Volume Ii Part 19 (2/2)
”Nearly nine hundred francs; it will amount to a thousand with the costs.”
”Very good; offer the house for sale at once.”
”The house? I beg pardon, but we haven't finished with the furniture yet, and I would like----”
”I tell you that I propose to buy the house; if it brings enough to pay your debt, then you won't need to sell the furniture.”
”Of course not; but I doubt very much whether this hovel----”
”Do you understand me, monsieur? I tell you that I mean to buy this house; let us make an end of the business, I beg.”
These words were uttered in a tone which made Jarnouillard as flexible as a glove. He leaned toward the auctioneer and said in a low tone:
”This man is very anxious to have the house; we must make him pay for it! Suppose we should fix the upset price at--at five hundred francs?”
”It's twice as much as it's worth.”
”No matter, let's try it!”
”Jarnouillard! Jarnouillard! turn it to the right! You've got it on crooked!”
”For G.o.d's sake, Madame Jarnouillard, let me alone! you tire me! no matter about my wig now!”
The usurer's wife had thrown away her efforts. She decided to return to her friends, who had been so taken aback by the arrival of the owner of the Tower that Madame Droguet had fallen against Monsieur Luminot, who fell against Madame Remplume, who fell against her husband, who fell against Monsieur Droguet, who, having no one to fall against, contented himself with dropping on the ground the big bellows that he had been told to hold under his arm.
”What does this mean? that bear here!”
”And with his dog!”
”He never goes out without him!”
”I beg your pardon! I've seen him without his dog!”
”What has he come to this sale for? a man who avoids society as he does!”
”It isn't natural!”
”You might say that it's most extraordinary!”
”What! you don't understand why he has come here? It's evident enough however!” said Madame Droguet, smiling maliciously; ”aren't the sirens from the Courtivaux house here?”
”Oh! to be sure! they are here, so he comes here! What penetration Madame Droguet has!”
”Why, yes, rather, I venture to flatter myself.”
While the notables indulged in these commentaries upon the presence of the owner of the Tower, the peasants, for their part, gazed with interest at the man of whom they had heard so many things. They were, for the most part, surprised to find that he was a man like other men, who had the appearance neither of a wild beast nor of an ogre.
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