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And； after all；〃 he continued； after a pause； 〃who are they who
despise it？ Imbeciles； who don't know any better than to insult their
protectors。 Suppress the police； and you destroy civilization。 Do the
police ask for the respect of such people？ No； they want to inspire
them with one sentiment only： fear； that great lever with which to
govern mankind；an impure race whose odious instincts God； hell； the
executioner； and the gendarmes can scarcely restrain！〃
Stopping short before la Peyrade； and looking at him with a disdainful
smile； he continued：
〃So you are one of those ninnies who see in the police nothing more
than a horde of spies and informers？ Have you never suspected the
statesmen； the diplomats； the Richelieus it produces？ Mercury；
monsieur；Mercury； the cleverest of the gods of paganism；what was
he but the police incarnate？ It is true that he was also the god of
thieves。 We are better than he； for we don't allow that junction of
forces。〃
〃And yet；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃Vautrin； or； I should say； Jacques
Collin； the famous chief of the detective police〃
〃Yes； yes！ but that's in the lower ranks；〃 replied Corentin； resuming
his walk； 〃there's always a muddy place somewhere。 Still； don't be
mistaken even in that。 Vautrin is a man of genius； but his passions；
like those of your uncle； dragged him down。 But go up higher （for
there lies the whole question； namely； the rung of the ladder on which
a man has wits enough to perch）。 Take the prefect； for instance； that
honored minister； flattered and respected； is he a spy？ Well； I；
monsieur； am the prefect of the secret police of diplomacyof the
highest statesmanship。 And you hesitate to mount that throne！to seem
small and do great things； to live in a cave comfortably arranged like
this； and command the light； to have at your orders an invisible army；
always ready； always devoted； always submissive； to know the OTHER
SIDE of everything； to be duped by no intrigue because you hold the
threads of all within your fingers； to see through all partitions； to
penetrate all secrets； search all hearts； all consciences；these are
the things you fear！ And yet you were not afraid to go and wallow in a
Thuillier bog； you； a thoroughbred； allowed yourself to be harnessed
to a hackney…coach； to the ignoble business of electing that parvenu
bourgeois。〃
〃A man does what he can；〃 said la Peyrade。
〃Here's a very remarkable thing；〃 pursued Corentin； replying to his
own thought； 〃the French language； more just than public opinion； has
given us our right place； for it has made the word police the synonym
of civilization and the antipodes of savage life； when it said and
wrote： 'l'Etat police；' from the Greek words state and city。 So； I can
assure you； we care little for the prejudice that tries to brand us；
none know men as we do； and to know them brings contempt for their
contempt as well as for their esteem。〃
〃There is certainly much truth in what you say with such warmth；〃 said
la Peyrade； finally。
〃Much truth！〃 exclaimed Corentin； going back to his chair； 〃say；
rather； that it is all true； and nothing but the truth； yet it is not
the whole truth。 But enough for to…day； monsieur。 To succeed me in my
functions； and to marry your cousin with a 'dot' that will not be less
than five hundred thousand francs； that is my offer。 I do not ask you
for an answer now。 I should have no confidence in a determination not
seriously reflected upon。 To…morrow； I shall be at home all the
morning。 I trust that my conviction may then have formed yours。〃
Dismissing his visitor with a curt little bow； he added： 〃I do not bid
you adieu； but au revoir； Monsieur de la Peyrade。〃
Whereupon Corentin went to a side…table； where he found all that he
needed to prepare a glass of 〃eau sucree；〃 which he had certainly
earned； and； without looking at la Peyrade； who left the room rather
stunned； he seemed to have no other interest on his mind than that
prosaic preparation。
Was it； indeed； necessary that the morning after this meeting with
Corentin a visit from Madame Lambert； now become an exacting and
importunate creditor； should come to bear its weight on la Peyrade's
determination？ As the great chief had pointed out to him the night
before； was there not in his nature； in his mind； in his aspirations；
in the mistakes and imprudences of his past life； a sort of
irresistible incline which drew him down toward the strange solution
of existence thus suddenly offered to him？
Fatality； if we may so call it； was lavish of the inducements to which
