leave their old home in the Latin quarter。
At this period； when his power and credit had reached their apogee；
Theodose considered his marriage a settled thing； and he now felt an
almost childish haste to spring into the sphere of elegance which
seemed henceforth to be his future。 He had therefore furthered the
inducements of the countess； feeling that he thus sent the Thuilliers
before him to make his bed in the splendid apartment he intended to
share with them。 By thus removing them from their old home he saw
another advantage；that of withdrawing Celeste from daily intercourse
with a rival who seemed to him dangerous。 Deprived of the advantage of
propinquity； Felix would be forced to make his visits farther apart；
and therefore there would be greater facilities to ruin him in the
girl's heart； where he was installed on condition of giving religious
satisfaction；a requirement to which he showed himself refractory。
But in all these plans and schemes various drawbacks confronted him。
To enlarge the horizon of the Thuilliers was for la Peyrade to run the
chance of creating competition for the confidence and admiration of
which he had been till then the exclusive object。 In the sort of
provincial life they had hitherto lived； Brigitte and his dear； good
friend placed him； for want of comparison； at a height from which the
juxtaposition of other superiorities and elegances must bring him
down。 So； then； apart from the blows covertly dealt him by Madame de
Godollo； the idea of the transpontine emigration had proved to be； on
the whole； a bad one。
The Collevilles had followed their friends the Thuilliers； to the new
house near the Madeleine； where an entresol at the back had been
conceded to them at a price conformable to their budget。 But
Colleville declared it lacked light and air； and being obliged to go
daily from the boulevard of the Madeleine to the faubourg Saint…
Jacques； where his office was； he fumed against the arrangement of
which he was the victim； and felt at times that la Peyrade was a
tyrant。 Madame Colleville； on the other hand； had flung herself into
an alarming orgy of bonnets； mantles； and new gowns； requiring the
presentation of a mass of bills； which led not infrequently to scenes
in the household which were more or less stormy。 As for Celeste； she
had undoubtedly fewer opportunities to see young Phellion； but she had
also fewer chances to rush into religious controversy； and absence；
which is dangerous to none but inferior attachments； made her think
more tenderly and less theologically of the man of her dreams。
But all these false calculations of Theodose were as nothing in the
balance with another cause for his diminishing influence which was now
to weigh heavily on his situation。
He had assured Thuillier that； after a short delay and the payment of
ten thousand francs； to which his dear； good friend submitted with
tolerable grace； the cross of the Legion of honor would arrive to
realize the secret desire of all his life。 Two months had now passed
without a sign of that glorious rattle； and the former sub…director；
who would have felt such joy in parading his red ribbon on the
boulevard of the Madeleine； of which he was now one of the most
assiduous promenaders； had nothing to adorn his buttonhole but the
flowers of the earth； the privilege of everybody；of which he was far
less proud than Beranger。
La Peyrade had； to be sure； mentioned an unforeseen and inexplicable
difficulty by which all the efforts of the Comtesse du Bruel had been
paralyzed； but Thuillier did not take comfort in the explanation； and
on certain days； when the disappointment became acute； he was very
near saying with Chicaneau in Les Plaideurs； 〃Return my money。〃
However； no outbreak happened； for la Peyrade held him in leash by the
famous pamphlet on 〃Taxation and the Sliding…Scale〃； the conclusion of
which had been suspended during the excitement of the moving； for
during that agitating period Thuillier had been unable to give proper
care to the correction of proofs； about which； we may remember； he had
reserved the right of punctilious examination。 La Peyrade had now
reached a point when he was forced to see that； in order to restore
his influence； which was daily evaporating； he must strike some grand
blow； and it was precisely this nagging and vexatious fancy about the
proofs that the barrister decided to take as the starting…point of a
scheme； both deep and adventurous； which came into his mind。
One day； when the pair were engaged on the sheets of the pamphlet； a
discussion arose upon the word 〃nepotism；〃 which Thuillier wished to
eliminate from one of la Peyrade's sentences； declaring that never had
he met with it anywhere； it was pure neologismwhich； to the literary
notions of the bourgeoisie； is equivalent to the idea of 1793 and the
Terror。
Generally la Peyrade took the ridiculous remarks of his dear； good
friend pretty patiently； but on this occasion he made himself
exceedingly excited； and signified to Thuillier that he might
terminate himself a work to which he applied such luminous and
