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〃And how； pray； do I come to owe you seven hundred francs？〃 the old
man asked； looking at Petit…Claud。
〃Why； in the first place； I am engaged by you。 Your rent is in
question； so； as far as I am concerned； you and our debtor are one and
the same person。 If your son does not pay my costs in the case； you
must pay them yourself。But this is nothing。 In a few hours David
will be put in prison； will you allow him to go？〃
〃What does he owe？〃
〃Something like five or six thousand francs； besides the amounts owing
to you and to his wife。〃
The speech roused all the old man's suspicions at once。 He looked
round the little blue…and…white bedroom at the touching scene before
his eyesat a beautiful woman weeping over a cradle； at David bowed
down by anxieties； and then again at the lawyer。 This was a trap set
for him by that lawyer； perhaps they wanted to work upon his paternal
feelings； to get money out of him？ That was what it all meant。 He took
alarm。 He went over to the cradle and fondled the child； who held out
both little arms to him。 No heir to an English peerage could be more
tenderly cared for than this little one in that house of trouble； his
little embroidered cap was lined with pale pink。
〃Eh！ let David get out of it as best he may。 I am thinking of this
child here；〃 cried the old grandfather； 〃and the child's mother will
approve of that。 David that knows so much must know how to pay his
debts。〃
〃Now I will just put your meaning into plain language；〃 said Petit…
Claud ironically。 〃Look here； Papa Sechard； you are jealous of your
son。 Hear the truth！ you put David into his present position by
selling the business to him for three times its value。 You ruined him
to make an extortionate bargain！ Yes； don't you shake your head； you
sold the newspaper to the Cointets and pocketed all the proceeds； and
that was as much as the whole business was worth。 You bear David a
grudge； not merely because you have plundered him； but because； also；
your own son is a man far above yourself。 You profess to be
prodigiously fond of your grandson； to cloak your want of feeling for
your son and his wife； because you ought to pay down money hic et nunc
for them； while you need only show a posthumous affection for your
grandson。 You pretend to be fond of the little fellow； lest you should
be taxed with want of feeling for your own flesh and blood。 That is
the bottom of it； Papa Sechard。〃
〃Did you fetch me over to hear this？〃 asked the old man； glowering at
his lawyer； his daughter…in…law； and his son in turn。
〃Monsieur！〃 protested poor Eve； turning to Petit…Claud； 〃have you
vowed to ruin us？ My husband had never uttered a word against his
father。〃 （Here the old man looked cunningly at her。） 〃David has told
me scores of times that you loved him in your way；〃 she added； looking
at her father…in…law； and understanding his suspicions。
Petit…Claud was only following out the tall Cointet's instructions。 He
was widening the breach between the father and son； lest Sechard
senior should extricate David from his intolerable position。 〃The day
that David Sechard goes to prison shall be the day of your
introduction to Mme。 de Senonches；〃 the 〃tall Cointet〃 had said no
longer ago than yesterday。
Mme。 Sechard； with the quick insight of love； had divined Petit…
Claud's mercenary hostility； even as she had once before felt
instinctively that Cerizet was a traitor。 As for David； his
astonishment may be imagined； he could not understand how Petit…Claud
came to know so much of his father's nature and his own history。
Upright and honorable as he was； he did not dream of the relations
between his lawyer and the Cointets； nor； for that matter； did he know
that the Cointets were at work behind Metivier。 Meanwhile old Sechard
took his son's silence as an insult； and Petit…Claud； taking advantage
of his client's bewilderment； beat a retreat。
〃Good…bye； my dear David； you have had warning； notice of appeal
doesn't invalidate the warrant for arrest。 It is the only course left
open to your creditors； and it will not be long before they take it。
So； go away at onceOr； rather； if you will take my advice； go to
the Cointets and see them about it。 They have capital。 If your
invention is perfected and answers the purpose； go into partnership
with them。 After all； they are very good fellows〃
〃Your invention？〃 broke in old Sechard。
〃Why； do you suppose that your son is fool enough to let his business
slip away from him without thinking of something else？〃 exclaimed the
attorney。 〃He is on the brink of the discovery of a way of making
paper at a cost of three francs per ream； instead of ten； he tells
me。〃
〃One more dodge for taking me in！ You are all as thick as thieves in a
fair。 If David has found out such a plan； he has no need of mehe is
a millionaire！ Good…bye； my dears； and a good…day to you all；〃 and the
old man disappeared down the staircase。
〃Find some way of hiding yourself；〃 was Petit…Claud's parting word to
David； and with that he hurried out to exasperate old Sechard still
further。 He found the vinegrower growling to himself outside in the
Place du Murier； went with him as far as L'Houmeau； and there left him
with a threat of putting in an execution for the costs due to him
unless they were paid before the week was out。
〃I will pay you if you will show me how to disinherit my son without
injuring my daughter…in…law or the boy；〃 said old Sechard； and they
parted forthwith。
〃How well the 'tall Cointet' knows the folk he is dealing with！ It is
just as he said； those seven hundred francs will prevent the father
from paying seven thousand；〃 the little lawyer thought within himself
as he climbed the path to Angouleme。 〃Still； that old slyboots of a
paper…maker must not overreach us； it is time to ask him for something
besides promises。〃
〃Well； David dear； what do you mean to do？〃 asked Eve； when the lawyer
had followed her father…in…law。
〃Marion； put your biggest pot on the fire！〃 called David； 〃I have my
secret fast。〃
At this Eve put on her bonnet and shawl and walking shoes with
feverish haste。
〃Kolb； my friend； get ready to go out；〃 she said； 〃and come with me；
if there is any way out of this hell； I must find it。〃
When Eve had gone out； Marion spoke to David。 〃Do be sensible； sir；〃
she said； 〃or the mistress will fret herself to death。 Make some money
to pay off your debts； and then you can try to find treasure at your
ease〃
〃Don't talk； Marion； said David； 〃I am going to overcome my last
difficulty； and then I can apply for the patent and the improvement on
the patent at the same time。〃
This 〃improvement on the patent〃 is the curse of the French patentee。
A man may spend ten years of his life in working out some obscure
industrial problem； and when he has invented some piece of machinery；
or made a discovery of some kind； he takes out a patent and imagines
that he has a right to his own invention； then there comes a
competitor； and unless the first inventor has foreseen all possible
contingencies； the second comer makes an 〃improvement on the patent〃
with a screw or a nut； and takes the whole thing out of his hands