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ver made more than eighteen hundred francs a year； and his mother sold stamped paper。 But he worked very hard from 1818 to 1822。 He was Derville's fourth clerk when he came； and in 1819 he was second！〃
〃Desroches？〃
〃Yes。 Desroches； like the rest of us； once groveled in the poverty of Job。 He grew so tired of wearing coats too tight and sleeves too short for him； that he swallowed down the law in desperation and had just bought a bare license。 He was a licensed attorney； without a penny； or a client； or any friends beyond our set； and he was bound to pay interest on the purchase…money and the cautionary deposit besides。〃
〃He used to make me feel as if I had met a tiger escaped from the Jardin des Plantes；〃 said Couture。 〃He was lean and red…haired； his eyes were the color of Spanish snuff； and his complexion was harsh。 He looked cold and phlegmatic。 He was hard upon the widow； pitiless to the orphan； and a terror to his clerks； they were not allowed to waste a minute。 Learned； crafty； double…faced； honey…tongued； never flying into a passion； rancorous in his judicial way。〃
〃But there is goodness in him；〃 cried Finot； 〃he is devoted to his friends。 The first thing he did was to take Godeschal； Mariette's brother； as his head…clerk。〃
〃At Paris；〃 said Blondet； 〃there are attorneys of two shades。 There is the honest man attorney； he abides within the province of the law； pushes on his cases； neglects no one； never runs after business； gives his clients his honest opinion； and makes them compromise on doubtful pointshe is a Derville； in short。 Then there is the starveling attorney； to whom anything seems good provided that he is sure of expenses； he will set； not mountains fighting； for he sells them； but planets； he will work to make the worse appear the better cause； and take advantage of a technical error to win the day for a rogue。 If one of these fellows tries one of Maitre Gonin's tricks once too often； the guild forces him to sell his connection。 Desroches； our friend Desroches； understood the full resources of a trade carried on in a beggarly way enough by poor devils； he would buy up causes of men who feared to lose the day； he plunged into chicanery with a fixed determination to make money by it。 He was right； he did his business very honestly。 He found influence among men in public life by getting them out of awkward complications； there was our dear les Lupeaulx； for instance； whose position was so deeply compromised。 And Desroches stood in need of influence； for when he began； he was anything but well looked on at the court； and he who took so much trouble to rectify the errors of his clients was often in trouble himself。 See now； Bixiou； to go back to the subjectHow came Desroches to be in the church？〃
〃 'D'Aldrigger is leaving seven or eight hundred thousand francs；' Taillefer answered； addressing Desroches。
〃 'Oh； pooh； there is only one man who knows how much THEY are worth；' put in Werbrust； a friend of the deceased。
〃 'Who？'
〃 'That fat rogue Nucingen； he will go as far as the cemetery； d'Aldrigger was his master once； and out of gratitude he put the old man's capital into his business。'
〃 'The widow will soon feel a great difference。'
〃 'What do you mean？'
〃 'Well； d'Aldrigger was so fond of his wife。 Now； don't laugh； people are looking at us。'
〃 'Look here comes du Tillet； he is very late。 The epistle is just beginning。'
〃 'He will marry the eldest girl in all probability。'
〃 'Is it possible？' asked Desroches； 'why； he is tied more than ever to Mme。 Roguin。'
〃 'TIEDhe？You do not know him。'
〃 'Do you know how Nucingen and du Tillet stand？' asked Desroches。
〃 'Like this；' said Taillefer； 'Nucingen is just the man to swallow down his old master's capital； and then to disgorge it。'
〃 'Ugh！ ugh！' coughed Werbrust； 'these churches are confoundedly damp； ugh！ ugh！ What do you mean by 〃disgorge it〃？'
〃 'Well； Nucingen knows that du Tillet has a lot of money； he wants to marry him to Malvina； but du Tillet is shy of Nucingen。 To a looker… on； the game is good fun。'
〃 'What！' exclaimed Werbrust； 'is she old enough to marry？ How quickly we grow old！'
〃 'Malvina d'Aldrigger is quite twenty years old； my dear fellow。 Old d'Aldrigger was married in 1800。 He gave some rather fine entertainments in Strasbourg at the time of his wedding； and afterwards when Malvina was born。 That was in 1801 at the peace of Amiens； and here are we in the year 1823； Daddy Werbrust！ In those days everything was Ossianized； he called his daughter Malvina。 Six years afterwards there was a rage for chivalry； Partant pour la Syrie a pack of nonsenseand he christened his second daughter Isaure。 She is seventeen。 So there are two daughters to marry。'
〃 'The women will not have a penny left in ten years' time；' said Werbrust； speaking to Desroches in a confidential tone。
〃 'There is d'Aldrigger's man…servant； the old fellow bellowing away at the back of the church； he has been with them since the two young ladies were children； and he is capable of anything to keep enough together for them to live upon；' said Taillefer。
〃Dies iroe！ （from the minor cannons）。 Dies illa！ （from the choristers）。
〃 'Good…day； Werbrust （from Taillefer）； the Dies iroe puts me too much in mind of my poor boy。'
〃 'I shall go too； it is too damp in here；' said Werbrust。
〃In favilla。
〃 'A few halfpence； kind gentlemen！' （from the beggars at the door）。
〃 'For the expenses of the church！' （from the beadle； with a rattling clatter of the money…box）。
〃 'AMEN' （from the choristers）。
〃 'What did he die of？' （from a friend）。
〃 'He broke a blood…vessel in the heel' （from an inquisitive wag）。
〃 'Who is dead？' （from a passer…by）。
〃 'The President de Montesquieu！' （from a relative）。
〃The sacristan to the poor； 'Get away； all of you； the money for you has been given to us； don't ask for any more。' 〃
〃Done to the life！〃 cried Couture。 And indeed it seemed to us that we heard all that went on in the church。 Bixiou imitated everything； even the shuffling sound of the feet of the men that carried the coffin over the stone floor。
〃There are poets and romancers and writers that say many fine things abut Parisian manners；〃 continued Bixiou； 〃but that is what really happens at a funeral。 Ninety…nine out of a hundred that come to pay their respects to some poor devil departed； get together and talk business or pleasure in the middle of the church。 To see some poor little touch of real sorrow； you need an impossible combination of circumstances。 And； after all； is there such a thing as grief without a thought of self in it？〃
〃Ugh！〃 said Blondet。 〃Nothing is less respected than death； is it that there is nothing less respectable？〃
〃It is so common！〃 resumed Bixiou。 〃When the service was over Nucingen and du Tillet went to the graveside。 The old man…servant walked； Nucingen and du Tillet were put at the head of the procession of mourning coaches。'Goot； mein goot friend；' said Nucingen as they turned into the boulevard。 'It ees a goot time to marry Malfina； you vill be der brodector off that boor family vat ess in tears； you vill haf ein family； a home off your own； you vill haf a house ready