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Total 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 1046 20
Bill matured June 30th； with expenses of
protest and return。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 1037 45
Serving notice of protest。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 8 75
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Total 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 1046 20
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This document was accompanied by a letter from Metivier； instructing
Maitre Cachan； notary of Angouleme； to prosecute David Sechard with
the utmost rigor of the law。 Wherefore Maitre Victor…Ange…Hermenegilde
Doublon summoned David Sechard before the Tribunal of Commerce in
Angouleme for the sum…total of four thousand and eighteen francs
eighty…five centimes； the amount of the three bills and expenses
already incurred。 On the morning of the very day when Doublon served
the writ upon Eve； requiring her to pay a sum so enormous in her eyes；
there came a letter like a thunderbolt from Metivier：
To Monsieur Sechard； Junior； Printer； Angouleme。
〃SIR；Your brother…in…law； M。 Chardon； is so shamelessly
dishonest； that he declares his furniture to be the property of an
actress with whom he is living。 You ought to have informed me
candidly of these circumstances； and not have allowed me to go to
useless expense over law proceedings。 I have received no answer
to my letter of the 10th of May last。 You must not； therefore；
take it amiss if I ask for immediate repayment of the three bills
and the expenses to which I have been put。Yours； etc。；
〃METIVIER。〃
Eve had heard nothing during these months； and supposed； in her
ignorance of commercial law； that her brother had made reparation for
his sins by meeting the forged bills。
〃Be quick； and go at once to Petit…Claud； dear；〃 she said； 〃tell him
about it； and ask his advice。〃
David hurried to his schoolfellow's office。
〃When you came to tell me of your appointment and offered me your
services； I did not think that I should need them so soon；〃 he said。
Petit…Claud studied the fine face of this man who sat opposite him in
the office chair； and scarcely listened to the details of the case；
for he knew more of them already than the speaker。 As soon as he saw
Sechard's anxiety； he said to himself； 〃The trick has succeeded。〃
This kind of comedy is often played in an attorney's office。 〃Why are
the Cointets persecuting him？〃 Petit…Claud wondered within himself；
for the attorney can use his wit to read his clients' thoughts as
clearly as the ideas of their opponents； and it is his business to see
both sides of the judicial web。
〃You want to gain time；〃 he said at last； when Sechard had come to an
end。 〃How long do you want？ Something like three or four months？〃
〃Oh！ four months！ that would be my salvation；〃 exclaimed David。 Petit…
Claud appeared to him as an angel。
〃Very well。 No one shall lay hands on any of your furniture； and no
one shall arrest you for four monthsBut it will cost you a great
deal；〃 said Petit…Claud。
〃Eh！ what does that matter to me？〃 cried Sechard。
〃You are expecting some money to come in； but are you sure of it？〃
asked Petit…Claud； astonished at the way in which his client walked
into the toils。
〃In three months' time I shall have plenty of money；〃 said the
inventor； with an inventor's hopeful confidence。
〃Your father is still above ground；〃 suggested Petit…Claud； 〃he is in
no hurry to leave his vines。〃
〃Do you think that I am counting on my father's death？〃 returned
David。 〃I am on the track of a trade secret； the secret of making a
sheet of paper as strong as Dutch paper； without a thread of cotton in
it； and at a cost of fifty per cent less than cotton pulp。〃
〃There is a fortune in that！〃 exclaimed Petit…Claud。 He knew now what
the tall Cointet meant。
〃A large fortune； my friend； for in ten years' time the demand for
paper will be ten times larger than it is to…day。 Journalism will be
the craze of our day。〃
〃Nobody knows your secret？〃
〃Nobody except my wife。〃
〃You have not told any one what you mean to dothe Cointets； for
example？〃
〃I did say something about it； but in general terms； I think。〃
A sudden spark of generosity flashed through Petit…Claud's rancorous
soul； he tried to reconcile Sechard's interests with the Cointet's
projects and his own。
〃Listen； David； we are old schoolfellows； you and I； I will fight your
case； but understand this clearlythe defence； in the teeth of the
law； will cost you five or six thousand francs！ Do not compromise your
prospects。 I think you will be compelled to share the profits of your
invention with some one of our paper manufacturers。 Let us see now。
You will think twice before you buy or build a paper mill； and there
is the cost of the patent besides。 All this means time； and money too。
The servers of writs will be down upon you too soon； perhaps； although
we are going to give them the slip〃
〃I have my secret；〃 said David； with the simplicity of the man of
books。
〃Well and good； your secret will be your plank of safety；〃 said Petit…
Claud； his first loyal intention of avoiding a lawsuit by a compromise
was frustrated。 〃I do not wish to know it； but mind this that I tell
you。 Work in the bowels of the earth if you can； so that no one may
watch you and gain a hint from your ways of working； or your plank
will be stolen from under your feet。 An inventor and a simpleton often
live in the same skin。 Your mind runs so much on your secrets that you
cannot think of everything。 People will begin to have their suspicions
at last； and the place is full of paper manufacturers。 So many
manufacturers； so many enemies for you！ You are like a beaver with the
hunters about you； do not give them your skin〃
〃Thank you； dear fellow； I have told myself all this；〃 exclaimed
Sechard； 〃but I am obliged to you for showing so much concern for me
and for your forethought。 It does not really matter to me myself。 An
income of twelve hundred francs would be enough for me； and my father
ought by rights to leave me three times as much some day。 Love and
thought make up my lifea divine life。 I am working for Lucien's sake
and for my wife's。〃
〃Come； give me this power of attorney； and think of nothing but your
discovery。 If there should be any danger of arrest； I will let you
know in time； for we must think of all possibilities。 And let me tell
you again to allow no one of whom you are not so sure as you are of
yourself to come into your place。〃
〃Cerizet did not care to continue the lease of the plant and premises；
hence our little money difficulties。 We have no one at home now but
Marion and Kolb； an Alsacien as trusty as a dog； and my wife and her
mother〃
〃One word；〃 said Petit…Claud； 〃don't trust that dog〃
〃You do not know him；〃 exclaimed David； 〃he is like a second self。〃
〃May I try him？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Sechard。
〃There； good…bye； but send Mme。 Sechard to me； I must have a power of
attorney from your wife。 And bear in mind