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And when he makes you unhappy〃
Eve protested with a vehement gesture of denial。
〃Yes； he does；〃 affirmed old Sechard； 〃you had to find a wet…nurse for
the child。 Come； come； I know all about it； you are in the county
court； and the whole town is talking about you。 I was only a 'bear；'
_I_ have no book learning； _I_ was not foreman at the Didots'； the
first printers in the world； but yet I never set eyes on a bit of
stamped paper。 Do you know what I say to myself as I go to and fro
among my vines； looking after them and getting in my vintage； and
doing my bits of business？I say to myself； 'You are taking a lot of
trouble； poor old chap； working to pile one silver crown on another；
you will leave a fine property behind you； and the bailiffs and the
lawyers will get it all； 。 。 。 or else it will go in nonsensical
notions and crotchets。'Look you here； child； you are the mother of
yonder little lad； it seemed to me as I held him at the font with Mme。
Chardon that I could see his old grandfather's copper nose on his
face； very well； think less of Sechard and more of that little rascal。
I can trust no one but you； you will prevent him from squandering my
propertymy poor property。〃
〃But； dear papa Sechard； your son will be a credit to you； you will
see； he will make money and be a rich man one of these days； and wear
the Cross of the Legion of Honor at his buttonhole。〃
〃What is he going to do to get it？〃
〃You will see。 But； meanwhile； would a thousand crowns ruin you？ A
thousand crowns would put an end to the proceedings。 Well； if you
cannot trust him； lend the money to me； I will pay it back； you could
make it a charge on my portion； on my earnings〃
〃Then has some one brought David into a court of law？〃 cried the
vinedresser； amazed to find that the gossip was really true。 〃See what
comes of knowing how to write your name！ And how about my rent！ Oh！
little girl； I must go to Angouleme at once and ask Cachan's advice；
and see that I am straight。 You did right well to come over。
Forewarned is forearmed。〃
After two hours of argument Eve was fain to go； defeated by the
unanswerable dictum； 〃Women never understand business。〃 She had come
with a faint hope； she went back again almost heartbroken； and reached
home just in time to receive notice of judgment； Sechard must pay
Metivier in full。 The appearance of a bailiff at a house door is an
event in a country town； and Doublon had come far too often of late。
The whole neighborhood was talking about the Sechards。 Eve dared not
leave her house； she dreaded to hear the whispers as she passed。
〃Oh！ my brother； my brother！〃 cried poor Eve； as she hurried into the
passage and up the stairs； 〃I can never forgive you； unless it
was〃
〃Alas！ it was that； or suicide；〃 said David； who had followed her。
〃Let us say no more about it；〃 she said quietly。 〃The woman who
dragged him down into the depths of Paris has much to answer for； and
your father； my David； is quite inexorable！ Let us bear it in
silence。〃
A discreet rapping at the door cut short some word of love on David's
lips。 Marion appeared； towing the big； burly Kolb after her across the
outer room。
〃Madame；〃 said Marion； 〃we have known； Kolb and I； that you and the
master were very much put about； and as we have eleven hundred francs
of savings between us； we thought we could not do better than put them
in the mistress' hands〃
〃Die misdress；〃 echoed Kolb fervently。
〃Kolb；〃 cried David； 〃you and I will never part。 Pay a thousand francs
on account to Maitre Cachan； and take a receipt for it； we will keep
the rest。 And； Kolb； no power on earth must extract a word from you as
to my work； or my absences from home； or the things you may see me
bring back； and if I send you to look for plants for me； you know； no
human being must set eyes on you。 They will try to corrupt you； my
good Kolb； they will offer you thousands； perhaps tens of thousands of
francs； to tell〃
〃Dey may offer me millions；〃 cried Kolb； 〃but not ein vort from me
shall dey traw。 Haf I not peen in der army； and know my orders？〃
〃Well； you are warned。 March； and ask M。 Petit…Claud to go with you as
witness。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the Alsacien。 〃Some tay I hope to be rich enough to dust
der chacket of dat man of law。 I don't like his gountenance。〃
〃Kolb is a good man； madame；〃 said Big Marion； 〃he is as strong as a
Turk； and as meek as a lamb。 Just the one that would make a woman
happy。 It was his notion； too； to invest our savings this way
'safings；' as he calls them。 Poor man； if he doesn't speak right； he
thinks right； and I understand him all the same。 He has a notion of
working for somebody else； so as to save us his keep〃
〃Surely we shall be rich； if it is only to repay these good folk；〃
said David； looking at his wife。
Eve thought it quite simple； it was no surprise to her to find other
natures on a level with her own。 The dullestnay； the most
indifferentobserver could have seen all the beauty of her nature in
her way of receiving this service。
〃You will be rich some day； dear master；〃 said Marion； 〃your bread is
ready baked。 Your father has just bought another farm； he is putting
by money for you； that he is。〃
And under the circumstances； did not Marion show an exquisite delicacy
of feeling by belittling； as it were； her kindness in this way？
French procedure； like all things human； has its defects；
nevertheless； the sword of justice； being a two…edged weapon； is
excellently adapted alike for attack or defence。 Procedure； moreover；
has its amusing side； for when opposed； lawyers arrive at an
understanding； as they well may do； without exchanging a word； through
their manner of conducting their case； a suit becomes a kind of war
waged on the lines laid down by the first Marshal Biron； who； at the
siege of Rouen； it may be remembered； received his son's project for
taking the city in two days with the remark； 〃You must be in a great
hurry to go and plant cabbages！〃 Let two commanders…in…chief spare
their troops as much as possible； let them imitate the Austrian
generals who give the men time to eat their soup though they fail to
effect a juncture； and escape reprimand from the Aulic Council； let
them avoid all decisive measures； and they shall carry on a war for
ever。 Maitre Cachan； Petit…Claud； and Doublon； did better than the
Austrian generals； they took for their example Quintus Fabius
Cunctatorthe Austrian of antiquity。
Petit…Claud； malignant as a mule； was not long in finding out all the
advantages of his position。 No sooner had Boniface Cointet guaranteed
his costs than he vowed to lead Cachan a dance； and to dazzle the
paper manufacturer with a brilliant display of genius in the creation
of items to be charged to Metivier。 Unluckily for the fame of the
young forensic Figaro； the writer of this history is obliged to pass
over the scene of his exploits in as great a hurry as if he trod on
burning coals； but a single bill of costs； in the shape of the
specimen sent from Paris； will no doubt suffice for the student of
contemporary manners。 Let us follow the example set us by the
Bulletins of the Grande Armee； and give a summary of Pe