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flourishes like a half…hardy annual in spite of some difficulties
of culture。 A characteristic trait that best reveals the feeble
narrow…mindedness of these inhabitants of petty officialdom is a
kind of involuntary； mechanical； and instinctive reverence for
the Grand Lama of every Ministry； known to the rank and file only
by his signature （an illegible scrawl） and by his title〃His
Excellency Monseigneur le Ministre；〃 five words which produce as
much effect as the il Bondo Cani of the Calife de Bagdad； five
words which in the eyes of this low order of intelligence
represent a sacred power from which there is no appeal。 The
Minister is administratively infallible for the clerks in the
employ of the Government； as the Pope is infallible for good
Catholics。 Something of this peculiar radiance invests everything
he does or says； or that is said or done in his name； the robe of
office covers everything and legalizes everything done by his
orders； does not his very titleHis Excellencyvouch for the
purity of his intentions and the righteousness of his will； and
serve as a sort of passport and introduction to ideas that
otherwise would not be entertained for a moment？ Pronounce the
words 〃His Excellency；〃 and these poor folk will forthwith
proceed to do what they would not do for their own interests。
Passive obedience is as well known in a Government department as
in the army itself； and the administrative system silences
consciences； annihilates the individual； and ends （give it time
enough） by fashioning a man into a vise or a thumbscrew； and he
becomes part of the machinery of Government。 Wherefore； M。
Gondureau； who seemed to know something of human nature；
recognized Poiret at once as one of those dupes of officialdom；
and brought out for his benefit； at the proper moment； the deus
ex machina； the magical words 〃His Excellency；〃 so as to dazzle
Poiret just as he himself unmasked his batteries； for he took
Poiret and the Michonneau for the male and female of the same
species。
〃If his Excellency himself； his Excellency the Minister 。 。 。 Ah！
that is quite another thing；〃 said Poiret。
〃You seem to be guided by this gentleman's opinion； and you hear
what he says；〃 said the man of independent means； addressing
Mlle。 Michonneau。 〃Very well； his Excellency is at this moment
absolutely certain that the so…called Vautrin； who lodges at the
Maison Vauquer； is a convict who escaped from penal servitude at
Toulon； where he is known by the nickname Trompe…la…Mort。〃
〃Trompe…la…Mort？〃 said Pioret。 〃Dear me； he is very lucky if he
deserves that nickname。〃
〃Well； yes；〃 said the detective。 〃They call him so because he has
been so lucky as not to lose his life in the very risky
businesses that he has carried through。 He is a dangerous man；
you see！ He has qualities that are out of the common； the thing
he is wanted for； in fact； was a matter which gained him no end
of credit with his own set〃
〃Then is he a man of honor？〃 asked Poiret。
〃Yes； according to his notions。 He agreed to take another man's
crime upon himselfa forgery committed by a very handsome young
fellow that he had taken a great fancy to； a young Italian； a bit
of a gambler； who has since gone into the army； where his conduct
has been unexceptionable。〃
〃But if his Excellency the Minister of Police is certain that M。
Vautrin is this Trompe…la…Mort； why should he want me？〃 asked
Mlle。 Michonneau。
〃Oh yes；〃 said Poiret； 〃if the Minister； as you have been so
obliging as to tell us； really knows for a certainty〃
〃Certainty is not the word； he only suspects。 You will soon
understand how things are。 Jacques Collin； nicknamed Trompe…la…
Mort； is in the confidence of every convict in the three prisons；
he is their man of business and their banker。 He makes a very
good thing out of managing their affairs； which want a MAN OF
MARK to see about them。〃
〃Ha！ ha！ do you see the pun； mademoiselle？〃 asked Poiret。 〃This
gentleman calls himself a MAN OF MARK because he is a MARKED MAN
branded； you know。〃
〃This so…called Vautrin；〃 said the detective； 〃receives the money
belonging to my lords the convicts； invests it for them； and
holds it at the disposal of those who escape； or hands it over to
their families if they leave a will； or to their mistresses when
they draw upon him for their benefit。〃
〃Their mistresses！ You mean their wives；〃 remarked Poiret。
