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him ready…made。
〃Monsieur le maire is not mistaken；〃 he said； with decision。
〃Tiens！ so you know her； too；〃 said Brigitte； 〃and you let us consort
with such vermin？〃
〃No；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃on the contrary。 Without scandal； without
saying a word to any one； I removed her from your house。 You remember
how suddenly the woman left it？ It was I who compelled her to do so；
having discovered what she was； I gave her two days to leave the
premises； threatening her； in case she hesitated； to tell you all。〃
〃My dear Theodose；〃 said Thuillier； pressing his hand； 〃you acted with
as much prudence as decision。 This is one more obligation that we owe
to you。〃
〃You see； mademoiselle；〃 said la Peyrade； addressing Celeste； 〃the
strange protectress whom a friend of yours selected。〃
〃Thank God；〃 said Madame Thuillier。 〃Felix Phellion is above such vile
things。〃
〃Ah ca！ papa Minard； we'll keep quiet about all this； silence is the
word。 Will you take a cup of tea？〃
〃Willingly；〃 replied Minard。
〃Celeste；〃 said the old maid； 〃ring for Henri； and tell him to put the
large kettle on the fire。〃
Though the visit to the notary was not to be made till two in the
afternoon； Brigitte began early in the morning of the next day what
Thuillier called her RAMPAGE； a popular term which expresses that
turbulent； nagging； irritating activity which La Fontaine has
described so well in his fable of 〃The Old Woman and her Servants。〃
Brigitte declared that if you didn't take time by the forelock no one
would be ready。 She prevented Thuillier from going to his office；
insisting that if he once got off she never should see him again； she
plagued Josephine； the cook； about hurrying the breakfast； and in
spite of what had happened the day before she scarcely restrained
herself from nagging at Madame Thuillier； who did not enter； as she
thought she should have done； into her favorite maxim； 〃Better be
early than late。〃
Presently down she went to the Collevilles' to make the same
disturbance； and there she put her veto on the costume； far too
elegant； which Flavie meditated wearing； and told Celeste the hat and
gown she wished her to appear in。 As for Colleville； who could not； he
declared； stay away all the morning from his official duties； she
compelled him to put on his dress…suit before he went out； made him
set his watch by hers； and warned him that if he was late no one would
wait for him。
The amusing part of it was that Brigitte herself； after driving every
one at the point of the bayonet； came very near being late herself。
Under pretext of aiding others； independently of minding her own
business； which； for worlds； she would never have spared herself； she
had put her fingers and eyes into so many things that they ended by
overwhelming her。 However； she ascribed the delay in which she was
almost caught to the hairdresser； whom she had sent for to make； on
this extraordinary occasion； what she called her 〃part。〃 That artist
having； unadvisedly； dressed her hair in the fashion； he was
compelled； after she had looked at herself in the glass； to do his
work over again； and conform to the usual style of his client； which
consisted chiefly in never being 〃done〃 at all； a method that gave her
head a general air of what is vulgarly called 〃a cross cat。〃
About half…past one o'clock la Peyrade； Thuillier； Colleville； Madame
Thuillier； and Celeste were assembled in the salon。 Flavie joined them
soon after； fastening her bracelets as she came along to avoid a
rebuff； and having the satisfaction of knowing that she was ready
before Brigitte。 As for the latter； already furious at finding herself
late； she had another cause for exasperation。 The event of the day
seemed to require a corset； a refinement which she usually discarded。
The unfortunate maid； whose duty it was to lace her and to discover
the exact point to which she was willing to be drawn in； alone knew
the terrors and storms of a corset day。
〃I'd rather；〃 said the girl； 〃lace the obelisk； I know it would lend
itself to being laced better than she does； and； anyhow； it couldn't
be bad…tongued。〃
While the party in the salon were amusing themselves； under their
breaths； at the 〃flagrante delicto〃 of unpunctuality in which Queen
Elizabeth was caught； the porter entered； and gave to Thuillier a
sealed package； addressed to 〃Monsieur Thuillier； director of the
'Echo de la Bievre。' IN HASTE。〃
Thuillier opened the envelope； and found within a copy of a
ministerial journal which had hitherto shown itself discourteous to
