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You are requested to return it to the mayor's office at once or to Maitre Fortune Houlbreque, of Manneville. There will be twenty francs reward." Then the man went away. They heard once more at a distance the dull beating of the drum and the faint voice of the crier.
Then they all began to talk of this incident, reckoning up the chances which Maitre Houlbreque had of finding or of not finding his pocketbook again. The meal went on. They were finishing their coffee when the corporal of gendarmes appeared on the threshold. He asked: "Is Maitre Hauchecorne, of Breaute, here?"
You are requested to return it to the mayor's office at once or to Maitre Fortune Houlbreque, of Manneville. There will be twenty francs reward." Then the man went away. They heard once more at a distance the dull beating of the drum and the faint voice of the crier.
"'Tis agreed." "'Tis fixed, then, for Sunday next?" "'Tis fixed for Sunday next." "Well, good morning, Victor." "Good morning, Madame Houlbrèque." This Sunday was the day of the village festival, the annual festival in honor of the patron saint, which in Normandy is called the assembly.
You are requested, to return it to the mayor's office at once or to Maitre Fortune Houlbreque, of Manneville. There will be twenty francs reward." Then the man went away. They heard once more at a distance the dull beating of the drum and the faint voice of the crier.
In fact, the man who thus went off, Cesaire Houlbreque, the son of deaf old Amable Houlbreque, wanted to marry, in spite of his father, Celeste Levesque, who had a child by Victor Lecoq, a mere laborer on her parents' farm, who had been turned out of doors for this act.
She opened her hand like a countryman clinching a bargain and asked: "Is it agreed?" He pressed her outstretched hand. "'Tis agreed." "It's settled, then, for next Sunday?" "It's settled for next Sunday" "Well, good-morning, Victor." "Good-morning, Madame Houlbreque."
The Abbe Raffin, who knew his man and who never lost his temper, burst out laughing. "Well, yes, I'll tell your father my little story; but you, my lad, you'll come to church." Houlbreque extended his hand in order to give a solemn assurance: "On the word of a poor man, if you do this for me, I promise that I will." "Come, that's all right. When do you wish me to go and find your father?"
Maitre Hauchecorne, seated at the other end of the table answered: "Here I am, here I am." And he followed the corporal. The mayor was waiting for him, seated in an armchair. He was the notary of the place, a tall, grave man of pompous speech. "Maitre Hauchecorne," said he, "this morning on the Beuzeville road, you were seen to pick up the pocketbook lost by Maitre Houlbreque, of Manneville."
Maitre Hauchecorne, seated at the other end of the table, answered: "Here I am, here I am." And he followed the corporal. The mayor was waiting for him, seated in an armchair. He was the notary of the place, a tall, grave man of pompous speech. "Maitre Hauchecorne," said he, "this morning on the Beuzeville road, you were seen to pick up the pocketbook lost by Maitre Houlbreque, of Manneville."
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