Then he came again to measure it; he came again on other pretexts, always trying to make himself agreeable, useful, "enfeoffing himself," as Homais would have said, and always dropping some hint to Emma about the power of attorney.
Puis il revint pour l’aunage; il revint sous d’autres prétextes, tâchant chaque fois, de se rendre aimable, serviable, s’inféodant, comme eût dit Homais, et toujours glissant à Emma quelques conseils sur la procuration.