"I doubt not, gentlemen," said Flachsinfingen, "that my wife will be able to bring you into agreement; thus far she has been a stranger to our discussion, and—"
But Martha did not let her husband finish; addressing the doctor and baron with an affable and complimentary air,—
"Nothing is talked of, gentlemen, but the success of the Marquis of Létorière; permit me to congratulate you on this unexpected unanimity of judgment. . . . Thanks to your wise agreement, gentlemen, it may be said that the cause of innocence and religion has triumphed! In my opinion this poor child Létorière represents, in a wonderful degree, innocence and religion in their moral as well as physical aspects, if I may so express myself, for he has the look of an angel."
"There,—what did I tell you, gentlemen?" cried Flachsinfingen.
"And what devil of an angel and a child are you talking about, if you please, madam?" asked the baron.
The lady replied, rather sharply:
"I speak, sir, of a poor child whom you know as well as I do, for you tried to make him drink, smoke and hunt, the innocent creature! when he went to visit you in order to interest you in his lawsuit. Oh, I know all, Monsieur le Baron; but escaping from your temptations, this angel courageously resisted; he drank water, as pure as his soul, and was not afraid to remind you of your religious duties, which you had forgotten . . ."
"But, zounds, madame!" cried the baron, "you don't know him." . . .
"I know all, I know all, I tell you," replied the lady, volubly; "but I forgive you, seeing by your vote that the might of innocence has been sufficient to overcome your unjust prejudices."
The baron was confounded, and said to himself: "If this lasts ten minutes longer, I shall have an apoplectic fit, I'm sure of it." . . .