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will be a millionaire！ I can't say more； but she'll have； from me； a
husband who will put her on a pinnacle。〃
〃Do you want me to tell you the first letters of his name？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃T。 P。；Theodose de la Peyrade。 You are right。 That's a man who may；
if supported by a woman like you； become a minister。〃
〃It is God himself who has placed him in our house！〃 cried the old
maid。
At this moment Monsieur and Madame Thuillier returned home。
Five days later； in the month of April； the ordinance which convoked
the electors to appoint a member of the municipal council on the 20th
of the same month was inserted in the 〃Moniteur；〃 and placarded about
Paris。 For several weeks the ministry； called that of March 1st； had
been in power。 Brigitte was in a charming humor。 She had been
convinced of the truth of all la Peyrade's assertions。 The house；
visited from garret to cellar by old Chaffaroux； was admitted by him
to be an admirable construction； poor Grindot； the architect； who was
interested with the notary and Claparon in the affair； thought the old
man was employed in the interests of the contractor； the old fellow
himself thought he was acting in the interests of his niece； and he
gave it as his opinion that thirty thousand francs would finish the
house。 Thus； in the course of one week la Peyrade became Brigitte's
god； and she proved to him by the most naively nefarious arguments
that fortune should be seized when it offered itself。
〃Well； if there IS any sin in the business；〃 she said to him in the
middle of the garden； 〃you can confess it。〃
〃The devil！〃 cried Thuillier； 〃a man owes himself to his relatives；
and you are one of us now。〃
〃Then I decide to do it；〃 replied la Peyrade； in a voice of emotion；
〃but on conditions that I must now distinctly state。 I will not； in
marrying Celeste； be accused of greed and mercenary motives。 If you
lay remorse upon me； at least you must consent that I shall remain as
I am for the present。 Do not settle upon Celeste； my old Thuillier；
the future possession of the property I am about to obtain for you〃
〃You are right。〃
〃Don't rob yourself； and let my dear little aunt here act in the same
way in relation to the marriage contract。 Put the remainder of the
capital in Madame Thuillier's name； on the Grand Livre； and she can do
what she likes with it。 We shall all live together as one family； and
I'll undertake to make my own fortune； now that I am free from anxiety
about the future。〃
〃That suits me；〃 said Thuillier； 〃that's the talk of an honest man。〃
〃Let me kiss you on the forehead； my son；〃 said the old maid； 〃but；
inasmuch as Celeste cannot be allowed to go without a 'dot；' we shall
give her sixty thousand francs。〃
〃For her dress；〃 said la Peyrade。
〃We are all three persons of honor；〃 cried Thuillier。 〃It is now
settled； isn't it？ You are to manage the purchase of the house； we are
to write together； you and I； my political work； and you'll bestir
yourself to get me the decoration？〃
〃You will have that as soon as you are made a municipal councillor on
the 1st of May。 Only； my good friend； I must beg you； and you； too；
dear aunt； to keep the most profound secrecy about me in this affair；
and do not listen to the calumnies which all the men I am about to
trick will spread about me。 I shall become； you'll see； a vagabond； a
swindler； a dangerous man； a Jesuit； an ambitious fortune…hunter。 Can
you hear those accusations against me with composure？〃
〃Fear nothing；〃 replied Brigitte。
CHAPTER XI
THE REIGN OF THEODOSE
From that day forth Thuillier became a dear； good friend。 〃My dear；
good friend；〃 was the name given to him by Theodose； with voice
inflections of varieties of tenderness which astonished Flavie。 But
〃little aunt；〃 a name that flattered Brigitte deeply； was only given
in family secrecy； and occasionally before Flavie。 The activity of
Theodose and Dutocq； Cerizet； Barbet； Metivier； Minard； Phellion；
Colleville； and others of the Thuillier circle was extreme。 Great and
small； they all put their hands to the work。 Cadenet procured thirty
votes in his section。 On the 30th of April Thuillier was proclaimed
member of the Council…general of the department of the Seine by an
imposing majority； in fact； he only needed sixty more votes to make
his election unanimous。 May 1st Thuillier joined the municipal body
and went to the Tuileries to congratulate the King on his fete…day；
and returned home radiant。 He had gone where Minard went！
Ten days later a yellow poster announced the sale of the house； after
