the dark man.

"The Chevalier d'Espard, the Marquis' brother."

"Your nephew told me," said the Marquise to Popinot, "how much you are
occupied, and I know too that you are so good as to wish to conceal
your kind actions, so as to release those whom you oblige from the
burden of gratitude. The work in Court is most fatiguing, it would
seem. Why have they not twice as many judges?"

"Ah, madame, that would not be difficult; we should be none the worse
if they had. But when that happens, fowls will cut their teeth!"

As he heard this speech, so entirely in character with the lawyer's
appearance, the Chevalier measured him from head to foot, out of one
eye, as much as to say, "We shall easily manage him."

The Marquise looked at Rastignac, who bent over her. "That is the sort
of man," murmured the dandy in her ear, "who is trusted to pass
judgments on the life and interests of private individuals."

Like most men who have grown old in a business, Popinot readily let
himself follow the habits he had acquired, more particularly habits of
mind. His conversation was all of "the shop." He was fond of
questioning those he talked to, forcing them to unexpected
conclusions, making them tell more than they wished to reveal. Pozzo
di Borgo, it is said, used to amuse himself by discovering other
folks' secrets, and entangling them in his diplomatic snares, and
thus, by invincible habit, showed how his mind was soaked in wiliness.
As soon as Popinot had surveyed the ground, so to speak, on which he