Mademoiselle Thuillier, does good to us as well, and it would be a
pity not to profit by the chance."

"But why does the notary let it slip through his fingers?" asked
Dutocq.

"The notary, my dear fellow! Why, he's the very one who saves us.
Forced to sell his practice, and utterly ruined besides, he reserved
for himself this crumb of the cake. Believing in the honesty of that
idiot Claparon, he has asked him to find a dummy purchaser. We'll let
him suppose that Mademoiselle Thuillier is a worthy soul who allows
Claparon to use her name; they'll both be fooled, Claparon and the
notary too. I owe this little trick to my friend Claparon, who left me
to bear the whole weight of the trouble about his stock-company, in
which we were tricked by Conture, and I hope you may never be in that
man's skin!" he added, infernal hatred flashing from his worn and
withered eyes. "Now, I've said my say, gentlemen," he continued,
sending out his voice through his nasal holes, and taking a dramatic
attitude; for once, at a moment of extreme penury, he had gone upon
the stage.

As he finished making his proposition some one rang at the outer door,
and la Peyrade rose to go and open it. As soon as his back was turned,
Cerizet said, hastily, to Dutocq:--

"Are you sure of him? I see a sort of air about him--And I'm a good
judge of treachery."

"He is so completely in our power," said Dutocq, "that I don't trouble
myself to watch; but, between ourselves, I didn't think him as strong