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tooth and nail. Let me sail the ship now; you can haul on the braces.
Do you think it right to compromise your dignity as a magistrate in
such a--"

He stopped, for he heard Monsieur des Grassins saying to the old
cooper as they shook hands,--

"Grandet, we have heard of the frightful misfortunes which have just
befallen your family,--the failure of the house of Guillaume Grandet
and the death of your brother. We have come to express our grief at
these sad events."

"There is but one sad event," said the notary, interrupting the
banker,--"the death of Monsieur Grandet, junior; and he would never
have killed himself had he thought in time of applying to his brother
for help. Our old friend, who is honorable to his finger-nails,
intends to liquidate the debts of the Maison Grandet of Paris. To save
him the worry of legal proceedings, my nephew, the president, has just
offered to go to Paris and negotiate with the creditors for a
satisfactory settlement."

These words, corroborated by Grandet's attitude as he stood silently
nursing his chin, astonished the three des Grassins, who had been
leisurely discussing the old man's avarice as they came along, very
nearly accusing him of fratricide.

"Ah! I was sure of it," cried the banker, looking at his wife. "What
did I tell you just now, Madame des Grassins? Grandet is honorable to
the backbone, and would never allow his name to remain under the
slightest cloud! Money without honor is a disease. There is honor in
the provinces! Right, very right, Grandet. I'm an old soldier, and I
can't disguise my thoughts; I speak roughly. Thunder! it is sublime!"

"Th-then s-s-sublime th-things c-c-cost d-dear," answered the goodman,
as the banker warmly wrung his hand.

"But this, my dear Grandet,--if the president will excuse me,--is a
purely commercial matter, and needs a consummate business man. Your
agent must be some one fully acquainted with the markets,--with
disbursements, rebates, interest calculations, and so forth. I am
going to Paris on business of my own, and I can take charge of--"

"We'll see about t-t-trying to m-m-manage it b-b-between us, under the
p-p-peculiar c-c-circumstances, b-b-but without b-b-binding m-m-myself
to anything th-that I c-c-could not do," said Grandet, stuttering;
"because, you see, monsieur le president naturally expects me to pay
the expenses of his journey."

The goodman did not stammer over the last words.

"Eh!" cried Madame des Grassins, "why it is a pleasure to go to Paris.
I would willingly pay to go myself."

She made a sign to her husband, as if to encourage him in cutting the
enemy out of the commission, _coute que coute_; then she glanced
ironically at the two Cruchots, who looked chap-fallen. Grandet seized
the banker by a button and drew him into a corner of the room.

"I have a great deal more confidence in you than in the president," he

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