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"Business has given him little education," whispered Madame Ragon to Cesarine. Monsieur Roguin overheard her, and put a finger on his lips: "He is rich, clever, and extremely honorable," he said, stooping to Madame Ragon's ear. "Something may be forgiven in consideration of such qualities," said Pillerault to Ragon. "Let us read the deeds before dinner," said Roguin; "we are all alone."
Madame Roguin, her mother, is cousin to those Guillaumes of the 'Cat-playing-ball' who gave up the business to Joseph Lebas, their son-in-law. Her father is that Roguin who failed in 1819, and ruined the house of Cesar Birotteau. Madame Tiphaine's fortune was stolen, for what else are you to call it when a notary's wife who is very rich lets her husband make a fraudulent bankruptcy?
I therefore went to settle at Motiers, with a confidence of which I imagined he would feel all the value, and said to myself: When Jean Jacques rises to the elevation of Coriolanus, will Frederick sink below the General of the Volsci? Colonel Roguin insisted on crossing the mountain with me, and installing me at Moiters.
"'The widow will soon feel a great difference. "'What do you mean? "'Well, d'Aldrigger was so fond of his wife. Now, don't laugh, people are looking at us. "'Look here comes du Tillet; he is very late. The epistle is just beginning. "'He will marry the eldest girl in all probability. "'Is it possible? asked Desroches; 'why, he is tied more than ever to Mme. Roguin. "'Tied he?
All this presented a laughable discrepancy to the keen observation of Pillerault. Claparon's red face, and his wig with its profligate ringlets, gave the lie to his apparel and pretended bearing, just as his thoughts clashed and jangled with his speech. But these worthy people ended by crediting such discordances to the preoccupation of his busy mind. "He is so full of business," said Roguin.
On Sunday, the day Cesar had appointed to conclude the affair of the lands about the Madeleine, Monsieur and Madame Ragon, and uncle Pillerault arrived about four o'clock, just after vespers. In view of the demolition that was going on, so Cesar said, he could only invite Charles Claparon, Crottat, and Roguin.
At the corner of a street he ran against Alexandre Crottat, just as a ram, or a mathematician absorbed in the solution of a problem, might have knocked against another of his kind. "Ah, monsieur," said the future notary, "one word! Has Roguin given your four hundred thousand francs to Monsieur Claparon?" "The business was settled in your presence.
His countenance grew firm and decided; and he began to think highly of the late commercial traveller's capacity. Du Tillet had thought best to let Claparon believe himself really the victim of Roguin. He had given Claparon a hundred thousand francs to pay over to Roguin the day before the latter's flight, and Roguin had returned the money to du Tillet.
Three years ago, having been to see my old friend, M. Roguin, at Yverdon, I received a deputation to thank me for some books I had presented to the library of that city; the Swiss are great speakers; these gentlemen, accordingly, made me a long harangue, which I thought myself obliged in honor to answer, but so embarrassed myself in the attempt, that my head became confused, I stopped short, and was laughed at.
The duel which follows between the criminal and the witness of his crime ends only with the death of the one or of the other. "Oh! Madame Roguin!" said du Tillet, jestingly, "don't you call that a feather in a young man's cap? I understand you, my dear master; somebody has told you that she lent me money.
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