citement, quite foreign to his temperament, had taken possession of him. He did not gesticulate as yet, but this could not be far off. As for the counselor, he rubbed his legs, and breathed with slow and long gasps. His look became animated little by little, and he had "decided" to support at all hazards, if need be, his trusty friend the burgomaster.
Van Tricasse got up and took several steps; then he came back, and stood facing the doctor.
"And in how many months," he asked in a somewhat emphatic tone, "do you say that your work will be finished?"
In three or four months, Monsieur the burgomaster," replied Doctor Ox.
"Three or four months,—it’s a very long time!" said van Tricasse.
"Altogether too long!" added Niklausse, who, not being able to keep his seat, rose also.
"This lapse of time is necessary to complete our work," returned Doctor Ox. "The workmen, whom we have had to choose in Quiquendone, are not very expeditious."
"How not expeditious?" cried the burgomaster, who seemed to take the remark as personally offensive.
The Slow Flemish Workmen
"No, Monsieur van Tricasse," replied Doctor Ox obstinately. “A French workman would do in a day what it takes ten of your workmen to do; you know, they are regular Flemings!"
"Flemings!" cried the counselor, whose fingers closed tightly. "In what sense, sir, do you use that word?"
"Why, in the amiable sense in which everybody uses it," replied Doctor Ox, smiling.
"Ah, but doctor, said the burgomaster, pacing up and down the room. "I don't like these insinuations. The workmen of Quiquendone are as efficient as those of any other town in the world, you must know; and we shall go neither to Paris nor London for our models! As for your project, I beg you to hasten its execution. Our streets have been unpaved for the putting down of your conduit-pipes, and it's a hindrance to traffic. Our trade will begin to suffer, and I, being the responsible authority, do not propose to incur reproaches which will be but too just."
Worthy burgomaster! He spoke of trade, of traffic, and the wonder was that those words, to which he was quite unaccustomed, did not scorch his lips. What could be passing in his mind?
"Besides," added Niklausse, "the town cannot be deprived of light much longer."
"But," urged Doctor Ox, "a town which has been unlighted for eight or nine hundred years—"
"All the more necessary is it," replied the burgomaster, emphasizing his words. "Times alter, manners alter! The world advances, and we do not wish to remain behind. We desire our streets to be lighted within a month, or you must pay a large indemnity for each day of delay; and what would happen if, amid the darkness, some affray should take place?"
"No doubt,” cried Niklausse. "It requires but a spark to inflame Fleming! Fleming! Flame!"
"Apropos of this," said the burgomaster, interrupting his friend, "Commissary Passauf, our chief of police, reports to us that a discussion took place in your drawing-room last evening, Doctor Ox. Was he wrong in declaring that it was a political discussion?"
"By no means, Monsieur the burgomaster," replied Doctor Ox, who with difficulty repressed a sigh of satisfaction.
"So an altercation did take place between Dominique Custos and André Schut?"
"Yes, counselor; but the words which passed were not of grave import."
A Threatened Dispute
"Not of grave import!" cried the burgomaster. "Not of grave import, when one man tells another that he does not measure the effect of his words! But of what stuff are you made, monsieur? Do you not know that in Quiquendone nothing more is needed to bring about extremely disastrous results? But monsieur, if you, or anyone else, presume to speak thus to me—"
"Or to me," added Niklausse.
As they pronounced these words with a menacing air, the two notables, with folded arms and bristling air, confronted Doctor Ox, ready to do him some violence, if by a gesture, or even the expression of his eye, he manifested any intention of contradicting them.
But the doctor did not budge.
"At all events, monsieur," resumed the burgomaster, "I propose to hold you responsible for what passes in your house. I am bound to insure the tranquility of this town, and I do not wish it to be disturbed. The events of last evening must not be repeated, or I shall do my duty, sir! Do you hear? Then reply, sir."
The burgomaster as he spoke under the influence of extraordinary excitement, elevated his voice to the pitch of anger. He was furious, the worthy van Tricasse, and might certainly be heard outside. At last, beside himself, and seeing that Doctor Ox did not reply to his challenge, "Come, Niklausse," said he.
And, slamming the door with a violence which shook the house, the burgomaster drew his friend after him.
Little by little, when they had taken twenty steps on their road, the worthy notables grew more calm. Their pace slackened, their gait became less feverish. The flush on their faces faded away; from being crimson, they became rosy. A quarter of an hour after quitting the gas-works, van Tricasse said softly to Niklausse, "An amiable man, Doctor Ox! It is always a pleasure to see him!"
CHAPTER VI.
In Which Frantz Niklausse and Suzel van Tricasse Form Certain Projects for the Future
Our readers know that the burgomaster had a daughter, Suzel. But, shrewd as they may be, they cannot have divined that the Counselor Niklausse had a son, Frantz; and had they divined this, nothing could have led them to imagine that Frantz was the betrothed lover of Suzel. We will add that these young people were made for each
