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ill…luck； and I don't know where it will end。〃
In Brigitte's nature there was such an all…devouring instinct of
domination； that it was without regret； and； we may even say； with a
sort of secret joy that she saw the disappearance of Madame de
Godollo。 That woman； she felt； had a crushing superiority over her；
and this； while it had given a higher order to the Thuillier
establishment； made her ill at ease。 When therefore the separation
took place； which was done； let us here say； on good terms； and under
fair and honorable pretexts； Mademoiselle Thuillier breathed more
freely。 She felt like those kings long swayed by imperious and
necessary ministers； who celebrate within their hearts the day when
death delivers them from a master whose services and rival influence
they impatiently endured。
Thuillier was not far from having the same sentiment about la Peyrade。
But Madame de Godollo was only the elegance； whereas la Peyrade was
the utility of the house they had now simultaneously abandoned； and
after the lapse of a few days； a terrible need of Theodose made itself
felt in the literary and political existence of his dear； good friend。
The municipal councillor found himself suddenly appointed to draft an
important report。 He was unable to decline the task； saddled as he was
with the reputation； derived from his pamphlet； of being a man of
letters and an able writer； therefore； in presence of the perilous
honor conferred upon him by his colleagues of the general Council； he
sat down terrified by his solitude and his insufficiency。
In vain did he lock himself into his study； gorge himself with black
coffee； mend innumerable pens； and write a score of times at the head
of his paper （which he was careful to cut of the exact dimensions as
that used by la Peyrade） the solemn words： 〃Report to the Members of
the Municipal Council of the City of Paris；〃 followed； on a line by
itself； by a magnificent MESSIEURSnothing came of it！ He was fain to
issue furious from his study； complaining of the horrible household
racket which 〃cut the thread of his ideas〃； though really no greater
noise than the closing of a door or the opening of a closet or the
moving of a chair had made itself heard。 All this； however； did not
help the advancement of the work； which remained； as beforesimply
begun。
Most fortunately； it happened that Rabourdin； wanting to make some
change in his apartment； came； as was proper； to submit his plan to
the owner of the house。 Thuillier granted cordially the request that
was made to him； and then discoursed to his tenant about the report
with which he was charged；being desirous； he said； to obtain his
ideas on the subject。
Rabourdin； to whom no administrative question was foreign； very
readily threw upon the subject a number of very clear and lucid ideas。
He was one of those men to whom the quality of the intellect to which
they address themselves is more or less indifferent； a fool； or a man
of talent who will listen to them； serves equally well to think aloud
to； and they are； as a stimulant； about the same thing。 After
Rabourdin had said his say； he observed that Thuillier had not
understood him； but he had listened to himself with pleasure； and he
was； moreover； grateful for the attention； obtuse as it was； of his
hearer； and also for the kindliness of the landlord in receiving his
request。
〃I must have among my papers；〃 he said as he went away； 〃something on
this subject； I will look it up and send it to you。〃
Accordingly； that same evening Thuillier received a voluminous
manuscript； and he spent the entire night in delving into that
precious repository of ideas； from which he extracted enough to make a
really remarkable report； clumsily as the pillage was managed。 When
read before the council it obtained a very great success； and
Thuillier returned home radiant and much elated by the congratulations
he had received。 From that momenta moment that was marked in his
life； for even to advanced old age he still talked of the 〃report he
had had the honor of making to the Council…general of the Seine〃la
Peyrade went down considerably in his estimation； he felt then that he
could do very well without the barrister； and this thought of
emancipation was strengthened by another happiness which came to him
at almost the same time。
A parliamentary crisis was imminent；a fact that caused the ministry
to think about depriving its adversaries of a theme of opposition
which always has great influence on public opinion。 It resolved
