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emotion。
〃Oh； that's how you take it； is it？〃 said Cerizet。
〃Listen to me； you don't understand my intentions。〃
〃Yes； I do！〃 replied the lender by 〃the little week。〃
〃No； you don't。〃
〃You intend not to give up those fifteen thousand francs。〃
Theodose shrugged his shoulders and looked fixedly at Cerizet； who；
struck by the two motions； kept silence。
〃Would you live in my position； knowing yourself within range of a
cannon loaded with grape…shot； without feeling a strong desire to get
out of it？ Now listen to me carefully。 You are doing a dangerous
business； and you would be glad enough to have some solid protection
in the very heart of the magistracy of Paris。 If I can continue my
present course； I shall be substitute attorney…general； possibly
attorney…general； in three years。 I offer you to…day the offices of a
devoted friendship； which will serve you hereafter most assuredly； if
only to replace you in a honorable position。 Here are my conditions〃
〃Conditions！〃 exclaimed Cerizet。
〃In ten minutes I will bring you twenty…five thousand francs if you
return to me all the notes which you have against me。〃
〃But Dutocq？ and Claparon？〃 said Cerizet。
〃Leave them in the lurch！〃 replied Theodose； with his lips at
Cerizet's ear。
〃That's a pretty thing to say！〃 cried Cerizet。 〃And so you have
invented this little game of hocus…pocus because you hold in your
fingers fifteen thousand francs that don't belong to you！〃
〃But I've added ten thousand francs to them。 Besides； you and I know
each other。〃
〃If you are able to get ten thousand francs out of your bourgeois you
can surely get fifteen；〃 said Cerizet。 〃For thirty thousand I'm your
man。 Frankness for frankness； you know。〃
〃You ask the impossible；〃 replied Theodose。 〃At this very moment； if
you had to do with Claparon instead of with me； your fifteen thousand
would be lost； for Thuillier is to…day the owner of that house。〃
〃I'll speak to Claparon；〃 said Cerizet； pretending to go and consult
him； and mounting the stairs to the bedroom； from which Claparon had
only just departed on his road to Havre。
The two adversaries had been speaking； we should here remark； in a
manner not to be overheard； and every time that Theodose raised his
voice Cerizet would make a gesture； intimating that Claparon； from
above； might be listening。 The five minutes during which Theodose
heard what seemed to be the murmuring of two voices were torture to
him； for he had staked his very life upon the issue。 Cerizet at last
came down； with a smile upon his lips； his eyes sparkling with
infernal mischief； his whole frame quivering in his joy； a Lucifer of
gaiety！
〃I know nothing； so it seems！〃 he cried； shaking his shoulders； 〃but
Claparon knows a great deal； he has worked with the big…wig bankers；
and when I told what you wanted he began to laugh； and said； 'I
thought as much！' You will have to bring me the twenty…five thousand
you offer me to…morrow morning； my lad； and as much more before you
can recover your notes。〃
〃Why？〃 asked Theodose； feeling his spinal column liquidizing as if the
discharge of some inward electric fluid had melted it。
〃The house is ours。〃
〃How？〃
〃Claparon has bit it in under the name of one of his creditors； a
little toad named Sauvaignou。 Desroches； the lawyer； has taken the
case； and you'll get a notice to…morrow。 This affair will oblige
Claparon； Dutocq； and me to raise funds。 What would become of me
without Claparon！ So I forgive himyes； I forgave him； and though you
may not believe it； my dear friend； I actually kissed him！ Change your
terms。〃
The last three words were horrible to hear； especially when
illustrated by the face of the speaker； who amused himself by playing
a scene from the 〃Legataire；〃 all the while studying attentively the
Provencal's character。
〃Oh； Cerizet！〃 cried Theodose； 〃I； who wished to do you so much good！〃
〃Don't you see； my dear fellow；〃 returned Cerizet； 〃that between you
and me there ought to be THIS；〃 and he struck his heart；〃of which
you have none。 As soon as you thought you had a lever on us； you have
tried to knock us over。 I saved you from the horrors of starvation and
vermin！ You'll die like the idiot you are。 We put you on the high…road
to fortune； we gave you a fine social skin and a position in which you
could grasp the futureand look what you do！ NOW I know you！ and from
this time forth； we shall go armed。〃
〃Then it is war between us！〃 exclaimed Theodose。
〃You fired first；〃 returned Cerizet。
〃If you pull me down； farewell to your hopes and plans； if you don't
