Then resting his elbows on the window, he began to laugh boisterously.
His wife, provoked by this new outburst of factiousness, fell in feigned convulsions.
Létorière escaped, calling for help, and left Martha in the hands of her women and her husband, who, seeing the unhappy issue of his pleasantry, hastily came out to seek pardon for his impertinence.
[18]Ecclesiasticus, XXI. 20.
[CHAPTER XVI]
THE JUDGMENT
On the day of judgment on Létorière's lawsuit, the three councillor's met at the palace. Their ballot was to be secret, the votes being deposited in an urn.
Before the session, Henferester, Flachsinfingen, and Sphex exchanged some cool civilities, at the same time scrutinizing each other with some anxiety; once the doctor thought of interesting Flachsinfingen in Létorière's favor; but he was afraid of compromising his protégé's cause instead of helping it. The others, feeling a similar fear, concealed their intentions, and chattered about matters remote from the lawsuit.
"This fine young man is surely going to lose his lawsuit; he will be the victim of the unjust partiality of my associates, but my voice at least shall be raised in his favor."
Such was the private reflection of each judge.