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else to get； he offered to make me manager of the paper。〃
〃I did not know that；〃 said du Portail； 〃but it was quite probable。
Did you accept？〃
〃Conditionally； I asked time for reflection。 I wanted to know what you
thought of the offer。〃
〃Parbleu！ I think that out of an evil that can't be remedied we should
get； as the proverb says； wing or foot。 I had rather see you inside
than outside of that enterprise。〃
〃Very good； but in order to get into it there's a difficulty。 La
Peyrade knows I have debts； and he won't help me with the thirty…
three…thousand francs' security which must be paid down in my name。 I
haven't got them； and if I had； I wouldn't show them and expose myself
to the insults of creditors。〃
〃You must have a good deal left of that twenty…five thousand francs la
Peyrade paid you not more than two months ago；〃 remarked du Portail。
〃Only two thousand two hundred francs and fifty centimes；〃 replied
Cerizet。 〃I was adding it up last night； the rest has all gone to pay
off pressing debts。〃
〃But if you have paid your debts you haven't any creditors。〃
〃Yes； those I've paid； but those I haven't paid I still owe。〃
〃Do you mean to tell me that your liabilities were more than twenty…
five thousand francs？〃 said du Portail； in a tone of incredulity。
〃Does a man go into bankruptcy for less？〃 replied Cerizet； as though
he were enunciating a maxim。
〃Well； I see I am expected to pay that sum myself；〃 said du Portail；
crossly； 〃but the question is whether the utility of your presence in
this enterprise is worth to me the interest on one hundred and thirty…
three thousand； three hundred and thirty…three francs； thirty…three
centimes。〃
〃Hang it！〃 said Cerizet； 〃if I were once installed near Thuillier； I
shouldn't despair of soon putting him and la Peyrade at loggerheads。
In the management of a newspaper there are lots of inevitable
disagreements； and by always taking the side of the fool against the
clever man； I can increase the conceit of one and wound the conceit of
the other until life together becomes impossible。 Besides； you spoke
just now of political danger； now the manager of a newspaper； as you
ought to know； when he has the intellect to be something better than a
man of straw； can quietly give his sheet a push in the direction
wanted。
〃There's a good deal of truth in that；〃 said du Portail； 〃but defeat
to la Peyrade； that's what I am thinking about。〃
〃Well；〃 said Cerizet； 〃I think I have another nice little insidious
means of demolishing him with Thuillier。〃
〃Say what it is； then！〃 exclaimed du Portail； impatiently； 〃you go
round and round the pot as if I were a man it would do you some good
to finesse with。〃
〃You remember；〃 said Cerizet； coming out with it； 〃that some time ago
Dutocq and I were much puzzled to know how la Peyrade was； all of a
sudden； able to make that payment of twenty…five thousand francs？〃
〃Ha！〃 said the old man quickly； 〃have you discovered the origin of
that very improbable sum in our friend's hands； and is that origin
shady？〃
〃You shall judge；〃 said Cerizet。
And he related in all its details the affair of Madame Lambert；
adding； however； that on questioning the woman closely at the office
of the justice…of…peace； after the meeting with la Peyrade； he had
been unable to extract from her any confession； although by her whole
bearing she had amply confirmed the suspicions of Dutocq and himself。
〃Madame Lambert； rue du Val…de…Grace； No。 9； at the house of Monsieur
Picot； professor of mathematics；〃 said du Portail； as he made a note
of the information。 〃Very good；〃 he added； 〃come back and see me
to…morrow； my dear Monsieur Cerizet。〃
〃But please remark；〃 said the usurer； 〃that I must give an answer to
la Peyrade in the course of to…day。 He is in a great hurry to start
the business。〃
〃Very well； you must accept； asking a delay of twenty…four hours to
obtain your security。 If； after making certain inquiries I see it is
more to my interests not to meddle in the affair； you can get out of
it by merely breaking your word； you can't be sent to the court of
assizes for that。〃
Independently of a sort of inexplicable fascination which du Portail
exercised over his agent； he never lost an opportunity to remind him
of the very questionable point of departure of their intercourse。
The next day Cerizet returned。
〃You guessed right；〃 said du Portail。 〃That woman Lambert； being
obliged to conceal the existence of her booty； and wanting to draw
interest on her stolen property； must have taken it into her head to
