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"Then，"saidtheoratorofthedeputation，"inspiteofyourdeclarationtothecontrary，youdocontinuetobethecandidateoftheOpposition？"
"Yes，messieurs，untildeath；andIbegyoutouseyourutmostinfluenceinthequartertoneutralizetheeffectofthisdeliberatefalsehooduntilIamabletoofficiallypresentthemostformaldisavowal。"
"Hear！hear！"saidtheelectors。
"And，asforthepresenceofMonsieurMinard，mycompetitor，intheseprecincts，Ihavenotinvitedit；andatthemomentwhenyouenteredthisroom，Iwasengagedinaverysharpanddecidedexplanationwithhim。"
"Hear！hear！"saidtheelectorsagain。
Then，aftercordiallyshakingthehandoftheapothecary，Thuillierconductedthedeputationtotheouterdooroftheapartment；afterwhich，returningtotheeditorialsanctum，hesaid：——
"MydearMinard，Iwithdrawthewordswhichwoundedyou；butyoucanseenowwhatjustificationIhadformyindignation。"
HereCoffinetagainopenedthedoorandannounced：——
"Messieurstheelectorsoftheeleventharrondissement。"
Thearrondissementwasrepresentedthistimebysevenpersons。A
linen—draper，chairmanofthedelegation，addressedThuillierinthefollowingspeech：——
"Monsieur，itiswithsincereadmirationthatwehavelearnedthismorningfromthecolumnsofyourpaper，thegreatcivicactbywhichyouhavetouchedallhearts。Youhaveshown，inthusretiring，amostunusualdisinterestedness，andtheesteemofyourfellow—citizens——"
"Excuseme，"saidThuillier，interruptinghim，"Icannotallowyoutocontinue；thearticleaboutwhichyouaresogoodastocongratulateme，wasinsertedbymistake。"
"What！"saidthelinen—draper；"thendoyounotretire？CanyousupposethatinoppositiontothecandidacyofMonsieurMinard（whosepresenceintheseprecinctsseemstomerathersingular）youhavetheslightestchanceofsuccess？"
"Monsieur，"saidThuillier，"havethegoodnesstorequesttheelectorsofyourarrondissementtoawaittheissueofto—morrow’spaper，inwhichIshallfurnishcategoricalexplanationsofthemostdistinctcharacter。Thearticleto—dayistheresultofamisunderstanding。"
"Itwillbeasadpity，monsieur，"saidthelinen—draper，"ifyoulosethisoccasiontoplaceyourselfintheeyesofyourfellow—citizensbesidetheWashingtonsandothergreatmenofantiquity。"
"Isayagain，TO—MORROW，messieurs，"saidThuillier。"Iamnonethelesssensibletothehonoryoudome，andItrustthatwhenyouknowthewholetruth，Ishallnotsufferinyouresteem。"
"Aprettyqueermessthisseemstobe，"saidthevoiceofanelector。
"Yes，"saidanother；"itlooksasiftheymeanttobamboozleus。"
"Messieurs，messieurs！"criedthechairman，puttingastoptotheoutbreak；"to—morrow——wewillwaituntilto—morrowforthepromisedexplanations。"
Whereupon，thedeputationretired。
ItisnotlikelythatThuillierwouldhaveaccompaniedthembeyondthedoorofthesanctum，butinanycasehewaspreventedbythesuddenentranceoflaPeyrade。
"Ihavejustcomefromyourhouse，mydearfellow，"saidtheProvencal；"theytoldmeIshouldfindyouhere。"
"Youhavecome，doubtless，forthepurposeofexplainingtomethestrangearticleyouallowedyourselftoinsertinmyname。"
"Precisely，"saidlaPeyrade。"Theremarkablemanwhomyouknow，andwhosepowerfulinfluenceyouhavealreadyfelt，confidedtomeyesterday，inyourinterests，theplansofthegovernment，andIsawatoncethatyourdefeatwasinevitable。Iwishedthereforetosecuretoyouanhonorableanddignifiedretreat。Therewasnotimetolose；
youwereabsentfromParis，andtherefore——"
"Verygood，monsieur，"saidThuillier；"butyouwilltakenoticethatfromthepresentmomentyouarenolongertheeditorofthispaper。"
"ThatiswhatIcametotellyou。"
