whom　they　counted　to　create　a　diversion；　sits；　the　stupid　fool；　in　his
  corner；　the　seizure　of　that　pamphlet　has　given　your　blockhead　of　a
  protege　a　certain　perfume　of　popularity。　In　short；　the　ministry　are
  afraid　he'll　be　elected；　and　nothing　could　be　more　disagreeable　to
  them。　Pompous　imbeciles；　like　Thuillier；　are　horribly　embarrassing　in
  the　Opposition；　they　are　pitchers　without　handles；　you　can't　take　hold
  of　them　anywhere。〃
  〃Monsieur　Cerizet；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　beginning　to　assume　a　protecting
  tone；　and　wishing　to　discover　his　late　associate's　place　in　Corentin's
  confidence；　〃you　seem　to　know　a　good　deal　about　the　secret　intentions
  of　the　government；　have　you　found　your　way　to　a　certain　desk　in　the
  rue　de　Grenelle？〃
  〃No。　All　that　I　tell　you；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃I　get　from　du　Portail。〃
  〃Ah　ca！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　lowering　his　voice；　〃who　IS　du　Portail？　You
  seem　to　have　known　him　for　some　time。　A　man　of　your　force　ought　to
  have　discovered　the　real　character　of　a　man　who　seems　to　me　to　be
  rather　mysterious。〃
  〃My　friend；〃　replied　Cerizet；　〃du　Portail　is　a　pretty　strong　man。　He's
  an　old　slyboots；　who　has　had　some　post；　I　fancy；　in　the　administration
  of　the　national　domain；　or　something　of　that　kind；　under　government；
  in　which；　I　think；　he　must　have　been　employed　in　the　departments
  suppressed　under　the　Empire。〃
  〃Yes？〃　said　la　Peyrade。
  〃That's　where　I　think　he　made　his　money；〃　continued　Cerizet；　〃and
  being　a　shrewd　old　fellow；　and　having　a　natural　daughter　to　marry；　he
  has　concocted　this　philanthropic　tale　of　her　being　the　daughter　of　an
  old　friend　named　Peyrade；　and　your　name　being　the　same　may　have　given
  him　the　idea　of　fastening　upon　youfor；　after　all；　he　has　to　marry
  her　to　somebody。〃
  〃Yes；　that's　all　very　well；　but　his　close　relations　with　the
  government；　and　the　interest　he　takes　in　elections；　how　do　you　explain
  all　that？〃
  〃Naturally　enough；〃　replied　Cerizet。　〃Du　Portail　is　a　man　who　loves
  money；　and　likes　to　handle　it；　he　has　done　Rastignac；　that　great
  manipulator　of　elections；　who　is；　I　think；　his　compatriot；　several
  signal　services　as　an　amateur；　Rastignac；　in　return；　gives　him
  information；　obtained　through　Nucingen；　which　enables　him　to　gamble　at
  the　Bourse。〃
  〃Did　he　himself　tell　you　all　this？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。
  〃What　do　you　take　me　for？〃　returned　Cerizet。　〃With　that　worthy　old
  fellow；　from　whom　I　have　already　wormed　a　promise　of　thirty　thousand
  francs；　I　play　the　ninny；　I　flatten　myself　to　nothing。　But　I've　made
  Bruneau　talk；　that　old　valet　of　his。　You　can　safely　ally　yourself　to
  his　family；　my　dear　fellow；　du　Portail　is　powerfully　rich；　he'll　get
  you　made　sub…prefect　somewhere；　and　thence　to　a　prefecture　and　a
  fortune　is　but　one　step。〃
  〃Thanks　for　the　information；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃at　least；　I　shall　know
  on　which　foot　to　hop。　But　you　yourself；　how　came　you　to　know　him？〃
  〃Oh！　that's　quite　a　history；　by　my　help　he　was　able　to　get　back　a　lot
  of　diamonds　which　had　been　stolen　from　him。〃
