He coolly took up the bank-notes and folded them, as if to put them in his pocket, saying to Desroches:-- "Thuillier has changed his mind." "Very good; then we are all agreed," said the terrible attorney.
"Yes; your client must now hand over to us the fifty thousand francs we have spent on finishing the house, according to the contract between Thuillier and Grindot.

I did not tell you that yesterday," he added, turning to Godeschal.
"Do you hear that ?" said Desroches to Sauvaignou.

"That's a case I shall not touch without proper guarantees." "But, messieurs," said Sauvaignou, "I can't negotiate this matter until I have seen the worthy man who paid me five hundred francs on account for having signed him that bit of a proxy." "Are you from Marseilles ?" said la Peyrade, in patois.
"Oh! if he tackles him with patois the fellow is beaten," said Godeschal to Desroches in a low tone.
"Yes, monsieur," replied the Marseillais.
"Well, you poor devil," continued Theodose, "don't you see that they want to ruin you?
Shall I tell you what you ought to do?
Pocket these three thousand francs, and when your worthy man comes after you, take your rule and hit him a rap over the knuckles; tell him he's a rascal who wants you to do his dirty work, and instead of that you revoke your proxy and will pay him his five hundred francs in the week with three Thursdays.

Then be off with you to Marseilles with these three thousand francs and your savings in your pocket.

If anything happens to you there, let me know through these gentlemen, and I'll get you out of the scrape; for, don't you see?
I'm not only a Provencal, but I'm also one of the leading lawyers in Paris, and the friend of the poor." When the workman found a compatriot sanctioning in a tone of authority the reasons by which he could betray Cerizet, he capitulated, asking, however, for three thousand five hundred francs.