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the matter concerned anything that comes within his department； I should not hesitate to give you a letter to him； but the affair you speak of is delicate； and in any case I must first sound him and see if he is willing to talk with you。〃
〃I thought you managed him despotically。 Let us say no more about it； if you think it so very difficult。〃
〃The greatest difficulty is that I never see him； and I naturally cannot write to him for such an object。 I should have to watch for an occasion； a chance meeting。 But why don't you speak of this to Rastignac？ He could give him an order to act at once。〃
〃Don't you understand that Rastignac will receive me very ill indeed？ I had assured him； by letter； of success； and now I am forced to report in person our defeat。 Besides； on every account； I would rather owe this service to your friendship。〃
〃Well； it sha'n't fail you；〃 said the colonel； rising。 〃I'll do my best to satisfy you； only； there must be a delay。〃
The visit had lasted long； and Maxime felt that a hint was given him to abridge it。 He therefore took leave； putting into his manner a certain coldness which the colonel appeared not to notice。
No sooner had Monsieur de Trailles departed than Franchessini opened a pack of cards and took out the knave of spades。 This he cut up in a curious manner； leaving the figure untouched。 Placing this species of hieroglyphic between two sheets of paper； he consigned it to an envelope。 On this envelope and disguising his hand the colonel wrote as follows：
Monsieur de Saint…Esteve； rue Saint…Anne； near the Quai des Orfevres。
That done； he rang the bell and gave orders to put up his carriage； which he had ordered before Maxime's arrival； after which he went out alone on foot； and threw his singular missive into the first street letter…box that he passed。 He had taken care； before he left the house； to see if it were properly sealed。
II
A CONVERSATION BETWEEN ELEVEN O'CLOCK AND MIDNIGHT
As a result of the elections which had just taken place； the ministry； contrary to expectation； maintained a majority in the Chamber；a doubtful and provisional majority which would give it an uncertain and struggling existence。 But； at any rate； it had obtained that merely numerical success which parties seek at any price to prolong their power。 The Te Deum was sung in all its camps；a paean which serves as well to celebrate victorious defeats as honest victories。
On the evening of the day when Colonel Franchessini received the visit from Maxime de Trailles； the general result of the elections was made known。 The ministers of the left bank； whose wives received on that day； found their salons crowded； particularly the Comte de Rastignac； the minister of Public Works。
Madame de l'Estorade； too much absorbed in her children to be very exact in the fulfilment of her social duties； had owed a visit to Madame de Rastignac ever since the evening when the minister's wife had interrupted her conversation with the sculptor apropos of the famous statue。 Monsieur de l'Estorade； zealous conservative as we know already； had insisted that politics and politeness now combined to oblige them both to pay this social debt。 Arriving early； in order to be rid the sooner of such a bore； Madame de l'Estorade found herself seated at the upper end of a circle of women； while the men stood about them conversing。 Her chair was side by side with that of Madame de Rastignac。
In hoping to make her visit short； Madame de l'Estorade had not counted on the allurements of conversation which； under the circumstances of this so…called political victory； laid hold of her husband。 A man of more influence by his judgment than by his oratory in the Chamber of Peers； Monsieur de l'Estorade； as he circulated through the salons； was stopped at every turn by the various notabilities of politics； finance； and diplomacy； and requested to give his opinion on the future of the session now about to begin。 To all such questions he replied with more or less extended observations； and sometimes he had the pleasure of finding himself the centre of a group respectfully receptive of his opinions。 This success rendered him very inattentive to the telegraphy of his wife； who； watching his various evolutions； made him signs whenever she could catch his eye that she wished to go away。
