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〃He is showing her the paper he made this morning； no doubt；〃 said
Cerizet。
〃What is it made of？〃 asked the paper manufacturer。
〃Impossible to guess；〃 answered Cerizet； 〃I made a hole in the roof
and scrambled up and watched the gaffer； he was boiling pulp in a
copper pan all last night。 There was a heap of stuff in a corner； but
I could make nothing of it； it looked like a heap of tow； as near as I
could make out。〃
〃Go no farther；〃 said Boniface Cointet in unctuous tones； 〃it would
not be right。 Mme。 Sechard will offer to renew your lease； tell her
that you are thinking of setting up for yourself。 Offer her half the
value of the plant and license； and； if she takes the bid； come to me。
In any case； spin the matter out。 。 。 。 Have they no money？〃
〃Not a sou；〃 said Cerizet。
〃Not a sou；〃 repeated tall Cointet。〃I have them now；〃 said he to
himself。
Metivier； paper manufacturers' wholesale agent； and Cointet Brothers；
printers and paper manufacturers； were also bankers in all but name。
This surreptitious banking system defies all the ingenuity of the
Inland Revenue Department。 Every banker is required to take out a
license which； in Paris； costs five hundred francs； but no hitherto
devised method of controlling commerce can detect the delinquents； or
compel them to pay their due to the Government。 And though Metivier
and the Cointets were 〃outside brokers；〃 in the language of the Stock
Exchange； none the less among them they could set some hundreds of
thousands of francs moving every three months in the markets of Paris；
Bordeaux； and Angouleme。 Now it so fell out that that very evening
Cointet Brothers had received Lucien's forged bills in the course of
business。 Upon this debt； tall Cointet forthwith erected a formidable
engine； pointed； as will presently be seen； against the poor； patient
inventor。
By seven o'clock next morning； Boniface Cointet was taking a walk by
the mill stream that turned the wheels in his big factory； the sound
of the water covered his talk； for he was talking with a companion； a
young man of nine…and…twenty； who had been appointed attorney to the
Court of First Instance in Angouleme some six weeks ago。 The young
man's name was Pierre Petit…Claud。
〃You are a schoolfellow of David Sechard's； are you not？〃 asked tall
Cointet by way of greeting to the young attorney。 Petit…Claud had lost
no time in answering the wealthy manufacturer's summons。
〃Yes； sir；〃 said Petit…Claud； keeping step with tall Cointet。
〃Have you renewed the acquaintance？〃
〃We have met once or twice at most since he came back。 It could hardly
have been otherwise。 In Paris I was buried away in the office or at
the courts on week…days； and on Sundays and holidays I was hard at
work studying； for I had only myself to look to。〃 （Tall Cointet nodded
approvingly。） 〃When we met again； David and I； he asked me what I had
done with myself。 I told him that after I had finished my time at
Poitiers； I had risen to be Maitre Olivet's head…clerk； and that some
time or other I hoped to make a bid for his berth。 I know a good deal
more of Lucien Chardon （de Rubempre he calls himself now）； he was Mme。
de Bargeton's lover； our great poet； David Sechard's brother…in…law；
in fact。〃
〃Then you can go and tell David of your appointment； and offer him
your services；〃 said tall Cointet。
〃One can't do that；〃 said the young attorney。
〃He has never had a lawsuit； and he has no attorney； so one can do
that；〃 said Cointet； scanning the other narrowly from behind his
colored spectacles。
A certain quantity of gall mingled with the blood in Pierre Petit…
Claud's veins； his father was a tailor in L'Houmeau； and his
schoolfellows had looked down upon him。 His complexion was of the
muddy and unwholesome kind which tells a tale of bad health； late
hours and penury； and almost always of a bad disposition。 The best
description of him may be given in two familiar expressionshe was
sharp and snappish。 His cracked voice suited his sour face； meagre
look； and magpie eyes of no particular color。 A magpie eye； according
to Napoleon； is a sure sign of dishonesty。 〃Look at So…and…so；〃 he
said to Las Cases at Saint Helena； alluding to a confidential servant
whom he had been obliged to dismiss for malversation。 〃I do not know
how I could have been deceived in him for so long； he has a magpie
eye。〃 Tall Cointet； surveying the weedy little lawyer； noted his face
pitted with smallpox； the thin hair； and the forehead； bald already；
receding towards a bald cranium； saw； too； the confession of weakness
in his attitude with the hand on the hip。 〃Here is my man；〃 said he to
himself。
As a matter of fact； this Petit…Claud； who had drunk scorn like water；
was eaten up with a strong desire to succeed in life； he had no money；
but nevertheless he had the audacity to buy his employer's connection
for thirty thousand francs； reckoning upon a rich marriage to clear
off the debt； and looking to his employer； after the usual custom； to
find him a wife； for an attorney always has an interest in marrying
his successor； because he is the sooner paid off。 But if Petit…Claud
counted upon his employer； he counted yet more upon himself。 He had
more than average ability； and that of a kind not often found in the
provinces； and rancor was the mainspring of his power。 A mighty hatred
makes a mighty effort。
There is a great difference between a country attorney and an attorney
in Paris； tall Cointet was too clever not to know this； and to turn
the meaner passions that move a pettifogging lawyer to good account。
An eminent attorney in Paris； and there are many who may be so
qualified； is bound to possess to some extent the diplomate's
qualities； he had so much business to transact； business in which
large interests are involved； questions of such wide interest are
submitted to him that he does not look upon procedure as machinery for
bringing money into his pocket； but as a weapon of attack and defence。
A country attorney； on the other hand； cultivates the science of
costs； broutille； as it is called in Paris； a host of small items that
swell lawyers' bills and require stamped paper。 These weighty matters
of the law completely fill the country attorney's mind； he has a bill
of costs always before his eyes； whereas his brother of Paris thinks
of nothing but his fees。 The fee is a honorarium paid by a client over
and above the bill of costs； for the more or less skilful conduct of
his case。 One…half of the bill of costs goes to the Treasury； whereas
the entire fee belongs to the attorney。 Let us admit frankly that the
fees received are seldom as large as the fees demanded and deserved by
a clever lawyer。 Wherefore； in Paris； attorneys； doctors； and
barristers； like courtesans with a chance…come lover； take very
considerable precautions against the gratitude of clients。 The client
before and after the lawsuit would furnish a subject worthy of
Meissonier； there would be brisk bidding among attorneys for the
possession of two such admirable bits of genre。
There is yet another difference between the Parisian and the country
attorney。 An attorney in Paris very seldom appears in cour