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Brigittedeclaredthatifyoudidn’ttaketimebytheforelocknoonewouldbeready。ShepreventedThuillierfromgoingtohisoffice，insistingthatifheoncegotoffshenevershouldseehimagain；sheplaguedJosephine，thecook，abouthurryingthebreakfast，andinspiteofwhathadhappenedthedaybeforeshescarcelyrestrainedherselffromnaggingatMadameThuillier，whodidnotenter，asshethoughtsheshouldhavedone，intoherfavoritemaxim，"Betterbeearlythanlate。"
PresentlydownshewenttotheCollevilles’tomakethesamedisturbance；andtheresheputhervetoonthecostume，fartooelegant，whichFlaviemeditatedwearing，andtoldCelestethehatandgownshewishedhertoappearin。AsforColleville，whocouldnot，hedeclared，stayawayallthemorningfromhisofficialduties，shecompelledhimtoputonhisdress—suitbeforehewentout，madehimsethiswatchbyhers，andwarnedhimthatifhewaslatenoonewouldwaitforhim。
TheamusingpartofitwasthatBrigitteherself，afterdrivingeveryoneatthepointofthebayonet，cameverynearbeinglateherself。
Underpretextofaidingothers，independentlyofmindingherownbusiness，which，forworlds，shewouldneverhavesparedherself，shehadputherfingersandeyesintosomanythingsthattheyendedbyoverwhelmingher。However，sheascribedthedelayinwhichshewasalmostcaughttothehairdresser，whomshehadsentfortomake，onthisextraordinaryoccasion，whatshecalledher"part。"Thatartisthaving，unadvisedly，dressedherhairinthefashion，hewascompelled，aftershehadlookedatherselfintheglass，todohisworkoveragain，andconformtotheusualstyleofhisclient，whichconsistedchieflyinneverbeing"done"atall，amethodthatgaveherheadageneralairofwhatisvulgarlycalled"acrosscat。"
Abouthalf—pastoneo’clocklaPeyrade，Thuillier，Colleville，MadameThuillier，andCelestewereassembledinthesalon。Flaviejoinedthemsoonafter，fasteningherbraceletsasshecamealongtoavoidarebuff，andhavingthesatisfactionofknowingthatshewasreadybeforeBrigitte。Asforthelatter，alreadyfuriousatfindingherselflate，shehadanothercauseforexasperation。Theeventofthedayseemedtorequireacorset，arefinementwhichsheusuallydiscarded。
Theunfortunatemaid，whosedutyitwastolaceherandtodiscovertheexactpointtowhichshewaswillingtobedrawnin，aloneknewtheterrorsandstormsofacorsetday。
"I’drather，"saidthegirl，"lacetheobelisk；Iknowitwouldlenditselftobeinglacedbetterthanshedoes；and，anyhow，itcouldn’tbebad—tongued。"
Whilethepartyinthesalonwereamusingthemselves，undertheirbreaths，atthe"flagrantedelicto"ofunpunctualityinwhichQueenElizabethwascaught，theporterentered，andgavetoThuillierasealedpackage，addressedto"MonsieurThuillier，directorofthe’EchodelaBievre。’INHASTE。"
Thuillieropenedtheenvelope，andfoundwithinacopyofaministerialjournalwhichhadhithertoshownitselfdiscourteoustothenewpaperbyrefusingtheEXCHANGEwhichallperiodicalsusuallymakeverywillinglywithoneanother。
Puzzledbythefactofthismissivebeingsenttohisownhouseandnottotheofficeofthe"Echo，"Thuillierhastilyopenedthesheet，andread，withwhatemotionthereadermayconceive，thefollowingarticle，commendedtohisnoticebyacircleinredink：——
Anobscureorganwasabouttoexpireinitsnativeshadewhenanambitiouspersonofrecentdatebethoughthimselfofgalvanizingit。Hisobjectwastomakeitafootholdbywhichtoclimbfrommunicipalfunctionstothecovetedpositionofdeputy。Happilythisobject，havingcometothesurface，willendinfailure。
