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housekeeping； came up to ask if he would see Monsieur Etienne
Lousteau。 ＇See 〃The Great Man of the Provinces in Paris。〃＇
Etienne Lousteau！ la Peyrade had an idea that he had heard the name
before。
〃Show him into my office；〃 he said to the portress。
A moment later he met his visitor； whose face did not seem utterly
unknown to him。
〃Monsieur；〃 said this new…comer； 〃I had the honor of breakfasting with
you not long ago at Vefour's； I was invited to that meeting；
afterwards rather disturbed； by Monsieur Thuillier。〃
〃Ah； very good！〃 said the barrister； offering a chair； 〃you are
attached to the staff of a newspaper？〃
〃Editor…in…chief of the 'Echo de la Bievre；' and it is on the subject
of that paper that I have now called to see you。 You know what has
happened？〃
〃No；〃 said la Peyrade。
〃Is it possible you are not aware that the ministry met with terrible
defeat last night？ But instead of resigning； as every one expected；
they have dissolved the Chamber and appeal to the people。〃
〃I knew nothing of all that；〃 said la Peyrade。 〃I have not read the
morning papers。〃
〃So；〃 continued Lousteau； 〃all parliamentary ambitions will take the
field； and； if I am well informed； Monsieur Thuillier； already member
of the Council…general； intends to present himself as candidate for
election in the 12th arrondissement。〃
〃Yes；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃that is likely to be his intention。〃
〃Well； monsieur； I desire to place at his disposition an instrument
the value of which I am confident you will not underestimate。 The
'Echo de la Bievre；' a specialist paper； can have a decisive influence
on the election in that quarter。〃
〃And you would be disposed；〃 asked la Peyrade； 〃to make that paper
support Monsieur Thuillier's candidacy？〃
〃Better than that；〃 replied Lousteau。 〃I have come to propose to
Monsieur Thuillier that he purchase the paper itself。 Once the
proprietor of it he can use it as he pleases。〃
〃But in the first place；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃what is the present
condition of the enterprise？ In its character as a specialist journal
as you called it just nowit is a sheet I have seldom met with； in
fact； it would be entirely unknown to me were it not for the
remarkable article you were so good as to devote to Thuillier's
defence at the time his pamphlet was seized。〃
Etienne Lousteau bowed his thanks； and then said：
〃The position of the paper is excellent； we can give it to you on easy
terms； for we were intending shortly to stop the publication。〃
〃That is strange for a prosperous journal。〃
〃On the contrary； it happens to be quite natural。 The founders； who
were all representatives of the great leather interest； started this
paper for a special object。 That object has been attained。 The 'Echo
de la Bievre' has therefore become an effect without a cause。 In such
a case； stockholders who don't like the tail end of matters； and are
not eager after small profits； very naturally prefer to sell out。〃
〃But；〃 asked la Peyrade； 〃does the paper pay its costs？〃
〃That；〃 replied Lousteau； 〃is a point we did not consider； we were not
very anxious to have subscribers； the mainspring of the whole affair
was direct and immediate action on the ministry of commerce to obtain
a higher duty on the introduction of foreign leathers。 You understand
that outside of the tannery circle； this interest was not very
exciting to the general reader。〃
〃I should have thought； however；〃 persisted la Peyrade； 〃that a
newspaper； however circumscribed its action； would be a lever which
depended for its force on the number of its subscribers。〃
〃Not for journals which aim for a single definite thing；〃 replied
Lousteau； dogmatically。 〃In that case； subscribers are； on the
contrary； an embarrassment； for you have to please and amuse them； and
in so doing； the real object has to be neglected。 A newspaper which
has a definite and circumscribed object ought to be like the stroke of
that pendulum which； striking steadily on one spot； fires at a given
hour the cannon of the Palais…Royal。〃
〃At any rate；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃what price do you put upon a
publication which has no subscribers； does not pay its expenses； and
has until now been devoted to a purpose totally different from that
you propose for it？〃
〃Before answering；〃 returned Lousteau； 〃I shall ask you another
question。 Have you any intention of buying it？〃
〃That's according to circumstances；〃 replied la Peyrade。 〃Of course I
must see Thuillier； but I may here remark to you that he knows
