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choice； originally； may have trodden in their day a ministerial
carpet。 The frock coat； soaked by many a down…pour； with its
brandebourgs； the frogs of which were indiscreet enough to show their
skeletons； testified by its cut to departed elegance。 The satin stock…
cravat fortunately concealed the shirt； but the tongue of the buckle
behind the neck had frayed the satin； which was re…satined； that is；
re…polished； by a species of oil distilled from the wig。 In the days
of its youth the waistcoat was not； of course； without freshness； but
it was one of those waistcoats； bought for four francs； which come
from the hooks of the ready…made clothing dealer。 All these things
were carefully brushed； and so was the shiny and misshapen hat。 They
harmonized with each other； even to the black gloves which covered the
hands of this subaltern Mephistopheles； whose whole anterior life may
be summed up in a single phrase：
He was an artist in evil； with whom； from the first； evil had
succeeded； a man misled by these early successes to continue the
plotting of infamous deeds within the lines of strict legality。
Becoming the head of a printing…office by betraying his master ＇see
〃Lost Illusions〃＇； he had afterwards been condemned to imprisonment as
editor of a liberal newspaper。 In the provinces； under the
Restoration； he became the bete noire of the government； and was
called 〃that unfortunate Cerizet〃 by some； as people spoke of 〃the
unfortunate Chauvet〃 and 〃the heroic Mercier。〃 He owed to this
reputation of persecuted patriotism a place as sub…prefect in 1830。
Six months later he was dismissed； but he insisted that he was judged
without being heard； and he made so much talk about it that； under the
ministry of Casimir Perier； he became the editor of an anti…republican
newspaper in the pay of the government。 He left that position to go
into business； one phase of which was the most nefarious stock…company
that ever fell into the hands of the correctional police。 Cerizet
proudly accepted the severe sentence he received； declaring it to be a
revengeful plot on the part of the republicans； who； he said； would
never forgive him for the hard blows he had dealt them in his journal。
He spent the time of his imprisonment in a hospital。 The government by
this time were ashamed of a man whose almost infamous habits and
shameful business transactions； carried on in company with a former
banker； named Claparon； led him at last into well…deserved public
contempt。
Cerizet； thus fallen； step by step； to the lowest rung of the social
ladder； had recourse to pity in order to obtain the place of copying
clerk in Dutocq's office。 In the depths of his wretchedness the man
still dreamed of revenge； and； as he had nothing to lose； he employed
all means to that end。 Dutocq and himself were bound together in
depravity。 Cerizet was to Dutocq what the hound is the huntsman。
Knowing himself the necessities of poverty and wretchedness； he set up
that business of gutter usury called； in popular parlance； 〃the loan
by the little week。〃 He began this at first by help of Dutocq； who
shared the profits； but； at the present moment this man of many legal
crimes； now the banker of fishwives； the money…lender of
costermongers； was the gnawing rodent of the whole faubourg。
〃Well；〃 said Cerizet as Dutocq opened his door； 〃Theodose has just
come in； let us go to his room。〃
The advocate of the poor was fain to allow the two men to pass before
him。
All three crossed a little room； the tiled floor of which； covered
with a coating of red encaustic； shone in the light； thence into a
little salon with crimson curtains and mahogany furniture； covered
with red Utrecht velvet； the wall opposite the window being occupied
by book…shelves containing a legal library。 The chimney…piece was
covered with vulgar ornaments； a clock with four columns in mahogany；
and candelabra under glass shades。 The study； where the three men
seated themselves before a soft…coal fire； was the study of a lawyer
just beginning to practise。 The furniture consisted of a desk； an
armchair； little curtains of green silk at the windows； a green
carpet； shelves for lawyer's boxes； and a couch； above which hung an
ivory Christ on a velvet background。 The bedroom； kitchen； and rest of
the apartment looked out upon the courtyard。
〃Well；〃 said Cerizet； 〃how are things going？ Are we getting on？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Theodose。
〃You must admit；〃 cried Dutocq； 〃that my idea was a famous one； in
laying hold of that imbecile of a Thuillier？〃