he was destined to succumb。 This day was the 31st of October； the
vacation of the Palais was just over。 The 2nd of November was the day
on which the courts reopened； and as Madame Lambert left his room he
received a summons to appear on that day before the Council of his
order。
To Madame Lambert； who pressed him sharply to repay her； under
pretence that she was about to leave Monsieur Picot and return to her
native place； he replied： 〃Come here the day after to…morrow； at the
same hour； and your money will be ready for you。〃
To the summons to give account of his actions to his peers he replied
that he did not recognize the right of the Council to question him on
the facts of his private life。 That was an answer of one sort；
certainly。 Inevitably it would result in his being stricken from the
roll of the barristers of the Royal courts； but； at least； it had an
air of dignity and protestation which saved； in a measure； his self…
love。
Finally； he wrote a letter to Thuillier； in which he said that his
visit to du Portail had resulted in his being obliged to accept
another marriage。 He therefore returned to Thuillier his promise； and
took back his own。 All this was curtly said； without the slightest
expression of regret for the marriage he renounced。 In a postscript he
added： 〃We shall be obliged to discuss my position on the newspaper；〃
indicating that it might enter into his plans not to retain it。
He was careful to make a copy of this letter； and an hour later； when；
in Corentin's study； he was questioned as to the result of his night's
reflections； he gave that great general； for all answer； the
matrimonial resignation he had just despatched。
〃That will do；〃 said Corentin。 〃But as for your position on the
newspaper； you may perhaps have to keep it for a time。 The candidacy
of that fool interferes with the plans of the government； and we must
manage in some way to trip up the heels of the municipal councillor。
In your position as editor…in…chief you may find a chance to do it；
and I think your conscience won't kick at the mission。〃
〃No； indeed！〃 said la Peyrade； 〃the thought of the humiliations to
which I have been so long subjected will make it a precious joy to
lash that bourgeois brood。〃
〃Take care！〃 said Corentin； 〃you are young； and you must watch against
those revengeful emotions。 In our austere profession we love nothing
and we hate nothing。 Men are to us mere pawns of wood or ivory；
according to their qualitywith which we play our game。 We are like
the blade that cuts what is given it to cut； but； careful only to be
delicately sharpened； wishes neither harm nor good to any one。 Now let
us speak of your cousin； to whom； I suppose； you have some curiosity
to be presented。〃
La Peyrade was not obliged to pretend to eagerness； that which he felt
was genuine。
〃Lydie de la Peyrade；〃 said Corentin； 〃is nearly thirty； but her
innocence； joined to a gentle form of insanity； has kept her apart
from all those passions； ideas； and impressions which use up life； and
has； if I may say so； embalmed her in a sort of eternal youth。 You
would not think her more than twenty。 She is fair and slender； her
face； which is very delicate； is especially remarkable for an
expression of angelic sweetness。 Deprived of her full reason by a
terrible catastrophe； her monomania has something touching about it。
She always carries in her arms or keeps beside her a bundle of linen
which she nurses and cares for as though it were a sick child； and；
excepting Bruneau and myself； whom she recognizes； she thinks all
other men are doctors； whom she consults about the child； and to whom
she listens as oracles。 A crisis which lately happened in her malady
has convinced Horace Bianchon； that prince of science； that if the
reality could be substituted for this long delusion of motherhood； her
reason would assert itself。 It is surely a worthy task to bring back
light to a soul in which it is scarcely veiled； and the existing bond
of relationship has seemed to me to point you out as specially
designated to effect this cure； the success of which Bianchon and two
other eminent doctors who have consulted with him declare to be beyond
a doubt。 Now； I will take you to Lydie's presence； remember to play
the part of doctor； for the only thing that makes her lose her
customary serenity is not to enter into her notion of medical
consultation。〃
After crossing several rooms Corentin was on the point of taking la
Peyrade into that usually occupied by Lydie when employed in cradling
or dandling her imaginary child； when suddenly they were stopped by
the sound of two or three c