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whom they counted to create a diversion； sits； the stupid fool； in his
corner； the seizure of that pamphlet has given your blockhead of a
protege a certain perfume of popularity。 In short； the ministry are
afraid he'll be elected； and nothing could be more disagreeable to
them。 Pompous imbeciles； like Thuillier； are horribly embarrassing in
the Opposition； they are pitchers without handles； you can't take hold
of them anywhere。〃
〃Monsieur Cerizet；〃 said la Peyrade； beginning to assume a protecting
tone； and wishing to discover his late associate's place in Corentin's
confidence； 〃you seem to know a good deal about the secret intentions
of the government； have you found your way to a certain desk in the
rue de Grenelle？〃
〃No。 All that I tell you；〃 said Cerizet； 〃I get from du Portail。〃
〃Ah ca！〃 said la Peyrade； lowering his voice； 〃who IS du Portail？ You
seem to have known him for some time。 A man of your force ought to
have discovered the real character of a man who seems to me to be
rather mysterious。〃
〃My friend；〃 replied Cerizet； 〃du Portail is a pretty strong man。 He's
an old slyboots； who has had some post； I fancy； in the administration
of the national domain； or something of that kind； under government；
in which； I think； he must have been employed in the departments
suppressed under the Empire。〃
〃Yes？〃 said la Peyrade。
〃That's where I think he made his money；〃 continued Cerizet； 〃and
being a shrewd old fellow； and having a natural daughter to marry； he
has concocted this philanthropic tale of her being the daughter of an
old friend named Peyrade； and your name being the same may have given
him the idea of fastening upon youfor； after all； he has to marry
her to somebody。〃
〃Yes； that's all very well； but his close relations with the
government； and the interest he takes in elections； how do you explain
all that？〃
〃Naturally enough；〃 replied Cerizet。 〃Du Portail is a man who loves
money； and likes to handle it； he has done Rastignac； that great
manipulator of elections； who is； I think； his compatriot； several
signal services as an amateur； Rastignac； in return； gives him
information； obtained through Nucingen； which enables him to gamble at
the Bourse。〃
〃Did he himself tell you all this？〃 asked la Peyrade。
〃What do you take me for？〃 returned Cerizet。 〃With that worthy old
fellow； from whom I have already wormed a promise of thirty thousand
francs； I play the ninny； I flatten myself to nothing。 But I've made
Bruneau talk； that old valet of his。 You can safely ally yourself to
his family； my dear fellow； du Portail is powerfully rich； he'll get
you made sub…prefect somewhere； and thence to a prefecture and a
fortune is but one step。〃
〃Thanks for the information；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃at least； I shall know
on which foot to hop。 But you yourself； how came you to know him？〃
〃Oh！ that's quite a history； by my help he was able to get back a lot
of diamonds which had been stolen from him。〃
At this moment Corentin entered the room。
〃All is well；〃 he said to la Peyrade。 〃There are signs of returning
reason。 Bianchon； to whom I have told all； wishes to confer with you；
therefore； my dear Monsieur Cerizet； we will postpone until this
evening； if you are willing； our little study over the Thuillier
election。〃
〃Well； so here you have him； at last！〃 said Cerizet； slapping la
Peyrade's shoulder。
〃Yes；〃 said Corentin； 〃and you know what I promised； you may rely on
that。〃
Cerizet departed joyful。
CHAPTER XVI
CHECKMATE TO THUILLIER
The day after that evening； when Corentin； la Peyrade； and Cerizet
were to have had their consultation in reference to the attack on
Thuillier's candidacy； the latter was discussing with his sister
Brigitte the letter in which Theodose declined the hand of Celeste；
and his mind seemed particularly to dwell on the postscript where it
was intimated that la Peyrade might not continue the editor of the
〃Echo de la Bievre。〃 At this moment Henri； the 〃male domestic；〃
entered the room to ask if his master would receive Monsieur Cerizet。
Thuillier's first impulse was to deny himself to that unwelcome
visitor。 Then； thinking better of it； he reflected that if la Peyrade
suddenly left him in the lurch； Cerizet might possibly prove a
precious resource。 Consequently； he ordered Henri to show him in。 His
manner； however； was extremely cold； and in some sort expectant。 As
for Cerizet； he presented himself without the slightest embarrassment
and with the air of a man who had calculated all the consequences of
the step he was taking。
〃Well； my dear monsieur；〃 he began； 〃I suppose by this time you have
