by　　　sufficient　reasons　to　absent　myself？　He　will；　of　course；　　　understand　that　I　ought　not　to　explain　under　any　circumstances　the　　　nature　of　the　affair　which　has　taken　me　out　of　the　country　at　this　　　unlucky　time；　but　I　am　certain　it　will　be　all…sufficient　if　a　man　　　of　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade's　position　and　character　guarantees　the　　　necessity　of　my　absence。
  I　beg　you　to　accept；　madame；　etc。；　etc。
  As　Madame　de　Camps　finished　reading　the　letter；　the　sound　of　a　carriage　entering　the　courtyard　was　heard。
  〃There　are　the　gentlemen；〃　said　the　countess。　〃Now；　had　I　better　show　this　letter　to　my　husband　or　not？〃
  〃You　can't　avoid　doing　so；〃　replied　Madame　de　Camps。　〃In　the　first　place；　Nais　will　chatter　about　it。　Besides；　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　addresses　you　in　a　most　respectful　manner；　and　there　is　nothing　in　the　letter　to　feed　your　husband's　notion。〃
  〃Who　is　that　common…looking　man　I　met　on　the　stairs　talking　with　Nais？〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　to　his　wife；　as　he　entered　the　salon。
  As　Madame　de　l'Estorade　did　not　seem　to　understand　him；　he　added；
  〃He　is　pitted　with　the　small…pox；　and　wears　a　maroon　coat　and　shabby　hat。〃
  〃Oh！〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　addressing　her　friend；　〃it　must　be　the　man　who　was　here　just　now。　Nais　has　seized　the　occasion　to　inquire　about　her　idol。〃
  〃But　who　is　he？〃　repeated　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade。
  〃I　think　his　name　is　Bricheteau；　he　is　a　friend　of　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve；〃　replied　Madame　de　Camps。
  Seeing　the　cloud　on　her　husband's　brow；　Madame　de　l'Estorade　hastened　to　explain　the　double　object　of　the　organist's　visit；　and　she　gave　him　the　letter　of　the　new　deputy。　While　he　was　reading　it；　Madame　de　l'Estorade　said；　aside；　to　Monsieur　de　Camps；
  〃He　seems　to　me　much　better；　don't　you　think　so？〃
  〃Yes；　there's　scarcely　a　trace　left　of　what　we　saw　this　morning。　He　was　too　wrought　up　about　his　work。　Going　out　did　him　good；　and　yet　he　met　with　a　rather　unpleasant　surprise　at　Rastignac's。〃
  〃What　was　it？〃　asked　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　anxiously。
  〃It　seems　that　the　affairs　of　your　friend　Sallenauve　are　going　wrong。〃
  〃Thanks　for　the　commission！〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　returning　the　letter　to　his　wife。　〃I　shall　take　very　good　care　not　to　guarantee　his　conduct　in　any　respect。〃
  〃Have　you　heard　anything　disagreeable　about　him？〃　asked　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　endeavoring　to　give　a　tone　of　indifference　to　her　question。
  〃Yes；　Rastignac　has　just　told　me　of　letters　received　from　Arcis；　where　they　have　made　the　most　compromising　discoveries。〃
  〃Well；　what　did　I　tell　you？〃　cried　Madame　de　l'Estorade。
  〃How　do　you　mean？　What　/did/　you　tell　me？〃
  〃I　told　you　some　time　ago　that　the　acquaintance　was　one　that　had　better　be　allowed　to　die　out。　I　remember　using　that　very　expression。〃
  〃But　/I/　didn't　draw　him　here。〃
  〃Well；　you　can't　say　that　I　did；　and　just　now；　before　I　knew　of　these　discoveries　you　speak　of；　I　was　telling　Madame　de　Camps　of　another　reason　why　it　was　desirable　to　put　an　end　to　the　acquaintance。〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　〃your　wife　and　I　were　just　discussing；　as　you　came　in；　the　sort　of　frenzy　Nais　has　taken　for　what　she　calls　her　'preserver。'　We　agreed　in　thinking　there　might　be　future　danger　in　that　direction。〃
