“Good morning, gendarme; good morning, paunch of gall and wisdom,” he said, giving a little slap to the stomachs of his two visitors.  “We have business to talk over, and, faith! we’ll do it glass in hand; that’s the true way to take things.”

“If you do your business that way, you ought to be fatter than you are,” said Rigou.

“I work too hard; I’m not like you two, confined to the house and bewitched there, like old dotards.  Well, well, after all that’s the best way; you can do your business comfortably in an arm-chair, with your back to the fire and your belly at table; custom goes to you, I have to go after it.  But now, come in, come in! the house is yours for the time you stay.”

A servant, in blue livery edged with scarlet, took the horse by the bridle and led him into the courtyard, where were the offices and the stable.

Gaubertin left his guests to walk about the garden for a moment, while he went to give his orders and arrange about the breakfast.

“Well, my wolves,” he said, as he returned, rubbing his hands, “the gendarmerie of Soulanges were seen this morning at daybreak, marching towards Conches; no doubt they mean to arrest the peasants for depredations; ha, ha! things are getting warm, warm!  By this time,” he added, looking at his watch, “those fellows may have been arrested.”

“Probably,” said Rigou.

“Well, what do you all say over there?  Has anything been decided?”

“What is there to decide?” asked Rigou.  “We have no part in it,” he added, looking at Soudry.

“How do you mean nothing to decide?  If Les Aigues is sold as the result of our coalition, who is to gain five or six hundred thousand francs out of it?  Do you expect me to, all alone?  No, my inside is not strong enough to split up two millions, with three children to establish, and a wife who hasn’t the first idea about the value of money; no, I must have associates.  Here’s the gendarme, he has plenty of funds all ready.  I know he doesn’t hold a single mortgage that isn’t ready to mature; he only lends now on notes at sight of which I endorse.  I’ll go into this thing by the amount of eight hundred thousand francs; my son, the judge, two hundred thousand; and I count on the gendarme for two hundred thousand more; now, how much will you put in, skull-cap?”

“All the rest,” replied Rigou, stiffly.

“The devil! well, I wish I had my hand where your heart is!” exclaimed Gaubertin.  “Now what are you going to do?”

“Whatever you do; tell your plan.”

“My plan,” said Gaubertin, “is to take double, and sell half to the Conches, and Cerneux, and Blangy folks who want to buy.  Soudry has his clients, and you yours, and I, mine.  That’s not the difficulty.  The thing is, how are we going to arrange among ourselves?  How shall we divide up the great lots?”

“Nothing easier,” said Rigou.  “We’ll each take what we like best.  I, for one, shall stand in nobody’s way; I’ll take the woods in common with Soudry and my son-in-law; the timber has been so injured that you won’t care for it now, and you may have all the rest.  Faith, it is worth the money you’ll put into it!”