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unavailing efforts to lower the panel。
〃Yes！〃 cried Madame Cardinal； terrified； 〃some one is really coming。〃
Then； fastening to a hope of safety； she added； 〃I dare say it is that
insane girl； they say she walks at night。〃
At any rate； the insane girl （if it were she） had a key to the room；
for a moment later； this key was inserted in the lock。 With a rapid
glance Madame Cardinal measured the distance to the door； should she
have time to push the bolt？ No； certain that it was then too late； so
she blew out the candle to give herself at least some chances in the
darkness。
Useless effort！ the intruder who now appeared had brought a candle
with him。
When Madame Cerizet saw that she had to do with a small； old man of
puny appearance； she flung herself before him with flaming eyes； like
a lioness from whom the hunter is seeking to take her cubs。
〃Be calm； my good woman；〃 said the little man； in a jeering tone； 〃the
police are sent for； they will be here in a moment。〃
At the word 〃police〃 the Cardinal's legs gave way。
〃But； monsieur；〃 she said； 〃why the police？ we are not robbers。〃
〃No matter for that； if I were in your place I shouldn't wait for
them；〃 said the little old man； 〃they make unfortunate mistakes
sometimes。〃
〃Can I clear out？〃 asked the woman； incredulously。
〃Yes； if you empty your pockets of anything which has； BY ACCIDENT；
got into them。〃
〃Oh！ my good monsieur； I haven't a thing in my hands or my pockets； I
wasn't here to harm any one；only to nurse my poor dear uncle； you
can search me。〃
〃Come； be off with you！ that will do；〃 said the old man。
Madame Cardinal did not oblige him to repeat the order； and she
rapidly disappeared down the staircase。
Cerizet made as though he would take the same road。
〃You； monsieur； are quite another thing；〃 said the little old man。
〃You and I must talk together； but if you are tractable； the affair
between us can be settled amicably。〃
Whether it was that the narcotic had ceased to operate； or that the
noise going on about Toupillier put an end to his sleep； he now opened
his eyes and cast around him the glance of a man who endeavors to
remember where he is； then； seeing his precious cupboard open； he
found in the emotion that sight produced the strength to cry out two
or three times； 〃Help！ help！ robbers！〃 in a voice that was loud enough
to rouse the house。
〃No； Toupillier；〃 said the little old man； 〃you have not been robbed；
I came here in time to prevent it； nothing has been taken。〃
〃Why don't you arrest that villain？〃 shouted the old pauper； pointing
to Cerizet。
〃Monsieur is not a thief；〃 replied the old man。 〃On the contrary； he
came up with me to lend assistance。〃 Then； turning to Cerizet； he
added； in a low voice： 〃I think； my good friend； that we had better
postpone the interview I desire to have with you until to…morrow。 Come
at ten o'clock to the adjoining house； and ask for Monsieur du
Portail。 After what has passed this evening； there will； I ought to
warn you； be some danger to you in not accepting this conference。 I
shall find you elsewhere； infallibly； for I have the honor to know who
you are； you are the man whom the Opposition journals were accustomed
to call 'the courageous Cerizet。'〃
In spite of the profound sarcasm of this remark； Cerizet； perceiving
that he was not to be treated more rigorously than Madame Cardinal；
felt so pleased with this conclusion that he promised； very readily；
to keep the appointment； and then slipped away with all the haste he
could。
CHAPTER XVI
DU PORTAIL
The next day Cerizet did not fail to appear at the rendezvous given to
him。 Examined； at first； through the wicket of the door； he was
admitted； after giving his name； into the house； and was ushered
immediately to the study of Monsieur du Portail； whom he found at his
desk。
Without rising； and merely making a sign to his guest to take a chair；
the little old man continued the letter he was then writing。 After
sealing it with wax； with a care and precision that denoted a nature
extremely fastidious and particular； or else a man accustomed to
discharge diplomatic functions； du Portail rang for Bruneau； his
valet； and said； as he gave him the letter：
〃For the justice…of…peace of the arrondissement。〃
Then he carefully wiped the steel pen he had just used； restored to
their places； symmetrically； all the displaced articles on his desk；
and it was only when these little arrangements were completed that he
turned to Cerizet； and said：
〃You know； of course； that we lost that poor Monsieur Toupillier last
