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〃There； good…bye； but send Mme。 Sechard to me； I must have a power of
attorney from your wife。 And bear in mind； my friend； that there is a
fire burning in your affairs；〃 said Petit…Claud； by way of warning of
all the troubles gathering in the law courts to burst upon David's
head。
〃Here am I with one foot in Burgundy and the other in Champagne；〃 he
added to himself as he closed the office door on David。
Harassed by money difficulties； beset with fears for his wife's
health； stung to the quick by Lucien's disgrace； David had worked on
at his problem。 He had been trying to find a single process to replace
the various operations of pounding and maceration to which all flax or
cotton or rags； any vegetable fibre； in fact； must be subjected； and
as he went to Petit…Claud's office； he abstractedly chewed a bit of
nettle stalk that had been steeping in water。 On his way home；
tolerably satisfied with his interview； he felt a little pellet
sticking between his teeth。 He laid it on his hand； flattened it out；
and saw that the pulp was far superior to any previous result。 The
want of cohesion is the great drawback of all vegetable fibre； straw；
for instance； yields a very brittle paper； which may almost be called
metallic and resonant。 These chances only befall bold inquirers into
Nature's methods！
〃Now；〃 said he to himself； 〃I must contrive to do by machinery and
some chemical agency the thing that I myself have done unconsciously。〃
When his wife saw him； his face was radiant with belief in victory。
There were traces of tears in Eve's face。
〃Oh！ my darling； do not trouble yourself； Petit…Claud will guarantee
that we shall not be molested for several months to come。 There will
be a good deal of expense over it； but； as Petit…Claud said when he
came to the door with me； 'A Frenchman has a right to keep his
creditors waiting； provided he repays them capital； interest； and
costs。'Very well； then； we shall do that〃
〃And live meanwhile？〃 asked poor Eve； who thought of everything。
〃Ah！ that is true；〃 said David； carrying his hand to his ear after the
unaccountable fashion of most perplexed mortals。
〃Mother will look after little Lucien； and I can go back to work
again；〃 said she。
〃Eve！ oh； my Eve！〃 cried David； holding his wife closely to him。〃At
Saintes； not very far from here； in the sixteenth century； there lived
one of the very greatest of Frenchmen； for he was not merely the
inventor of glaze； he was the glorious precursor of Buffon and Cuvier
besides； he was the first geologist； good； simple soul that he was。
Bernard Palissy endured the martyrdom appointed for all seekers into
secrets but his wife and children and all his neighbors were against
him。 His wife used to sell his tools； nobody understood him； he
wandered about the countryside； he was hunted down； they jeered at
him。 But Iam loved〃
〃Dearly loved！〃 said Eve； with the quiet serenity of the love that is
sure of itself。
〃And so may well endure all that poor Bernard Palissy suffered
Bernard Palissy； the discoverer of Ecouen ware； the Huguenot excepted
by Charles IX。 on the day of Saint…Bartholomew。 He lived to be rich
and honored in his old age； and lectured on the 'Science of Earths；'
as he called it； in the face of Europe。〃
〃So long as my fingers can hold an iron； you shall want for nothing；〃
cried the poor wife； in tones that told of the deepest devotion。 〃When
I was Mme。 Prieur's forewoman I had a friend among the girls； Basine
Clerget； a cousin of Postel's； a very good child； well； Basine told me
the other day when she brought back the linen； that she was taking
Mme。 Prieur's business； I will work for her。〃
〃Ah！ you shall not work there for long；〃 said David； 〃I have found
out〃
Eve； watching his face； saw the sublime belief in success which
sustains the inventor； the belief that gives him courage to go forth
into the virgin forests of the country of Discovery； and； for the
first time in her life； she answered that confident look with a half…
sad smile。 David bent his head mournfully。
〃Oh！ my dear！ I am not laughing！ I did not doubt！ It was not a sneer！〃
cried Eve； on her knees before her husband。 〃But I see plainly now
that you were right to tell me nothing about your experiments and your
hopes。 Ah！ yes； dear； an inventor should endure the long painful
travail of a great idea alone； he should not utter a word of it even
to his wife。 。 。 。 A woman is a woman still。 This Eve of yours could
not help smiling when she heard you say； 'I have found out；' for the
seventeenth time this month。〃
David burst out laughing so heartily at his own expense that Eve
caught his hand in hers and kissed it reverently。 It was a delicious
moment for them both； one of those roses of love and tenderness that
grow beside the desert paths of the bitterest poverty； nay； at times
in yet darker depths。
As the storm of misfortune grew； Eve's courage redoubled； the
greatness of her husband's nature； his inventor's simplicity； the
tears that now and again she saw in the eyes of this dreamer of dreams
with the tender heart；all these things aroused in her an unsuspected
energy of resistance。 Once again she tried the plan that had succeeded
so well already。 She wrote to M。 Metivier； reminding him that the
printing office was for sale； offered to pay him out of the proceeds；
and begged him not to ruin David with needless costs。 Metivier
received the heroic letter； and shammed dead。 His head…clerk replied
that in the absence of M。 Metivier he could not take it upon himself
to stay proceedings； for his employer had made it a rule to let the
law take its course。 Eve wrote again； offering this time to renew the
bills and pay all the costs hitherto incurred。 To this the clerk
consented； provided that Sechard senior guaranteed payment。 So Eve
walked over to Marsac； taking Kolb and her mother with her。 She braved
the old vinedresser； and so charming was she； that the old man's face
relaxed； and the puckers smoothed out at the sight of her； but when；
with inward quakings； she came to speak of a guarantee； she beheld a
sudden and complete change of the tippleographic countenance。
〃If I allowed my son to put his hand to the lips of my cash box
whenever he had a mind； he would plunge it deep into the vitals； he
would take all I have！〃 cried old Sechard。 〃That is the way with
children； they eat up their parents' purse。 What did I do myself； eh？
_I_ never cost my parents a farthing。 Your printing office is standing
idle。 The rats and the mice do all the printing that is done in
it。 。 。 。 You have a pretty face； I am very fond of you； you are a
careful； hard…working woman； but that son of mine！Do you know what
David is？ I'll tell youhe is a scholar that will never do a stroke
of work！ If I had reared him； as I was reared myself； without knowing
his letters； and if I had made a 'bear' of him； like his father before
him； he would have money saved and put out to interest by now。 。 。 。
Oh！ he is my cross； that fellow is； look you！ And； unluckily； he is
all the family I have； for there is never like to be a later edition。
And when he makes you unhappy〃
Eve protested with a vehement g