"What would you have me do out riding?"

"Well--and how was it that you engaged a stranger for your defence?"
asked the Baroness, thus placing the conversation in the hands of the
Vicar-General.

"The President of the Court played this pleader a trick by appointing
him to defend at the Assizes a half-witted peasant accused of forgery.
But Monsieur Savaron procured the poor man's acquittal by proving his
innocence and showing that he had been a tool in the hands of the real
culprits. Not only did his line of defence succeed, but it led to the
arrest of two of the witnesses, who were proved guilty and condemned.
His speech struck the Court and the jury. One of these, a merchant,
placed a difficult case next day in the hands of Monsieur Savaron, and
he won it. In the position in which we found ourselves, Monsieur
Berryer finding it impossible to come to Besancon, Monsieur de
Garcenault advised him to employ this Monsieur Albert Savaron,
foretelling our success. As soon as I saw him and heard him, I felt
faith in him, and I was not wrong."

"Is he then so extraordinary?" asked Madame de Chavoncourt.

"Certainly, madame," replied the Vicar-General.

"Well, tell us about it," said Madame de Watteville.

"The first time I saw him," said the Abbe de Grancey, "he received me
in his outer room next the ante-room--old Galard's drawing-room--which
he has had painted like old oak, and which I found entirely lined with
law-books, arranged on shelves also painted as old oak. The painting