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the stroke with the mechanical precision of the figures which are made
to move by springs in the German toys。 He would then advance slowly
towards the players； give them a glance like the automatic gaze of the
Greeks and Turks exhibited on the Boulevard du Temple； and say
sternly； 〃Go away！〃 There were days when he had lucid intervals and
could give his wife excellent advice as to the sale of their wines；
but at such times he became extremely annoying； and would ransack her
closets and steal her delicacies； which he devoured in secret。
Occasionally； when the usual visitors made their appearance he would
treat them with civility； but as a general thing his remarks and
replies were incoherent。 For instance； a lady once asked him； 〃How do
you feel to…day； Monsieur Margaritis？〃 〃I have grown a beard；〃 he
replied； 〃have you？〃 〃Are you better？〃 asked another。 〃Jerusalem！
Jerusalem！〃 was the answer。 But the greater part of the time he gazed
stolidly at his guests without uttering a word； and then his wife
would say； 〃The good…man does not hear anything to…day。〃
On two or three occasions in the course of five years； and usually
about the time of the equinox； this remark had driven him to frenzy；
he flourished his knives and shouted； 〃That joke dishonors me！〃
As for his daily life； he ate； drank； and walked about like other men
in sound health； and so it happened that he was treated with about the
same respect and attention that we give to a heavy piece of furniture。
Among his many absurdities was one of which no man had as yet
discovered the object； although by long practice the wiseheads of the
community had learned to unravel the meaning of most of his vagaries。
He insisted on keeping a sack of flour and two puncheons of wine in
the cellar of his house； and he would allow no one to lay hands on
them。 But then the month of June came round he grew uneasy with the
restless anxiety of a madman about the sale of the sack and the
puncheons。 Madame Margaritis could nearly always persuade him that the
wine had been sold at an enormous price； which she paid over to him；
and which he hid so cautiously that neither his wife nor the servant
who watched him had ever been able to discover its hiding…place。
The evening before Gaudissart reached Vouvray Madame Margaritis had
had more difficulty than usual in deceiving her husband； whose mind
happened to be uncommonly lucid。
〃I really don't know how I shall get through to…morrow；〃 she had said
to Madame Vernier。 〃Would you believe it； the good…man insists on
watching his two casks of wine。 He has worried me so this whole day；
that I had to show him two full puncheons。 Our neighbor； Pierre
Champlain； fortunately had two which he had not sold。 I asked him to
kindly let me have them rolled into our cellar； and oh； dear！ now that
the good…man has seen them he insists on bottling them off himself！〃
Madame Vernier had related the poor woman's trouble to her husband
just before the entrance of Gaudissart； and at the first words of the
famous traveller Vernier determined that he should be made to grapple
with Margaritis。
〃Monsieur；〃 said the ex…dyer； as soon as the illustrious Gaudissart
had fired his first broadside； 〃I will not hide from you the great
difficulties which my native place offers to your enterprise。 This
part of the country goes along； as it were； in the rough；〃suo modo。〃
It is a country where new ideas don't take hold。 We live as our
fathers lived； we amuse ourselves with four meals a day； and we
cultivate our vineyards and sell our wines to the best advantage。 Our
business principle is to sell things for more than they cost us； we
shall stick in that rut； and neither God nor the devil can get us out
of it。 I will； however； give you some advice； and good advice is an
egg in the hand。 There is in this town a retired banker in whose
wisdom I haveI； particularlythe greatest confidence。 If you can
obtain his support； I will add mine。 If your proposals have real
merit； if we are convinced of the advantage of your enterprise； the
approval of Monsieur Margaritis （which carries with it mine） will open
to you at least twenty rich houses in Vouvray who will be glad to try
your specifics。〃
When Madame Vernier heard the name of the lunatic she raised her head
and looked at her husband。
〃Ah； precisely； my wife intends to call on Madame Margaritis with one