  〃From　all　points　of　view；〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃it　is　an　unwholesome　acquaintance。〃
  〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Camps；　who　was　not　in　the　secret　of　these　opinions；　〃that　you　go　too　fast。　They　may　have　made　what　they　call　compromising　discoveries　about　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve；　but　what　is　the　value　of　those　discoveries？　Don't　hang　him　till　a　verdict　has　been　rendered。〃
  〃My　husband　can　do　as　he　likes；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃but　as　for　me；　I　shall　drop　the　acquaintance　at　once。　I　want　my　friends　to　be；　like　Caesar's　wife；　beyond　suspicion。〃
  〃Unfortunately；〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃there's　that　unfortunate　obligation〃
  〃But；　my　dear；〃　cried　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃if　a　galley…slave　saved　my　life；　must　I　admit　him　to　my　salon？〃
  〃Oh！　dearest；〃　exclaimed　Madame　de　Camps；　〃you　are　going　too　far。〃
  〃At　any　rate；〃　said　the　peer　of　France；　〃there　is　no　need　to　make　an　open　rupture；　let　things　end　quietly　between　us。　The　dear　man　is　now　in　foreign　parts；　and　who　knows　if　he　means　to　return？〃
  〃What！〃　exclaimed　Monsieur　de　Camps；　〃has　he　left　the　country　for　a　mere　rumor？〃
  〃Not　precisely　for　that　reason；〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃he　found　a　pretext。　But　once　out　of　France；　you　know〃
  〃I　don't　believe　in　that　conclusion；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃I　think　he　will　return；　and　if　so；　my　dear；　you　really　must　take　your　courage　in　both　hands　and　cut　short　his　acquaintance。〃
  〃Is　that；〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　looking　attentively　at　his　wife；　〃your　actual　desire？〃
  〃Mine？〃　she　replied；　〃if　I　had　my　way；　I　should　write　to　him　and　say　that　he　would　do　us　a　favor　by　not　reappearing　in　our　house。　As　that　would　be　rather　a　difficult　letter　to　write；　let　us　write　it　together；　if　you　are　willing。〃
  〃We　will　see　about　it；〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　brightening　up　under　this　suggestion；　〃there's　no　danger　in　going　slow。　The　most　pressing　thing　at　this　moment　is　the　flower…show；　I　think　it　closes　at　four　o'clock；　if　so；　we　have　only　an　hour　before　us。〃
  Madame　de　l'Estorade；　who　had　dressed　before　the　arrival　of　Madame　de　Camps；　rang　for　her　maid　to　bring　her　a　bonnet　and　shawl。　While　she　was　putting　them　on　before　a　mirror；　her　husband　came　up　behind　her　and　whispered　in　her　ear；
  〃Then　you　really　love　me；　Renee？〃
  〃Are　you　crazy；　to　ask　me　such　a　question　as　that？〃　she　answered；　looking　at　him　affectionately。
  〃Well；　then；　I　must　make　a　confession：　that　letter；　which　Philippe　broughtI　read　it。〃
  〃Then　I　am　not　surprised　at　the　change　in　your　looks　and　manner；〃　said　his　wife。　〃I；　too；　will　make　you　a　confession：　that　letter　to　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve；　giving　him　his　dismissal；I　have　written　it；　you　will　find　it　in　my　blotting…book。　If　you　think　it　will　do；　send　it。〃
  Quite　beside　himself　with　delight　at　finding　his　proposed　successor　so　readily　sacrificed；　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　did　not　control　his　joy；　taking　his　wife　in　his　arms；　he　kissed　her　effusively。