Electorswillcertainlynotbeinveigledbysowilyamannerofadvancingself—interests；andwhenthepropertimearrives，ifridiculehasnotalreadydonejusticeonthisabsurdcandidacy，weshallourselvesprovetothepretenderthattoaspiretothedistinguishedhonorofrepresentingthenationsomethingmoreisrequiredthanthemoneytobuyapaperandpayanunderlingtoputintogoodFrenchthehorribledictionofhisarticlesandpamphlets。Weconfineourselvesto—daytothislimitednotice，butourreadersmaybesurethatweshallkeeptheminformedaboutthiselectoralcomedy，ifindeedthepartiesconcernedhavethemelancholycouragetogoonwithit。
Thuillierreadtwiceoverthissuddendeclarationofwar，whichwasfarfromleavinghimcalmandimpassible；then，takinglaPeyradeaside，hesaidtohim：——
"Readthat；itisserious。"
"Well？"saidlaPeyrade，afterreadingthearticle。
"Well？howwell？"exclaimedThuillier。
"Imean，whatdoyoufindsoseriousinthat？"
"WhatdoIfindsoserious？"repeatedThuillier。"Idon’tthinkanythingcouldbemoreinsultingtome。"
"Youcan’tdoubt，"saidlaPeyrade，"thatthevirtuousCerizetisatthebottomofit；hehasthrownthisfirecrackerbetweenyourlegsbywayofrevenge。"
"Cerizet，oranybodyelsewhowrotethatdiatribeisaninsolentfellow，"criedThuillier，gettingangry，"andthemattershallnotrestthere。"
"Formypart，"saidlaPeyrade，"Iadviseyoutomakenoreply。Youarenotnamed；though，ofcourse，theattackisaimedatyou。Butyououghttoletouradversarycommithimselffarther；whentherightmomentcomes，we’llraphimovertheknuckles。"
"No！"saidThuillier，"Iwon’tstayquietoneminuteundersuchaninsult。"
"Thedevil！"saidthebarrister；"whatasensitiveepidermis！Doreflect，mydearfellow，thatyouhavemadeyourselfacandidateandajournalist，andthereforeyoureallymusthardenyourselfbetterthanthat。"
"Mygoodfriend，itisaprincipleofminenottoletanybodysteponmytoes。Besides，theysaythemselvestheyaregoingonwiththisthing。Therefore，itisabsolutelynecessarytocutshortsuchimpertinence。"
"Butdoconsider，"saidlaPeyrade。"Certainlyinjournalism，asincandidacy，ahottemperhasitsuses；amanmakeshimselfrespected，andstopsattacks——"
"Justso，"saidThuillier，"’principiisobsta。’Notto—day，becausewehaven’tthetime，butto—morrowIshallcarrythatpaperintocourt。"
"Intocourt！"echoedlaPeyrade；"yousurelywouldn’tgotolawinsuchamatterasthis？Inthefirstplace，thereisnothingtoproceedupon；youarenotnamednorthepapereither，and，besides，itisapitiablebusiness，goingtolaw；you’lllooklikeaboywhohasbeenfighting，andgottheworstofit，andrunstocomplaintohismamma。
NowifyouhadsaidthatyoumeanttomakeFleuryinterveneinthematter，Icouldunderstandthat——thoughtheaffairisratherpersonaltoyou，anditmightbedifficulttomakeitseem——"
"Ahca！"saidThuillier，"doyousupposeIamgoingtocommitmyselfwithaCerizetoranyothernewspaperbully？Ipiquemyself，mydearfellow，onpossessingciviccourage，whichdoesnotgiveintoprejudices，andwhich，insteadoftakingjusticeintoitsownhands，hasrecoursetothemeansofdefencethatareprovidedbylaw。
Besides，withthelegalauthoritytheCourtofCassationnowhasoverduelling，Ihavenodesiretoputmyselfinthewayofbeingexpatriated，orspendingtwoorthreeyearsinprison。"
"Well，"saidlaPeyrade，"we’lltalkitoverlater；here’syoursister，andshewouldthinkeverythinglostifthislittlematterreachedherears。"
WhenBrigitteappearedCollevilleshouted"Full！"andproceededtosingthechorusof"LaParisienne。"
"Heavens！Colleville，howvulgaryouare！"criedthetardyone，hasteningtocastastoneintheother’sgardentoavoidthethrowingofoneintohers。"Well，areyouallready？"sheadded，arranginghermantlebeforeamirror。"Whato’
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