might　well　have　taken　him　for　a　god；　and　if　he　was　beaten　on　the　field　of　Waterloo；　it　was　because　he　was　more　than　mortal；　it　was　because　the　earth　found　his　weight　too　heavy　to　bear；　and　sprang　from　under　his　feet！　On　every　other　subject　I　entirely　agree　with　you；　and　tonnerre　de　Dieu！　whoever　hatched　you　did　a　good　day's　work。〃
  〃Come；〃　exclaimed　Benassis　with　a　smile；　〃let　us　sit　down　to　dinner。〃
  The　walls　of　the　dining…room　were　paneled　from　floor　to　ceiling；　and　painted　gray。　The　furniture　consisted　of　a　few　straw…bottomed　chairs；　a　sideboard；　some　cupboards；　a　stove；　and　the　late　owner's　celebrated　clock；　there　were　white　curtains　in　the　window；　and　a　white　cloth　on　the　table；　about　which　there　was　no　sign　of　luxury。　The　dinner　service　was　of　plain　white　earthenware；　the　soup；　made　after　the　traditions　of　the　late　cure；　was　the　most　concentrated　kind　of　broth　that　was　ever　set　to　simmer　by　any　mortal　cook。　The　doctor　and　his　guest　had　scarcely　finished　it　when　a　man　rushed　into　the　kitchen；　and　in　spite　of　Jacquotte；　suddenly　invaded　the　dining…room。
  〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　asked　the　doctor。
  〃It　is　this；　sir。　The　mistress；　our　Mme。　Vigneau；　has　turned　as　white　as　white　can　be；　so　that　we　are　frightened　about　her。〃
  〃Oh；　well；　then；〃　Benassis　said　cheerfully；　〃I　must　leave　the　table；〃　and　he　rose　to　go。
  In　spite　of　the　doctor's　entreaties；　Genestas　flung　down　his　table…　napkin；　and　swore　in　a　soldierly　fashion　that　he　would　not　finish　his　dinner　without　his　host。　He　returned　indeed　to　the　salon；　and　as　he　warmed　himself　by　the　fire；　he　thought　over　the　troubles　that　no　man　may　escape；　the　troubles　that　are　found　in　every　lot　that　it　falls　to　man　to　endure　here　upon　earth。
  Benassis　soon　came　back；　and　the　two　future　friends　sat　down　again。
  〃Taboureau　has　just　come　up　to　speak　to　you；〃　said　Jacquotte　to　her　master；　as　she　brought　in　the　dishes　that　she　had　kept　hot　for　them。
  〃Who　can　be　ill　at　his　place？〃　asked　the　doctor。
  〃No　one　is　ill；　sir。　I　think　from　what　he　said　that　it　is　some　matter　of　his　own　that　he　wants　to　ask　you　about；　he　is　coming　back　again。〃
  〃Very　good。　This　Taboureau；〃　Benassis　went　on；　addressing　Genestas；　〃is　for　me　a　whole　philosophical　treatise；　take　a　good　look　at　him　when　he　comes；　he　is　sure　to　amuse　you。　He　was　a　laborer；　a　thrifty；　hard…working　man；　eating　little　and　getting　through　a　good　deal　of　work。　As　soon　as　the　rogue　came　to　have　a　few　crowns　of　his　own；　his　intelligence　began　to　develop；　he　watched　the　progress　which　I　had　originated　in　this　little　district　with　an　eye　to　his　own　profit。　He　had　made　quite　a　fortune　in　eight　year's　time；　that　is　to　say；　a　fortune　for　our　part　of　the　world。　Very　likely　he　may　have　a　couple　of　score　thousand　francs　by　now。　But　if　I　were　to　give　you　a　thousand　guesses；　you　would　never　find　out　how　he　made　the　money。　He　is　a　usurer；　and　his　scheme　of　usury　is　so　profoundly　and　so　cleverly　based　upon　the　requirements　of　the　whole　canton；　that　I　should　merely　waste　my　time　if　I　were　to　take　it　upon　myself　to　undeceive　them　as　to　the　benefits　which　they　reap；　in　their　own　opinion；　from　their　dealings　with　Taboureau。　