consult la Peyrade； his devout exterior may have recommended him to
her。 She probably gave him that money without taking a receipt。 In
what kind of money was Dutocq paid？〃
〃In nineteen thousand…franc notes； and twelve of five…hundred francs。〃
〃That's precisely it；〃 said du Portail。 〃There can't be the slightest
doubt left。 Now； what use do you expect to make of this information
bearing upon Thuillier。〃
〃I expect to put it into his head that la Peyrade； to whom he is going
to give his goddaughter and heiress； is over head and ears in debt；
that he makes enormous secret loans； and that in order to get out of
his difficulties he means to gnaw the newspaper to the bone； and I
shall insinuate that the position of a man so much in debt must be
known to the public before long； and become a fatal blow to the
candidate whose right hand he is。〃
〃That's not bad；〃 said du Portail； 〃but there's another and even more
conclusive use to be made of the discovery。〃
〃Tell me； master； I'm listening；〃 said Cerizet。
〃Thuillier has not yet been able； has he； to explain to himself the
reason of the seizure of the pamphlet？〃
〃Yes； he has；〃 replied Cerizet。 〃La Peyrade was telling me only
yesterday； by way of explaining Thuillier's idiotic simplicity； that
he had believed a most ridiculous bit of humbug。 The 'honest
bourgeois' is persuaded that the seizure was instigated by Monsieur
Olivier Vinet； substitute to the procureur…general。 The young man
aspired for a moment to the hand of Mademoiselle Colleville； and the
worthy Thuillier has been made to imagine that the seizure of his
pamphlet was a revenge for the refusal。〃
〃Good！〃 said du Portail； 〃to…morrow； as a preparation for the other
version of which you are to be the organ； Thuillier shall receive from
Monsieur Vinet a very sharp and decided denial of the abuse of power
he foolishly gave ear to。〃
〃Will he？〃 said Cerizet； with curiosity。
〃But another explanation must take its place；〃 continued du Portail；
〃you must assure Thuillier that he is the victim of police
machinations。 That is all the police is good for； you know；
machinations。〃
〃I know that very well； I've made that affirmation scores of times
when I was working for the republican newspapers and〃
〃When you were 'the courageous Cerizet；'〃 interrupted du Portail。
〃Well； the present machination； here it is。 The government was much
displeased at seeing Thuillier elected without its influence to the
Council…general of the Seine； it was angry with an independent and
patriotic citizen who showed by his candidacy that he could do without
it； and it learned； moreover； that this excellent citizen was
preparing a pamphlet on the subject； always a delicate one； of the
finances； as to which this dangerous adversary had great experience。
So； what did this essentially corrupt government do？ It suborned a man
in whom； as it learned； Thuillier placed confidence； and for a sum of
twenty…five thousand francs （a mere trifle to the police）； this
treacherous friend agreed to insert into the pamphlet three or four
phrases which exposed it to seizure and caused its author to be
summoned before the court of assizes。 Now the way to make the
explanation clinch the doubt in Thuillier's mind is to let him know
that the next day la Peyrade； who； as Thuillier knew； hadn't a sou；
paid Dutocq precisely that very sum of twenty…five thousand francs。〃
〃The devil！〃 cried Cerizet； 〃it isn't a bad trick。 Fellows of the
Thuillier species will believe anything against the police。〃
〃We shall see； then；〃 continued du Portail； 〃whether Thuillier will
want to keep such a collaborator beside him； and above all； whether he
will be so eager to give him his goddaughter。〃
〃You are a strong man； monsieur；〃 said Cerizet； again expressing his
approbation； 〃but I must own that I feel some scruples at the part
assigned me。 La Peyrade came and offered me the management of the
paper； and； you see； I should be working to evict him。〃
〃And that lease he knocked you out of in spite of his promises； have
you forgotten that？〃 asked the little old man。 〃Besides； are we not
aiming for his happiness； though the obstinate fellow persists in
thwarting our benevolent intentions？〃
〃It is true；〃 said Cerizet； 〃that the result will absolve me。 Yes；
I'll go resolutely along the ingenious path you've traced out for me。
But there's one thing more： I can't fling my revelation at Thuillier's
head at the very first； I must have time to prepare the way for it；
but that security will have to be paid in immediately。〃
〃Listen to me； Monsieur Cerizet；〃 said du Portail； in a tone of
author