like a glass of water?" said the
little messenger.

"That imp of a boy!" said Boucard. "Here, get on your double-soled
shanks-mare, take this packet, and spin off to the Invalides."

"_Here set forth_," Godeschal went on. "Add _in the interest of Madame
la Vicomtesse_ (at full length) _de Grandlieu_."

"What!" cried the chief, "are you thinking of drawing up an appeal in
the case of Vicomtesse de Grandlieu against the Legion of Honor--a case
for the office to stand or fall by? You are something like an ass! Have
the goodness to put aside your copies and your notes; you may keep all
that for the case of Navarreins against the Hospitals. It is late.
I will draw up a little petition myself, with a due allowance of
'inasmuch,' and go to the Courts myself."

This scene is typical of the thousand delights which, when we look back
on our youth, make us say, "Those were good times."

At about one in the morning Colonel Chabert, self-styled, knocked at the
door of Maitre Derville, attorney to the Court of First Instance in the
Department of the Seine. The porter told him that Monsieur Derville had
not yet come in. The old man said he had an appointment, and was
shown upstairs to the rooms occupied by the famous lawyer, who,
notwithstanding his youth, w