absorb。
  Accordingly；　during　every　evening　of　the　week；　these　good　devotees；
  excited　by　that　need　of　emotion　which　exists　in　all　of　us；　rendered　an
  exact　account　of　the　current　condition　of　the　town　with　a　sagacity
  worthy　of　the　Council　of　Ten；　and　were；　in　fact；　a　species　of　police；
  armed　with　the　unerring　gift　of　spying　bestowed　by　passions。　When　they
  had　divined　the　secret　meaning　of　some　event　their　vanity　led　them　to
  appropriate　to　themselves　the　wisdom　of　their　sanhedrim；　and　set　the
  tone　to　the　gossip　of　their　respective　spheres。　This　idle　but　ever
  busy　fraternity；　invisible；　yet　seeing　all　things；　dumb；　but
  perpetually　talking；　possessed　an　influence　which　its　nonentity　seemed
  to　render　harmless；　though　it　was　in　fact　terrible　in　its　effects　when
  it　concerned　itself　with　serious　interests。　For　a　long　time　nothing
  had　entered　the　sphere　of　these　existences　so　serious　and　so　momentous
  to　each　one　of　them　as　the　struggle　of　Birotteau；　supported　by　Madame
  de　Listomere；　against　Mademoiselle　Gamard　and　the　Abbe　Troubert。　The
  three　salons　of　Madame　de　Listomere　and　the　Demoiselles　Merlin　de　la
  Blottiere　and　de　Villenoix　being　considered　as　enemies　by　all　the
  salons　which　Mademoiselle　Gamard　frequented；　there　was　at　the　bottom
  of　the　quarrel　a　class　sentiment　with　all　its　jealousies。　It　was　the
  old　Roman　struggle　of　people　and　senate　in　a　molehill；　a　tempest　in　a
  teacup；　as　Montesquieu　remarked　when　speaking　of　the　Republic　of　San
  Marino；　whose　public　offices　are　filled　by　the　day　only；despotic
  power　being　easily　seized　by　any　citizen。
  But　this　tempest；　petty　as　it　seems；　did　develop　in　the　souls　of　these
  persons　as　many　passions　as　would　have　been　called　forth　by　the
  highest　social　interests。　It　is　a　mistake　to　think　that　none　but　souls
  concerned　in　mighty　projects；　which　stir　their　lives　and　set　them
  foaming；　find　time　too　fleeting。　The　hours　of　the　Abbe　Troubert　fled
  by　as　eagerly；　laden　with　thoughts　as　anxious；　harassed　by　despairs
  and　hopes　as　deep　as　the　cruellest　hours　of　the　gambler；　the　lover；　or
  the　statesman。　God　alone　is　in　the　secret　of　the　energy　we　expend　upon
  our　occult　triumphs　over　man；　over　things；　over　ourselves。　Though　we
  know　not　always　whither　we　are　going　we　know　well　what　the　journey
  costs　us。　If　it　be　permissible　for　the　historian　to　turn　aside　for　a
  moment　from　the　drama　he　is　narrating　and　ask　his　readers　to　cast　a
  glance　upon　the　lives　of　these　old　maids　and　abbes；　and　seek　the　cause
  of　the　evil　which　vitiates　them　at　their　source；　we　may　find　it
  demonstrated　that　man　must　experience　certain　passions　before　he　can
  develop　within　him　those　virtues　which　give　grandeur　to　life　by
  widening　his　sphere　and　checking　the　selfishness　which　is　inherent　in
  every　created　being。
  Madame　de　Listomere　returned　to　town　without　being　aware　that　for　the
  previous　week　her　friends　had　felt　obliged　to　refute　a　rumour　（at
  which　she　would　have　laughed　had　she　known　if　it）　that　her　affection
  for　her　nephew　had　an　almost　criminal　motive。　She　took　Birotteau　to
  her　lawyer；　who　did　not　regard　the　case　as　an　easy　one。　The　vicar's
  friends；　inspired　by　the　belief　that　justice　was　certain　in　so　good　a
  cause；　or　inclined　to　procrastinate　in　a　matter　which　did　not　concern
  them　personally；　had　put　off　bringing　the　suit　until　they　returned　to
  Tours。　Consequently　the　friends　of　Mademoiselle　Gamard　had　taken　the
  initiative；　and　told　the　affair　wherever　they　could　to　the　injury　of
  Birotteau。　The　lawyer；　whose　practice　was　exclusively　among　the　most
  devout　church　people；　amazed　Madame　de　Listomere　by　advising　her　not
  to　embark　on　such　a　suit；　he　ended　the　consultation　by　saying　that　〃he
  himself　would　not　be　able　to　undertake　it；　for；　according　to　the　terms
  of　the　deed；　Mademoiselle　Gamard　had　the　law　on　her　side；　and　in
  equity；　that　is　to　say　outside　of　strict　legal　justice；　the　Abbe
  Birotteau　would　undoubtedly　seem　to　the　judges　as　well　as　to　all
  respectable　laymen　to　have　derogated　from　the　peaceable；　conciliatory；
  and　mild　character　hitherto　attributed　to　him；　that　Mademoiselle
  Gamard；　known　to　be　a　kindly　woman　and　easy　to　live　with；　had　put
  Birotteau　under　obligations　to　her　by　lending　him　the　money　he　needed
  to　pay　the　legacy　duties　on　Chapeloud's　bequest　without　taking　from
  him　a　receipt；　that　Birotteau　was　not　of　an　age　or　character　to　sign　a
  deed　without　knowing　what　it　contained　or　understanding　the　importance
  of　it；　that　in　leaving　Mademoiselle　Gamard's　house　at　the　end　of　two