When　this　devil　of　a　fellow　saw　every　one　cultivating　his　own　plot　of　ground；　he　hurried　about　buying　grain　so　as　to　supply　the　poor　with　the　requisite　seed。　Here；　as　everywhere　else；　the　peasants　and　even　some　of　the　farmers　had　no　ready　money　with　which　to　pay　for　seed。　To　some；　Master　Taboureau　would　lend　a　sack　of　barley；　for　which　he　was　to　receive　a　sack　of　rye　at　harvest　time；　and　to　others　a　measure　of　wheat　for　a　sack　of　four。　At　the　present　day　the　man　has　extended　this　curious　business　of　his　all　over　the　department；　and　unless　something　happens　to　prevent　him；　he　will　go　on　and　very　likely　make　a　million。　Well；　my　dear　sir；　Taboureau　the　laborer；　an　obliging；　hard…working；　good…natured　fellow；　used　to　lend　a　helping　hand　to　any　one　who　asked　him；　but　as　his　gains　have　increased　MONSIEUR　Taboureau　has　become　litigious；　arrogant；　and　somewhat　given　to　sharp　practice。　The　more　money　he　makes；　the　worse　he　grows。　The　moment　that　the　peasant　forsakes　his　life　of　toil　pure　and　simple　for　the　leisured　existence　of　the　landowning　classes；　he　becomes　intolerable。　There　is　a　certain　kind　of　character；　partly　virtuous；　partly　vicious；　half…educated；　half…ignorant；　which　will　always　be　the　despair　of　governments。　You　will　see　an　example　of　it　in　Taboureau。　He　looks　simple；　and　even　doltish；　but　when　his　interests　are　in　question；　he　is　certainly　profoundly　clever。〃
  A　heavy　footstep　announced　the　approach　of　the　grain　lender。
  〃Come　in；　Taboureau！〃　cried　Benassis。
  Thus　forewarned　by　the　doctor；　the　commandant　scrutinized　the　peasant　in　the　doorway。　Taboureau　was　decidedly　thin；　and　stooped　a　little。　He　had　a　bulging　forehead；　covered　with　wrinkles；　and　a　cavernous　face；　in　which　two　small　gray　eyes　with　a　dark　spot　in　either　of　them　seemed　to　be　pierced　rather　than　set。　The　lines　of　the　miser's　mouth　were　close　and　firm；　and　his　narrow　chin　turned　up　to　meet　an　exaggeratedly　hooked　nose。　His　hair　was　turning　gray　already；　and　deep　furrows　which　converged　above　the　prominent　cheek…bones　spoke　of　the　wily　shrewdness　of　a　horse…dealer　and　of　a　life　spent　in　journeying　about。　He　wore　a　blue　coat　in　fairly　clean　condition；　the　square　side…pocket　flaps　stuck　out　above　his　hips；　and　the　skirts　of　the　coats　hung　loose　in　front；　so　that　a　white…flowered　waistcoat　was　visible。　There　he　stood　firmly　planted　on　both　feet；　leaning　upon　a　thick　stick　with　a　knob　at　the　end　of　it。　A　little　spaniel　had　followed　the　grain…dealer；　in　spite　of　Jacquotte's　efforts；　and　was　crouching　beside　him。
  〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　Benassis　asked　as　he　turned　to　this　being。
  Taboureau　gave　a　suspicious　glance　at　the　stranger　seated　at　the　doctor's　table；　and　said：
  〃It　is　not　a　case　of　illness；　M。　le　Maire；　but　you　understand　how　to　doctor　the　ailments　of　the　purse　just　as　well　as　those　of　the　body。　We　have　had　a　little　difficulty　with　a　man　over　at　Saint…Laurent；　and　I　have　come　to　ask　your　advice　about　it。〃
  〃Why　not　see　the　justice　of　the　peace　or　his　clerk？〃