"Perhapsyoualsocametosettlethelittleaccountwehavetogether。"
"Messieurs，"saidMinard，"Iseethatthisisabusinessinterview；I
shallthereforetakeleaveofyou。"
AssoonasMinardhadlefttheroom，laPeyradepulledouthispocket—
book。
"Herearetenthousandfrancs，"hesaid，"whichIwillbegyoutoremittoMademoiselleBrigitte；andhere，also，isthebondbywhichyousecuredthepaymentoftwenty—fivethousandfrancstoMadameLambert；thatsumIhavenowpaidinfull，andhereisthereceipt。"
"Verygood，monsieur，"saidThuillier。
LaPeyradebowedandwentaway。
"Serpent！"saidThuillierashewatchedhimgo。
"Cerizetsaidtherightthing，"thoughtlaPeyrade，——"apompousimbecile！"
TheblowstruckatThuillier’scandidacywasmortal，butMinarddidnotprofitbyit。Whilethepairwerecontendingforvotes，agovernmentman，anaide—de—camptotheking，arrivedwithhishandsfulloftobaccolicensesandotherelectoralsmallchange，and，likethethirdthief，heslippedbetweenthetwowhowerethumpingeachother，andcarriedoffthebooty。
ItisneedlesstosaythatBrigittedidnotgetherfarminBeauce。
Thatwasonlyamirage，byhelpofwhichThuillierwasenticedoutofParislongenoughforlaPeyradetodealhisblow，——aservicerenderedtothegovernmentontheonehand，butalsoapreciousvengeanceforthemanyhumiliationshehadundergone。
ThuillierhadcertainlysomesuspicionsastothecomplicityofCerizet，butthatworthymanagedtojustifyhimself；andbymanoeuvringthesaleofthe"EchodelaBievre，"nowbecomeanightmaretothelucklessowner，heendedbyappearingaswhiteassnow。
ThepaperwassecretlyboughtupbyCorentin，andthelateoppositionsheetbecamea"canard"soldonSundaysinthewine—shopsandconcoctedinthedensofthepolice。
CHAPTERXVII
INTHEEXERCISEOFHISFUNCTIONS
AbouttwomonthsafterthesceneinwhichlaPeyradehadbeenconvincedthatthroughacrimeofhispastlifehisfuturewasirrevocablysettled，he（beingnowmarriedtohisvictim，whowasbeginningtohavelucidintervals，thoughthefullreturnofherreasonwouldnottakeplaceuntiltheoccasionindicatedbythedoctors）wassittingonemorningwiththeheadofthepoliceinthelatter’soffice。Takingpartintheworkofthedepartment，theyoungmanwasservinganapprenticeshipunderthatgreatmasterinthedifficultanddelicatefunctionstowhichhewashenceforthriveted。
ButCorentinfoundthathispupildidnotbringtothisinitiationalltheardorandamiabilitythathedesired。ItwasplainthatinlaPeyrade’ssoultherewasasenseofforfeitureanddegradation；timewouldgetthebetterofthatimpression，butthecalluswasnotyetformed。
Openinganumberofsealedenvelopesenclosingthereportsofhisvariousagents，Corentinglancedoverthesedocuments，seldomasusefulasthepublicsuppose，castingthemoneafteranothercontemptuouslyintoabasket，whencetheyissuedinamassforaburning。Buttooneofthemthegreatmanevidentlygavesomeparticularattention；ashereaditasmileflickeredonhislips，andwhenhehadfinished，insteadofaddingittothepileinthebasket，hegaveittolaPeyrade。
"Here，"hesaid，"here’ssomethingthatconcernsyou；itshowsthatinourprofession，whichjustnowseemstoyouunpleasantlyserious，wedooccasionallymeetwithcomedies。Readitaloud；itwillcheermeup。"
BeforelaPeyradebegantoread，Corentinadded：——
"IoughttotellyouthatthereportisfromamancalledHenri，whomMadameKomornintroducedasman—servantattheThuilliers’；youprobablyrememberhim。"
"So！"saidlaPeyrade，"servantsplacedinfamilies！isthatoneofyourmethods？"
"Sometimes，"repliedCorentin；"inordertoknowall，wemustuseallmeans。Butagreatmanyliesaretoldaboutusonthatsubject。I
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