  years；　when　his　friend　Chapeloud　had　lived　there　twelve　and　Troubert
  fifteen；　he　must　have　had　some　purpose　known　to　himself　only；　and　that
  the　lawsuit；　if　undertaken；　would　strike　the　public　as　an　act　of
  ingratitude；〃　and　so　forth。　Letting　Birotteau　go　before　them　to　the
  staircase；　the　lawyer　detained　Madame　de　Listomere　a　moment　to　entreat
  her；　if　she　valued　her　own　peace　of　mind；　not　to　involve　herself　in
  the　matter。
  But　that　evening　the　poor　vicar；　suffering　the　torments　of　a　man　under
  sentence　of　death　who　awaits　in　the　condemned　cell　at　Bicetre　the
  result　of　his　appeal　for　mercy；　could　not　refrain　from　telling　his
  assembled　friends　the　result　of　his　visit　to　the　lawyer。
  〃I　don't　know　a　single　pettifogger　in　Tours；〃　said　Monsieur　de
  Bourbonne；　〃except　that　Radical　lawyer；　who　would　be　willing　to　take
  the　case；unless　for　the　purpose　of　losing　it；　I　don't　advise　you　to
  undertake　it。〃
  〃Then　it　is　infamous！〃　cried　the　navel　lieutenant。　〃I　myself　will　take
  the　abbe　to　the　Radical〃
  〃Go　at　night；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne；　interrupting　him。
  〃Why？〃
  〃I　have　just　learned　that　the　Abbe　Troubert　is　appointed　vicar…general
  in　place　of　the　other　man；　who　died　yesterday。〃
  〃I　don't　care　a　fig　for　the　Abbe　Troubert。〃
  Unfortunately　the　Baron　de　Listomere　（a　man　thirty…six　years　of　age）
  did　not　see　the　sign　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne　made　him　to　be　cautious　in
  what　he　said；　motioning　as　he　did　so　to　a　friend　of　Troubert；　a
  councillor　of　the　Prefecture；　who　was　present。　The　lieutenant
  therefore　continued：
  〃If　the　Abbe　Troubert　is　a　scoundrel〃
  〃Oh；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Bourbonne；　cutting　him　short；　〃why　bring
  Monsieur　Troubert　into　a　matter　which　doesn't　concern　him？〃
  〃Not　concern　him？〃　cried　the　baron；　〃isn't　he　enjoying　the　use　of　the
  Abbe　Birotteau's　household　property？　I　remember　that　when　I　called　on
  the　Abbe　Chapeloud　I　noticed　two　valuable　pictures。　Say　that　they　are
  worth　ten　thousand　francs；　do　you　suppose　that　Monsieur　Birotteau
  meant　to　give　ten　thousand　francs　for　living　two　years　with　that
  Gamard　woman；not　to　speak　of　the　library　and　furniture；　which　are
  worth　as　much　more？〃
  The　Abbe　Birotteau　opened　his　eyes　at　hearing　he　had　once　possessed　so
  enormous　a　fortune。
  The　baron；　getting　warmer　than　ever；　went　on　to　say：　〃By　Jove！　there's
  that　Monsieur　Salmon；　formerly　an　expert　at　the　Museum　in　Paris；　he　is
  down　here　on　a　visit　to　his　mother…in…law。　I'll　go　and　see　him　this
  very　evening　with　the　Abbe　Birotteau　and　ask　him　to　look　at　those
  pictures　and　estimate　their　value。　From　there　I'll　take　the　abbe　to
  the　lawyer。〃
  Two　days　after　this　conversation　the　suit　was　begun。　This　employment
  of　the　Liberal　laywer　did　harm　to　the　vicar's　cause。　Those　who　were
  opposed　to　the　government；　and　all　who　were　known　to　dislike　the
  priests；　or　religion　（two　things　quite　distinct　which　many　persons
  confound）；　got　hold　of　the　affair　and　the　whole　town　talked　of　it。　The
  Museum　expert　estimated　the　Virgin　of　Valentin　and　the　Christ　of
  Lebrun；　two　paintings　of　great　beauty；　at　eleven　thousand　francs。　As
  to　the　bookshelves　and　the　gothic　furniture；　the　taste　for　such　things
  was　increasing　so　rapidly　in　Paris　that　their　immediate　value　was　at
  least　twelve　thousand。　In　short；　the　appraisal　of　the　whole　property
  by　the　expert　reached　the　sum　of　over　thirty…six　thousand　francs。　Now
  it　was　very　evident　that　Birotteau　never　intended　to　give　Mademoiselle
  Gamard　such　an　enormous　sum　of　money　for　the　small　amount　he　might　owe
  her　under　the　terms　of　the　deed；　therefore　he　had；　legally　speaking；
  equitable　grounds　on　which　to　demand　an　amendment　of　the　agreement；　if
  this　were　denied；　Mademoiselle　Gamard　was　plainly　guilty　of
  intentional　fraud。　The　Radical　lawyer　accordingly　began　the　affair　by
  serving　a　writ　on　Mademoiselle　Gamard。　Though　very　harsh　in　language；
  this　document；　strengthened　by　citations　of　precedents　and　supported
  by　certain　clauses　in　the　Code；　was　a　masterpiece　of　legal　argument；
  and　so　evidently　just　in　its　condemnation　of　the　old　maid　that　thirty
  or　forty　copies　were　made　and　maliciously　distributed　through　the
  town。
  IV
  A　few　days　after　this　commencement　of　hostilities　between　Birotteau
  and　the　old　maid；　the　Baron　de　Listomere；　who　expected　to　be　included
  as　captain　of　a　corvette　in　a　coming　promotion　lately　announced　by　the
  minister　of　the　Navy；　received　a　letter　from　one　of　his　friends
  warning　him　t