"Again no one dared tell the miller that he was not very sincere when he offered to sacrifice a hundred and sixty francs to obtain payment of a sum which would enable him, he said, to gain a hundred and fifty. "'What is to be done?' said he. "'I wish I had the money, Eloi.' "'You say then that you cannot pay, till Michaelmas, the hundred and twenty crowns you should have paid to-day?' "'That is to say, cousin,' cried Pélagie, always bolder or less patient than her husband, 'that we should have given you half of it.' "'Yes; but that half was due a fortnight ago; and, besides, I am in such want of that half, that--See here, now, I offered just now to give you back your bills for two hundred francs; well, pay me one, and I return you both. There is nothing stingy or greedy in that offer, I hope; I lent you a hundred and twenty crowns, and I cry quits for sixty.' "'Cousin, I repeat that I have no money, and besides, if I had sixty crowns, I would give them you, which would not prevent my giving you the sixty others later.' "'It is sixty crowns that I lose on the affair I miss for want of money.' "'Pélagie longed to remind Eloi that the profit sacrificed had been but fifty crowns a few minutes before, but she held her tongue. "'I am no Turk,' continued the miller; 'I will renew your bills. Draw one of a hundred and fifty crowns payable at Michaelmas.' "The husband and wife exchanged a look. Pélagie spoke. "'What, cousin! a hundred and fifty crowns! That makes, then, thirty crowns interest from now till Michaelmas, and that on sixty crowns, or rather on fifty, since only half the sum is due; and out of the sixty crowns ten are for interest.' "'I don't deny it. You think thirty crowns interest too much; well, I offer sixty for the same time. Give me sixty crowns, and I return the two bills, and thank you into the bargain, and you will have done me famous service.' "'Ah! cousin, I wish I had never borrowed this money of you!' "'I am sure I wish you had not; I should not be pinched for it to-day. And why am I? Because I won't get you into difficulties, for I might give your two bills in payment for the affair I speak of, and then you would be made to pay, or your boats would be sold; but I prefer being the loser myself, for after all, cousin, we are brothers' sons, and we must help one another in this world.' "'Nevertheless, cousin, thirty crowns are a very high figure.' "'Yes; and I should be quite content if you would give me sixty for the hundred and twenty I lent you; but, Lord bless me! add nothing to the bill, if you like--let me lose every thing.' "'It is fair to add something, Eloi.' "'Well, since you find thirty crowns too much, when I should be too happy to give sixty, add nothing, or add thirty crowns.' "Tranquille and his wife looked at each other. "'I will do as you wish,' said Risquetout.