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Renounces his candidacy； and he strongly urges the electors to
transfer to Monsieur Minard； mayor of the eleventh arrondissement
and his friend and colleague in his municipal functions； all the
votes with which they seemed about to honor him。
〃But this is infamous！〃 cried Thuillier； recovering his speech； 〃you
have bought that Jesuit la Peyrade。〃
〃So；〃 said Minard； stupefied by Thuillier's attitude； 〃the article was
not agreed upon between you？〃
〃The wretch has profited by my absence to slip it into the paper； I
understand now why he prevented a copy from reaching me to…day。〃
〃My dear friend；〃 said Minard； 〃what you tell me will seem incredible
to the public。〃
〃I tell you it is treachery； it is an abominable trap。 Renounce my
candidacy！why should I？〃
〃You understand； my dear friend；〃 said Minard； 〃that I am truly sorry
if your confidence has been abused； but I have just issued my circular
manifesto； the die is cast； and luck to the lucky now。〃
〃Leave me；〃 said Thuillier； 〃it is a comedy for which you have paid。〃
〃Monsieur Thuillier；〃 said Minard； in a threatening voice； 〃I advise
you not to repeat those words； unless you are ready to give me
satisfaction for them。〃
Happily for Thuillier； who； we may remember； had made his profession
of faith as to civic courage some time before； he was relieved from
answering by Coffinet； who now opened the door of the editorial
sanctum； and announced：
〃Messieurs the electors of the twelfth arrondissement。〃
The arrondissement was represented on this occasion by five persons。
An apothecary； chairman of the deputation； proceeded to address
Thuillier in the following terms：
〃We have come； monsieur； after taking cognizance of an article
inserted this morning in the 'Echo de la Bievre；' to inquire of you
what may be precisely the origin and bearing of that article； thinking
it incredible that； having solicited our suffrages； you should； on the
eve of this election； and from a most mistaken puritanism； have cast
disorder and disunion into our ranks； and probably have caused the
triumph of the ministerial candidate。 A candidate does not belong to
himself； he belongs to the electors who have promised to honor him
with their votes。 But；〃 continued the orator； casting his eye at
Minard； 〃the presence in these precincts of the candidate whom you
have gone out of your way to recommend to us； indicates that between
you and him there is connivance； and I have no need to ask who is
being here deceived。〃
〃No； messieurs； no；〃 said Thuillier； 〃I have not renounced my
candidacy。 That article was written and printed without my knowledge
or consent。 To…morrow you will see the denial of it in the same paper；
and you will also learn that the infamous person who has betrayed my
confidence is no longer the editor of this journal。〃
〃Then；〃 said the orator of the deputation； 〃in spite of your
declaration to the contrary； you do continue to be the candidate of
the Opposition？〃
〃Yes； messieurs； until death； and I beg you to use your utmost
influence in the quarter to neutralize the effect of this deliberate
falsehood until I am able to officially present the most formal
disavowal。〃
〃Hear！ hear！〃 said the electors。
〃And； as for the presence of Monsieur Minard； my competitor； in these
precincts； I have not invited it； and at the moment when you entered
this room； I was engaged in a very sharp and decided explanation with
him。〃
〃Hear！ hear！〃 said the electors again。
Then； after cordially shaking the hand of the apothecary； Thuillier
conducted the deputation to the outer door of the apartment； after
which； returning to the editorial sanctum； he said：
〃My dear Minard； I withdraw the words which wounded you； but you can
see now what justification I had for my indignation。〃
Here Coffinet again opened the door and announced：
〃Messieurs the electors of the eleventh arrondissement。〃
The arrondissement was represented this time by seven persons。 A
linen…draper； chairman of the delegation； addressed Thuillier in the
following speech：
〃Monsieur； it is with sincere admiration that we have learned this
morning from the columns of your paper； the great civic act by which
you have touched all hearts。 You have shown； in thus retiring； a most
unusual disinterestedness； and the esteem of your fellow…citizens〃
〃Excuse me；〃 said Thuillier； interrupting him； 〃I cannot allow you to
continue； the article about which you are so good as to congratulate
me； was inserted by mistake。〃
〃What！〃 said the linen…draper； 〃then do you not retire？ Can you
