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〃Oh！ how good monsieur is！ I pray God to bless him；〃 said the pious
woman； clasping her hands。
〃Bless me！ do you have business with Madame Lambert？〃 said Cerizet；
〃you never told me that。 Are you Pere Picot's counsel？〃
〃No； unfortunately；〃 said Madame Lambert； 〃my master won't take any
counsel； he is so self…willed； so obstinate！ But； my good monsieur；
what I came to ask is whether the family council is to meet。〃
〃Of course；〃 said Cerizet； 〃and not later than to…morrow。〃
〃But monsieur； I hear those gentlemen of the Royal court said the
family had no rights〃
〃Yes； that's so；〃 said the clerk； 〃the lower court and the Royal court
have both； on the petition of the relatives； rejected their demand for
a commission。〃
〃I should hope so！〃 said the woman； 〃to think of making him out a
lunatic！ him so full of wisdom and learning！〃
〃But the relations don't mean to give up； they are going to try the
matter again under a new form； and ask for the appointment of a
judicial counsel。 That's what the family council meets for to…morrow；
and I think； this time； my dear Madame Lambert； your old Picot will
find himself restrained。 There are serious allegations； I can tell
you。 It was all very well to take the eggs； but to pluck the hen was
another thing。〃
〃Is it possible that monsieur can suppose〃 began the devote；
clasping her hands under her chin。
〃I suppose nothing；〃 said Cerizet； 〃I am not the judge of this affair。
But the relations declare that you have pocketed considerable sums；
and made investments about which they demand inquiry。〃
〃Oh！ heavens！〃 said the woman； casting up her eyes； 〃they can inquire；
I am poor； I have not a deed； nor a note； nor a share； not the
slightest security of any kind in my possession。〃
〃I dare say not；〃 said Cerizet； glancing at la Peyrade out of the
corner of his eye； 〃but there are always friends to take care of such
things。 However； that is none of my business； every one must settle
his own affairs in his own way。 Now； then； say what you have to say；
distinctly。〃
〃I came； monsieur；〃 she replied； 〃to implore you； monsieur； to implore
Monsieur the judge's clerk； to speak in our favor to Monsieur the
justice…of…peace。 Monsieur the vicar of Saint…Jacques is also to speak
to him。 That poor Monsieur Picot！〃 she went on； weeping； 〃they'll kill
him if they continue to worry him in this way。〃
〃I sha'n't conceal from you；〃 said Cerizet； 〃that the justice…of…peace
is very ill…disposed to your cause。 You must have seen that the other
day； when he refused to receive you。 As for Monsieur Dutocq and
myself； our assistance won't help you much； and besides； my good
woman； you are too close…mouthed。〃
〃Monsieur asked me if I had laid by a few little savings； and I
couldn't tell him that I had； bebecause they have gone to keep the
hhouse of that poor Monsieur Piicot； and now they accuse me of
rrobbing him！〃
Madame Lambert sobbed。
〃My opinion is；〃 said Cerizet； 〃that you are making yourself out much
poorer than you are； and if friend Peyrade here； who seems to be more
in your confidence； hadn't his tongue tied by the rules of his
profession〃
〃I！〃 said la Peyrade； hastily； 〃I don't know anything of madame's
affairs。 She asked me to draw up a petition on a matter in which there
was nothing judicial or financial。〃
〃Ah！ that's it； is it？〃 said Cerizet。 〃Madame had doubtless gone to
see you about this petition the day Dutocq met her at your office； the
morning after our dinner at the Rocher de Cancalewhen you were such
a Roman； you know。〃
Then； without seeming to attach any importance to the reminiscence； he
added：
〃Well； my good Madame Lambert； I'll ask my patron to speak to the
justice…of…peace； and； if I get a chance； I'll speak to him myself；
but； I repeat it； he is very much prejudiced against you。〃
Madame Lambert retired with many curtseys and protestations of
gratitude。 When she was fairly gone la Peyrade remarked：
〃You don't seem to believe that that woman came to me about a
petition； and yet nothing was ever truer。 She is thought a saint in
the street she lives in； and that old man they accuse her of robbing
is actually kept alive by her devotion； so I'm told。 Consequently； the
neighbors have put it into the good woman's head to apply for the
Montyon prize； and it was for the purpose of putting her claims in
legal shape that she applied to me。〃
〃Dear！ dear！ the Montyon prize！〃 cried Cerizet； 〃well； that's an idea！
My good fellow； we ought to have cultivated it before；I； especially；
as banker of the poor； and you； their advocate。 As for this client of