of our neighbors。 Wait a moment； and you can accompany these ladies
You can pick up Madame Fontanieu on your way；〃 said the wily dyer；
winking at his wife。
To pick out the greatest gossip； the sharpest tongue； the most
inveterate cackler of the neighborhood！ It meant that Madame Vernier
was to take a witness to the scene between the traveller and the
lunatic which should keep the town in laughter for a month。 Monsieur
and Madame Vernier played their part so well that Gaudissart had no
suspicions； and straightway fell into the trap。 He gallantly offered
his arm to Madame Vernier； and believed that he made； as they went
along； the conquest of both ladies； for those benefit he sparkled with
wit and humor and undetected puns。
The house of the pretended banker stood at the entrance to the Valley
Coquette。 The place； called La Fuye； had nothing remarkable about it。
On the ground floor was a large wainscoted salon； on either side of
which opened the bedroom of the good…man and that of his wife。 The
salon was entered from an ante…chamber； which served as the dining…
room and communicated with the kitchen。 This lower door； which was
wholly without the external charm usually seen even in the humblest
dwellings in Touraine； was covered by a mansard story； reached by a
stairway built on the outside of the house against the gable end and
protected by a shed…roof。 A little garden； full of marigolds；
syringas； and elder…bushes； separated the house from the fields； and
all around the courtyard were detached buildings which were used in
the vintage season for the various processes of making wine。
CHAPTER IV
Margaritis was seated in an arm…chair covered with yellow Utrecht
velvet； near the window of the salon； and he did not stir as the two
ladies entered with Gaudissart。 His thoughts were running on the casks
of wine。 He was a spare man； and his bald head； garnished with a few
spare locks at the back of it； was pear…shaped in conformation。 His
sunken eyes； overtopped by heavy black brows and surrounded by
discolored circles； his nose； thin and sharp like the blade of a
knife； the strongly marked jawbone； the hollow cheeks； and the oblong
tendency of all these lines； together with his unnaturally long and
flat chin； contributed to give a peculiar expression to his
countenance；something between that of a retired professor of
rhetoric and a rag…picker。
〃Monsieur Margaritis；〃 cried Madame Vernier； addressing him； 〃come；
stir about！ Here is a gentleman whom my husband sends to you； and you
must listen to him with great attention。 Put away your mathematics and
talk to him。〃
On hearing these words the lunatic rose； looked at Gaudissart； made
him a sign to sit down； and said； 〃Let us converse； Monsieur。〃
The two women went into Madame Margaritis' bedroom； leaving the door
open so as to hear the conversation； and interpose if it became
necessary。 They were hardly installed before Monsieur Vernier crept
softly up through the field and； opening a window； got into the
bedroom without noise。
〃Monsieur has doubtless been in business？〃 began Gaudissart。
〃Public business；〃 answered Margaritis； interrupting him。 〃I
pacificated Calabria under the reign of King Murat。〃
〃Bless me！ if he hasn't gone to Calabria！〃 whispered Monsieur Vernier。
〃In that case；〃 said Gaudissart； 〃we shall quickly understand each
other。〃
〃I am listening；〃 said Margaritis； striking the attitude taken by a
man when he poses to a portrait…painter。
〃Monsieur；〃 said Gaudissart； who chanced to be turning his watch…key
with a rotatory and periodical click which caught the attention of the
lunatic and contributed no doubt to keep him quiet。 〃Monsieur； if you
were not a man of superior intelligence〃 （the fool bowed）； 〃I should
content myself with merely laying before you the material advantages
of this enterprise； whose psychological aspects it would be a waste of
time to explain to you。 Listen！ Of all kinds of social wealth； is not
time the most precious？ To economize time is； consequently； to become
wealthy。 Now； is there anything that consumes so much time as those
anxieties which I call 'pot…boiling'？a vulgar expression； but it
puts the whole question in a nutshell。 For instance； what can eat up
more time than the inability to give proper security to persons from
whom you seek to borrow money when； poor at the moment； you are
nevertheless rich in hope？〃
〃Money；yes； that's right；〃 said Margaritis。
〃Well； Monsieur； I am sen