been posted as to the Sieur la Peyrade。〃
〃What may you mean by that？〃 said Thuillier； stiffly。
〃Well； the man；〃 replied Cerizet； 〃who； after intriguing to marry your
goddaughter； breaks off the marriage abruptlyas he will； before
long； break that lion's…share contract he made you sign about his
editorshipcan't be； I should suppose； the object of the same blind
confidence you formerly reposed in him。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Thuillier； hastily； 〃then do you know anything about la
Peyrade's intention of leaving the newspaper？〃
〃No；〃 said the other； 〃on the terms I now am with him； you can readily
believe we don't see each other； still less should I receive his
confidences。 But I draw the induction from the well…known character of
the person； and you may be sure that when he finds it for his interest
to leave you； he'll throw you away like an old coatI've passed that
way； and I speak from experience。〃
〃Then you must have had some difficulties with him before you joined
my paper？〃 said Thuillier； interrogatively。
〃Parbleu！〃 replied Cerizet； 〃the affair of this house which he helped
you to buy was mine； I started that hare。 He was to put me in relation
with you； and make me the principal tenant of the house。 But the
unfortunate affair of that bidding…in gave him a chance to knock me
out of everything and get all the profits for himself。〃
〃Profits！〃 exclaimed Thuillier。 〃I don't see that he got anything out
of that transaction； except the marriage which he now refuses〃
〃But；〃 interrupted Cerizet； 〃there's the ten thousand francs he got
out of you on pretence of the cross which you never received； and the
twenty…five thousand he owes to Madame Lambert； for which you went
security； and which you will soon have to pay like a good fellow。〃
〃What's this I hear？〃 cried Brigitte； up in arms； 〃twenty…five
thousand francs for which you have given security？〃
〃Yes； mademoiselle；〃 interposed Cerizet； 〃behind that sum which this
woman had lent him there was a mystery； and if I had not laid my hand
on the true explanation； there would certainly have been a very dirty
ending to it。 La Peyrade was clever enough not only to whitewash
himself in Monsieur Thuillier's eyes； but to get him to secure the
debt。〃
〃But；〃 said Thuillier； 〃how do you know that I did give security for
that debt； if you have not seen him since then？〃
〃I know it from the woman herself； who tells the whole story now she
is certain of being paid。〃
〃Well；〃 said Brigitte to her brother； 〃a pretty business you are
engaged in！〃
〃Mademoiselle；〃 said Cerizet； 〃I only meant to warn Monsieur Thuillier
a little。 I think myself that you are sure to be paid。 Without knowing
the exact particulars of this new marriage； I am certain the family
would never allow him to owe you to such mortifying debts； if
necessary； I should be very glad to intervene。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said Thuillier； stiffly； 〃thanking you for your officious
intervention； permit me to say that it surprises me a little； for the
manner in which we parted would not have allowed me to hope it。〃
〃Ah ca！〃 said Cerizet； 〃you don't think I was angry with you for that；
do you？ I pitied you； that was all。 I saw you under the spell； and I
said to myself： 'Leave him to learn la Peyrade by experience。' I knew
very well that the day of justice would dawn for me； and before long；
too。 La Peyrade is a man who doesn't make you wait for his
questionable proceedings。〃
〃Allow me to say；〃 remarked Thuillier； 〃that I do not consider the
rupture of the marriage we had proposed a questionable proceeding。 The
matter was arranged； I may say； by mutual consent。〃
〃And the trick he is going to play you by leaving the paper in the
lurch； and the debt he has saddled you with； what are they？〃
〃Monsieur Cerizet；〃 continued Thuillier； still holding himself on the
reserve； 〃as I have said more than once to la Peyrade； no man is
indispensable； and if the editorship of my paper becomes vacant； I
feel confident that I shall at once meet with persons very eager to
offer me their services。〃
〃Is it for me you say that？〃 asked Cerizet。 〃Well； you haven't hit the
nail； if you did me the honor to want my services it would be
impossible for me to grant them。 I have long been disgusted with
journalism。 I let la Peyrade； I hardly know why； persuade me to make
this campaign with you； it didn't turn out happily； and I have vowed
to myself to have no more to do with newspapers。 It was about another
matter altogether than I came to speak to you。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Thuillier。
〃Y