Anjou heard better, or could pronounce more crisply the French

language (with an Angevin accent) than the wily old cooper. Some years

earlier, in spite of his shrewdness, he had been taken in by an

Israelite, who in the course of the discussion held his hand behind

his ear to catch sounds, and mangled his meaning so thoroughly in

trying to utter his words that Grandet fell a victim to his humanity

and was compelled to prompt the wily Jew with the words and ideas he

seemed to seek, to complete himself the arguments of the said Jew, to