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another self to me。〃
〃Spies will follow you；〃 David said at last； recovering some presence
of mind。 〃How can we find a way of communicating with Basine if none
of us can go to her？〃
〃Montame kan go；〃 said Kolb。 〃Here ees my schemeI go out mit der
master； ve draws der vischtlers on our drack。 Montame kan go to
Montemoiselle Clerchet； nopody vill vollow her。 I haf a horse； I take
de master oop behint； und der teufel is in it if they katches us。〃
〃Very well； good…bye； dear；〃 said poor Eve； springing to her husband's
arms； 〃none of us can go to see you； the risk is too great。 We must
say good…bye for the whole time that your imprisonment lasts。 We will
write to each other； Basine will post your letters； and I will write
under cover to her。〃
No sooner did David and Kolb come out of the house than they heard a
sharp whistle； and were followed to the livery stable。 Once there；
Kolb took his master up behind him； with a caution to keep tight hold。
〃Veestle avay； mind goot vriends！ I care not von rap；〃 cried Kolb。
〃You vill not datch an old trooper；〃 and the old cavalry man clapped
both spurs to his horse； and was out into the country and the darkness
not merely before the spies could follow； but before they had time to
discover the direction that he took。
Eve meanwhile went out on the tolerably ingenious pretext of asking
advise of Postel； sat awhile enduring the insulting pity that spends
itself in words； left the Postel family； and stole away unseen to
Basine Clerget； told her troubles； and asked for help and shelter。
Basine； for greater safety； had brought Eve into her bedroom； and now
she opened the door of a little closet； lighted only by a skylight in
such a way that prying eyes could not see into it。 The two friends
unstopped the flue which opened into the chimney of the stove in the
workroom； where the girls heated their irons。 Eve and Basine spread
ragged coverlets over the brick floor to deaden any sound that David
might make； put in a truckle bed； a stove for his experiments； and a
table and a chair。 Basine promised to bring food in the night； and as
no one had occasion to enter her room； David might defy his enemies
one and all； or even detectives。
〃At last！〃 Eve said； with her arms about her friend； 〃at last he is in
safety。〃
Eve went back to Postel to submit a fresh doubt that had occurred to
her； she said。 She would like the opinion of such an experienced
member of the Chamber of Commerce； she so managed that he escorted her
home； and listened patiently to his commiseration。
〃Would this have happened if you had married me？〃all the little
druggist's remarks were pitched in this key。
Then he went home again to find Mme。 Postel jealous of Mme。 Sechard；
and furious with her spouse for his polite attention to that beautiful
woman。 The apothecary advanced the opinion that little red…haired
women were preferable to tall； dark women； who； like fine horses； were
always in the stable； he said。 He gave proofs of his sincerity； no
doubt； for Mme。 Postel was very sweet to him next day。
〃We may be easy；〃 Eve said to her mother and Marion； whom she found
still 〃in a taking；〃 in the latter's phrase。
〃Oh！ they are gone；〃 said Marion； when Eve looked unthinkingly round
the room。
One league out of Angouleme on the main road to Paris； Kolb stopped。
〃Vere shall we go？〃
〃To Marsac；〃 said David； 〃since we are on the way already； I will try
once more to soften my father's heart。〃
〃I would rader mount to der assault of a pattery；〃 said Kolb； 〃your
resbected fader haf no heart whatefer。〃
The ex…pressman had no belief in his son； he judged him from the
outside point of view； and waited for results。 He had no idea； to
begin with； that he had plundered David； nor did he make allowance for
the very different circumstances under which they had begun life； he
said to himself； 〃I set him up with a printing…house； just as I found
it myself； and he； knowing a thousand times more than I did； cannot
keep it going。〃 He was mentally incapable of understanding his son； he
laid the blame of failure upon him； and even prided himself； as it
were on his superiority to a far greater intellect than his own； with
the thought； 〃I am securing his bread for him。〃
Moralists will never succeed in making us comprehend the full extent
of the influence of sentiment upon self…interest； an influence every
whit as strong as the action of interest upon our sentiments； for
every law of our nature works in two ways； and acts and reacts upon
us。
David； on his side； understood his father； and in his sublime charity
forgave him。 Kolb and David reached Marsac at eight o'clock； and
suddenly came in upon the old man as he was finishing his dinner；
which； by force of circumstances； came very near bedtime。
〃I see you because there is no help for it；〃 said old Sechard with a
sour smile。
〃Und how should you and mein master meet？ He soars in der shkies； and
you are always mit your vines！ You bay for him； that's vot you are a
fader for〃
〃Come； Kolb； off with you。 Put up the horse at Mme。 Courtois' so as to
save inconvenience here； fathers are always in the right； remember
that。〃
Kolb went off； growling like a chidden dog； obedient but protesting；
and David proposed to give his father indisputable proof of his
discovery； while reserving his secret。 He offered to give him an
interest in the affair in return for money paid down； a sufficient sum
to release him from his present difficulties； with or without a
further amount of capital to be employed in developing the invention。
〃And how are you going to prove to me that you can make good paper
that costs nothing out of nothing； eh？〃 asked the ex…printer； giving
his son a glance； vinous； it may be； but keen； inquisitive； and
covetous； a look like a flash of lightning from a sodden cloud； for
the old 〃bear；〃 faithful to his traditions； never went to bed without
a nightcap； consisting of a couple of bottles of excellent old wine；
which he 〃tippled down〃 of an evening； to use his own expression。
〃Nothing simpler；〃 said David； 〃I have none of the paper about me； for
I came here to be out of Doublon's way； and having come so far； I
thought I might as well come to you at Marsac as borrow of a money…
lender。 I have nothing on me but my clothes。 Shut me up somewhere on
the premises； so that nobody can come in and see me at work； and〃
〃What？ you will not let me see you at your work then？〃 asked the old
man； with an ugly look at his son。
〃You have given me to understand plainly； father； that in matters of
business there is no question of father and son〃
〃Ah！ you distrust the father that gave you life！〃
〃No； the other father who took away the means of earning a
livelihood。〃
〃Each for himself； you are right！〃 said the old man。 〃Very good； I
will put you in the cellar。〃
〃I will go down there with Kolb。 You must let me have a large pot for
my pulp；〃 said David； then he continued； without noticing the quick
look his father gave him；〃and you must find artichoke and asparagus
stalks for me； and nettles； and the reeds that you cut by the stream
side； and to…morrow morning I will come out