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Updated: June 27, 2025
Nothing went right. The servants offended her every moment. Tatanémance, her sister-in-law, who was not less irritable, replied sharply to her. M. Van Tricasse naturally supported Lotchè, his servant, as is the case in all good households; and this permanently exasperated Madame, who constantly disputed, discussed, and made scenes with her husband.
"And as for me, I maintain that we ought, without delay, to collect our forces and lead them to the front." "Really, monsieur, really!" replied Van Tricasse. "And do you speak thus to me?" "To yourself, monsieur the burgomaster; and you shall hear the truth, unwelcome as it may be."
"And you shall hear it yourself, counsellor," returned Van Tricasse in a passion, "for it will come better from my mouth than from yours! Yes, monsieur, yes, any delay would be dishonourable. The town of Quiquendone has waited nine hundred years for the moment to take its revenge, and whatever you may say, whether it pleases you or not, we shall march upon the enemy."
"And in how many months," he asked in a somewhat emphatic tome, "do you say that your work will be finished?" "In three or four months, Monsieur the burgomaster," replied Doctor Ox. "Three or four months, it's a very long time!" said Van Tricasse. "Altogether too long!" added Niklausse, who, not being able to keep his seat, rose also.
"What did we come here to do?" repeated the burgomaster. "We came," said Niklausse, "to breathe this pure air, which human weaknesses have not corrupted." "Well, shall we descend, friend Niklausse?" "Let us descend, friend Van Tricasse."
"We have been talking over this grave matter for ten years," replied the Counsellor Niklausse, "and I confess to you, my worthy Van Tricasse, that I cannot yet take it upon myself to come to a decision." "I quite understand your hesitation," said the burgomaster, who did not speak until after a good quarter of an hour of reflection, "I quite understand it, and I fully share it.
"This lapse of time is necessary to complete our work," returned Doctor Ox. "The workmen, whom we have had to choose in Quiquendone, are not very expeditious." "How not expeditious?" cried the burgomaster, who seemed to take the remark as personally offensive. "No, Monsieur Van Tricasse," replied Doctor Ox obstinately.
A precisely similar operation had been going on from time immemorial in the Van Tricasse family, to which Nature had lent herself with more than usual complacency.
"This Doctor Custos," muttered Van Tricasse, "is decidedly a dangerous man a hare-brained fellow! Come, gentlemen!" On this, Counsellor Niklausse and the commissary accompanied the burgomaster into the parlour. Who, then, was this personage, known by the singular name of Doctor Ox?
"The dear, brave fellows!" she cried, impulsively, whereat every man reddened, and Tricasse grew giddy with emotion. He tried to speak; his emotion was great. "In my capacity of ex-pompier," he gasped, then went to pieces, and hid his eyes in his hands. The "Terrors of Morteyn" wept with him to a man.
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