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〃Madame；〃 said la Peyrade； gaily； 〃excuse me for thus frightening you；
the notary Dupuis is still a very saintly man； and quite incapable of
doing an injury to his clients。 As for monsieur here； it was necessary
that I should prove to him that you had really placed that money in my
hands； he is； however； another myself； and your secret； though known
to him； is as safe as it is with me。〃
〃Oh； very good； monsieur！〃 said Madame Lambert。 〃I suppose these
gentlemen have no further need of me？〃
〃No； my dear madame； and I beg you to pardon me for the little terror
I was compelled to occasion you。〃
Madame Lambert turned to leave the room with all the appearance of
respectful humility； but when she reached the door； she retraced her
steps； and coming close to la Peyrade said； in her smoothest tones：
〃When does monsieur expect to be able to refund me that money？〃
〃But I told you；〃 said la Peyrade； stiffly； 〃that notaries never
return on demand the money placed in their hands。〃
〃Does monsieur think that if I went to see Monsieur Dupuis himself and
asked him〃
〃I think；〃 said la Peyrade； interrupting her； 〃that you would do a
most ridiculous thing。 He received the money from me in my own name；
as you requested； and he knows only me in the matter。〃
〃Then monsieur will be so kind； will he not； as to get back that money
for me as soon as possible？ I am sure I would not wish to press
monsieur； but in two or three months from now I may want it； I have
heard of a little property it would suit me to buy。〃
〃Very good； Madame Lambert；〃 said la Peyrade； with well…concealed
irritation； 〃it shall be done as you wish； and in less time； perhaps；
than you have stated I shall hope to return your money to you。〃
〃That won't inconvenience monsieur； I trust；〃 said the woman； 〃he told
me that at the first indiscretion I committed〃
〃Yes； yes； that is all understood；〃 said la Peyrade； interrupting her。
〃Then I have the honor to be the very humble servant of these
gentlemen；〃 said Madame Lambert； now departing definitively。
〃You see； my friend； the trouble you have got me into；〃 said la
Peyrade to Thuillier as soon as they were alone； 〃and to what I am
exposed by my kindness in satisfying your diseased mind。 That debt was
dormant； it was in a chronic state； and you have waked it up and made
it acute。 The woman brought me the money and insisted on my keeping
it； at a good rate of interest。 I refused at first； then I agreed to
place it in Dupuis's hands； explaining to her that it couldn't be
withdrawn at once； but subsequently； when Dutocq pressed me； I
decided； after all； to keep it myself。〃
〃I am dreadfully sorry； dear friend； for my silly credulity。 But don't
be uneasy about the exactions of that woman； we will manage to arrange
all that； even if I have to make you an advance upon Celeste's 'dot。'〃
〃My excellent friend；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃it is absolutely necessary
that we should talk over our private arrangements； to tell you the
truth； I have no fancy for being hauled up every morning and
questioned as to my conduct。 Just now； while waiting for that woman； I
drew up a little agreement； which you and I will discuss and sign； if
you please； before the first number of the paper is issued。〃
〃But；〃 said Thuillier； 〃our deed of partnership seems to me to
settle〃
〃that by a paltry forfeit of five thousand francs； as stated in
Article 14；〃 interrupted Theodose； 〃you can put me； when you choose；
out of doors。 No； I thank you！ After my experience to…day； I want some
better security than that。〃
At this moment Cerizet with a lively and all…conquering air； entered
the room。
〃My masters！〃 he exclaimed； 〃I've brought the money； and we can now
sign the bond。〃
Then； remarking that his news was received with extreme coldness； he
added：
〃Well？ what is it？〃
〃It is this；〃 replied Thuillier： 〃I refuse to be associated with
double…face men and calumniators。 We have no need of you or your
money； and I request you not to honor these precincts any longer with
your presence。〃
〃Dear！ dear！ dear！〃 said Cerizet； 〃so papa Thuillier has let the wool
be pulled over his eyes again！〃
〃Leave the room！〃 said Thuillier； 〃you have nothing more to do here。〃
〃Hey； my boy！〃 said Cerizet； turning to la Peyrade； 〃so you've twisted
the old bourgeois round your finger again？ Well； well； no matter！ I
think you are making a mistake not to go and see du Portail； and I
shall tell him〃
〃Leave this house！〃 cried Thuillier； in a threatening tone。
〃Please remember； my dear monsieur； that I never asked you to employ
