“Crying? madame,” exclaimed Felix; “please tell her that I will study ‘The Imitation of Christ’ at once.”

Felix left the house with Theodose and Flavie, whose arm the barrister pressed to let her know he would explain in the carriage the apparent dementia of the young professor.

An hour later, Madame Colleville and Celeste, Colleville and Theodose were entering the Thuilliers’ apartment to dine there.  Theodose and Flavie took Thuillier into the garden, where the former said to him:—­

“Dear, good friend! you will have the cross within a week.  Our charming friend here will tell you about our visit to the Comtesse du Bruel.”

And Theodose left Thuillier, having caught sight of Desroches in the act of being brought by Mademoiselle Thuillier into the garden; he went, driven by a terrible and glacial presentiment, to meet him.

“My good friend,” said Desroches in his ear, “I have come to see if you can procure at once twenty-five thousand francs plus two thousand six hundred and eighty for costs.”

“Are you acting for Cerizet?” asked the barrister.

“Cerizet has put all the papers into the hands of Louchard, and you know what you have to expect if arrested.  Is Cerizet wrong in thinking you have twenty-five thousand francs in your desk?  He says you offered them to him and he thinks it only natural not to leave them in your hands.”

“Thank you for taking the step, my good friend,” replied Theodose.  “I have been expecting this attack.”

“Between ourselves,” replied Desroches, “you have made an utter fool of him, and he is furious.  The scamp will stop at nothing to get his revenge upon you—­for he’ll lose everything if he forces you to fling your barrister’s gown, as they say, to the nettles and go to prison.”

“I?” said Theodose.  “I’m going to pay him.  But even so, there will still be five notes of mine in his hands, for five thousand francs each; what does he mean to do with them?”

“Oh! after the affair of this morning, I can’t tell you; my client is a crafty, mangy cur, and he is sure to have his little plans.”

“Look here, Desroches,” said Theodose, taking the hard, unyielding attorney round the waist, “those papers are in your hands, are not they?”

“Will you pay them?”

“Yes, in three hours.”

“Very good, then.  Be at my office at nine o’clock; I’ll receive the money and give you your notes; but, at half-past nine o’clock, they will be in the sheriff’s hands.”

“To-night, then, at nine o’clock,” said Theodose.

“Nine o’clock,” repeated Desroches, whose glance had taken in the whole family, then assembled in the garden.

Celeste, with red eyes, was talking to her godmother; Colleville and Brigitte, Flavie and Thuillier were on the steps of the broad portico leading to the entrance-hall.  Desroches remarked to Theodose, who followed him to the door:—­