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〃An invention and one hundred francs！〃 said Dutocq。 〃You don't know
the laws； you must take out a patent； and that costs two thousand
francs； and you want influence。〃
〃All that is true；〃 said Cerizet； who； however； reckoned a good deal
on such chances。 〃Come to…morrow morning； papa Lantimeche； at six
o'clock； and we'll talk it over； you can't talk inventions in public。〃
Cerizet then turned to Dutocq whose first words were：
〃If the thing turns out well； half profits！〃
〃Why did you get up at this time in the morning to come here and say
that to me？〃 demanded the distrustful Cerizet； already displeased with
the mention of 〃half profits。〃 〃You could have seen me as usual at the
office。〃
And he looked askance at Dutocq； the latter； while telling him his
errand and speaking of Claparon and the necessity of pushing forward
in the Theodose affair； seemed confused。
〃All the same you could have seen me this morning at the office；〃
repeated Cerizet； conducting his visitor to the door。
〃There's a man；〃 thought he； as he returned to his seat； 〃who seems to
me to have breathed on his lantern so that I may not see clear。 Well；
well； I'll give up that place of copying clerk。 Ha！ your turn； little
mother！〃 he cried； 〃you invent children！ That's amusing enough； though
the trick is well known。〃
It is all the more useless to relate the conversation which took place
between the three confederates at the 〃Cheval Rouge；〃 because the
arrangements there concluded were the basis of certain confidences
made； as we shall see； by Theodose to Mademoiselle Thuillier； but it
is necessary to remark that the cleverness displayed by la Peyrade
seemed almost alarming to Cerizet and Dutocq。 After this conference；
the banker of the poor； finding himself in company with such powerful
players； had it in mind to make sure of his own stake at the first
chance。 To win the game at any price over the heads of the ablest
gamblers； by cheating if necessary； is the inspiration of a special
sort of vanity peculiar to friends of the green cloth。 Hence came the
terrible blow which la Peyrade was about to receive。
He knew his two associates well； and therefore； in spite of the
perpetual activity of his intellectual forces； in spite of the
perpetual watchfulness his personality of ten faces required； nothing
fatigued him as much as the part he had to play with his two
accomplices。 Dutocq was a great knave； and Cerizet had once been a
comic actor； they were both experts in humbug。 A motionless face like
Talleyrand's would have made then break at once with the Provencal；
who was now in their clutches； it was necessary； therefore； that he
should make a show of ease and confidence and of playing above board
the very height of art in such affairs。 To delude the pit is an every…
day triumph； but to deceive Mademoiselle Mars； Frederic Lemaitre；
Potier； Talma； Monrose； is the acme of art。
This conference at the 〃Cheval Rouge〃 had therefore the result of
giving to la Peyrade； who was fully as sagacious as Cerizet； a secret
fear； which； during the latter period of this daring game； so fired
his blood and heated his brain that there came moments when he fell
into the morbid condition of the gambler； who follows with his eye the
roll of the ball on which he has staked his last penny。 The senses
then have a lucidity in their action and the mind takes a range； which
human knowledge has no means of measuring。
CHAPTER X
HOW BRIGITTE WAS WON
The day after this conference at the 〃Cheval Rouge；〃 la Peyrade went
to dine with the Thuilliers； and on the commonplace pretext of a visit
to pay； Thuillier carried off his wife； leaving Theodose alone with
Brigitte。 Neither Thuillier； nor his sister； nor Theodose； were the
dupes of this comedy； but the old beau of the Empire considered the
manoeuvre a piece of diplomacy。
〃Young man； do not take advantage of my sister's innocence； respect
it；〃 said Thuillier solemnly； as he departed。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 said Theodose； drawing his chair closer to the sofa
where Brigitte sat knitting； 〃have you thought of inducing the
business men of the arrondissement to support Thuillier's interests？〃
〃How can I？〃 she asked。
〃Why！ you are in close relations with Barbet and Metivier。〃
〃Ah！ you are right！ Faith！ you are no blunderer！〃 she said after a
pause。
〃When we love our friends； we serve them；〃 he replied； sententiously。
To capture Brigitte would be like carrying the redoubt of the Moskowa；
the culminating strategic point。 But it was necessary to possess that