yours； it is lucky for her Monsieur Picot's relatives are not members
of the French academy； it is in the correctional police…court； sixth
chamber； where they mean to give her the reward of virtue。 However； to
come back to what we were talking about。 I tell you that after all
your tergiversations you had better settle down peaceably； and I
advise you； as your countess did； to go and see du Portail。〃
〃Who and what is he？〃 asked la Peyrade。
〃He is a little old man；〃 replied Cerizet； 〃as shrewd as a weasel。 He
gives me the idea of having dealings with the devil。 Go and see him！
Sight； as they say； costs nothing。〃
〃Yes；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃perhaps I will； but； first of all； I want you
to find out for me about this Comtesse de Godollo。〃
〃What do you care about her？ She is nothing but a supernumerary； that
countess。〃
〃I have my reasons；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃you can certainly get some
information about her in three days； I'll come and see you then。〃
〃My good fellow；〃 said Cerizet； 〃you seem to me to be amusing yourself
with things that don't pay； you haven't fallen in love with that go…
between； have you？〃
〃Plague take him！〃 thought la Peyrade； 〃he spies everything； there's
no hiding anything from him！ No；〃 he said； aloud； 〃I am not in love；
on the contrary； I am very cautious。 I must admit that this marriage
with a crazy girl doesn't attract me； and before I go a step into it I
want to know where I put my feet。 These crooked proceedings are not
reassuring； and as so many influences are being brought to bear； I
choose to control one by another。 Therefore don't play sly； but give
me all the information you get into your pouch about Madame la
Comtesse Torna de Godollo。 I warn you I know enough to test the
veracity of your report； and if I see you are trying to overreach me
I'll break off short with your du Portail。〃
〃Trying to overreach you； monseigneur！〃 replied Cerizet； in the tone
and manner of Frederic Lemaitre。 〃Who would dare attempt it？〃
As he pronounced those words in a slightly mocking tone； Dutocq
appeared； accompanied by his little clerk。
〃Bless me！〃 he exclaimed； seeing la Peyrade and Cerizet together；
〃here's the trinity reconstituted！ but the object of the alliance； the
'casus foederis；' has floated off。 What have you done to that good
Brigitte； la Peyrade？ She is after your blood。〃
〃What about Thuillier？〃 asked la Peyrade。
Moliere was reversed； here was Tartuffe inquiring for Orgon。
〃Thuillier began by not being very hostile to you； but it now seems
that the seizure business has taken a good turn； and having less need
of you he is getting drawn into his sister's waters； and if the
tendency continues； I haven't a doubt that he'll soon come to think
you deserving of hanging。〃
〃Well； I'm out of it all；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃and if anybody ever
catches me in such a mess again！Well； adieu； my friends；〃 he added。
〃And you； Cerizet； as to what we were speaking about； activity；
safety； and discretion！〃
When la Peyrade reached the courtyard of the municipal building； he
was accosted by Madame Lambert； who was lying in wait for him。
〃Monsieur wouldn't believe； I am sure；〃 she said； in a deprecating
tone； 〃the villainous things that Monsieur Cerizet said about me；
monsieur knows it was the little property I received from my uncle in
England that I placed in his hands。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃but you must understand that with all
these rumors set about by your master's relatives the prize of virtue
is desperately endangered。〃
〃If it is God's will that I am not to have it〃
〃You ought also to understand how important it is for your interests
to keep secret the other service which I did for you。 At the first
appearance of any indiscretion on your part that money； as I told you；
will be peremptorily returned to you。〃
〃Oh！ monsieur may be easy about that。〃
〃Very well； then good…bye to you； my dear；〃 said la Peyrade； in a
friendly tone。
As he turned to leave her； a nasal voice was heard from a window on
the staircase。
〃Madame Lambert！〃 cried Cerizet； who； suspecting the colloquy； had
gone to the staircase window to make sure of it。 〃Madame Lambert！
Monsieur Dutocq has returned； you may come up and see him； if you
like。〃
Impossible for la Peyrade to prevent the conference； although he knew
the secret of that twenty…five thousand francs ran the greatest
danger。
〃Certainly；〃 he said to himself as he walked away； 〃I'm in a run of
ill…luck； and I don't know where it will end。〃
In Brigitte's nature there was such an all…devouring instinct of
domination； that