The years that had elapsed since Monsieur de l'Estorade had obtained the hand of the beautiful Renee de Maucombe； while they had scarcely dimmed the splendor of her beauty； had considerably aged her husband。 The twenty years' difference in their ageshe being now fifty…two； she thirty…twowas growing all the more apparent because even at the time of the marriage he was turning gray and his health was failing。 An affection of the liver； latent for several years； was now developing； and at the same time the wilful disposition which is noticeable in statesmen and men of ambition made his mouth less sensitive to the conjugal bit。 Monsieur de l'Estorade talked so long and so well that after a time the salons thinned； leaving a group of the intimates of the house around his wife and their hostess。 At this moment the minister himself slipped an arm through his； and； leading him up to the group surrounding their two wives； Rastignac said to Madame de l'Estorade；
〃I bring you back your husband； I have just found him in criminal conversation with a member of the Zollverin； who would probably have clung to him all night if it had not been for me。〃
〃I was myself on the point of asking Madame de Rastignac for a bed； that I might release her from the burden of my company； which Monsieur de l'Estorade's interminable conversations have put upon her。〃
Madame de Rastignac protested that； on the contrary； she desired to enjoy as long as possible Madame de l'Estorade's company； only regretting that she had been so often obliged to interrupt their conversation to receive those strange objects； the newly fledged deputies； who had come in relays to make their bow to her。
〃Oh！ my dear；〃 cried Rastignac； 〃here's the session about to open； and we really must not take these disdainful airs toward the elect of the nation。 Besides which； you will get into difficulties with madame； who； I am told； is the protectress of one of these sovereigns of late date。〃
〃I？〃 said Madame de l'Estorade； rather surprised； and blushing a little。 She had one of those complexions； still fresh and dazzling； which are predisposed to these flushes of color。
〃Ah！ true；〃 said Madame de Rastignac； 〃I had forgotten that artist who cut out the pretty figures for your children the last time I had the pleasure of paying you a visit。 I own I was far from thinking then that he would be one of our masters。〃
〃And yet； ever since then；〃 replied Madame de l'Estorade； 〃his election has been talked about； though it must be owned that until now no one thought seriously of it。〃
〃I did；〃 said Monsieur de l'Estorade； rather eagerly； seizing the occasion to put another star to his reputation for prophecy； 〃from the first political conversation that I had with him I saidand Monsieur de Ronquerolles is here to bear me outthat I was surprised at the ability and the breadth of aim he manifested。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said the personage thus interpellated； 〃he is not an ordinary fellow； but I do not believe in his future。 He is a man who goes by the first impulsion； and； as Monsieur de Talleyrand has wisely remarked； the first impulse is the good impulse。〃
〃Well； monsieur？〃 inquired Madame de l'Estorade； ingenuously。
〃Well； madame；〃 replied Monsieur de Ronquerolles； who was vain of his scepticism； 〃heroism is not of our day； it is heavy baggage； horribly embarrassing； which gets us into mud…holes continually。〃
〃Nevertheless； I believe that great qualities of heart and mind have some share in the composition of a distinguished man。〃
〃Qualities of mind？ Yes； you are right there； provided always they work in a certain direction。 But as for qualities of the heart in political life； what good are they？to hoist you on stilts with which you can't walk as well as you can on the ground； and from which you are liable to fall and break your neck at the first push。〃
〃At that rate；〃 said Madame de Rastignac； laughing； while Madame de l'Estorade was silent； disdaining to reply； 〃the political world must be peopled by none but scoundrels。〃
〃That is so； madame；ask Lazarille〃； and as he made this allusion to a famous stage joke； he laid his hand on the minister's shoulder。
〃My dear fellow；〃 said Rastignac； 〃I think your generalities are a little too particular。〃
〃No； no； but come；〃 returned Monsieur de Ronquerolles； 〃let us talk seriously。 To my knowledge； this Monsieur de Sallenauvethat is the name I think he has taken in exchange for Dorlange； which he himself called theatricalhas done； within a short time； two fine actions。 I； being present and assisting； saw him stand up to be killed by the Duc de Rhetore； on account of certain ill…sounding words said about a friend。 Those words； in the first place； he could not help hearing； and having heard them it was； I will not say his duty； but his /right/ to resent them。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Madame de Rastignac； 〃then it was he who fought that duel people said so much a