Blue coat, white waistcoat, silk hose and shoes buckled with silver, gave him an elegant exterior that must have earned him many a covert sneer from his colleagues.

His sloping forehead was crowned by a periwig, sedulously curled and powdered--for all that with the noblesse this was already a discarded fashion.
La Boulaye replied to his patron's compliments with the best grace he could command considering how full of another matter was his mind.
"I may congratulate myself, Maximilien," he added, "upon my good fortune in coming before you took your departure.

I have a request to prefer, a favour to ask." "Tut! Who talks of favours?
Not you, Caron, I hope.

You have but to name what you desire, and so that it lies within my power to accord it, the thing is yours." "There is a prisoner in the Luxembourg in whom I am interested.

I seek his enlargement." "But is that all ?" cried the little man, and, without more ado, he turned to his writing-table and drew a printed form from among the chaos of documents.