〃Yes； but I'm not behindhand either；〃 exclaimed Cerizet。 〃I have come
now to show you a way to put the thumbscrews on the old maid and make
her spin like a teetotum。 We mustn't deceive ourselves； Mademoiselle
Thuillier is the head and front of everything in this affair； if we
get her on our side the town is won。 Let us say little； but that
little to the point； as becomes strong men with each other。 Claparon；
you know； is a fool； he'll be all his life what he always was；a
cat's…paw。 Just now he is lending his name to a notary in Paris； who
is concerned with a lot of contractors； and they are allnotary and
masonson the point of ruin。 Claparon is going headlong into it。 He
never yet was bankrupt； but there's a first time for everything。 He is
hidden now in my hovel in the rue des Poules； where no one will ever
find him。 He is desperate； and he hasn't a penny。 Now； among the five
or six houses built by these contractors； which have to be sold；
there's a jewel of a house； built of freestone； in the neighborhood of
the Madeleine；a frontage laced like a melon； with beautiful
carvings；but not being finished； it will have to be sold for what it
will bring； certainly not more than a hundred thousand francs。 By
spending twenty…five thousand francs upon it it could be let；
undoubtedly； for ten thousand。 Make Mademoiselle Thuillier the
proprietor of that house and you'll win her love； she'll believe that
you can put such chances in her way every year。 There are two ways of
getting hold of vain people： flatter their vanity； OR threaten them；
and there are also two ways of managing misers： fill their purse； or
else attack it。 Now； this stroke of business； while it does good to
Mademoiselle Thuillier； does good to us as well； and it would be a
pity not to profit by the chance。〃
〃But why does the notary let it slip through his fingers？〃 asked
Dutocq。
〃The notary； my dear fellow！ Why； he's the very one who saves us。
Forced to sell his practice； and utterly ruined besides； he reserved
for himself this crumb of the cake。 Believing in the honesty of that
idiot Claparon； he has asked him to find a dummy purchaser。 We'll let
him suppose that Mademoiselle Thuillier is a worthy soul who allows
Claparon to use her name； they'll both be fooled； Claparon and the
notary too。 I owe this little trick to my friend Claparon； who left me
to bear the whole weight of the trouble about his stock…company； in
which we were tricked by Conture； and I hope you may never be in that
man's skin！〃 he added； infernal hatred flashing from his worn and
withered eyes。 〃Now； I've said my say； gentlemen；〃 he continued；
sending out his voice through his nasal holes； and taking a dramatic
attitude； for once； at a moment of extreme penury； he had gone upon
the stage。
As he finished making his proposition some one rang at the outer door；
and la Peyrade rose to go and open it。 As soon as his back was turned；
Cerizet said； hastily； to Dutocq：
〃Are you sure of him？ I see a sort of air about himAnd I'm a good
judge of treachery。〃
〃He is so completely in our power；〃 said Dutocq； 〃that I don't trouble
myself to watch； but； between ourselves； I didn't think him as strong
as he proves to be。 The fact is； we thought we were putting a barb
between the legs of a man who didn't know how to ride； and the rogue
is an old jockey！〃
〃Let him take care；〃 growled Cerizet。 〃I can blow him down like a
house of cards any day。 As for you； papa Dutocq； you are able to see
him at work all the time； watch him carefully。 Besides； I'll feel his
pulse by getting Claparon to propose to him to get rid of us； that
will help us to judge him。〃
〃Pretty good； that！〃 said Dutocq。 〃You are daring； anyhow。〃
〃I've got my hand in； that's all；〃 replied Cerizet。
These words were exchanged in a low voice during the time that it took
Theodose to go to the outer door and return。 Cerizet was looking at
the books when the lawyer re…entered the room。
〃It is Thuillier；〃 said Theodose。 〃I thought he'd come； he is in the
salon。 He mustn't see Cerizet's frock…coat； those frogs would frighten
him。〃
〃Pooh！ you receive the poor in your office； don't you？ That's in your
role。 Do you want any money？〃 added Cerizet； pulling a hundred francs
out of his trousers' pocket。 〃There it is； it won't look amiss。〃
And he laid the pile on the chimney…piece。
〃And now；〃 said Dutocq； 〃we had better get out through the bedroom。〃
〃Well； good…bye；〃 said Theodose； opening a hidden door which
communicated from the study to the bedroom。 〃Come in； Monsieur
Thuillier；〃 he called out to the beau of the Empire。
When he saw him safely in the study he went to le