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〃Listen to me； Monsieur Cerizet；〃 said du Portail； in a tone of
authority； 〃if the marriage of la Peyrade to my ward takes place it is
my intention to reward your services； and the sum of thirty thousand
francs will be your perquisite。 Now； thirty thousand from one side and
twenty…five thousand from the other makes precisely fifty…five
thousand francs that the matrimonial vicissitudes of your friend la
Peyrade will have put into your pocket。 But； as country people do at
the shows of a fair； I shall not pay till I come out。 If you take that
money out of your own hoard I shall feel no anxiety； you will know how
to keep it from the clutches of your creditors。 If； on the contrary；
my money is at stake； you will have neither the same eagerness nor the
same intelligence in keeping it out of danger。 Therefore arrange your
affairs so that you can pay down your own thirty…three thousand； in
case of success； that sum will bring you in pretty nearly a hundred
per cent。 That's my last word； and I shall not listen to any
objections。〃
Cerizet had no time to make any； for at that moment the door of du
Portail's study opened abruptly； and a fair； slender woman； whose face
expressed angelic sweetness； entered the room eagerly。 On her arm；
wrapped in handsome long clothes； lay what seemed to be the form of an
infant。
〃There！〃 she said； 〃that naughty Katte insisted that the doctor was
not here。 I knew perfectly well that I had seen him enter。 Well；
doctor；〃 she continued； addressing Cerizet； 〃I am not satisfied with
the condition of my little one； not satisfied at all； she is very
pallid； and has grown so thin。 I think she must be teething。〃
Du Portail made Cerizet a sign to accept the role so abruptly thrust
upon him。
〃Yes； evidently；〃 he said； 〃it is the teeth； children always turn pale
at that crisis； but there's nothing in that； my dear lady； that need
make you anxious。〃
〃Do you really think so； doctor；〃 said the poor crazed girl； whom our
readers have recognized as du Portail's ward； Lydie de la Peyrade；
〃but see her dear little arms； how thin they are getting。〃
Then taking out the pins that fastened the swathings； she exhibited to
Cerizet a bundle of linen which to her poor distracted mind
represented a baby。
〃Why； no； no；〃 said Cerizet； 〃she is a trifle thin； it is true； but
the flesh is firm and her color excellent。〃
〃Poor darling！〃 said Lydie； kissing her dream lovingly。 〃I do think
she is better since morning。 What had I better give her； doctor？ Broth
disgusts her； and she won't take soup。〃
〃Well；〃 said Cerizet； 〃try panada。 Does she like sweet things？〃
〃Oh； yes！〃 cried the poor girl； her face brightening； 〃she adores
them。 Would chocolate be good for her？〃
〃Certainly；〃 replied Cerizet； 〃but without vanilla； vanilla is very
heating。〃
〃Then I'll get what they call health…chocolate；〃 said Lydie； with all
the intonations of a mother； listening to the doctor as to a god who
reassured her。 〃Uncle；〃 she added； 〃please ring for Bruneau； and tell
him to go to Marquis at once and get some pounds of that chocolate。〃
〃Bruneau has just gone out；〃 said her guardian； 〃but there's no hurry；
he shall go in the course of the day。〃
〃There； she is going to sleep；〃 said Cerizet； anxious to put an end to
the scene； which； in spite of his hardened nature； he felt to be
painful。
〃True；〃 said the girl； replacing the bandages and rising； 〃I'll put
her to bed。 Adieu； doctor； it is very kind of you to come sometimes
without being sent for。 If you knew how anxious we poor mothers are；
and how； with a word or two； you can do us such good。 Ah； there she is
crying！〃
〃She is so sleepy；〃 said Cerizet； 〃she'll be much better in her
cradle。〃
〃Yes； and I'll play her that sonata of Beethoven that dear papa was so
fond of； it is wonderful how calming it is。 Adieu； doctor；〃 she said
again； pausing on the threshold of the door。 〃Adieu； kind doctor！〃 And
she sent him a kiss。
Cerizet was quite overcome。
〃You see；〃 said du Portail； 〃that she is an angel；never the least
ill…humor； never a sharp word； sad sometimes； but always caused by a
feeling of motherly solicitude。 That is what first gave the doctors
the idea that if reality could take the place of her constant
hallucination she might recover her reason。 Well； this is the girl
that fool of a Peyrade refuses； with the accompaniment of a
magnificent 'dot。' But he must come to it； or I'll forswear my name。
Listen；〃 he added as the sound of a piano came to them； 〃hear！ what
talent！ Thousands of sane women can't compare with her； they are not