therefore to relax its rigor； which of late had been much increased
against the press。 Being included in this species of hypocritical
amnesty； Thuillier received one morning a letter from the barrister
whom he had chosen in place of la Peyrade。 This letter announced that
the Council of State had dismissed the complaint； and ordered the
release of the pamphlet。
Then Dutocq's prediction was realized。 That weight the less within his
bosom； Thuillier took a swing toward insolence； he chorused Brigitte；
and came at last to speak of la Peyrade as a sort of adventurer whom
he had fed and clothed； a tricky fellow who had EXTRACTED much money
from him； and had finally behaved with such ingratitude that he was
thankful not to count him any longer among his friends。 Orgon； in
short； was in full revolt； and like Dorine； he was ready to cry out：
〃A beggar！ who； when he came； had neither shoes nor coat worth a brass
farthing。〃
Cerizet； to whom these indignities were reported by Dutocq； would
gladly have served them up hot to la Peyrade； but the interview in
which the copying clerk was to furnish information about Madame de
Godollo did not take place at the time fixed。 La Peyrade made his own
discoveries in this wise：
Pursued by the thought of the beautiful Hungarian； and awaiting； or
rather not awaiting the result of Cerizet's inquiry； he scoured Paris
in every direction； and might have been seen； like the idlest of
loungers； in the most frequented places； his heart telling him that
sooner or later he must meet the object of his ardent search。
One eveningit was towards the middle of Octoberthe autumn； as
frequently happens in Paris； was magnificent； and along the
boulevards； where the Provencal was airing his love and his
melancholy； the out…door life and gaiety were as animated as in
summer。 On the boulevard des Italiens； formerly known as the boulevard
de Gand； as he lounged past the long line of chairs before the Cafe de
Paris； where； mingled with a few women of the Chaussee d'Antin
accompanied by their husbands and children； may be seen toward evening
a cordon of nocturnal beauties waiting only a gloved hand to gather
them； la Peyrade's heart received a cruel shock。 From afar； he thought
he saw his adored countess。
She was alone； in a dazzling toilet scarcely authorized by the place
and her isolation； before her； mounted on a chair； trembled a tiny
lap…dog； which she stroked from time to time with her beautiful hands。
After convincing himself that he was not mistaken； la Peyrade was
about to dart upon that celestial vision； when he was forestalled by a
dandy of the most triumphant type。 Without throwing aside his cigar；
without even touching his hat； this handsome young man began to
converse with the barrister's ideal； but when she saw la Peyrade
making towards her the siren must have felt afraid； for she rose
quickly； and taking the arm of the man who was talking to her； she
said aloud：
〃Is your carriage here； Emile？ Mabille closes to…night； and I should
like to go there。〃
The name of that disreputable place thus thrown in the face of the
unhappy barrister； was a charity； for it saved him from a foolish
action； that of addressing； on the arm of the man who had suddenly
made himself her cavalier； the unworthy creature of whom he was
thinking a few seconds earlier with so much tenderness。
〃She is not worth insulting；〃 he said to himself。
But； as lovers are beings who will not allow their foothold to be
taken from them easily； the Provencal was neither convinced nor
resigned as yet。 Not far from the place which his countess had left；
sat another woman； also alone； but this one was ripe with years； with
feathers on her head； and beneath the folds of a cashmere shawl she
concealed the plaintive remains of tarnished elegance and long past
luxury。 There was nothing imposing about this sight； nor did it
command respect； but the contrary。 La Peyrade went up to the woman
without ceremony and addressed her。
〃Madame；〃 he said； 〃do you know that woman who has just gone away on
the arm of a gentleman？〃
〃Certainly； monsieur； I know nearly all the women who come here。〃
〃And her name is？〃
〃Madame Komorn。〃
〃Is she as impregnable as the fortress of that name？〃
Our readers will doubtless remember that at the time of the
insurrection in Hungary our ears were battered by the press and by
novelists about the famous citadel of Komorn； and la Peyrade knew that
by assuming a tone of indifference or flippancy he was more likely to
succeed with his inquiries。
〃Has monsieur any idea of making her acquaintance？〃
〃I don't know；〃 replied la Peyrade； 〃but she is a woman w