out of the corner of his eyes.

"'No, by all the devils in hell!' cried I, 'it shall be I who will
pay. I would sooner cut my hand off than flay people.'

"'Good-night,' said Daddy Gobseck.

"'Why, fees are all according to scale,' I added.

"'Not for compromises and settlements out of Court, and cases where
litigants come to terms,' said he. 'You can send in a bill for
thousands of francs, six thousand even at a swoop (it depends on the
importance of the case), for conferences with So-and-so, and expenses,
and drafts, and memorials, and your jargon. A man must learn to look
out for business of this kind. I will recommend you as a most
competent, clever attorney. I will send you such a lot of work of this
sort that your colleagues will be fit to burst with envy. Werbrust,
Palma, and Gigonnet, my cronies, shall hand over their expropriations
to you; they have plenty of them, the Lord knows! So you will have two
practices--the one you are buying, and the other I will build up for
you. You ought almost to pay me fifteen per cent on my loan.'

"'So be it, but no more,' said I, with the firmness which means that
a man is determined not to concede another point.

"Daddy Gobseck's face relaxed; he looked pleased with me.

"'I shall pay the money over to your principal myself,' said he, 'so
as to establish a lien on the purchase and caution-money.'