and gearing."

"Do you want, then, to kill me, little by little?" replied Master
Zacharius passionately. "Are these watches child's work? Was it
lest I should hurt my fingers that I worked the surface of these
copper pieces in the lathe? Have I not forged these pieces of
copper myself, so as to obtain a greater strength? Are not these
springs tempered to a rare perfection? Could anybody have used
finer oils than mine? You must yourself agree that it is
impossible, and you avow, in short, that the devil is in it!"

From morning till night discontented purchasers besieged the
house, and they got access to the old watchmaker himself, who
knew not which of them to listen to.

[Illustration: From morning till night discontented purchasers
besieged the house]

"This watch loses, and I cannot succeed in regulating it," said
one.

"This," said another, "is absolutely obstinate, and stands still,
as did Joshua's sun."

"If it is true," said most of them, "that your health has an
influence on that of your watches, Master Zacharius, get well as
soon as possible."

The old man gazed at these people with haggard eyes, and only
replied by shaking his head, or by a few sad words,--

"Wait till the first fine weather, my friends. The season is
coming which revives existence in wearied bodies. We want the sun
to warm us all!"

"A fine thing, if my watches are to be ill through the winter!"
said one of the most angry. "Do you know, Master Zacharius, that
your name is inscribed in full on their faces? By the Virgin, you
do little honour to your signature!"

It happened at last that the old man, abashed by these
reproaches, took some pieces of gold from his old trunk, and
began to buy back the damaged watches. At news of this, the
customers came in a crowd, and the poor watchmaker's money fast
melted away; but his honesty remained intact. Gerande warmly
praised his delicacy, which was leading him straight towards
ruin; and Aubert soon offered his own savings to his master.

"What will become of my daughter?" said Master Zacharius,
clinging now and then in the shipwreck to his paternal love.

Aubert dared not answer that he was full of hope for the future,
and of deep devotion to Gerande. Master Zacharius would have that
day called him his son-in-law, and thus refuted the sad prophecy,
which still buzzed in his ears,--

"Gerande will not wed Aubert."

By this plan the watchmaker at last succeeded in entirely
despoilin