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attorney。 An attorney in Paris very seldom appears in court； though he
is sometimes called upon to act as arbitrator （refere）。 Barristers； at
the present day； swarm in the provinces； but in 1822 the country
attorney very often united the functions of solicitor and counsel。 As
a result of this double life； the attorney acquired the peculiar
intellectual defects of the barrister； and retained the heavy
responsibilities of the attorney。 He grew talkative and fluent； and
lost his lucidity of judgment； the first necessity for the conduct of
affairs。 If a man of more than ordinary ability tries to do the work
of two men； he is apt to find that the two men are mediocrities。 The
Paris attorney never spends himself in forensic eloquence； and as he
seldom attempts to argue for and against； he has some hope of
preserving his mental rectitude。 It is true that he brings the balista
of the law to work； and looks for the weapons in the armory of
judicial contradictions； but he keeps his own convictions as to the
case； while he does his best to gain the day。 In a word； a man loses
his head not so much by thinking as by uttering thoughts。 The spoken
word convinces the utterer； but a man can act against his own bad
judgment without warping it； and contrive to win in a bad cause
without maintaining that it is a good one； like the barrister。 Perhaps
for this very reason an old attorney is the more likely of the two to
make a good judge。
A country attorney； as we have seen； has plenty of excuses for his
mediocrity； he takes up the cause of petty passions； he undertakes
pettifogging business； he lives by charging expenses； he strains the
Code of procedure and pleads in court。 In a word； his weak points are
legion； and if by chance you come across a remarkable man practising
as a country attorney； he is indeed above the average level。
〃I thought； sir； that you sent for me on your own affairs；〃 said
Petit…Claud； and a glance that put an edge on his words fell upon tall
Cointet's impenetrable blue spectacles。
〃Let us have no beating about the bush；〃 returned Boniface Cointet。
〃Listen to me。〃
After that beginning； big with mysterious import； Cointet set himself
down upon a bench； and beckoned Petit…Claud to do likewise。
〃When M。 du Hautoy came to Angouleme in 1804； on his way to his
consulship at Valence； he made the acquaintance of Mme。 de Senonches；
then Mlle。 Zephirine； and had a daughter by her；〃 added Cointet for
the attorney's ear〃Yes；〃 he continued； as Petit…Claud gave a
start； 〃yes； and Mlle。 Zephirine's marriage with M。 de Senoches soon
followed the birth of the child。 The girl was brought up in my
mother's house； she is the Mlle。 Francoise de la Haye in whom Mme。 de
Senoches takes an interest； she is her godmother in the usual style。
Now； my mother farmed land belonging to old Mme。 de Cardanet； Mlle。
Zephirine's grandmother； and as she knew the secret of the sole
heiress of the Cardanets and the Senonches of the older branch； they
made me trustee for the little sum which M。 Francois du Hautoy meant
for the girl's fortune。 I made my own fortune with those ten thousand
francs； which amount to thirty thousand at the present day。 Mme。 de
Senonches is sure to give the wedding clothes； and some plate and
furniture to her goddaughter。 Now； I can put you in the way of
marrying the girl； my lad；〃 said Cointet； slapping Petit…Claud on the
knee； 〃and when you marry Francoise de la Haye； you will have a large
number of the aristocracy of Angouleme as your clients。 This
understanding between us （under the rose） will open up magnificent
prospects for you。 Your position will be as much as any one could
want； in fact； they don't ask better； I know。〃
〃What is to be done？〃 Petit…Claud asked eagerly。 〃You have an
attorney； Maitre Cachan〃
〃And； moreover； I shall not leave Cachan at once for you； I shall only
be your client later on；〃 said Cointet significantly。 〃What is to be
done； do you ask； my friend？ Eh！ why； David Sechard's business。 The
poor devil has three thousand francs' worth of bills to meet； he will
not meet them； you will stave off legal proceedings in such a way as
to increase the expenses enormously。 Don't trouble yourself； go on；
pile on items。 Doublon； my process…server； will act under Cachan's
directions； and he will lay on like a blacksmith。 A word to the wise
is sufficient。 Now； young man？〃
An eloquent pause followed； and the two men looked at each other。
〃We have never seen each other；〃 Cointet resumed； 〃I have not said a
syllable to you； you know nothing about M。 du Hautoy； nor Mme。 de
Senonches； nor Mlle。 de la Haye； only； when the time comes； two months
hence； you will propose for the young lady。 If we should want to see
each other； you will come here after dark。 Let us have nothing in
writing。〃
〃Then you mean to ruin Sechard？〃 asked Petit…Claud。
〃Not exactly； but he must be in jail for some time〃
〃And what is the object？〃
〃Do you think that I am noodle enough to tell you that？ If you have
wit enough to find out； you will have sense enough to hold your
tongue。〃
〃Old Sechard has plenty of money；〃 said Petit…Claud。 He was beginning
already to enter into Boniface Cointet's notions； and foresaw a
possible cause of failure。
〃So long as the father lives； he will not give his son a farthing； and
the old printer has no mind as yet to send in an order for his funeral
cards。〃
〃Agreed！〃 said Petit…Claud； promptly making up his mind。 〃I don't ask
you for guarantees； I am an attorney。 If any one plays me a trick；
there will be an account to settle between us。〃
〃The rogue will go far；〃 thought Cointet； he bade Petit…Claud good…
morning。
The day after this conference was the 30th of April； and the Cointets
presented the first of the three bills forged by Lucien。 Unluckily；
the bill was brought to poor Mme。 Sechard； and she； seeing at once
that the signature was not in her husband's handwriting； sent for
David and asked him point…blank：
〃You did not put your name to that bill； did you？〃
〃No；〃 said he； 〃your brother was so pressed for time that he signed
for me。〃
Eve returned the bill to the bank messenger sent by the Cointets。
〃We cannot meet it；〃 she said； then； feeling that her strength was
failing； she went up to her room。 David followed her。
〃Go quickly to the Cointets； dear；〃 Eve said faintly； 〃they will have
some consideration for you； beg them to wait； and call their attention
besides to the fact that when Cerizet's lease is renewed； they will
owe you a thousand francs。〃
David went forthwith to his enemies。 Now； any foreman may become a
master printer； but there are not always the makings of a good man of
business in a skilled typographer； David knew very little of business；
when； therefore； with a heavily…beating heart and a sensation of
throttling； David had put his excuses badly enough and formulated his
request； the answer〃This is nothing to do with us； the bill has been
passed on to us by Metivier； Metivier will pay us。 Apply to M。
Metivier〃cut him short at once。
〃Oh！〃 cried Eve when she heard the result； 〃as soon as the bill is
returned to M。 Metivier； we may be easy。〃
At two o'c