the new paper by refusing the EXCHANGE which all periodicals usually
make very willingly with one another。
Puzzled by the fact of this missive being sent to his own house and
not to the office of the 〃Echo；〃 Thuillier hastily opened the sheet；
and read； with what emotion the reader may conceive； the following
article； commended to his notice by a circle in red ink：
An obscure organ was about to expire in its native shade when an
ambitious person of recent date bethought himself of galvanizing
it。 His object was to make it a foothold by which to climb from
municipal functions to the coveted position of deputy。 Happily
this object； having come to the surface； will end in failure。
Electors will certainly not be inveigled by so wily a manner of
advancing self…interests； and when the proper time arrives； if
ridicule has not already done justice on this absurd candidacy； we
shall ourselves prove to the pretender that to aspire to the
distinguished honor of representing the nation something more is
required than the money to buy a paper and pay an underling to put
into good French the horrible diction of his articles and
pamphlets。 We confine ourselves to…day to this limited notice； but
our readers may be sure that we shall keep them informed about
this electoral comedy； if indeed the parties concerned have the
melancholy courage to go on with it。
Thuillier read twice over this sudden declaration of war； which was
far from leaving him calm and impassible； then； taking la Peyrade
aside； he said to him：
〃Read that； it is serious。〃
〃Well？〃 said la Peyrade； after reading the article。
〃Well？ how well？〃 exclaimed Thuillier。
〃I mean； what do you find so serious in that？〃
〃What do I find so serious？〃 repeated Thuillier。 〃I don't think
anything could be more insulting to me。〃
〃You can't doubt；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃that the virtuous Cerizet is at
the bottom of it； he has thrown this firecracker between your legs by
way of revenge。〃
〃Cerizet； or anybody else who wrote that diatribe is an insolent
fellow；〃 cried Thuillier； getting angry； 〃and the matter shall not
rest there。〃
〃For my part；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃I advise you to make no reply。 You
are not named； though； of course； the attack is aimed at you。 But you
ought to let our adversary commit himself farther； when the right
moment comes； we'll rap him over the knuckles。〃
〃No！〃 said Thuillier； 〃I won't stay quiet one minute under such an
insult。〃
〃The devil！〃 said the barrister； 〃what a sensitive epidermis！ Do
reflect； my dear fellow； that you have made yourself a candidate and a
journalist； and therefore you really must harden yourself better than
that。〃
〃My good friend； it is a principle of mine not to let anybody step on
my toes。 Besides； they say themselves they are going on with this
thing。 Therefore； it is absolutely necessary to cut short such
impertinence。〃
〃But do consider；〃 said la Peyrade。 〃Certainly in journalism； as in
candidacy； a hot temper has its uses； a man makes himself respected；
and stops attacks〃
〃Just so；〃 said Thuillier； 〃'principiis obsta。' Not to…day； because we
haven't the time； but to…morrow I shall carry that paper into court。〃
〃Into court！〃 echoed la Peyrade； 〃you surely wouldn't go to law in
such a matter as this？ In the first place； there is nothing to proceed
upon； you are not named nor the paper either； and； besides； it is a
pitiable business； going to law； you'll look like a boy who has been
fighting； and got the worst of it； and runs to complain to his mamma。
Now if you had said that you meant to make Fleury intervene in the
matter； I could understand thatthough the affair is rather personal
to you； and it might be difficult to make it seem〃
〃Ah ca！〃 said Thuillier； 〃do you suppose I am going to commit myself
with a Cerizet or any other newspaper bully？ I pique myself； my dear
fellow； on possessing civic courage； which does not give in to
prejudices； and which； instead of taking justice into its own hands；
has recourse to the means of defence that are provided by law。
Besides； with the legal authority the Court of Cassation now has over
duelling； I have no desire to put myself in the way of being
expatriated； or spending two or three years in prison。〃
〃Well；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃we'll talk it over later； here's your
sister； and she would think everything lost if this little matter
reached her ears。〃
When Brigitte appeared Colleville shouted 〃Full！〃 and proceeded to
sing the chorus of 〃La Parisienne。〃
〃Heavens！ Colleville； how vulgar you are！〃 cried the tardy one；
hastening to cast a stone in the other's gar