“It is not in the public square and before the whole town that we ought to talk of our affairs,” said Zelie; “come home with me.  You too, Monsieur Dionis,” she added to the notary; “you’ll not be in the way.”

Thus the probable disinheritance of Massin, Cremiere, and the post master was the news of the day.

Just as the heirs and the notary were crossing the square to go to the post house the noise of the diligence rattling up to the office, which was only a few steps from the church, at the top of the Grand’Rue, made its usual racket.

“Goodness!  I’m like you, Minoret; I forgot all about Desire,” said Zelie.  “Let us go and see him get down.  He is almost a lawyer; and his interests are mixed up in this matter.”

The arrival of the diligence is always an amusement, but when it comes in late some unusual event is expected.  The crowd now moved towards the “Ducler.”

“Here’s Desire!” was the general cry.

The tyrant, and yet the life and soul of Nemours, Desire always put the town in a ferment when he came.  Loved by the young men, with whom he was invariably generous, he stimulated them by his very presence.  But his methods of amusement were so dreaded by older persons that more than one family was very thankful to have him complete his studies and study law in Paris.  Desire Minoret, a slight youth, slender and fair like his mother, from whom he obtained his blue eyes and pale skin, smiled from the window on the crowd, and jumped lightly down to kiss his mother.  A short sketch of the young fellow will show how proud Zelie felt when she saw him.

He wore very elegant boots, trousers of white English drilling held under his feet by straps of varnished leather, a rich cravat, admirably put on and still more admirably fastened, a pretty fancy waistcoat, in the pocket of said waistcoat a flat watch, the chain of which hung down; and, finally, a short frock-coat of blue cloth, and a gray hat,—­but his lack of the manner-born was shown in the gilt buttons of the waistcoat and the ring worn outside of his purple kid glove.  He carried a cane with a chased gold head.

“You are losing your watch,” said his mother, kissing him.

“No, it is worn that way,” he replied, letting his father hug him.

“Well, cousin, so we shall soon see you a lawyer?” said Massin.

“I shall take the oaths at the beginning of next term,” said Desire, returning the friendly nods he was receiving on all sides.

“Now we shall have some fun,” said Goupil, shaking him by the hand.

“Ha! my old wag, so here you are!” replied Desire.

“You take your law license for all license,” said Goupil, affronted by being treated so cavalierly in presence of others.

“You know my luggage,” cried Desire to the red-faced old conductor of the diligence; “have it taken to the house.”

“The sweat is rolling off your horses,” said Zelie sharply to the conductor; “you haven’t common-sense to drive them in that way.  You are stupider than your own beasts.”