night？〃
〃No； really？〃 said Cerizet； putting on the most sympathetic air he
could manage。 〃This is my first knowledge of it。〃
〃But you probably expected it。 When one gives a dying man an immense
bowl of hot wine； which has also been narcotized；for the Perrache
woman slept all night in a sort of lethargy after drinking a small
glass of it；it is evident that the catastrophe has been hastened。〃
〃I am ignorant； monsieur；〃 said Cerizet； with dignity； 〃of what Madame
Cardinal may have given to her uncle。 I have no doubt committed a
great piece of thoughtlessness in assisting this woman to obtain an
inheritance to which she assured me she had legal rights； but as to
attempting the life of that old pauper； I am quite incapable of such a
thing； nothing of the kind ever entered my mind。〃
〃You wrote me this letter； I think；〃 said du Portail； abruptly； taking
from beneath a bohemian glass bowl a paper which he offered to
Cerizet。
〃A letter？〃 replied Cerizet； with the hesitation of a man who doesn't
know whether to lie or speak the truth。
〃I am quite sure of what I say；〃 continued du Portail。 〃I have a mania
for autographs； and I possess one of yours； obtained at the period
when the Opposition exalted you to the glorious rank of martyr。 I have
compared the two writings； and I find that you certainly wrote me；
yesterday； the letter which you hold in your hand； informing me of the
money embarrassments of young la Peyrade at the present moment。〃
〃Well；〃 said Cerizet； 〃knowing that you had given a home to
Mademoiselle de la Peyrade； who is probably cousin of Theodose； I
thought I recognized in you the mysterious protector from whom； on
more than one occasion； my friend has received the most generous
assistance。 Now； as I have a sincere affection for that poor fellow；
it was in his interests that I permitted myself〃
〃You did quite right；〃 interrupted du Portail。 〃I am delighted to have
fallen in with a friend of la Peyrade。 I ought not to conceal from you
that it was this particular fact which protected you last night。 But
tell me； what is this about notes for twenty…five thousand francs？ Is
our friend so badly off in his affairs？ Is he leading a dissipated
life？〃
〃On the contrary；〃 replied Cerizet； 〃he's a puritan。 Given to the
deepest piety； he did not choose to take； as a barrister； any other
cases but those of the poor。 He is now on the point of making a rich
marriage。〃
〃Ah！ is he going to be married？ and to whom？〃
〃To a Demoiselle Colleville； daughter of the secretary of the mayor of
the 12th arrondissement。 In herself； the girl has no fortune； but a
certain Monsieur Thuillier； her godfather； member of the Council…
general of the Seine； has promised her a suitable 'dot。'〃
〃Who has handled this affair？〃
〃La Peyrade has been devoted to the Thuillier family； into which he
was introduced by Monsieur Dutocq； clerk of the justice…of…peace of
their arrondissement。〃
〃But you wrote me that these notes were signed in favor of Monsieur
Dutocq。 The affair is a bit of matrimonial brokerage； in short？〃
〃Well； something of that kind；〃 replied Cerizet。 〃You know； monsieur；
that in Paris such transactions are very common。 Even the clergy won't
disdain to have a finger in them。〃
〃Is the marriage a settled thing？〃
〃Yes； and within the last few days especially。〃
〃Well； my good sir； I rely on you to put an end to it。 I have other
views for Theodose；another marriage to propose to him。〃
〃Excuse me！〃 said Cerizet； 〃to break up this marriage would make it
impossible for him to pay his notes； and I have the honor to call your
attention to the fact that these particular bills of exchange are
serious matters。 Monsieur Dutocq is in the office of the justice…of…
peace； in other words； he couldn't be easily defeated in such a
matter。〃
〃The debt to Monsieur Dutocq you shall buy off yourself；〃 replied du
Portail。 〃Make arrangements with him to that effect。 Should Theodose
prove reluctant to carry out my plans； those notes may become a useful
weapon in our hands。 You will take upon yourself to sue him for them；
and you shall have no money responsibility in the matter。 I will pay
you the amount of the notes for Dutocq； and your costs in suing
Theodose。〃
〃You are square in business； monsieur；〃 said Cerizet。 〃There's some
pleasure in being your agent。 Now； if you think the right moment has
come； I should be glad if you would give me some better light on the
mission you are doing me the honor to place in my hands。〃
〃You spoke just now；〃 replied du Portail； 〃of the cousin of Theodose；
Mademoiselle Lydie de la