me； I was well enough off before you sent for me； and I shall be
after。 But I'll give you a piece of advice： don't pay the twenty…five
thousand francs out of your own pocket； for that's hanging to your
nose。〃
So saying； Cerizet put his thirty…three thousand francs in banknotes
back into his wallet； took his hat from the table； carefully smoothed
the nap with his forearm and departed。
Thuillier had been led by Cerizet into what proved to be a most
disastrous campaign。 Now become the humble servant of la Peyrade； he
was forced to accept his conditions； which were as follows： five
hundred francs a month for la Peyrade's services in general； his
editorship of the paper to be paid at the rate of fifty francs a
column；which was simply enormous； considering the small size of the
sheet； a binding pledge to continue the publication of the paper for
six months； under pain of the forfeiture of fifteen thousand francs；
an absolute omnipotence in the duties of editor…in…chief；that is to
say； the sovereign right of inserting； controlling； and rejecting all
articles without being called to explain the reasons of his actions；
such were the stipulations of a treaty in duplicate made openly； 〃in
good faith；〃 between the contracting parties。 BUT； in virtue of
another and secret agreement； Thuillier gave security for the payment
of the twenty…five thousand francs for which la Peyrade was
accountable to Madame Lambert； binding the said Sieur de la Peyrade；
in case the payment were required before his marriage with Celeste
Colleville could take place； to acknowledge the receipt of said sum
advanced upon the dowry。
Matters being thus arranged and accepted by the candidate； who saw no
chance of election if he lost la Peyrade； Thuillier was seized with a
happy thought。 He went to the Cirque…Olympique； where he remembered to
have seen in the ticket…office a former employee in his office at the
ministry of Finance；a man named Fleury； to whom he proposed the post
of manager。 Fleury； being an old soldier； a good shot； and a skilful
fencer； would certainly make himself an object of respect in a
newspaper office。 The working…staff of the paper being thus
reconstituted； with the exception of a few co…editors or reporters to
be added later； but whom la Peyrade； thanks to the facility of his
pen； was able for the present to do without； the first number of the
new paper was launched upon the world。
Thuillier now recommenced the explorations about Paris which we saw
him make on the publication of his pamphlet。 Entering all reading…
rooms and cafes； he asked for the 〃Echo de la Bievre；〃 and when
informed； alas； very frequently； that the paper was unknown in this or
that establishment； 〃It is incredible！〃 he would exclaim； 〃that a
house which respects itself does not take such a widely known paper。〃
On that； he departed disdainfully； not observing that in many places；
where this ancient trick of commercial travellers was well understood；
they were laughing behind his back。
The evening of the day when the inauguration number containing the
〃profession of faith〃 appeared； Brigitte's salon； although the day was
not Sunday； was filled with visitors。 Reconciled to la Peyrade； whom
her brother had brought home to dinner； the old maid went so far as to
tell him that； without flattery； she thought his leading article was a
famous HIT。 For that matter； all the guests as they arrived； reported
that the public seemed enchanted with the first number of the new
journal。
The public！ everybody knows what that is。 To every man who launches a
bit of writing into the world； the public consists of five or six
intimates who cannot； without offending the author； avoid knowing
something more or less of his lucubrations。
〃As for me！〃 cried Colleville； 〃I can truthfully declare that it is
the first political article I ever read that didn't send me to sleep。〃
〃It is certain；〃 said Phellion； 〃that the leading article seems to me
to be stamped with vigor joined to an atticism which we may seek in
vain in the columns of the other public prints。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Dutocq； 〃the matter is very well presented； and besides；
there's a turn of phrase； a clever diction； that doesn't belong to
everybody。 However； we must wait and see how it keeps on。 I fancy that
to…morrow the 'Echo de la Bievre' will be strongly attacked by the
other papers。〃
〃Parbleu！〃 cried Thuillier； 〃that's what we are hoping for； and if the
government would only do us the favor to seize us〃
〃No； thank you；〃 said Fleury； whom Thuillier had also brought home to
dinner； 〃I don't want to enter upon t