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Phellion by the hand and shaking it； 〃but they are honorable
illusions； and I envy them。 Madame； I have the honor〃 added the
mayor； with a respectful bow to Madame Phellion。
And each party took its way。
CHAPTER II
THE PROVENCAL'S PRESENT POSITION
The information acquired by the mayor of the 11th arrondissement was
by no means incorrect。 In the Thuillier salon； since the emigration to
the Madeleine quarter； might be seen daily； between the tart Brigitte
and the plaintive Madame Thuillier； the graceful and attractive figure
of a woman who conveyed to this salon an appearance of the most
unexpected elegance。 It was quite true that through the good offices
of this lady； who had become her tenant in the new house； Brigitte had
made a speculation in furniture not less advantageous in its way； but
more avowable； than the very shady purchase of the house itself。 For
six thousand francs in ready money she had obtained furniture lately
from workshops representing a value of at least thirty thousand。
It was still further true that in consequence of a service which went
deep into her heart； Brigitte was showing to the beautiful foreign
countess the respectful deference which the bourgeoisie； in spite of
its sulky jealousy； is much less indisposed to give to titles of
nobility and high positions in the social hierarchy than people think。
As this Hungarian countess was a woman of great tact and accomplished
training； in taking the direction which she had thought it wise to
assume over the affairs of her proteges； she had been careful to guard
her influence from all appearance of meddlesome and imperious
dictation。 On the contrary； she flattered Brigitte's claim to be a
model housekeeper； in her own household expenses she affected to ask
the spinster's advice； so that by reserving to herself the department
of luxurious expenses； she had more the air of giving information than
of exercising supervision。
La Peyrade could not disguise from himself that a change was taking
place。 His influence was evidently waning before that of this
stranger； but the antagonism of the countess was not confined to a
simple struggle for influence。 She made no secret of being opposed to
his suit for Celeste； she gave her unequivocal approval to the love of
Felix Phellion； the professor。 Minard； by whom this fact was not
unobserved； took very good care； in the midst of his other
information； not to mention it to those whom it most concerned。
La Peyrade was all the more anxious at being thus undermined by a
hostility the cause of which was inexplicable to him； because he knew
he had himself to blame for bringing this disquieting adversary into
the very heart of his citadel。 His first mistake was in yielding to
the barren pleasure of disappointing Cerizet in the lease of the
house。 If Brigitte by his advice and urging had not taken the
administration of the property into her own hands there was every
probability that she would never have made the acquaintance of Madame
de Godollo。 Another imprudence had been to urge the Thuilliers to
leave their old home in the Latin quarter。
At this period； when his power and credit had reached their apogee；
Theodose considered his marriage a settled thing； and he now felt an
almost childish haste to spring into the sphere of elegance which
seemed henceforth to be his future。 He had therefore furthered the
inducements of the countess； feeling that he thus sent the Thuilliers
before him to make his bed in the splendid apartment he intended to
share with them。 By thus removing them from their old home he saw
another advantage；that of withdrawing Celeste from daily intercourse
with a rival who seemed to him dangerous。 Deprived of the advantage of
propinquity； Felix would be forced to make his visits farther apart；
and therefore there would be greater facilities to ruin him in the
girl's heart； where he was installed on condition of giving religious
satisfaction；a requirement to which he showed himself refractory。
But in all these plans and schemes various drawbacks confronted him。
To enlarge the horizon of the Thuilliers was for la Peyrade to run the
chance of creating competition for the confidence and admiration of
which he had been till then the exclusive object。 In the sort of
provincial life they had hitherto lived； Brigitte and his dear； good
friend placed him； for want of comparison； at a height from which the
juxtaposition of other superiorities and elegances must bring him
down。 So； then； apart from the blows covertly dealt him by Madame de
Godollo； the idea of the transpontine emigration had proved to be； on
the whole； a bad one。
The Collevilles had followed their friends the Thuilliers； to the new
house near the Madeleine； where an entresol at the back had been
conceded to them at a price conformable to their budget。 But
Colleville declared it lacked light and air； and being obliged to go
daily from the boulevard of the Madeleine to the faubourg Saint…
Jacques； where his office was； he fumed against the arrangement of
which he was the victim； and felt at times that la Peyrade was a
tyrant。 Madame Colleville； on the other hand； had flung herself into
an alarming orgy of bonnets； mantles； and new gowns； requiring the
presentation of a mass of bills； which led not infrequently to scenes
in the household which were more or less stormy。 As for Celeste； she
had undoubtedly fewer opportunities to see young Phellion； but she had
also fewer chances to rush into religious controversy； and absence；
which is dangerous to none but inferior attachments； made her think
more tenderly and less theologically of the man of her dreams。
But all these false calculations of Theodose were as nothing in the
balance with another cause for his diminishing influence which was now
to weigh heavily on his situation。
He had assured Thuillier that； after a short delay and the payment of
ten thousand francs； to which his dear； good friend submitted with
tolerable grace； the cross of the Legion of honor would arrive to
realize the secret desire of all his life。 Two months had now passed
without a sign of that glorious rattle； and the former sub…director；
who would have felt such joy in parading his red ribbon on the
boulevard of the Madeleine； of which he was now one of the most
assiduous promenaders； had nothing to adorn his buttonhole but the
flowers of the earth； the privilege of everybody；of which he was far
less proud than Beranger。
La Peyrade had； to be sure； mentioned an unforeseen and inexplicable
difficulty by which all the efforts of the Comtesse du Bruel had been
paralyzed； but Thuillier did not take comfort in the explanation； and
on certain days； when the disappointment became acute； he was very
near saying with Chicaneau in Les Plaideurs； 〃Return my money。〃
However； no outbreak happened； for la Peyrade held him in leash by the
famous pamphlet on 〃Taxation and the Sliding…Scale〃； the conclusion of
which had been suspended during the excitement of the moving； for
during that agitating period Thuillier had been unable to give proper
care to the correction of proofs； about which； we may remember； he had
reserved the right of punctilious examination。 La Peyrade had now
reached a point when he was forced to see that； in order to restore
his influence； which was daily evaporating； he must strike some grand
blow； and it was precisely this nagging and vexatious fancy about the
proofs that the barrister decided to take as the starting…point of a
scheme； both deep and adventurous； which came into his mind。
One day； when the pair were engaged on the sheets of the pamphlet； a
discussion arose upon the word 〃nepotism；〃 which Thuillier wished to
eliminate from one of la Peyrade's sentences； declaring that never had
he met with it anywhere； it was pure neologismwhich； to the literary
notions of the bourgeoisie； is equivalent to the idea of 1793 and the
Terror。
Generally la Peyrade took the ridiculous remarks of his dear； good
friend pretty patiently； but on this occasion he made himself
exceedingly excited； and signified to Thuillier that he might
terminate himself a work to which he applied such luminous and
intelligent criticism； after which remark he departed and was not seen
again for several days。
At first Thuillier supposed this outbreak to be a mere passing effect
of ill…humor； but when la Peyrade's absence grew prolonged he felt the
necessity of taking some conciliatory step； and accordingly he went to
see the barrister； intending to make honorable amends and so put an
end to his sulkiness。 Wishing； however； to give this advance an air
which allowed an honest issue to his own self…love； he entered la
Peyrade's room with an easy manner； and said； cheerfully：
〃Well； my dear fellow； it turns out that we were both right：
'nepotism' means the authority that the nephews of popes take in
public affairs。 I have searched the dictionary and it gives no other
explanation； but； from what Phellion tells me； I find that in the
political vocabulary the meaning of the word has been extended to
cover the influence which corrupt ministers permit certain persons to
exercise illegally。 I think； therefore；