  〃Oh；　because　you　are　so　much　cleverer；　sir；　and　I　shall　feel　more　sure　about　my　case　if　I　can　have　your　countenance。〃
  〃My　good　Taboureau；　I　am　willing　to　give　medical　advice　to　the　poor　without　charging　for　it；　but　I　cannot　look　into　the　lawsuits　of　a　man　who　is　as　wealthy　as　you　are　for　nothing。　It　costs　a　good　deal　to　acquire　that　kind　of　knowledge。〃
  Taboureau　began　to　twist　his　hat　about。
  〃If　you　want　my　advice；　in　order　to　save　the　hard　coin　you　would　have　to　pay　to　the　lawyer　folk　over　in　Grenoble；　you　must　send　a　bag　of　rye　to　the　widow　Martin；　the　woman　who　is　bringing　up　the　charity　children。〃
  〃DAME！　I　will　do　it　with　all　my　heart；　sir；　if　you　think　it　necessary。　Can　I　talk　about　this　business　of　mine　without　troubling　the　gentleman　there？〃　he　added；　with　a　look　at　Genestas。
  The　doctor　nodded；　so　Taboureau　went　on。
  〃Well；　then；　sir；　two　months　ago　a　man　from　Saint…Laurent　came　over　here　to　find　me。　'Taboureau；'　said　he　to　me；　'could　you　sell　me　a　hundred　and　thirty…seven　measures　of　barley？'　'Why　not？'　say　I；　'that　is　my　trade。　Do　you　want　it　immediately？'　'No；'　he　says；　'I　want　it　for　the　beginning　of　spring；　in　March。'　So　far；　so　good。　Well；　we　drive　our　bargain；　and　we　drink　a　glass；　and　we　agree　that　he　is　to　pay　me　the　price　that　the　barley　fetched　at　Grenoble　last　market　day；　and　I　am　to　deliver　it　in　March。　I　am　to　warehouse　it　at　owner's　risk；　and　no　allowance　for　shrinkage　of　course。　But　barley　goes　up　and　up；　my　dear　sir；　the　barley　rises　like　boiling　milk。　Then　I　am　hard　up　for　money；　and　I　sell　my　barley。　Quite　natural；　sir；　was　it　not？〃
  〃No；〃　said　Benassis；　〃the　barley　had　passed　out　of　your　possession；　you　were　only　warehousing　it。　And　suppose　the　barley　had　gone　down　in　value；　would　you　not　have　compelled　your　buyer　to　take　it　at　the　price　you　agreed　upon？〃
  〃But　very　likely　he　would　not　have　paid　me；　sir。　One　must　look　out　for　oneself！　The　seller　ought　to　make　a　good　profit　when　the　chance　comes　in　his　way；　and；　after；　all　the　goods　are　not　yours　until　you　have　paid　for　them。　That　is　so；　Monsieur　l'Officier；　is　it　not？　For　you　can　see　that　the　gentleman　has　been　in　the　army。〃
  〃Taboureau；〃　Benassis　said　sternly；　〃ill　luck　will　come　to　you。　Sooner　or　later　God　punishes　ill　deeds。　How　can　you；　knowing　as　much　as　you　do；　a　capable　man　moreover；　and　a　man　who　conducts　his　business　honorably；　set　examples　of　dishonesty　to　the　canton？　If　you　allow　such　proceedings　as　this　to　be　taken　against　you；　how　can　you　expect　that　the　poor　will　remain　honest　people　and　will　not　rob　you？　Your　laborers　will　cheat　you　out　of　part　of　their　working　hours；　and　every　one　here　will　be　demoralized。　You　are　in　the　wrong。　Your　barley　was　as　good　as　delivered。　If　the　man　from　Saint…Laurent　had　fetched　it　himself；　you　would　not　have　gone　there　to　take　it　away　from　him；　you　have　sold　something　that　was　no　longer　yours　to　sell；　for　your　barley　had　already　been　turned　into　money　which　was　to　be　paid　down　at　the　stipulated　time。　But　go　on。〃
  Genestas　gave　the　doctor　a　significant　glance；　to　call　his　attention　to　Taboureau's　impassive　countenance。　Not　a　muscle　had　stirred　in　the　u