  At　this　moment　Corentin　entered　the　room。
  〃All　is　well；〃　he　said　to　la　Peyrade。　〃There　are　signs　of　returning
  reason。　Bianchon；　to　whom　I　have　told　all；　wishes　to　confer　with　you；
  therefore；　my　dear　Monsieur　Cerizet；　we　will　postpone　until　this
  evening；　if　you　are　willing；　our　little　study　over　the　Thuillier
  election。〃
  〃Well；　so　here　you　have　him；　at　last！〃　said　Cerizet；　slapping　la
  Peyrade's　shoulder。
  〃Yes；〃　said　Corentin；　〃and　you　know　what　I　promised；　you　may　rely　on
  that。〃
  Cerizet　departed　joyful。
  CHAPTER　XVI
  CHECKMATE　TO　THUILLIER
  The　day　after　that　evening；　when　Corentin；　la　Peyrade；　and　Cerizet
  were　to　have　had　their　consultation　in　reference　to　the　attack　on
  Thuillier's　candidacy；　the　latter　was　discussing　with　his　sister
  Brigitte　the　letter　in　which　Theodose　declined　the　hand　of　Celeste；
  and　his　mind　seemed　particularly　to　dwell　on　the　postscript　where　it
  was　intimated　that　la　Peyrade　might　not　continue　the　editor　of　the
  〃Echo　de　la　Bievre。〃　At　this　moment　Henri；　the　〃male　domestic；〃
  entered　the　room　to　ask　if　his　master　would　receive　Monsieur　Cerizet。
  Thuillier's　first　impulse　was　to　deny　himself　to　that　unwelcome
  visitor。　Then；　thinking　better　of　it；　he　reflected　that　if　la　Peyrade
  suddenly　left　him　in　the　lurch；　Cerizet　might　possibly　prove　a
  precious　resource。　Consequently；　he　ordered　Henri　to　show　him　in。　His
  manner；　however；　was　extremely　cold；　and　in　some　sort　expectant。　As
  for　Cerizet；　he　presented　himself　without　the　slightest　embarrassment
  and　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　had　calculated　all　the　consequences　of
  the　step　he　was　taking。
  〃Well；　my　dear　monsieur；〃　he　began；　〃I　suppose　by　this　time　you　have
  been　posted　as　to　the　Sieur　la　Peyrade。〃
  〃What　may　you　mean　by　that？〃　said　Thuillier；　stiffly。
  〃Well；　the　man；〃　replied　Cerizet；　〃who；　after　intriguing　to　marry　your
  goddaughter；　breaks　off　the　marriage　abruptlyas　he　will；　before
  long；　break　that　lion's…share　contract　he　made　you　sign　about　his
  editorshipcan't　be；　I　should　suppose；　the　object　of　the　same　blind
  confidence　you　formerly　reposed　in　him。〃
  〃Ah！〃　said　Thuillier；　hastily；　〃then　do　you　know　anything　about　la
  Peyrade's　intention　of　leaving　the　newspaper？〃
  〃No；〃　said　the　other；　〃on　the　terms　I　now　am　with　him；　you　can　readily
  believe　we　don't　see　each　other；　still　less　should　I　receive　his
  confidences。　But　I　draw　the　induction　from　the　well…known　character　of
  the　person；　and　you　may　be　sure　that　when　he　finds　it　for　his　interest
  to　leave　you；　he'll　throw　you　away　like　an　old　coatI've　passed　that
  way；　and　I　speak　from　experience。〃
  〃Then　you　must　have　had　some　difficulties　with　him　before　you　joined
  my　paper？〃　said　Thuillier；　interrogatively。
  〃Parbleu！〃　replied　Cerizet；　〃the　affair　of　this　house　which　he　helped
  you　to　buy　was　mine；　I　started　that　hare。　He　was　to　put　me　in　relation
  with　you；　and　make　me　the　principal　tenant　of　the　house。　But　the
  unfortunate　affair　of　that　bidding…in　gave　him　a　chance　to　knock　me
  out　of　everything　and　get　all　the　profits　for　himself。〃
  〃Profits！〃　exclaimed　Thuillier。　〃I　don't　see　that　he　got　anything　out
  of　that　transaction；　except　the　marriage　which　he　now　refuses〃