〃No； sir。 A convict's wife is usually an illegitimate connection。
We call them concubines。〃
〃Then they all live in a state of concubinage？〃
〃Naturally。〃
〃Why； these are abominations that his Excellency ought not to
allow。 Since you have the honor of seeing his Excellency； you；
who seem to have philanthropic ideas； ought really to enlighten
him as to their immoral conductthey are setting a shocking
example to the rest of society。〃
〃But the Government does not hold them up as models of all the
virtues； my dear sir〃
〃Of course not； sir； but still〃
〃Just let the gentleman say what he has to say； dearie；〃 said
Mlle。 Michonneau。
〃You see how it is； mademoiselle；〃 Gondureau continued。 〃The
Government may have the strongest reasons for getting this
illicit hoard into its hands； it mounts up to something
considerable； by all that we can make out。 Trompe…la…Mort not
only holds large sums for his friends the convicts； but he has
other amounts which are paid over to him by the Society of the
Ten Thousand〃
〃Ten Thousand Thieves！〃 cried Pioret in alarm。
〃No。 The Society of the Ten Thousand is not an association of
petty offenders； but of people who set about their work on a
large scalethey won't touch a matter unless there are ten
thousand francs in it。 It is composed of the most distinguished
of the men who are sent straight to the Assize Courts when they
come up for trial。 They know the Code too well to risk their
necks when they are nabbed。 Collin is their confidential agent
and legal adviser。 By means of the large sums of money at his
disposal he has established a sort of detective system of his
own； it is widespread and mysterious in its workings。 We have had
spies all about him for a twelvemonth； and yet we could not
manage to fathom his games。 His capital and his cleverness are at
the service of vice and crime； this money furnishes the necessary
funds for a regular army of blackguards in his pay who wage
incessant war against society。 If we can catch Trompe…la…Mort；
and take possession of his funds； we should strike at the root of
this evil。 So this job is a kind of Government affaira State
secretand likely to redound to the honor of those who bring the
thing to a successful conclusion。 You； sir； for instance； might
very well be taken into a Government department again； they might
make you secretary to a Commissary of Police； you could accept
that post without prejudice to your retiring pension。〃
Mlle。 Michonneau interposed at this point with； 〃What is there to
hinder Trompe…la…Mort from making off with the money？〃
〃Oh！〃 said the detective； 〃a man is told off to follow him
everywhere he goes； with orders to kill him if he were to rob the
convicts。 Then it is not quite as easy to make off with a lot of
money as it is to run away with a young lady of family。 Besides；
Collin is not the sort of fellow to play such a trick； he would
be disgraced； according to his notions。〃
〃You are quite right； sir；〃 said Poiret； 〃utterly disgraced he
would be。〃
〃But none of all this explains why you do not come and take him
without more ado；〃 remarked Mlle。 Michonneau。
〃Very well； mademoiselle； I will explainbut；〃 he added in her
ear； 〃keep your companion quiet； or I shall never have done。 The
old boy ought to pay people handsomely for listening to him。
Trompe…la…Mort； when he came back here；〃 he went on aloud
〃slipped into the skin of an honest man； he turned up disguised
as a decent Parisian citizen； and took up his quarters in an
unpretending lodging…house。 He is cunning； that he is！ You don't
catch him napping。 Then M。 Vautrin is a man of consequence； who
transacts a good deal of business。〃
〃Naturally；〃 said Poiret to himself。
〃And suppose that the Minister were to make a mistake and get
hold of the real Vautrin； he would put every one's back up among
the business men in Paris； and public opinion would be against
him。 M。 le Prefet de Police is on slippery ground； he has
enemies。 They would take advantage of any mistake。 There would be
a fine outcry and fuss made by the Opposition； and he would be
sent packing。 We must set about this just as we did about the
Coignard affair； the sham Comte de Sainte…Helene； if he had been
the real Comte de Sainte…Helene； we should have been in the wrong
box。 We want to be quite sure what we are about。〃
〃Yes； but what you want is a pretty woman；〃 said Mlle。 Michonneau
briskly。
〃Trompe…l