poorer than you are； and if friend Peyrade here； who seems to be more
in your confidence； hadn't his tongue tied by the rules of his
profession〃
〃I！〃 said la Peyrade； hastily； 〃I don't know anything of madame's
affairs。 She asked me to draw up a petition on a matter in which there
was nothing judicial or financial。〃
〃Ah！ that's it； is it？〃 said Cerizet。 〃Madame had doubtless gone to
see you about this petition the day Dutocq met her at your office； the
morning after our dinner at the Rocher de Cancalewhen you were such
a Roman； you know。〃
Then； without seeming to attach any importance to the reminiscence； he
added：
〃Well； my good Madame Lambert； I'll ask my patron to speak to the
justice…of…peace； and； if I get a chance； I'll speak to him myself；
but； I repeat it； he is very much prejudiced against you。〃
Madame Lambert retired with many curtseys and protestations of
gratitude。 When she was fairly gone la Peyrade remarked：
〃You don't seem to believe that that woman came to me about a
petition； and yet nothing was ever truer。 She is thought a saint in
the street she lives in； and that old man they accuse her of robbing
is actually kept alive by her devotion； so I'm told。 Consequently； the
neighbors have put it into the good woman's head to apply for the
Montyon prize； and it was for the purpose of putting her claims in
legal shape that she applied to me。〃
〃Dear！ dear！ the Montyon prize！〃 cried Cerizet； 〃well； that's an idea！
My good fellow； we ought to have cultivated it before；I； especially；
as banker of the poor； and you； their advocate。 As for this client of
yours； it is lucky for her Monsieur Picot's relatives are not members
of the French academy； it is in the correctional police…court； sixth
chamber； where they mean to give her the reward of virtue。 However； to
come back to what we were talking about。 I tell you that after all
your tergiversations you had better settle down peaceably； and I
advise you； as your countess did； to go and see du Portail。〃
〃Who and what is he？〃 asked la Peyrade。
〃He is a little old man；〃 replied Cerizet； 〃as shrewd as a weasel。 He
gives me the idea of having dealings with the devil。 Go and see him！
Sight； as they say； costs nothing。〃
〃Yes；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃perhaps I will； but； first of all； I want you
to find out for me about this Comtesse de Godollo。〃
〃What do you care about her？ She is nothing but a supernumerary； that
countess。〃
〃I have my reasons；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃you can certainly get some
information about her in three days； I'll come and see you then。〃
〃My good fellow；〃 said Cerizet； 〃you seem to me to be amusing yourself
with things that don't pay； you haven't fallen in love with that go…
between； have you？〃
〃Plague take him！〃 thought la Peyrade； 〃he spies everything； there's
no hiding anything from him！ No；〃 he said； aloud； 〃I am not in love；
on the contrary； I am very cautious。 I must admit that this marriage
with a crazy girl doesn't attract me； and before I go a step into it I
want to know where I put my feet。 These crooked proceedings are not
reassuring； and as so many influences are being brought to bear； I
choose to control one by another。 Therefore don't play sly； but give
me all the information you get into your pouch about Madame la
Comtesse Torna de Godollo。 I warn you I know enough to test the
veracity of your report； and if I see you are trying to overreach me
I'll break off short with your du Portail。〃
〃Trying to overreach you； monseigneur！〃 replied Cerizet； in the tone
and manner of Frederic Lemaitre。 〃Who would dare attempt it？〃
As he pronounced those words in a slightly mocking tone； Dutocq
appeared； accompanied by his little clerk。
〃Bless me！〃 he exclaimed； seeing la Peyrade and Cerizet together；
〃here's the trinity reconstituted！ but the object of the alliance； the
'casus foederis；' has floated off。 What have you done to that good
Brigitte； la Peyrade？ She is after your blood。〃
〃What about Thuillier？〃 asked la Peyrade。
Moliere was reversed； here was Tartuffe inquiring for Orgon。
〃Thuillier began by not being very hostile to you； but it now seems
that the seizure business has taken a good turn； and having less need
of you he is getting drawn into his sister's waters； and if the
tendency continues； I haven't a doubt that he'll soon come to think
you deserving of hanging。〃
〃Well； I'm out of it all；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃and if anybody ever
catches me in such a mess again！Well； adieu； my friends；〃 he added。
〃And you； Cerizet； as to what we were speaking about； activity；
safety； and discretion！〃
When la Peyrade reached the courtyard of the municipal building； he
was accosted by Madame Lambert； who was lying in wait for him。
〃Monsieur wouldn't believe； I am sure；〃 she said； in a deprecating
tone； 〃the villainous things that Monsieur Cerizet said about me；
monsieur knows it was the little property I received from my uncle in
England that I placed in his hands。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃but you must understand that with all
these rumors set about by your master's relatives the prize of virtue
is desperately endangered。〃
〃If it is God's will that I am not to have it〃
〃You ought also to understand how important it is for your interests
to keep secret the other service which I did for you。 At the first
appearance of any indiscretion on your part that money； as I told you；
will be peremptorily returned to you。〃
〃Oh！ monsieur may be easy about that。〃
〃Very well； then good…bye to you； my dear；〃 said la Peyrade； in a
friendly tone。
As he turned to leave her； a nasal voice was heard from a window on
the staircase。
〃Madame Lambert！〃 cried Cerizet； who； suspecting the colloquy； had
gone to the staircase window to make sure of it。 〃Madame Lambert！
Monsieur Dutocq has returned； you may come up and see him； if you
like。〃
Impossible for la Peyrade to prevent the conference； although he knew
the secret of that twenty…five thousand francs ran the greatest
danger。
〃Certainly；〃 he said to himself as he walked away； 〃I'm in a run of
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