pitiful weakness, or hypocrisy. This marked a gross limit

took it up, but after reading a few pages he began to laugh, said

nothing to the assembled clerks, and laid the book down again.

"Messieurs," he said, when the hour of departure came at five o'clock,

"I have a cousin who is head clerk of the notary Maitre Leopold

Hannequin; I will ask his advice as to what I ought to do for my

"That looks ill," cried Godeschal, when Frederic had gone, "he hasn't

the cut of a novice, that fellow!"

"We'll get some fun out of him yet," said Oscar.