and　seated　himself　on　one　of　the　benches　which　surround　the　walls　of
  that　great　antechamber　of　Justice。　There　he　undid　his　bundle；　took　out
  a　paper；　and　buried　himself　in　it　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　had　not
  had　time　to　examine　in　his　study　a　case　he　was　about　to　plead。　It　is
  not　necessary　to　say　that　while　doing　this　the　Provencal　was　watching
  the　manoeuvres　of　Thuillier　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。　Thuillier；
  believing　that　la　Peyrade　was　really　occupied　in　some　serious
  business；　hesitated　to　approach　him。
  However；　after　sundry　backings　and　fillings　the　municipal　councillor
  made　up　his　mind；　and　sailing　straight　before　the　wind　he　headed　for
  the　spot　he　had　been　reconnoitring　for　the　last　ten　minutes。
  〃Bless　me；　Theodose！〃　he　cried　as　soon　as　he　had　got　within　hailing
  distance。　〃Do　you　come　to　the　Palais　now？〃
  〃It　seems　to　me；〃　replied　Theodose；　〃that　barristers　at　the　Palais　are
  like　Turks　at　Constantinople；　where　a　friend　of　mine　affirmed　you
  could　see　a　good　many。　It　is　YOU　whom　it　is　rather　surprising　to　see
  here。〃
  〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Thuillier；　carelessly。　〃I've　come　about　that　cursed
  pamphlet。　Is　there　ever　any　end　to　your　legal　bothers？　I　was　summoned
  here　this　morning；　but　I　don't　regret　it；　as　it　gives　me　the　happy
  chance　of　meeting　you。〃
  〃I；　too；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　tying　up　his　bundle。　〃I　am　very　glad　to　see
  you；　but　I　must　leave　you　now；　I　have　an　appointment；　and　I　suppose
  you　want　to　do　your　business　at　once。〃
  〃I　have　done　it；〃　said　Thuillier。
  〃Did　you　speak　to　Olivier　Vinet；　that　mortal　enemy　of　yours？　he　sits
  in　that　court；〃　asked　la　Peyrade。
  〃No；〃　said　Thuillier；　naming　another　official。
  〃Well；　that's　queer！〃　said　the　barrister；　〃that　fellow　must　have　the
  gift　of　ubiquity；　he　has　been　all　the　morning　in　the　fifth　court…room；
  and　has　just　this　minute　given　a　judgment　on　a　case　I　pleaded。〃
  Thuillier　colored；　and　got　out　of　his　hobble　as　best　he　could。　〃Oh；
  hang　it！〃　he　said；　〃those　men　in　gowns　are　all　alike；　I　don't　know　one
  from　another。〃
  La　Peyrade　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　said　aloud；　but　as　if　to
  himself：　〃Always　the　same；　crafty；　crooked；　never　straightforward。〃
  〃Whom　are　you　talking　about？〃　asked　Thuillier；　rather　nonplussed。
  〃Why；　of　you；　my　dear　fellow；　who　take　me　for　an　imbecile；　as　if　I　and
  the　whole　world　didn't　know　that　your　pamphlet　business　came　to　an　end
  two　weeks　ago。　Why；　then；　summon　you　to　court？〃
  〃Well；　I　was　sent　for；〃　said　Thuillier；　with　embarrassment；　〃something
  about　registry　fees；it　is　all　Greek　to　me；　I　can't　comprehend　their
  scrawls。〃
  〃And　they　chose；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃precisely　the　very　day　when　the
  Moniteur；　announcing　the　dissolution　of　the　Chamber；　made　you　think
  about　being　a　candidate　for　the　12th　arrondissement。〃
  〃Why　not？〃　asked　Thuillier；　〃what　has　my　candidacy　to　do　with　the　fees
  I　owe　to　the　court？〃
  〃I'll　tell　you；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　dryly。　〃The　court　is　a　thing
  essentially　amiable　and　complaisant。　'Tiens！'　it　said　to　itself；
  'here's　this　good　Monsieur　Thuillier　going　to　be　a　candidate　for　the
  Chamber；　how　hampered　he'll　be　by　his　attitude　to　his　ex…friend
  Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade；　with　whom　he　wishes　now　he　hadn't　quarrelled。
  I'll　summon　him　for　fees　he　doesn't　owe；　that　will　bring　him　to　the
  Palais　where　la　Peyrade　comes　daily；　and　in　that　way　he　can　meet　him
  by　chance；　and　so　avoid　taking　a　step　which　would　hurt　his　self…love。〃
  〃Well；　there　you　are　mistaken！〃　cried　Thuillier；　breaking　the　ice。　〃I
  used　so　little　craft；　as　you　call　it；　that　I've　just　come　from　your
  house；　there！　and　your　portress　told　me　where　to　find　you。〃
  〃Well　done！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃I　like　this　frankness；　I　can　get　on
  with　men　who　play　above…board。　Well；　what　do　you　want　of　me？　Have　you
  come　to　talk　about　your　election？　I　have　already　begun　to　work　for
  it。〃
  〃No；　really？〃　said　Thuillier；　〃how？〃
  〃Here；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　feeling　under　his　gown　for　his　pocket　and
  bringing　out　a　paper；　〃here's　what　I　scribbled　just　now　in　the　court…
  room　while　the　lawyer　on　the　other　side　rambled　on　like　an　expert。〃
  〃What　is　it　about？〃　asked　Thuillier。
  〃Read　and　you'll　see。〃
  The　paper　read　as　follows：
  Estimate　for　a　newspaper；　small　size；　at　thirty　francs　a　year。
  Calculating　the　editions　at　5；000　the　costs　are：
  Paper；　5　reams　at　12　francs　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　1；860　francs。
  Composition　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　2；400　　　　〃
  Printing　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　450　　　　〃