old maid as the devil was supposed in the middle ages to possess men；
and in a way to make any awakening impossible for her。 For the last
three days la Peyrade had been measuring himself for the task； he had
carefully reconnoitred the ground to see all difficulty。 Flattery；
that almost infallible means in able hands； would certainly miscarry
with a woman who for years had known she had no beauty。 But a man of
strong will finds nothing impregnable； the Lamarques could never have
failed to take Capri。 Therefore； nothing must be omitted from the
memorable scene which was now to take place； all things about it had
their own importance；inflections of the voice； pauses； glances；
lowered eyes。
〃But；〃 rejoined Brigitte； 〃you have already proved to us your
affection。〃
〃Your brother has told you？〃
〃No； he merely told me that you had something to tell me。〃
〃Yes； mademoiselle； I have； for you are the man of the family。 In
reflecting on this matter； I find many dangers for myself； such as a
man only risks for his nearest and dearest。 It involves a fortune；
thirty to forty thousand francs a year； and not the slightest
speculationa piece of landed property。 The hope of helping Thuillier
to win such a fortune enticed me from the first。 'It fascinates me；' I
said to himfor； unless a man is an absolute fool； he can't help
asking himself： 'Why should he care to do us all this good？' So I told
him frankly that in working for his interests； I flattered myself I
was working for my own； as I'll explain to you later。 If he wishes to
be deputy； two things are absolutely necessary： to comply with the law
as to property； and to win for his name some sort of public celebrity。
If I myself push my devotion to the point of helping him to write a
book on public financieringor anything else； no matter whatwhich
would give him that celebrity； I ought also to think of the other
matter； his propertyit would be absurd to expect you to give him
this house〃
〃For my brother？ Why； I'd put it in his name to…morrow；〃 cried
Brigitte。 〃You don't know me。〃
〃I don't know you thoroughly；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃but I do know things
about you which now make me regret that I did not tell you the whole
affair from its origin； I mean from the moment when I conceived the
plan to which Thuillier will owe his nomination。 He will be hunted
down by envy and jealousy； and the task of upholding him will be a
hard one； we must； however； get the better of his rivals and take the
wind out of their sails。〃
〃But this affair；〃 said Brigitte； 〃what are the difficulties？〃
〃Mademoiselle； the difficulties lie within my own conscience。
Assuredly； I could not serve you in this matter without first
consulting my confessor。 From a worldly point of viewoh！ the affair
is perfectly legal； and I amyou'll understand me？a barrister
inscribed on the panel； that is； member of a bar controlled by the
strictest rules。 I am therefore incapable of proposing an enterprise
which might give occasion for blame。 In the first place； I myself
don't make a penny by it。〃
Brigitte was on thorns； her face was flaming； she broke her wool；
mended it； broke it again； and did not know which way to look。
〃One can't get；〃 she said； 〃in these days； forty thousand francs a
year from landed property unless it is worth one million eight hundred
thousand。〃
〃Well； I will undertake that you shall see a piece of property and
estimate yourself its probable revenue； which I can make Thuillier the
owner of for fifty thousand francs down。〃
〃Oh！ if you can make us obtain that！〃 cried Brigitte； worked up to the
highest excitement by the spur of her natural cupidity。 〃Go on； my
dear Monsieur Theodose； and〃
She stopped short。
〃Well； mademoiselle？〃
〃You will； perhaps； have done yourself a service。〃
〃Ah！ if Thuillier has told you my secret； I must leave this house。〃
Brigitte looked up。
〃Did he tell you that I love Celeste？〃
〃No； on my word of honor！〃 cried Brigitte； 〃but I myself was just
about to speak of her。〃
〃And offer her to me？ Oh！ may God forgive us！ I can only win her of
herself； her parents； by a free choiceNo； no； all I ask of you is
your good…will； your protection。 Promise me； as Thuillier has； in
return for my services your influence； your friendship； tell me that
you will treat me as a son。 If you will do that； I will abide by your
decision in this matter； I can trust it； I need not speak to my
confessor。 For the last two years； ever since I have seen much of this
family； to whom I would fain give my powers and devote my utmost
energyfor； I shall succeed！ surely I shall！I have observed that
your integrity；