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marry her； but we'll equip you； give you the look of a decent man；
feed and lodge you； and set you up generally。 Consequently； we want
security。 I don't say that on my own account； for I know you； but for
monsieur here； whose proxy I am。 We'll equip you as a pirate； hey！ to
do the white…slave trade！ If we can't capture that 'dot；' we'll try
other plans。 Between ourselves； none of us need be particular what we
touchthat's plain enough。 We'll give you careful instructions； for
the matter is certain to take time； and there'll probably be some
bother about it。 Here； see； I have brought stamped paper。〃
〃Waiter； pens and ink！〃 cried Theodose。
〃Ha！ I like fellows of that kind！〃 exclaimed Dutocq。
〃Sign： 'Theodose de la Peyrade；' and after your name put 'Barrister；
rue Saint…Dominique d'Enfer；' under the words 'Accepted for ten
thousand。' We'll date the notes and sue you；all secretly； of course；
but in order to have a hold upon you； the owners of a privateer ought
to have security when the brig and the captain are at sea。〃
The day after this interview the bailiff of the justice…of…peace did
Cerizet the service of suing la Peyrade secretly。 He went to see the
barrister that evening； and the whole affair was done without any
publicity。 The Court of commerce has a hundred such cases in the
course of one term。 The strict regulations of the council of
barristers of the bar of Paris are well known。 This body； and also the
council of attorneys； exercise severe discipline over their members。 A
barrister liable to go to Clichy would be disbarred。 Consequently；
Cerizet； under Dutocq's advice； had taken against their puppet
measures which were certain to secure to each of them twenty…five
thousand francs out of Celeste's 〃dot。〃 In signing the notes； Theodose
saw but one thing；his means of living secured； but as time had gone
on； and the horizon grew clearer； and he mounted； step by step； to a
better position on the social ladder； he began to dream of getting rid
of his associates。 And now； on obtaining twenty…five thousand francs
from Thuillier； he hoped to treat on the basis of fifty per cent for
the return of his fatal notes by Cerizet。
Unfortunately； this sort of infamous speculation is not an exceptional
fact； it takes place in Paris under various forms too little disguised
for the historian of manners and morals to pass them over unnoticed in
a complete and accurate picture of society in the nineteenth century。
Dutocq； an arrant scoundrel； still owed fifteen thousand francs on his
practice； and lived in hopes of something turning up to keep his head；
as the saying is； above water until the close of 1840。 Up to the
present time none of the three confederates had flinched or groaned。
Each felt his strength and knew his danger。 Equals they were in
distrust； in watchfulness； equals； too； in apparent confidence； and
equally stolid in silence and look when mutual suspicions rose to the
surface of face or speech。 For the last two months the position of
Theodose was acquiring the strength of a detached fort。 But Cerizet
and Dutocq held it undermined by a mass of powder； with the match ever
lighted； but the wind might extinguish the match or the devil might
flood the mine。
The moment when wild beasts seize their food is always the most
critical； and that moment had now arrived for these three hungry
tigers。 Cerizet would sometimes say to Theodose； with that
revolutionary glance which twice in this century sovereigns have had
to meet：
〃I have made you king； and here am I still nothing！ for it is nothing
not to be all。〃
A reaction of envy was rushing its avalanche through Cerizet。 Dutocq
was at the mercy of his copying clerk。 Theodose would gladly have
burned his copartners could he have burned their papers in the same
conflagration。 All three studied each other too carefully； in order to
conceal their own thoughts； not to be in turn divined。 Theodose lived
a life of three hells as he thought of what lay below the cards； then
of his own game； and then of his future。 His speech to Thuillier was a
cry of despair； he threw his lead into the waters of the old bourgeois
and found there nothing more than twenty…five thousand francs。
〃And；〃 he said to himself as he went to his own room； 〃possibly
nothing at all a month hence。〃
He new felt the deepest hatred to the Thuilliers。 But Thuillier
himself he held by a harpoon stuck into the depths of the man's
vanity； namely； by the projected work； entitled 〃Taxation and the
Sinking Fund；〃 for which he intended to rearrange the ideas of the
