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〃 'Then I will not draw up the deed；' said I。
〃 'And why not？' asked Gobseck。
〃 'Why not？' echoed I； as I drew the old man into the bay window so as
to speak aside with him。 'Why not？ This woman is under her husband's
control； the agreement would be void in law； you could not possibly
assert your ignorance of a fact recorded on the very face of the
document itself。 You would be compelled at once to produce the
diamonds deposited with you； according to the weight； value； and
cutting therein described。'
〃Gobseck cut me short with a nod； and turned towards the guilty
couple。
〃 'He is right！' he said。 'That puts the whole thing in a different
light。 Eighty thousand francs down； and you leave the diamonds with
me；' he added； in the husky； flute…like voice。 'In the way of
property； possession is as good as a title。'
〃 'But' objected the young man。
〃 'You can take it or leave it；' continued Gobseck； returning the
jewel…case to the lady as he spoke。
〃 'I have too many risks to run。'
〃 'It would be better to throw yourself at your husband's feet；' I
bent to whisper in her ear。
〃The usurer doubtless knew what I was saying from the movement of my
lips。 He gave me a cool glance。 The Count's face grew livid。 The
Countess was visibly wavering。 Maxime stepped up to her； and； low as
he spoke； I could catch the words：
〃 'Adieu； dear Anastasie； may you be happy！ As for me； by to…morrow my
troubles will be over。'
〃 'Sir！' cried the lady； turning to Gobseck。 'I accept your offer。'
〃 'Come； now；' returned Gobseck。 'You have been a long time in coming
to it； my fair lady。'
〃He wrote out a cheque for fifty thousand francs on the Bank of
France； and handed it to the Countess。
〃 'Now；' continued he with a smile； such a smile as you will see in
portraits of M。 Voltaire； 'now I will give you the rest of the amount
in bills； thirty thousand francs' worth of paper as good as bullion。
This gentleman here has just said； 〃My bills will be met when they are
due；〃 ' added he； producing certain drafts bearing the Count's
signature； all protested the day before at the request of some of the
confraternity； who had probably made them over to him （Gobseck） at a
considerably reduced figure。
〃The young man growled out something； in which the words 'Old
scoundrel！' were audible。 Daddy Gobseck did not move an eyebrow。 He
drew a pair of pistols out of a pigeon…hole； remarking coolly：
〃 'As the insulted man； I fire first。'
〃 'Maxime； you owe this gentleman an explanation；' cried the trembling
Countess in a low voice。
〃 'I had no intention of giving offence；' stammered Maxime。
〃 'I am quite sure of that；' Gobseck answered calmly； 'you had no
intention of meeting your bills； that was all。'
〃The Countess rose； bowed； and vanished； with a great dread gnawing
her； I doubt not。 M。 de Trailles was bound to follow； but before he
went he managed to say：
〃 'If either of you gentlemen should forget himself； I will have his
blood； or he will have mine。'
〃 'Amen！' called Daddy Gobseck as he put his pistols back in their
place； 'but a man must have blood in his veins though before he can
risk it； my son； and you have nothing but mud in yours。'
〃When the door was closed； and the two vehicles had gone； Gobseck rose
to his feet and began to prance about。
〃 'I have the diamonds！ I have the diamonds！' he cried again and
again； 'the beautiful diamonds！ such diamonds！ and tolerably cheaply。
Aha！ aha！ Werbrust and Gigonnet； you thought you had old Papa Gobseck！
Ego sum papa！ I am master of the lot of you！ Paid！ paid； principal and
interest！ How silly they will look to…night when I shall come out with
this story between two games of dominoes！'
〃The dark glee； the savage ferocity aroused by the possession of a few
water…white pebbles； set me shuddering。 I was dumb with amazement。
〃 'Aha！ There you are； my boy！' said he。 'We will dine together。 We
will have some fun at your place； for I haven't a home of my own； and
these restaurants； with their broths； and sauces； and wines； would
poison the Devil himself。'
〃Something in my face suddenly brought back the usual cold； impassive
expression to his。
〃 'You don't understand it；' he said； and sitting down by the hearth；
he put a tin saucepan full of milk on the brazier。'Will you
breakfast with me？' continued he。 'Perhaps there will be enough here
