"The company began to prick up their ears. Without raising his voice, M. de Bévallan suggested to me that the contract showed mistrust.
"'Mistrust, sir!' I replied, in my most impressive tone. 'What do you intend to convey by that? Do you make that strange imputation against Mme. Laroque, or against me, or against my confrère here present?'
"'S-s-sh! Silence! No wrangling!' said the Rennes notary discreetly; 'But listen: it was agreed in the first place that the legal system of dotation should not be insisted on.'
"'The legal system? And where do you find that mentioned?'
"'Oh, my dear sir, you know that you have practically reconstituted it by a subterfuge.'
"'Subterfuge, monsieur? Allow me, as your senior, to advise you to withdraw that word from your vocabulary.'
"'But, after all,' murmured M. de Bévallan, 'I'm tied hand and foot, and treated like a school-boy.'
"'Indeed, sir! What, in your opinion, are we here for at this moment—a contract or a will? You forget that Mme. Laroque is living; that her father is living, and that it is a question of marriage, not of inheritance—at least, not yet.... Really, you must have a little patience; you must wait a little.'
"At these words Mlle. Marguerite rose.
"'That is enough,' she said.—'M. Laubépin, throw that contract into the fire. Mother, let this gentleman's presents be returned.'