And if you're not squeamish to a
handful or two of _Louis d'or_, I can add a few more little gems, which
shall sparkle in your eyes like the great sun himself." The other says,
"I will leave it all to you, Master Rene, and pay you what you like."

Then, without making any difference whether his customer is a rich
citizen only or an eminent nobleman of the court, Cardillac throws his
arms impetuously round his neck and embraces him and kisses him, saying
that now he is quite happy again, and the work will be finished in a
week's time. Running off home with breathless speed and up into his
workshop, he begins to hammer away, and at the week's end has produced
a masterpiece of art But when the customer comes prepared to pay with
joy the insignificant sum demanded, and expecting to take the finished
ornament away with him, Cardillac gets testy, rude, obstinate, and hard
to deal with. "But, Master Cardillac, recollect that my wedding is
to-morrow."--"But what have I to do with your wedding? come again in a
fortnight's time." "The ornament is finished; here is your money; and I
must have it." "And I tell you that I've lots of things to alter in it,
and I shan't let you have it to-day." "And I tell you that if you won't
deliver up the ornament by fair means--of course I am willing to pay
you double for it--you shall soon see me march up with Argenson's
serviceable underlings."--"Well, then, may Satan torture you with
scores of red-hot pincers, and hang three hundredweight on the necklace
till it strangle your bride." And therewith, thrusting the jewellery
into the bridegroom's breast pocket, Cardillac seizes him by the arm
and turns him roughly out of the door, so that he goes stumbling all
down the stairs. Then Cardillac puts his head out of the window and
laughs like a demon on seeing the poor young man limp out of the house,
holding his handkerchief to his bloody nose.

But one thing there was about him that was quite inexplicable. Often,
after he had enthusiastically taken a piece of work in hand, he would
implore his customer by the Virgin and all the saints, with every sign
of deep and violent agitation, and with moving protestations, nay,
amidst tears and sobs, that he might be released from his engagement.
Several persons who were most highly esteemed of the king and the
people had vainly offered large sums of money to get the smallest piece
of work from him. He threw himself at the king's feet and besought as a
favo