for two。'
〃 'Thanks；' said I； 'I do not breakfast till noon。'
〃I had scarcely spoken before hurried footsteps sounded from the
passage。 The stranger stopped at Gobseck's door and rapped； there was
that in the knock which suggested a man transported with rage。 Gobseck
reconnoitred him through the grating； then he opened the door； and in
came a man of thirty…five or so； judged harmless apparently in spite
of his anger。 The newcomer； who was quite plainly dressed； bore a
strong resemblance to the late Duc de Richelieu。 You must often have
met him； he was the Countess' husband； a man with the aristocratic
figure （permit the expression to pass） peculiar to statesmen of your
faubourg。
〃 'Sir；' said this person； addressing himself to Gobseck； who had
quite recovered his tranquillity； 'did my wife go out of this house
just now？'
〃 'That is possible。'
〃 'Well； sir？ do you not take my meaning？'
〃 'I have not the honor of the acquaintance of my lady your wife；'
returned Gobseck。 'I have had a good many visitors this morning； women
and men； and mannish young ladies； and young gentlemen who look like
young ladies。 I should find it very hard to say'
〃 'A truce to jesting； sir！ I mean the woman who has this moment gone
out from you。'
〃 'How can I know whether she is your wife or not？ I never had the
pleasure of seeing you before。'
〃 'You are mistaken； M。 Gobseck；' said the Count； with profound irony
in his voice。 'We have met before； one morning in my wife's bedroom。
You had come to demand payment for a billno bill of hers。'
〃 'It was no business of mine to inquire what value she had received
for it；' said Gobseck； with a malignant look at the Count。 'I had come
by the bill in the way of business。 At the same time； monsieur；'
continued Gobseck； quietly pouring coffee into his bowl of milk；
without a trace of excitement or hurry in his voice； 'you will permit
me to observe that your right to enter my house and expostulate with
me is far from proven to my mind。 I came of age in the sixty…first
year of the preceding century。'
〃 'Sir；' said the Count； 'you have just bought family diamonds； which
do not belong to my wife； for a mere trifle。'
〃 'Without feeling it incumbent upon me to tell you my private
affairs； I will tell you this much M。 le Comteif Mme。 la Comtesse
has taken your diamonds； you should have sent a circular around to all
the jewelers； giving them notice not to buy them； she might have sold
them separately。'
〃 'You know my wife； sir！' roared the Count。
〃 'True。'
〃 'She is in her husband's power。'
〃 'That is possible。'
〃 'She had no right to dispose of those diamonds'
〃 'Precisely。'
〃 'Very well； sir？'
〃 'Very well； sir。 I knew your wife； and she is in her husband's
power； I am quite willing； she is in the power of a good many people；
butIdoNOTknowyour diamonds。 If Mme。 la Comtesse can put her
name to a bill； she can go into business； of course； and buy and sell
diamonds on her own account。 The thing is plain on the face of it！'
〃 'Good…day； sir！' cried the Count； now white with rage。 'There are
courts of justice。'
〃 'Quite so。'
〃 'This gentleman here；' he added； indicating me； 'was a witness of
the sale。'
〃 'That is possible。'
〃The Count turned to go。 Feeling the gravity of the affair； I suddenly
put in between the two belligerents。
〃 'M。 le Comte；' said I； 'you are right； and M。 Gobseck is by no means
in the wrong。 You could not prosecute the purchaser without bringing
your wife into court； and the whole of the odium would not fall on
her。 I am an attorney； and I owe it to myself； and still more to my
professional position； to declare that the diamonds of which you speak
were purchased by M。 Gobseck in my presence； but； in my opinion； it
would be unwise to dispute the legality of the sale； especially as the
goods are not readily recognizable。 In equity our contention would
lie； in law it would collapse。 M。 Gobseck is too honest a man to deny
that the sale was a profitable transaction； more especially as my
conscience； no less than my duty； compels me to make the admission。
But once bring the case into a court of law； M。 le Comte； the issue
would be doubtful。 My advice to you is to come to terms with M。
Gobseck； who can plead that he bought the diamonds in all good faith；
you would be bound in any case to return the purchase money。 Consent
to an arrangem