2-960-312 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

J'ai parlé pendant trois heures et demie!, 19th century. 'J'ai parlé pendant trois heures et demie!' - 'Ah! Ça on vous prend donc à l'heure vous...moi je trouve que c'est bien plus avantageux de plaider à la course'. (First lawyer: 'I spoke for three and a half hours!' Second lawyer: 'Ah! So you charge by the hour...as for me - I find it more advantageous to plead by each (horse) race'. The caption suggests that the lawyers are talking about how they determine charges for their legal services. They may, however, actually be discussing coach tariffs, which at the time involved either paying drivers by the hour or by the distances they travelled). From Croquis Parisens (Parisian Sketches).