To make up lost ground and to outdistance his rival once more, he now began to dazzle the widow with fine phrases and delight her with compliments; but to tell the truth all this trouble was superfluous; he was beloved, and with one fond look he might have won pardon for far greater neglect.
An hour before the treasurer's arrival there had been a knock at the door of the old house, and Maitre Quennebert, curled, pomaded, and prepared for conquest, had presented himself at the widow's.

She received him with a more languishing air than usual, and shot such arrows at him froth her eyes that to escape a fatal wound he pretended to give way by degrees to deep sadness.

The widow, becoming alarmed, asked with tenderness-- "What ails you this evening ?" He rose, feeling he had nothing to fear from his rival, and, being master of the field, might henceforth advance or recede as seemed best for his interests.
"What ails me ?" he repeated, with a deep sigh.

"I might deceive you, might give you a misleading answer, but to you I cannot lie.

I am in great trouble, and how to get out of it I don't know." "But tell me what it is," said the widow, standing up in her turn.
Maitre Quennebert took three long strides, which brought him to the far end of the room, and asked-- "Why do you want to know?
You can't help me.