pull me down； you have in me an enemy。〃
〃That's just what I said yesterday to Dutocq； but； how can we help it？
We are forced to choose between two alternativeswe must go according
to circumstances。 I'm a good…natured fellow myself；〃 he added； after a
pause； 〃bring me your twenty…five thousand francs to…morrow morning
and Thuillier shall keep the house。 We'll continue to help you at both
ends； but you'll have to pay up； my boy。 After what has just happened
that's pretty kind； isn't it？〃
And Cerizet patted Theodose on the shoulder； with a cynicism that
seemed to brand him more than the iron of the galleys。
〃Well； give me till to…morrow at mid…day；〃 replied the Provencal； 〃for
there'll be； as you said； some manipulation to do。〃
〃I'll try to keep Claparon quiet； he's in such a hurry； that man！〃
〃To…morrow then；〃 said Theodose； in the tone of a man who decides his
course。
〃Good…night； friend；〃 said Cerizet； in his nasal tone； which degraded
the finest word in the language。 〃There's one who has got a mouthful
to suck！〃 thought Cerizet； as he watched Theodose going down the
street with the step of a dazed man。
When la Peyrade reached the rue des Postes he went with rapid strides
to Madame Colleville's house； exciting himself as he walked along； and
talking aloud。 The fire of his roused passions and the sort of inward
conflagration of which many Parisians are conscious （for such
situations abound in Paris） brought him finally to a pitch of frenzy
and eloquence which found expression； as he turned into the rue des
Deux…Eglises； in the words：
〃I will kill him！〃
〃There's a fellow who is not content！〃 said a passing workman； and the
jesting words calmed the incandescent madness to which Theodose was a
prey。
As he left Cerizet's the idea came to him to go to Flavie and tell her
all。 Southern natures are born thusstrong until certain passions
arise； and then collapsed。 He entered Flavie's room； she was alone；
and when she saw Theodose she fancied her last hour had come。
〃What is the matter？〃 she cried。
〃II〃 he said。 〃Do you love me； Flavie？〃
〃Oh！ how can you doubt it？〃
〃Do you love me absolutely？if I were criminal； even？〃
〃Has he murdered some one？〃 she thought； replying to his question by a
nod。
Theodose； thankful to seize even this branch of willow； drew a chair
beside Flavie's sofa； and there gave way to sobs that might have
touched the oldest judge； while torrents of tears began to flow from
his eyes。
Flavie rose and left the room to say to her maid： 〃I am not at home to
any one。〃 Then she closed all doors and returned to Theodose； moved to
the utmost pitch of maternal solicitude。 She found him stretched out；
his head thrown back； and weeping。 He had taken out his handkerchief；
and when Flavie tried to move it from his face it was heavy with
tears。
〃But what is the matter？〃 she asked； 〃what ails you？〃
Nature； more impressive than art； served Theodose well； no longer was
he playing a part； he was himself； this nervous crisis and these tears
were the winding up of his preceding scenes of acted comedy。
〃You are a child；〃 she said； in a gentle voice； stroking his hair
softly。
〃I have but you； you only； in all the world！〃 he replied； kissing her
hands with a sort of passion； 〃and if you are true to me； if you are
mine； as the body belongs to the soul and the soul to the body；
then〃 he added； recovering himself with infinite grace； 〃THEN I can
have courage。〃
He rose； and walked about the room。
〃Yes； I will struggle； I will recover my strength； like Antaeus； from
a fall； I will strangle with my own hands the serpents that entwine
me； that kiss with serpent kisses； that slaver my cheeks； that suck my
blood； my honor！ Oh； misery！ oh； poverty！ Oh； how great are they who
can stand erect and carry high their heads！ I had better have let
myself die of hunger； there； on my wretched pallet； three and a half
years ago！ A coffin is a softer bed to lie in than the life I lead！ It
is eighteen months that I have FED ON BOURGEOIS！ and now； at the
moment of attaining an honest； fortunate life； a magnificent future；
at the moment when I was about to sit down to the social banquet； the
executioner strikes me on the shoulder！ Yes； the monster！ he struck me
there； on my shoulder； and said to me： 'Pay thy dues to the devil； or
die！' And shall I not crush them？ Shall I not force my arm down their
throats to their very entrails？ Yes； yes； I will； I will！ See； Flavie；
my eyes are dry now。 Ha； ha！ now I laugh； I feel my strength come back
to me； power is mine！ Oh！ say that you love me； say it ag