  One　administrator　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　250　　　　〃
  One　clerk　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　100　　　　〃
  One　editor　（also　cashier）　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　200　　　　〃
  One　despatcher　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　100　　　　〃
  Folders　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　120　　　　〃
  One　office　boy　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　　80　　　　〃
  Office　expenses　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　150　　　　〃
  Rent　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　100　　　　〃
  License　and　postage　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　7；500　　　　〃
  Reporting　and　stenographic　news　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　1；800　　　　〃
  …
  Total　monthly；　　15；110　　　　〃
  〃　　　yearly；　　181；320　　　　〃
  〃Do　you　want　to　set　up　a　paper？〃　asked　Thuillier；　in　dread。
  〃I？〃　asked　la　Peyrade；　〃I　want　nothing　at　all；　you　are　the　one　to　be
  asked　if　you　want　to　be　a　deputy。〃
  〃Undoubtedly　I　do；　because；　when　you　urged　me　to　become　a　municipal
  councillor；　you　put　the　idea　into　my　head。　But　reflect；　my　dear
  Theodose；　one　hundred　and　eighty　one　thousand　three　hundred　and　twenty
  francs　to　put　out！　Have　I　a　fortune　large　enough　to　meet　such　a
  demand？〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃you　could　very　well　support　that　expense；　for
  considering　the　end　you　want　to　obtain　there　is　nothing　exorbitant　in
  it。　In　England　they　make　much　greater　sacrifices　to　get　a　seat　in
  Parliament；　but　in　any　case；　I　beg　you　to　observe　that　the　costs　are
  very　high　on　that　estimate；　and　some　could　be　cut　off　altogether。　For
  instance；　you　would　not　want　an　administrator。　You；　yourself；　an　old
  accountant；　and　I；　an　old　journalist；　can　very　well　manage　the　affair
  between　us。　Also　rent；　we　needn't　count　that；　you　have　your　old
  apartment　in　the　rue　Saint…Dominique　which　is　not　yet　leased；　that
  will　make　a　fine　newspaper　office。〃
  〃All　that　costs　off　two　thousand　four　hundred　francs　a　year；〃　said
  Thuillier。
  〃Well；　that's　something；　but　your　error　consists　in　calculating　on　the
  yearly　cost。　When　do　the　elections　take　place？〃
  〃In　two　months；〃　said　Thuillier。
  〃Very　good；　two　months　will　cost　you　thirty　thousand　francs；　even
  supposing　the　paper　had　no　subscribers。〃
  〃True；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃the　expense　is　certainly　less　than　I　thought
  at　first。　But　does　a　newspaper　really　seem　to　you　essential？〃
  〃So　essential　that　without　that　power　in　our　hands；　I　won't　have
  anything　to　do　with　the　election。　You　don't　seem　to　see；　my　poor
  fellow；　that　in　going　to　live　in　the　other　quarter　you　have　lost；
  electorally　speaking；　an　immense　amount　of　ground。　You　are　no　longer
  the　man　of　the　place；　and　your　election　could　be　balked　by　the　cry　of
  what　the　English　call　'absenteeism。'　This　makes　your　game　very　hard　to
  play。〃
  〃I　admit　that；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃but　there　are　so　many　things　wanted
  besides　money；a　name　for　one　thing；　a　manager；　editorial　staff；　and
  so　forth。〃
  〃A　name；　we　have　one　made　to　hand；　editors；　they　are　you　and　I　and　a
  few　young　fellows　who　grow　on　every　bush　in　Paris。　As　for　the　manager；
  I　have　a　man　in　view。〃
  〃What　name　is　it？〃　asked　Thuillier。
  〃L'Echo　de　la　Bievre。〃
  〃But　there　is　already　a　paper　of　that　name。〃
  〃Precisely；　and　that's　why　I　give　my　approval　to　the　affair。　Do　you
  think　I　should　be　fool　enough　to　advise　you　to　start　an　entirely　new
  paper？　'Echo　de　la　Bievre！'　that　title　is　a　treasure　to　a　man　who
  wants　support　for　his　candidacy　in　the　12th　arrondissement。　Say　the
  word　only；　and　I　put　that　treasure　into　your　hands。〃
  〃How？〃　asked　Thuillier；　with　curiosity。
  〃Parbleu！　by　buying　it；　it　can　be　had　for　a　song。〃
  〃There　now；　you　see；〃　said　Thuillier　in　a　discouraged　tone；　〃you　never
  counted　in　the　cost　of　purchase。〃
  〃How　you　dwell　on　nothings！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　hunching　his　shoulders；
  〃we　have　other　and　more　important　difficulties　to　solve。〃
  〃Other　difficulties？〃　echoed　Thuillier。
  〃Parbleu！〃　exclaimed　la　Peyrade；　〃do　you　suppose　that　after　all　that
  has　taken　place　between　us　I　should　boldly　harness　myself　to　your
  election　without　knowing　exactly　what　benefit　I　am　to　get　for　it？〃
  〃But；〃　said　Thuillier；　rather　astonished；　〃I　thought　that　friendship
  was　a　good　exchange　for　such　services。〃
  〃Yes；　but　when　the　exchange　consists　in　one　side　giving　all　and　the
  other　side　nothing；　friendship　gets　tired　of　that　sort　of　sharing；　and
  asks　for　something　a　little　better　balanced。〃
  〃But；　my　dear　Theodose；　what　have　I　to　offer　you　that　you　have　not
  already　rejected？〃
  〃I　rejected　it；　because　it　was　offered　without　heartiness；　and
  seasoned　with　Mademoiselle　Brigitte's　vinegar；　every　self…respecting
  man　would　have　acted　as　I　did。　Give　and　keep　don'