suppose that in opposition to the candidacy of Monsieur Minard （whose
presence in these precincts seems to me rather singular） you have the
slightest chance of success？〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said Thuillier； 〃have the goodness to request the electors
of your arrondissement to await the issue of to…morrow's paper； in
which I shall furnish categorical explanations of the most distinct
character。 The article to…day is the result of a misunderstanding。〃
〃It will be a sad pity； monsieur；〃 said the linen…draper； 〃if you lose
this occasion to place yourself in the eyes of your fellow…citizens
beside the Washingtons and other great men of antiquity。〃
〃I say again； TO…MORROW； messieurs；〃 said Thuillier。 〃I am none the
less sensible to the honor you do me； and I trust that when you know
the whole truth； I shall not suffer in your esteem。〃
〃A pretty queer mess this seems to be；〃 said the voice of an elector。
〃Yes；〃 said another； 〃it looks as if they meant to bamboozle us。〃
〃Messieurs； messieurs！〃 cried the chairman； putting a stop to the
outbreak； 〃to…morrowwe will wait until to…morrow for the promised
explanations。〃
Whereupon； the deputation retired。
It is not likely that Thuillier would have accompanied them beyond the
door of the sanctum； but in any case he was prevented by the sudden
entrance of la Peyrade。
〃I have just come from your house； my dear fellow；〃 said the
Provencal； 〃they told me I should find you here。〃
〃You have come； doubtless； for the purpose of explaining to me the
strange article you allowed yourself to insert in my name。〃
〃Precisely；〃 said la Peyrade。 〃The remarkable man whom you know； and
whose powerful influence you have already felt； confided to me
yesterday； in your interests； the plans of the government； and I saw
at once that your defeat was inevitable。 I wished therefore to secure
to you an honorable and dignified retreat。 There was no time to lose；
you were absent from Paris； and therefore〃
〃Very good； monsieur；〃 said Thuillier； 〃but you will take notice that
from the present moment you are no longer the editor of this paper。〃
〃That is what I came to tell you。〃
〃Perhaps you also came to settle the little account we have together。〃
〃Messieurs；〃 said Minard； 〃I see that this is a business interview； I
shall therefore take leave of you。〃
As soon as Minard had left the room； la Peyrade pulled out his pocket…
book。
〃Here are ten thousand francs；〃 he said； 〃which I will beg you to
remit to Mademoiselle Brigitte； and here； also； is the bond by which
you secured the payment of twenty…five thousand francs to Madame
Lambert； that sum I have now paid in full； and here is the receipt。〃
〃Very good； monsieur；〃 said Thuillier。
La Peyrade bowed and went away。
〃Serpent！〃 said Thuillier as he watched him go。
〃Cerizet said the right thing；〃 thought la Peyrade；〃a pompous
imbecile！〃
The blow struck at Thuillier's candidacy was mortal； but Minard did
not profit by it。 While the pair were contending for votes； a
government man； an aide…de…camp to the king； arrived with his hands
full of tobacco licenses and other electoral small change； and； like
the third thief； he slipped between the two who were thumping each
other； and carried off the booty。
It is needless to say that Brigitte did not get her farm in Beauce。
That was only a mirage； by help of which Thuillier was enticed out of
Paris long enough for la Peyrade to deal his blow；a service rendered
to the government on the one hand； but also a precious vengeance for
the many humiliations he had undergone。
Thuillier had certainly some suspicions as to the complicity of
Cerizet； but that worthy managed to justify himself； and by
manoeuvring the sale of the 〃Echo de la Bievre；〃 now become a
nightmare to the luckless owner； he ended by appearing as white as
snow。
The paper was secretly bought up by Corentin； and the late opposition
sheet became a 〃canard〃 sold on Sundays in the wine…shops and
concocted in the dens of the police。
CHAPTER XVII
IN THE EXERCISE OF HIS FUNCTIONS
About two months after the scene in which la Peyrade had been
convinced that through a crime of his past life his future was
irrevocably settled； he （being now married to his victim； who was
beginning to have lucid intervals； though the full return of her
reason would not take place until the occasion indicated by the
doctors） was sitting one morning with the head of the police in the
latter's office。 Taking part in the work of the department； the young
man was serving an apprenticeship under that great master in the
difficult and delicat