In the city, curiosity has some shame; it hides itself while it spies
into the affairs of its neighbors; but in the country it has no such
scruples.
When Marie-Anne emerged from the inn, she found a crowd awaiting her
with open mouths and staring eyes.
And more than twenty people making all sorts of comments, followed her
to the door of the notary.
He was a man of importance, this notary, and he welcomed Marie-Anne with
all the deference due an heiress of an unencumbered property, worth from
forty to fifty thousand francs.
But jealous of his renown for perspicuity, he gave her clearly to
understand that he, being a man of experience, had divined that love
alone had dictated Chanlouineau's last will and testament.
Marie-Anne's composure and resignation made him really angry.
"You forget what brings me here," she said; "you do not tell me what I
have to do!"
The notary, thus interrupted, made no further attempts at consolation.
"_Pestet!_" he thought, "she is in a hurry to get possession of her
property--the avaricious creature!"
Then aloud:
"The business can be terminated at once, for the justice of the peace
is at liberty to-day, and he can go with us to break the seals this
afternoon.
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