I will be at monsieur's house by eight o'clock, when I have ended my meditation, if that hour does not inconvenience him." "No; but there is no necessity for all this ceremony," replied la Peyrade, with some impatience.
Perhaps a little professional jealousy inspired his ill-humor, for it was evident that he had to do with an antagonist who was capable of giving him points.
At the hour appointed, not a minute before nor a minute after, the pious woman rang the bell, and the barrister having, not without some difficulty, induced her to sit down, he requested her to state her case.
She was then seized with that delaying little cough with which we obtain a respite when brought face to face with a difficult subject.

At last, however, she compelled herself to approach the object of her visit.
"It is to ask monsieur," she said, "if he would be so very good as to inform me whether it is true that a charitable gentleman, now deceased, has bequeathed a fund to reward domestic servants who are faithful to their masters." "Yes," replied la Peyrade; "that is to say, Monsieur de Montyon founded 'prizes for virtue,' which are frequently given to zealous and exemplary domestic servants.

But ordinary good conduct is not sufficient; there must be some act or acts of great devotion, and truly Christian self-abnegation." "Religion enjoins humility upon us," replied the pious woman, "and therefore I dare not praise myself; but inasmuch as for the last twenty years I have lived in the service of an old man of the dullest description, a savant, who has wasted his substance on inventions, so that I myself have had to feed and clothe him, persons have thought that I am not altogether undeserving of that prize." "It is certainly under such conditions that the Academy selects its candidates," said la Peyrade.

"What is your master's name ?" "Pere Picot; he is never called otherwise in our quarter; sometimes he goes out into the streets as if dressed for the carnival, and all the little children crowd about him, calling out: 'How d'ye do, Pere Picot! Good-morning, Pere Picot!' But that's how it is; he takes no care of his dignity; he goes about full of his own ideas; and though I kill myself trying to give him appetizing food, if you ask him what he has had for his dinner he can't tell you.

Yet he's a man full of ability, and he has taught good pupils.