the matter entirely in your hands, Master Rene; make what
charge you please." Whether the customer were a rich burgher or a
gallant of quality, Cardillac would then throw himself violently on his
neck, embrace him and kiss him, and say he was perfectly happy again,
and that the work would be ready in eight days' time. Then he would run
home as fast as he could to his work-shop, where he would set to work
hammering away; and in eight days' time there would be a masterpiece
ready. But as soon as the customer would arrive, glad to pay the
moderate price demanded, and take away his prize, Cardillac would
become morose, ill-tempered, rude, and insolent. "But consider, Master
Cardillac," the customer would say, "to-morrow is my wedding-day."
"What do I care?" Cardillac would answer; "what is your wedding-day to
me? Come back in a fortnight." "But it is finished!--here is the money;
I must have it." "And I tell you that there are many alterations which
I must make before I let it leave my hands, and I am not going to let
you have it to-day." "And I tell you, that if you don't give me my
jewels--which I am ready to pay you for--quietly, you will see me come
back with a file of D'Argenson's men." "Now, may the devil seize you
with a hundred red-hot pincers, and hang three hundredweight on to the
necklace, that it may throttle your bride!" With which he would cram
the work into the customer's breast-pocket, seize him by the arm, push
him out of the door, so that he would go stumbling all the way
downstairs, and laugh like a fiend, out of window, when he saw the
poor wretch go limping out, holding his handkerchief to his bleeding
nose. It was not easy of explanation neither that Cardillac, when he
had undertaken a commission with alacrity and enthusiasm, would
sometimes suddenly implore the customer, with every sign of the
deepest emotion--with the most moving adjurations, even with sobs and
tears--not to ask him to go on with it. Many persons, amongst those
most highly considered by the King and nation, had in vain offered
large sums for the smallest specimen of Cardillac's work. He threw
himself at the King's feet, and supplicated that, of his mercy, he
would not command him to work for him; and he declined all orders of
Madame de Maintenon's: once, when she wished him to make a little ring,
with emblems of the arts on it, which she wanted to give to Racine, he
refused with expressions of abhorrence and terror.

"I would wager,"