Saint…Simonian 〃Globe；〃 giving them a systematic form； and coloring
them with his fervid Southern diction。 Thuillier's bureaucratic
knowledge of the subject would be of use to him here。 Theodose
therefore clung to this rope； resolving to do battle； on so poor a
base of operations； with the vanity of a fool； which； according to
individual character； is either granite or sand。 On reflection；
Theodose was inclined to be content with the prospect。
On the evening before the right of redemption expired； Claparon and
Cerizet proceeded to manipulate the notary in the following manner。
Cerizet； to whom Claparon had revealed the password and the notary's
retreat； went out to this hiding…place to say to the latter：
〃One of my friends； Claparon； whom you know； has asked me to come and
see you； he will expect you to…morrow； in the evening； you know where。
He has the paper you expect from him； which he will exchange with you
for the ten thousand agreed upon； but I must be present； for five
thousand of that sum belong to me； and I warn you； my dear monsieur；
that the name in the counter…deed is in blank。〃
〃I shall be there；〃 replied the ex…notary。
The poor devil waited the whole night in agonies of mind that can well
be imagined； for safety or inevitable ruin were in the balance。 At
sunrise he saw approaching him； instead of Claparon； a bailiff of the
Court of commerce； who produced a judgment against him in regular
form； and informed him that he must go with him to Clichy。
Cerizet had made an arrangement with one of the creditors of the
luckless notary； pledging himself to deliver up the debtor on payment
to himself of half the debt。 Out of the ten thousand francs promised
to Claparon； the victim of this trap was obliged； in order to obtain
his liberty； to pay six thousand down； the amount of his debt。
On receiving his share of this extortion Cerizet said to himself：
〃There's three thousand to make Cerizet clear out。〃
Cerizet then returned to the notary and said： 〃Claparon is a
scoundrel； monsieur； he has received fifteen thousand francs from the
proposed purchaser of your house； who will now； of course； become the
owner。 Threaten to reveal his hiding…place to his creditors； and to
have him sued for fraudulent bankruptcy； and he'll give you half。〃
In his wrath the notary wrote a fulminating letter to Claparon。
Claparon； alarmed； feared an arrest； and Cerizet offered to get him a
passport。
〃You have played me many a trick； Claparon；〃 he said； 〃but listen to
me now； and you can judge of my kindness。 I possess； as my whole
means； three thousand francs； I'll give them to you； start for
America； and make your fortune there； as I'm trying to make mine
here。〃
That evening Claparon； carefully disguised by Cerizet； left for Havre
by the diligence。 Cerizet remained master of the fifteen thousand
francs to be paid to Claparon； and he awaited Theodose with the
payment thereof tranquilly。
〃The limit for bidding…in is passed；〃 thought Theodose； as he went to
find Dutocq and ask him to bring Cerizet to his office。 〃Suppose I
were now to make an effort to get rid of my leech？〃
〃You can't settle this affair anywhere but at Cerizet's； because
Claparon must be present； and he is hiding there；〃 said Dutocq。
Accordingly； Theodose went； between seven and eight o'clock； to the
den of the 〃banker of the poor；〃 whom Dutocq had notified of his
coming。 Cerizet received him in the horrible kitchen where miseries
and sorrows were chopped and cooked； as we have seen already。 The pair
then walked up and down； precisely like two animals in a cage； while
mutually playing the following scene：
〃Have you brought the fifteen thousand francs？〃
〃No； but I have them at home。〃
〃Why not have them in your pocket？〃 asked Cerizet； sharply。
〃I'll tell you；〃 replied Theodose； who； as he walked from the rue
Saint…Dominique to the Estrapade； had decided on his course of action。
The Provencal； writhing upon the gridiron on which his partners held
him； became suddenly possessed with a good idea； which flashed from
the body of the live coal under him。 Peril has gleams of light。 He
resolved to rely on the power of frankness； which affects all men；
even swindlers。 Every one is grateful to an adversary who bares
himself to the waist in a duel。
〃Well！〃 said Cerizet； 〃now the humbug begins。〃
The words seemed to come wholly through the hole in his nose with
horrible intonations。
〃You have put me in a magnificent position； and I shall never forget
the service you have done me； my friend；〃 began Theodose； with
emotion。
〃Oh； that's how you take it； is it？〃 sai