  〃But；〃　interrupted　Cerizet；　〃there's　the　ten　thousand　francs　he　got
  out　of　you　on　pretence　of　the　cross　which　you　never　received；　and　the
  twenty…five　thousand　he　owes　to　Madame　Lambert；　for　which　you　went
  security；　and　which　you　will　soon　have　to　pay　like　a　good　fellow。〃
  〃What's　this　I　hear？〃　cried　Brigitte；　up　in　arms；　〃twenty…five
  thousand　francs　for　which　you　have　given　security？〃
  〃Yes；　mademoiselle；〃　interposed　Cerizet；　〃behind　that　sum　which　this
  woman　had　lent　him　there　was　a　mystery；　and　if　I　had　not　laid　my　hand
  on　the　true　explanation；　there　would　certainly　have　been　a　very　dirty
  ending　to　it。　La　Peyrade　was　clever　enough　not　only　to　whitewash
  himself　in　Monsieur　Thuillier's　eyes；　but　to　get　him　to　secure　the
  debt。〃
  〃But；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃how　do　you　know　that　I　did　give　security　for
  that　debt；　if　you　have　not　seen　him　since　then？〃
  〃I　know　it　from　the　woman　herself；　who　tells　the　whole　story　now　she
  is　certain　of　being　paid。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　Brigitte　to　her　brother；　〃a　pretty　business　you　are
  engaged　in！〃
  〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃I　only　meant　to　warn　Monsieur　Thuillier
  a　little。　I　think　myself　that　you　are　sure　to　be　paid。　Without　knowing
  the　exact　particulars　of　this　new　marriage；　I　am　certain　the　family
  would　never　allow　him　to　owe　you　to　such　mortifying　debts；　if
  necessary；　I　should　be　very　glad　to　intervene。〃
  〃Monsieur；〃　said　Thuillier；　stiffly；　〃thanking　you　for　your　officious
  intervention；　permit　me　to　say　that　it　surprises　me　a　little；　for　the
  manner　in　which　we　parted　would　not　have　allowed　me　to　hope　it。〃
  〃Ah　ca！〃　said　Cerizet；　〃you　don't　think　I　was　angry　with　you　for　that；
  do　you？　I　pitied　you；　that　was　all。　I　saw　you　under　the　spell；　and　I
  said　to　myself：　'Leave　him　to　learn　la　Peyrade　by　experience。'　I　knew
  very　well　that　the　day　of　justice　would　dawn　for　me；　and　before　long；
  too。　La　Peyrade　is　a　man　who　doesn't　make　you　wait　for　his
  questionable　proceedings。〃
  〃Allow　me　to　say；〃　remarked　Thuillier；　〃that　I　do　not　consider　the
  rupture　of　the　marriage　we　had　proposed　a　questionable　proceeding。　The
  matter　was　arranged；　I　may　say；　by　mutual　consent。〃
  〃And　the　trick　he　is　going　to　play　you　by　leaving　the　paper　in　the
  lurch；　and　the　debt　he　has　saddled　you　with；　what　are　they？〃
  〃Monsieur　Cerizet；〃　continued　Thuillier；　still　holding　himself　on　the
  reserve；　〃as　I　have　said　more　than　once　to　la　Peyrade；　no　man　is
  indispensable；　and　if　the　editorship　of　my　paper　becomes　vacant；　I
  feel　confident　that　I　shall　at　once　meet　with　persons　very　eager　to
  offer　me　their　services。〃
  〃Is　it　for　me　you　say　that？〃　asked　Cerizet。　〃Well；　you　haven't　hit　the
  nail；　if　you　did　me　the　honor　to　want　my　services　it　would　be
  impossible　for　me　to　grant　them。　I　have　long　been　disgusted　with
  journalism。　I　let　la　Peyrade；　I　hardly　know　why；　persuade　me　to　make
  this　campaign　with　you；　it　didn't　turn　out　happily；　and　I　have　vowed
  to　myself　to　have　no　more　to　do　with　newspapers。　It　was　about　another
  matter　altogether　than　I　came　to　speak　to　you。〃
  〃Ah！〃　said　Thuillier。
  〃Y