At which point Susini so far forgot himself as to make use of a rude local method of showing contempt in pretending to spit upon the notary's floor.
“It is as old as you please,” answered Lory, half turning towards Gilbert, who in his turn made a gesture in the direction of the notary, as if to say that the lawyer had received his instructions and knew how to act.
“Of course,” said the notary in a judicial voice, “we are aware that the conveyance of the Perucca estate by the late Count de Vasselot to the late Mattei Perucca lacked formality; many conveyances in Corsica lacked formality in the beginning of the century. In many cases possession is the only title-deed. We can point to a possession lasting over many years, which carries the more weight from the fact that the late count and his neighbour Monsieur Perucca were notoriously on bad terms. If the count had been able, he would no doubt have evicted from Perucca a neighbour so unsympathetic.”
“You seem,” said de Vasselot, quickly, “to be prepared for my objection.”
The notary spread out his hands in a gesture that conveyed assent.
“And if I had not come?”
“I regret to say, Monsieur le Comte, that your presence here bears little upon the transaction in hand. You are only a witness. Mademoiselle will no doubt complete the document now.”
And the notary again handed Denise a pen.
“Hardly upon a title-deed which consists of possession only.”
“Pardon me, but you have even less,” said the notary. “If I may remind you of it, you have probably no title-deeds to Vasselot itself since the burning of the château.”