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to myself to have no more to do with newspapers。 It was about another
matter altogether than I came to speak to you。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Thuillier。
〃Yes；〃 continued Cerizet； 〃remembering the business…like manner in
which you managed the affair of this house in which you do me the
honor to receive me； I thought I could not do better than to call your
attention to a matter of the same kind which I have just now in hand。
But I shall not do as la Peyrade did；make a bargain for the hand of
your goddaughter； and profess great friendship and devotion to you
personally。 This is purely business； and I expect to make my profit
out of it。 Now； as I still desire to become the principal tenant of
this house；the letting of which must be a care and a disappointment
to mademoiselle； for I saw as I came along that the shops were still
unrented；I think that this lease to me； if you will make it； might
be reckoned in to my share of the profits。 You see； monsieur； that the
object of my visit has nothing to do with the newspaper。〃
〃What is this new affair？〃 said Brigitte； 〃that's the first thing to
know。〃
〃It relates to a farm in Beauce； which has just been sold for a song；
and it is placed in my hands to resell； at an advance； but a small
one； you could really buy it； as the saying is； for a bit of bread。〃
And Cerizet went on to explain the whole mechanism of the affair；
which we need not relate here； as no one but Brigitte would take any
interest in it。 The statement was clear and precise； and it took close
hold on the old maid's mind。 Even Thuillier himself； in spite of his
inward distrust； was obliged to own that the affair had all the
appearance of a good speculation。
〃Only；〃 said Brigitte； 〃we must first see the farm ourselves。〃
This； the reader will remember； was her answer to la Peyrade when he
first proposed the purchase of the house at the Madeleine。
〃Nothing is easier than that；〃 said Cerizet。 〃I myself want to see it；
and I have been intending to make a little excursion there。 If you
like； I'll be at your door this afternoon with a post…chaise； and
to…morrow morning； very early； we can examine the farm； breakfast at
some inn near by； and be back in time for dinner。〃
〃A post…chaise！〃 said Brigitte； 〃that's very lordly； why not take the
diligence？〃
〃Diligences are so uncertain；〃 replied Cerizet； 〃you never know at
what time they will get to a place。 But you need not think about the
expense； for I should otherwise go alone； and I am only too happy to
offer you two seats in my carriage。〃
To misers； small gains are often determining causes in great matters；
after a little resistance 〃pro forma；〃 Brigitte ended by accepting the
proposal； and three hours later the trio were on the road to Chartres；
Cerizet having advised Thuillier not to let la Peyrade know of his
absence； lest he might take some unfair advantage of it。
The next day； by five o'clock； the party had returned； and the brother
and sister； who kept their opinions to themselves in presence of
Cerizet； were both agreed that the purchase was a good one。 They had
found the soil of the best quality； the buildings in perfect repair；
the cattle looked sound and healthy； in short； this idea of becoming
the mistress of rural property seemed to Brigitte the final
consecration of opulence。
〃Minard；〃 she remarked； 〃has only a town…house and invested capital；
whereas we shall have all that and a country…place besides； one can't
be really rich without it。〃
Thuillier was not sufficiently under the charm of that dreamthe
realization of which was； in any case； quite distantto forget； even
for a moment； the 〃Echo de la Bievre〃 and his candidacy。 No sooner had
he reached home than he asked for the morning's paper。
〃It has not come；〃 said the 〃male domestic。〃
〃That's a fine distribution； when even the owner of the paper is not
served！〃 cried Thuillier； discontentedly。
Although it was nearly dinner…time； and after his journey he would
much rather have taken a bath than rush to the rue Saint…Dominique；
Thuillier ordered a cab and drove at once to the office of the 〃Echo。〃
There a fresh disappointment met him。 The paper 〃was made；〃 as they
say； and all the employees had departed； even la Peyrade。 As for
Coffinet； who was not to be found at his post of office…boy； nor yet
at his other post of porter； he had gone 〃of an errand；〃 his wife
said； taking the key of the closet in which the remaining copies of
the paper were locked up。 Impossible； therefore； to procure the number