  〃Well　done！〃　cried　Monsieur　de　Camps；　laughing；　〃you　have　improved　since　morning。〃
  〃This　morning　I　was　a　fool；〃　said　the　peer　of　France；　hunting　in　the　blotting…book　for　the　letter；　which　he　might　have　had　the　grace　to　believe　in　without　seeing。
  〃Hush！〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　in　a　low　voice　to　her　husband；　to　prevent　further　remarks。　〃I'll　explain　this　queer　performance　to　you　by　and　by。〃
  Rejuvenated　by　ten　years　at　least；　the　peer　of　France　offered　his　arm　to　Madame　de　Camps；　while　the　amateur　iron…master　offered　his　to　the　countess。
  〃But　Nais！〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　noticing　the　melancholy　face　of　his　daughter；　who　was　looking　over　the　stairs　at　the　party。　〃Isn't　she　going　too？〃
  〃No；〃　said　the　countess；　〃I　am　displeased　with　her。〃
  〃Ah；　bah！〃　said　the　father；　〃I　proclaim　an　amnesty。　Get　your　hat；〃　he　added；　addressing　his　daughter。
  Nais　looked　at　her　mother　to　obtain　a　ratification；　which　her　knowledge　of　the　hierarchy　of　power　in　that　establishment　made　her　judge　to　be　necessary。
  〃You　can　come；〃　said　her　mother；　〃if　your　father　wishes　it。〃
  While　they　waited　in　the　antechamber　for　the　child；　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　noticed　that　Lucas　was　standing　up　beside　a　half…finished　letter。
  〃Whom　are　you　writing　to？〃　he　said　to　his　old　servant。
  〃To　my　son；〃　replied　Lucas；　〃who　is　very　impatient　to　get　his　sergeant's　stripes。　I　am　telling　him　that　Monsieur　le　comte　has　promised　to　speak　to　his　colonel　for　him。〃
  〃True；　true；〃　said　the　peer　of　France；　〃it　slipped　my　memory。　Remind　me　of　it　to…morrow　morning；　and　I'll　do　it　the　first　thing　after　I　am　up。〃
  〃Monsieur　le　comte　is　very　good〃
  〃And　here；〃　continued　his　master；　feeling　in　his　waistcoat　pocket；　and　producing　three　gold　pieces；　〃send　that　to　the　corporal；　and　tell　him　to　drink　a　welcome　to　the　stripes。〃
  Lucas　was　stupefied。　Never　had　he　seen　his　master　so　expansive　or　so　generous。
  When　Nais　returned；　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　who　had　been　admiring　herself　for　her　courage　in　showing　displeasure　to　her　daughter　for　half　an　hour；　embraced　her　as　if　they　were　meeting　after　an　absence　of　two　years；　after　which　they　started　for　the　Luxembourg；　where　in　those　days　the　Horticultural　Society　held　its　exhibitions。
  VII
  THE　WAY　TO　MANAGE　POLITICAL　INTRIGUES
  Toward　the　close　of　the　audience　given　by　the　minister　of　Public　Works　to　Monsieur　Octave　de　Camps；　who　was　presented　by　the　Comte　de　l'Estorade；　an　usher　entered　the　room；　and　gave　the　minister　the　card　of　the　attorney…general；　Monsieur　Vinet；　and　that　of　Monsieur　Maxime　de　Trailles。
  〃Very　good；〃　said　Rastignac；　〃say　to　those　gentlemen　that　I　will　receive　them　in　a　few　moments。〃
  Shortly　after；　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　and　Monsieur　de　Camps　rose　to　take　leave；　and　it　was　then　that　Rastignac　very　succinctly　let　the　peer　know　of　the　danger　looming　on　the　horizon　of　his　friend　Sallenauve。　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　exclaimed　against　the　word　/friend/。
  〃I　don't　know；　my　dear　minister；〃　he　said；　〃why　you　insist　on　giving　that　title　to　a　man　who　is；　really　and　truly；　a　mere　acquaintance；　and；　I