"We are brothers in socks," said Mistigris, pulling up his own
trousers sufficiently to show an effect of the same kind,--"'By the
footing, Hercules.'"

The count, who overheard this, laughed as he stood with folded arms
under the porte-cochere, a little behind the other travellers. However
nonsensical these lads might be, the grave statesman envied their very
follies; he liked their bragging and enjoyed the fun of their lively
chatter.

"Well, are you to have Les Moulineaux? for I know you went to Paris to
get the money for the purchase," said the inn-keeper to Pere Leger,
whom he had just taken to the stables to see a horse he wanted to sell
to him. "It will be queer if you manage to fleece a peer of France and
a minister of State like the Comte de Serizy."

The person thus alluded to showed no sign upon his face as he turned
to look at the farmer.

"I've done for him," replied Pere Leger, in a low voice.

"Good! I like to see those nobles fooled. If you should want twenty
thousand francs or so, I'll lend them to you-- But Francois, the
conductor of Touchard's six o'clock coach, told me that Monsieur
Margueron was invited by the Comte de Serizy to dine with him to-day
at Presles."

"That was the plan of his Excellency, but we had our own little ways
of thwarting it," said the farmer, laughing.