absolutely nothing about newspaper business。 With his rather bourgeois
ideas； the ownership of a newspaper will seem to him a ruinous
speculation。 Therefore； if； in addition to an idea that will scare
him； you suggest an alarming price； it is useless for me to speak to
him。 I am certain he would never go into the affair。〃
〃No；〃 replied Lousteau。 〃I have told you we should be reasonable；
these gentlemen have left the whole matter in my hands。 Only； I beg to
remark that we have had propositions from other parties； and in giving
Monsieur Thuillier this option； we intended to pay him a particular
courtesy。 When can I have your answer？〃
〃To…morrow； I think； shall I have the honor of seeing you at your own
house； or at the office of the journal？〃
〃No；〃 said Lousteau； 〃to…morrow I will come here； at the same hour； if
that is convenient to you。〃
〃Perfectly；〃 replied la Peyrade； bowing out his visitor； whom he was
inclined to think more consequential than able。
By the manner in which the barrister had received the proposition to
become an intermediary to Thuillier； the reader must have seen that a
rapid revolution had taken place in his ideas。 Even if he had not
received that extremely disquieting letter from the president of the
order of barristers； the new situation in which Thuillier would be
placed if elected to the Chamber gave him enough to think about。
Evidently his dear good friend would have to come back to him； and
Thuillier's eagerness for election would deliver him over； bound hand
and foot。 Was it not the right moment to attempt to renew his marriage
with Celeste？ Far from being an obstacle to the good resolutions
inspired by his amorous disappointment and his incipient brain fever；
such a finale would ensure their continuance and success。 Moreover； if
he received； as he feared； one of those censures which would ruin his
dawning prospects at the bar； it was with the Thuilliers； the
accomplices and beneficiaries of the cause of his fall； that his
instinct led him to claim an asylum。
With these thoughts stirring in his mind la Peyrade obeyed the summons
and went to see the president of the order of barristers。
He was not mistaken； a very circumstantial statement of his whole
proceeding in the matter of the house had been laid before his
brethren of the bar； and the highest dignitary of the order； after
stating that an anonymous denunciation ought always to be received
with great distrust； told him that he was ready to receive and welcome
an explanation。 La Peyrade dared not entrench himself in absolute
denial； the hand from which he believed the blow had come seemed to
him too resolute and too able not to hold the proofs as well。 But；
while admitting the facts in general； he endeavored to give them an
acceptable coloring。 In this； he saw that he had failed； when the
president said to him：
〃After the vacation which is now beginning I shall report to the
Council of the order the charges made against you； and the statements
by which you have defended yourself。 The Council alone has the right
to decide on a matter of such importance。〃
Thus dismissed； la Peyrade felt that his whole future at the bar was
imperilled； but at least he had a respite； and in case of condemnation
a new project on which to rest his head。 Accordingly； he put on his
gown； which he had never worn till now； and went to the fifth court…
room； where he was employed upon a case。
As he left the court…room； carrying one of those bundles of legal
papers held together by a strip of cotton which； being too voluminous
to hold under the arm； are carried by the hand and the forearm pressed
against the chest； la Peyrade began to pace about the Salle des Pas
perdus with that harassed look of business which denotes a lawyer
overwhelmed with work。 Whether he had really excited himself in
pleading； or whether he was pretending to be exhausted to prove that
his gown was not a dignity for show； as it was with many of his legal
brethren； but an armor buckled on for the fight； it is certain that；
handkerchief in hand； he was mopping his forehead as he walked； when；
in the distance； he spied Thuillier； who had evidently just caught
sight of him； and was beginning on his side to manoeuvre。
La Peyrade was not surprised by the encounter。 On leaving home he had
told Madame Coffinet he was going to the Palais； and should be there
till three o'clock； and she might send to him any persons who called
on business。 Not wishing to let Thuillier accost him too easily； he
turned abruptly； as if some thought had changed his purpose； and went
and seated himself on one of the benches which surround the walls of
that great antech