"Yes, madame, a legacy that you are like to lose; yes, to lose
altogether; but I can, that is, I _could_, recover it for you, if--"
"Speak out, monsieur." Mme. de Marville spoke frigidly, scanning
Fraisier as she spoke with a sagacious eye.
"Madame, your eminent capacity is known to me; I was once at Mantes.
M. Leboeuf, President of the Tribunal, is acquainted with M. de
Marville, and can answer inquiries about me--"
The Presidente's shrug was so ruthlessly significant, that Fraisier
was compelled to make short work of his parenthetic discourse.
"So distinguished a woman will at once understand why I speak of
myself in the first place. It is the shortest way to the property."
To this acute observation the lady replied by a gesture. Fraisier took
the sign for a permission to continue.
"I was an attorney, madame, at Mantes. My connection was all the
fortune that I was likely to have. I took over M. Levroux's practice.
You knew him, no doubt?"
The Presidente inclined her head.
"With borrowed capital and some ten thousand francs of my own, I went
to Mantes. I had been with Desroches, one of the cleverest attorneys
in Paris, I had been his head-clerk for six years. I was so unlucky as
to make an enemy of the attorney for the crown at Mantes, Monsieur--"
"Olivier Vinet."
"Son of the Attorney-General, yes, madame. He was paying his court to
a little person--"
"Whom?"
"Mme. Vatinelle."
"Oh! Mme. Vatinelle.
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