[The Two Brothers by Honore de Balzac]@TWC D-Link book
The Two Brothers

CHAPTER X
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During the rather perilous ascent Max and Fario noticed that no damage to the embankment, nor even trace of the passage of the barrow, could be seen.

Fario began to imagine witchcraft, and lost his head.
When they reached the top and examined into the matter, it really seemed a thing impossible that the cart had got there.
"How shall I ever get it down ?" said the Spaniard, whose little eyes began for the first time to show fear; while his swarthy yellow face, which seemed as it if could never change color, whitened.
"How ?" said Max.

"Why, that's not difficult." And taking advantage of the Spaniard's stupefaction, he raised the barrow by the shafts with his robust arms and prepared to fling it down, calling in thundering tones as it left his grasp, "Look out there, below!" No accident happened, for the crowd, persuaded by Francois and eaten up with curiosity, had retired to a distance from which they could see more clearly what went on at the top of the embankment.

The cart was dashed to an infinite number of pieces in a very picturesque manner.
"There! you have got it down," said Baruch.
"Ah, brigands! ah, scoundrels!" cried Fario; "perhaps it was you who brought it up here!" Max, Baruch, and their three comrades began to laugh at the Spaniard's rage.
"I wanted to do you a service," said Max coolly, "and in handling the damned thing I came very near flinging myself after it; and this is how you thank me, is it?
What country do you come from ?" "I come from a country where they never forgive," replied Fario, trembling with rage.

"My cart will be the cab in which you shall drive to the devil!--unless," he said, suddenly becoming as meek as a lamb, "you will give me a new one." "We will talk about that," said Max, beginning to descend.
When they reached the bottom and met the first hilarious group, Max took Fario by the button of his jacket and said to him,-- "Yes, my good Fario, I'll give you a magnificent cart, if you will give me two hundred and fifty francs; but I won't warrant it to go, like this one, up a tower." At this last jest Fario became as cool as though he were making a bargain.
"Damn it!" he said, "give me the wherewithal to replace my barrow, and it will be the best use you ever made of old Rouget's money." Max turned livid; he raised his formidable fist to strike Fario; but Baruch, who knew that the blow would descend on others besides the Spaniard, plucked the latter away like a feather and whispered to Max,-- "Don't commit such a folly!" The grand master, thus called to order, began to laugh and said to Fario,-- "If I, by accident, broke your barrow, and you in return try to slander me, we are quits." "Not yet," muttered Fario.


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