You are cosmopolitan; M.Jean Jacques Barbille is a provincial; and you, because he has soul enough to forget business for a moment and to speak of things that matter more than money and business, you grind him into powder." M.Mornay shook his head and lighted his cigar again.

"There you are wrong, Maitre Fille.

It is bad policy to grind to powder, or grind at all, men out of whom you are making money.

It is better to keep them from between the upper and nether mill-stones.
"I have done so with your Barbille.

I could give him such trouble as would bring things crashing down upon him at once, if I wanted to be merely vicious in getting my own; but that would make it impossible for me to meet at dinner my friend Judge Carcasson.