"I think, monsieur le marquis," he said, wishing to sound him a little, "that you would have a poor opinion of a social system wherein any privilege, either of birth or fortune, was the only protection of the poor or the weak against too vigorous laws. I prefer to think that moral force and influence are on the side of the man who can most successfully invoke the laws of clemency and humanity." "In that case, monsieur, do you act in my place," the marquis replied. There was something of humility and something of flattery in that laconic reply, and yet there was perhaps a touch of irony in it as well. "Who knows," said Emile to himself, "that this old misanthrope isn't a pitiless satirist? Very well; I will defend myself." "I am ready to do all that is in my power to do for your protégé," he replied; "and if I fail, it will be for lack of ability, not for lack of energy and good-will." Perhaps the marquis did not understand this rebuke. He seemed impressed only by one word which Emile then used for the second time, and he repeated it in a sort of dazed reverie. "Protégé," said he, sighing after his wont. "I should have said your debtor," rejoined Emile, who already regretted his precipitation and feared that he might have injured the carpenter. "By whatever name you would have me call him, monsieur le marquis, the man is overflowing with gratitude for your kindness to him, and, if he had dared, he would have come with me to thank you again." A slight flush tinged Monsieur de Boisguilbault's cheeks for an instant, and he replied in a less hesitating tone: "I hope he will leave me in peace hereafter." Emile was wounded by this rebuff and he could not resist the impulse to manifest his feeling. "If I were in his place," he said with some warmth, "I should be greatly distressed to be burdened by an obligation which my devotion, my gratitude and my services could never remove. You would be even more generous than you are, monsieur le marquis, if you would allow honest Jean Jappeloup to offer you his thanks and his services." "Monsieur," said Monsieur de Boisguilbault, picking up a pin and sticking it into his sleeve, whether to avoid manifesting a sort of confusion which overcame him, or from an inveterate habit of orderliness, "I warn you that I am irascible--very irascible." His voice was so calm and his utterance so slow as he gave Emile this advice, that he nearly laughed in his face. "Upon my word," he thought, "we are a little _cracked_, as Jean says. If I have been so unfortunate as to offend you, monsieur le marquis," he said, rising, "I will take my leave in order not to aggravate my offence, for I might perhaps make the mistake of asking you to be perfect, and it would be your own fault." "How so?" said the marquis, twisting his sprig of honeysuckle with an agitation which seemed not to extend beyond the ends of his fingers.