due publication； the price named being seventy…five thousand francs；
the final purchase to take place about the last of July。 On this point
Cerizet and Claparon had an agreement by which Cerizet pledged the sum
of fifteen thousand francs （in words only； be it understood） to
Claparon in case the latter could deceive the notary and keep him
quiet until the time expired during which he might withdraw the
property by bidding it in。 Mademoiselle Thuillier； notified by
Theodose； agreed entirely to this secret clause； understanding
perfectly the necessity of paying the culprits guilty of the
treachery。 The money was to pass through la Peyrade's hands。 Claparon
met his accomplice； the notary； on the Place de l'Observatoire by
midnight。 This young man； the successor of Leopold Hannequin； was one
of those who run after fortune instead of following it leisurely。 He
now saw another future before him； and he managed his present affairs
in order to be free to take hold of it。 In this midnight interview； he
offered Claparon ten thousand francs to secure himself in this dirty
business；a sum which was only to be paid on receipt； through
Claparon； of a counter…deed from the nominal purchaser of the
property。 The notary was aware that that sum was all…important to
Claparon to extricate him from present difficulties； and he felt
secure of him。
〃Who but you； in all Paris； would give me such a fee for such an
affair？〃 Claparon said to him； with a false show of naivete。 〃You can
sleep in peace； my ostensible purchaser is one of those men of honor
who are too stupid to have ideas of your kind； he is a retired
government employee； give him the money to make the purchase and he'll
sign the counter…deed at once。〃
When the notary had made Claparon clearly understand that he could not
get more than the ten thousand francs from him； Cerizet offered the
latter twelve thousand down； and asked Theodose for fifteen thousand；
intending to keep the balance for himself。 All these scenes between
the four men were seasoned with the finest speeches about feelings；
integrity； and the honor that men owed to one another in doing
business。 While these submarine performances were going on； apparently
in the interests of Thuillier； to whom Theodose related them with the
deepest manifestations of disgust at being implicated therein； the
pair were meditating the great political work which 〃my dear good
friend〃 was to publish。 Thus the new municipal councillor naturally
acquired a conviction that he could never do or be anything without
the help of this man of genius； whose mind so amazed him； and whose
ability was now so important to him； that every day he became more and
more convinced of the necessity of marrying him to Celeste； and of
taking the young couple to live with him。 In fact； after May the 1st；
Theodose had already dined four times a week with 〃my dear； good
friend。〃
This was the period when Theodose reigned without a dissenting voice
in the bosom of that household； and all the friends of the family
approved of himfor the following reason： The Phellions； hearing his
praises sung by Brigitte and Thuillier； feared to displease the two
powers and chorussed their words； even when such perpetual laudation
seemed to them exaggerated。 The same may be said of the Minards。
Moreover la Peyrade's behavior； as 〃friend of the family〃 was perfect。
He disarmed distrust by the manner in which he effaced himself； he was
there like a new piece of furniture； and he contrived to make both the
Phellions and Minards believe that Brigitte and Thuillier had weighed
him； and found him too light in the scales to be anything more in the
family than a young man whose services were useful to them。
〃He may think；〃 said Thuillier one day to Minard； 〃that my sister will
put him in her will； he doesn't know her。〃
This speech； inspired by Theodose himself； calmed the uneasiness of
Minard 〃pere。〃
〃He is devoted to us；〃 said Brigitte to Madame Phellion； 〃but he
certainly owes us a great deal of gratitude。 We have given him his
lodging rent…free； and he dines with us almost every day。〃
This speech of the old maid； also instigated by Theodose； went from
ear to ear among the families who frequented the Thuillier salon； and
dissipated all fears。 The young man called attention to the remarks of
Thuillier and his sister with the servility of a parasite； when he
played whist he justified the blunders of his dear； good friend； and
he kept upon his countenance a smile； fixed and benign； like that of
Madame Thuillier； ready to bestow upon all the bourgeois sillinesses
of the brother and sister。
He o