intelligent criticism； after which remark he departed and was not seen
again for several days。
At first Thuillier supposed this outbreak to be a mere passing effect
of ill…humor； but when la Peyrade's absence grew prolonged he felt the
necessity of taking some conciliatory step； and accordingly he went to
see the barrister； intending to make honorable amends and so put an
end to his sulkiness。 Wishing； however； to give this advance an air
which allowed an honest issue to his own self…love； he entered la
Peyrade's room with an easy manner； and said； cheerfully：
〃Well； my dear fellow； it turns out that we were both right：
'nepotism' means the authority that the nephews of popes take in
public affairs。 I have searched the dictionary and it gives no other
explanation； but； from what Phellion tells me； I find that in the
political vocabulary the meaning of the word has been extended to
cover the influence which corrupt ministers permit certain persons to
exercise illegally。 I think； therefore； that we may retain the
expression； though it is certainly not taken in that sense by Napoleon
Landais。〃
La Peyrade； who； in receiving his visitor； had affected to be
extremely busy in sorting his papers； contented himself by shrugging
his shoulders and saying nothing。
〃Well；〃 said Thuillier； 〃have you got the last proofs？ We ought to be
getting on。〃
〃If you have sent nothing to the printing…office；〃 replied la Peyrade；
〃of course there are no proofs。 I myself haven't touched the
manuscript。〃
〃But； my dear Theodose；〃 said Thuillier； 〃it isn't possible that for
such a trifle you are affronted。 I don't pretend to be a writer； only
as my name is on the book I have； I think； the right to my opinion
about a word。〃
〃But 'Mossie' Phellion；〃 replied Theodose； 〃is a writer； and inasmuch
as you have consulted him； I don't see why you can't engage him to
finish the work in which； for my part； I have resolved not to
co…operate any longer。〃
〃Heavens！ what temper！〃 cried Thuillier； 〃here you are furious just
because I seemed to question a word and then consulted some one。 You
know very well that I have read passages to Phellion； Colleville；
Minard； and Barniol as if the work were mine； in order to see the
effect it would produce upon the public； but that's no reason why I
should be willing to give my name to the things they are capable of
writing。 Do you wish me to give you a proof of the confidence I have
in you？ Madame la Comtesse de Godollo； to whom I read a few pages last
night； told me that the pamphlet was likely to get me into trouble
with the authorities； but I wouldn't allow what she said to have any
influence upon me。〃
〃Well；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃I think that the oracle of the family sees
the matter clearly； and I've no desire to bring your head to the
scaffold。〃
〃All that is nonsense；〃 said Thuillier。 〃Have you； or have you not； an
intention to leave me in the lurch？〃
〃Literary questions make more quarrels among friends than political
questions；〃 replied Theodose。 〃I wish to put an end to these
discussions between us。〃
〃But； my dear Theodose； never have I assumed to be a literary man。 I
think I have sound common…sense； and I say out my ideas； you can't be
angry at that； and if you play me this trick； and refuse to
collaborate any longer； it is because you have some other grudge
against me that I know nothing about。〃
〃I don't see why you call it a trick。 There's nothing easier for you
than not to write a pamphlet； you'll simply be Jerome Thuillier； as
before。〃
〃And yet it was you yourself who declared that this publication would
help my election； besides； I repeat； I have read passages to all our
friends； I have announced the matter in the municipal council； and if
the work were not to appear I should be dishonored； people would be
sure to say the government had bought me up。〃
〃You have only to say that you are the friend of Phellion； the
incorruptible； that will clear you。 You might even give Celeste to his
booby of a son； that alliance would certainly protect you from all
suspicion。〃
〃Theodose；〃 said Thuillier； 〃there is something in your mind that you
don't tell me。 It is not natural that for a simple quarrel about a
word you should wish to lose a friend like me。〃
〃Well； yes； there is；〃 replied la Peyrade； with the air of a man who
makes up his mind to speak out。 〃I don't like ingratitude。〃
〃Nor I either； I don't like it；〃 said Thuillier； hotly； 〃and if you
accuse me of so base an action； I summon you to explain yourself。 We
must get out of these hints and innuendoes。 What do you complain of？
What have you against a man whom only a few days ago you called your
friend？〃
〃Nothing and everything；〃 replied la Peyrade。 〃You and your sister are
much too clever to break openly with a man who； at the risk of his
reputation； has put a million in your hands。 But I am not so simple
that I don't know how to detect changes。 There are people about you
who have set themselves； in an underhand way； to destroy me； and
Brigitte has only one thought； and that is； how to find a decent