which the unfortunate proprietor had come so far to fetch。
To describe Thuillier's indignation would be impossible。 He marched up
and down the room； talking aloud to himself； as people do in moments
of excitement。
〃I'll turn them all out！〃 he cried。 And we are forced to omit the rest
of the furious objurgation。
As he ended his anathema a rap was heard on the door。
〃Come in！〃 said Thuillier； in a tone that depicted his wrath and his
frantic impatience。
The door opened； and Minard rushed precipitately into his arms。
〃My good； my excellent friend！〃 cried the mayor of the eleventh
arrondissement； concluding his embrace with a hearty shake of the
hand。
〃Why！ what is it？〃 said Thuillier； unable to comprehend the warmth of
this demonstration。
〃Ah！ my dear friend；〃 continued Minard； 〃such an admirable proceeding！
really chivalrous！ most disinterested！ The effect； I assure you； is
quite stupendous in the arrondissement。〃
〃But what； I say？〃 cried Thuillier； impatiently。
〃The article； the whole action；〃 continued Minard； 〃so noble； so
elevated！〃
〃But what article？ what action？〃 said the proprietor of the 〃Echo；〃
getting quite beside himself。
〃The article of this morning；〃 said Minard。
〃The article of this morning？〃
〃Ah ca！ did you write it when you were asleep； or； like Monsieur
Jourdain doing prose； do you do heroism without knowing it？〃
〃I！ I haven't written any article！〃 cried Thuillier。 〃I have been away
from Paris for a day； and I don't even know what is in this morning's
paper； and the office…boy is not here to give me a copy。〃
〃I have one；〃 said Minard； pulling the much desired paper from his
pocket。 〃If the article is not years you have certainly inspired it；
in any case； the deed is done。〃
Thuillier hurriedly unfolded the sheet Minard had given him； and
devoured rather than read the following article：
Long enough has the proprietor of this regenerated journal
submitted without complaint and without reply to the cowardly
insinuations with which a venal press insults all citizens who；
strong in their convictions； refuse to pass beneath the Caudine
Forks of power。 Long enough has a man； who has already given
proofs of devotion and abnegation in the important functions of
the aedility of Paris； allowed these sheets to call him ambitious
and self…seeking。 Monsieur Jerome Thuillier； strong in his
dignity； has suffered such coarse attacks to pass him with
contempt。 Encouraged by this disdainful silence； the stipendiaries
of the press have dared to write that this journal； a work of
conviction and of the most disinterested patriotism； was but the
stepping…stone of a man； the speculation of a seeker for election。
Monsieur Jerome Thuillier has held himself impassible before these
shameful imputations because justice and truth are patient； and he
bided his time to scotch the reptile。 That time has come。
〃That deuce of a Peyrade！〃 said Thuillier； stopping short； 〃how he
does touch it off！〃
〃It is magnificent！〃 cried Minard。
Reading aloud； Thuillier continued：
Every one； friends and enemies alike； can bear witness that
Monsieur Jerome Thuillier has done nothing to seek a candidacy
which was offered to him spontaneously。
〃That's evident；〃 said Thuillier； interrupting himself。 Then he
resumed：
But； since his sentiments are so odiously misrepresented； and his
intentions so falsely travestied； Monsieur Jerome Thuillier owes
it to himself； and above all to the great national party of which
he is the humblest soldier； to give an example which shall
confound the vile sycophants of power。
〃It is fine； the way la Peyrade poses me！〃 said Thuillier； pausing
once more in his reading。 〃I see now why he didn't send me the paper；
he wanted to enjoy my surprise'confound the vile sycophants of
power！' how fine that is！〃
After which reflection； he continued：
Monsieur Thuillier was so far from founding this journal of
dynastic opposition to support and promote his election that； at
the very moment when the prospects of that election seem most
favorable to himself and most disastrous to his rivals； he here
declares publicly； and in the most formal； absolute； and
irrevocable manner that he RENOUNCES HIS CANDIDACY。
〃What？〃 cried Thuillier； thinking he had read wrong； or had
misunderstood what he read。
〃Go on！ go on！〃 said the mayor of the eleventh。
Then； as Thuillier； with a bewildered air； seemed not disposed to
continue his reading； Minard took the paper from his hands and read
the rest of the article himself； beginning where the other had left
off：
Renounces his candidacy； and he