as reasonable as she is； except on the surface。〃
When Beethoven's sonata； played from the soul with a perfection of
shades and tones that filled her hardened hearer with admiration； had
ceased to sound； Cerizet said：
〃I agree with you； monsieur； la Peyrade refuses an angel； a treasure；
a pearl； and if I were in his placeBut we shall bring him round to
your purpose。 Now I shall serve you not only with zeal； but with
enthusiasm； I may say fanaticism。〃
As Cerizet was concluding this oath of fidelity at the door of the
study； he heard a woman's voice which was not that of Lydie。
〃Is he in his study； the dear commander？〃 said that voice； with a
slightly foreign accent。
〃Yes； madame； but please come into the salon。 Monsieur is not alone； I
will tell him you are here。〃
This was the voice of Katte； the old Dutch maid。
〃Stop； go this way；〃 said du Portail quickly to Cerizet。
And he opened a hidden door which led through a dark corridor directly
to the staircase； whence Cerizet betook himself to the office of the
〃Echo de la Bievre；〃 where a heated discussion was going on。
The article by which the new editors of every newspaper lay before the
public their 〃profession of faith；〃 as the technical saying is； always
produces a laborious and difficult parturition。 In this particular
case it was necessary； if not openly to declare Thuillier's candidacy；
to at least make it felt and foreseen。 The terms of the manifesto；
after la Peyrade had made a rough draft of it； were discussed at great
length。 This discussion took place in Cerizet's presence； who； acting
on du Portail's advice； accepted the management； but postponed the
payment of the security till the next day； through the latitude
allowed in all administrations for the accomplishment of that
formality。
Cleverly egged on by this master…knave； who； from the start； made
himself Thuillier's flatterer； the discussion became stormy； and
presently bitter； but as； by the deed of partnership the deciding word
was left to la Peyrade in all matters concerning the editorship； he
finally closed it by sending the manifesto； precisely as he had
written it； to the printing office。
Thuillier was incensed at what he called an abuse of power； and
finding himself alone with Cerizet later in the day； he hastened to
pour his griefs and resentments into the bosom of his faithful
manager； thus affording the latter a ready…made and natural
opportunity to insinuate the calumnious revelation agreed upon with du
Portail。 Leaving the knife in the wound； Cerizet went out to make
certain arrangements to obtain the money necessary for his bond。
Tortured by the terrible revelation； Thuillier could not keep it to
himself； he felt the need of confiding it； and of talking over the
course he would be compelled to take by this infernal discovery。
Sending for a carriage he drove home； and half an hour later he had
told the whole story to his Egeria。
Brigitte had from the first very vehemently declared against all the
determinations made by Thuillier during the last few days。 For no
purpose whatever； not even for the sake of her brother's election；
would she agree to a renewal of the relation to la Peyrade。 In the
first place； she had treated him badly； and that was a strong reason
for disliking him； then； in case that adventurer； as she now called
him； married Celeste； the fear of her authority being lessened gave
her a species of second…sight； she had ended by having an intuitive
sense of the dark profundities of the man's nature； and now declared
that under no circumstances and for no possible price would she make
one household with him。
〃Ruin yourself if you choose；〃 she said； 〃you are the master of that；
and you can do as you like； a fool and his money are soon parted。〃
When； therefore； she listened to her brother's confidences it was not
with reproaches； but； on the contrary； with a crow of triumph；
celebrating the probable return of her power； that she welcomed them。
〃So much the better！〃 she cried； 〃it is well to know at last that the
man is a spy。 I always thought so； the canting bigot！ Turn him out of
doors without an explanation。 WE don't want him to work that
newspaper。 This Monsieur Cerizet seems； from what you tell me； the
right sort of man； and we can get another manager。 Besides； when
Madame de Godollo went away she promised to write to me； and she can
easily put us in the way of finding some one。 Poor； dear Celeste！ what
a fate we were going to give her！〃
〃How you run on！〃 said Thuillier。 〃La Peyrade； my dear； is so far only
accused。 He must be heard in his defence。