"Ah! that's true," cried the old maid, "I can serve them both right. She shall go to a shop, and get nothing from me. She hasn't a sou; let her do as we did,—work."
Vinet departed, having put his plan into Sylvie's head, her dogged obstinacy being well-known to him. The old maid, he was certain, would think the scheme her own, and carry it out.
The lawyer found the colonel in the square, smoking a cigar while he waited for him.
"Halt!" said Gouraud; "you have pulled me down, but stones enough came with me to bury you—"
"Colonel!—"
"Colonel or not, I shall give you your deserts. In the first place, you shall not be deputy—"
"Colonel!—"
"I control ten votes and the election depends on—"
"Colonel, listen to me. Is there no one to marry but that old Sylvie? I have just been defending you to her; you are accused and convicted of writing to Pierrette; she saw you leave your house at midnight and come to the girl's window—"
"Stuff and nonsense!"