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with that casket； so that when； shortly after； I entered his room and
told him I knew all； he proposed to me to leave him the life use of
what he called the consolation of his old age； pledging himself to
make Mademoiselle de la Peyrade his sole heir； revealing to me at the
same time the existence of a hoard of gold （to which he was adding
every day）； and also the possession of a house and an investment in
the Funds。〃
〃If he made that proposal in good faith；〃 said Cerizet； 〃it was a
desirable one。 The interest of the capital sunk in the diamonds was
more than returned by that from the other property。〃
〃You now see； my dear sir；〃 said du Portail； 〃that I was not mistaken
in trusting him。 All my precautions were well taken； I exacted that he
should occupy a room in the house I lived in； where I could keep a
close eye upon him。 I assisted him in making that hiding…place； the
secret of which you discovered so cleverly； but what you did not find
out was that in touching the spring that opened the iron safe you rang
a bell in my apartment； which warned me of any attempt that was made
to remove our treasure。〃
〃Poor Madame Cardinal！〃 cried Cerizet； good…humoredly； 〃how far she
was from suspecting it！〃
〃Now here's the situation；〃 resumed du Portail。 〃On account of the
interest I feel in the nephew of my old friend； and also； on account
of the relationship； this marriage seems to me extremely desirable； in
short； I unite Theodose to his cousin and her 'dot。' As it is possible
that； considering the mental state of his future wife； Theodose may
object to sharing my views； I have not thought it wise to make this
proposal directly to himself。 You have suddenly turned up upon my
path； I know already that you are clever and wily； and that knowledge
induces me to put this little matrimonial negotiation into your hands。
Now； I think； you understand the matter thoroughly； speak to him of a
fine girl； with one little drawback； but； on the other hand； a
comfortable fortune。 Do not name her to him； and come here and let me
know how the proposal has been taken。〃
〃Your confidence delights me as much as it honors me；〃 replied
Cerizet； 〃and I will justify it the best I can。〃
〃We must not expect too much；〃 said du Portail。 〃Refusal will be the
first impulse of a man who has an affair on hand elsewhere； but we
need not consider ourselves beaten。 I shall not easily give up a plan
which I know to be just； even if I push my zeal so far as to put la
Peyrade under lock and key in Clichy。 I am resolved not to take no for
his answer to a proposal of which； in the end； he cannot fail to see
the propriety。 Therefore； in any case； buy up those notes from
Monsieur Dutocq。〃
〃At par？〃 asked Cerizet。
〃Yes； at par； if you cannot do better； we are not going to haggle over
a few thousand francs； only； when this transaction is arranged；
Monsieur Dutocq must pledge us either his assistance； or； at the very
least； his neutrality。 After what you have said of the other marriage；
it is unnecessary for me to warn you that there is not a moment to
lose in putting our irons into the fire。〃
〃Two days hence I have an appointment with la Peyrade；〃 said Cerizet。
〃We have a little matter of business of our own to settle。 Don't you
think it would be best to wait till then； when I can introduce the
proposal incidentally？ In case of resistance； I think that arrangement
would best conduce to OUR dignity。〃
〃So be it；〃 said du Portail； 〃it isn't much of a delay。 Remember；
monsieur； that if you succeed you have； in place of a man able to
bring you to a stern account for your IMPRUDENT ASSISTANCE to Madame
Cardinal； a greatly obliged person； who will be ready at all times to
serve you； and whose influence is greater than is generally supposed。〃
After these friendly words； the pair separated with a thoroughly good
understanding； and well satisfied with each other。
CHAPTER XVII
IN WHICH THE LAMB DEVOURS THE WOLF
The evening before the day already agreed upon； Theodose received from
Cerizet the following note：
〃To…morrow； lease or no lease； Rocher de Cancale； half…past six
o'clock。〃
As for Dutocq； Cerizet saw him every day； for he was still his copying
clerk； he therefore gave him his invitation by word of mouth； but the
attentive reader must remark a difference in the hour named： 〃Quarter…
past…six； Rocher de Cancale；〃 said Cerizet。 It was evident； therefore；
that he wanted that fifteen minutes with Dutocq before the arrival of
la Peyrade。
These minutes the usurer proposed to employ in jockeying Dutocq in the
purchase of the notes； he fancied that if the proposition to buy them
were suddenly put before him without the slightest preparation it
might be more readily received。 By not leaving the seller time to
bethink himself； perhaps he might lead him to loosen his grasp； and
the notes once bought below par； he could consider at his leisure
whether to pocket the difference or curry favor with du Portail for
the discount he had obtained。 Let us say； moreover； that apart from
self…interest； Cerizet would still have endeavored to scrape a little
profit out of his friend； 'twas an instinct and a need of his nature。
He had as great a horror for straight courses as the lovers of English
gardens show in the lines of their paths。
Dutocq； having still a portion of the cost of his practice to pay off；
was forced to live very sparingly； so that a dinner at the Rocher de
Cancale was something of an event in the economy of his straitened
existence。 He arrived； therefore； with that punctuality which
testifies to an interest in the occasion； and precisely at a quarter
past six he entered the private room of the restaurant where Cerizet
awaited him。
〃It is queer；〃 he said； 〃here we are returned to precisely the
situation in which we began our business relationship with la Peyrade；
except； to be sure； that this present place of meeting of the three
emperors is more comfortable； I prefer the Tilsit of the rue
Montgorgeuil to the Tilsit of the Cheval Rouge。〃
〃Faith！〃 said Cerizet； 〃I don't know that the results justify the
change； for； to be frank； where are the profits to US in the scheme of
our triumvirate？〃
〃But；〃 said Dutocq； 〃it was a bargain with a long time limit。 It can't
be said that la Peyrade has lost much time in getting installed
forgive the punat the Thuilleries。 The scamp has made his way pretty
fast； you must own that。〃
〃Not so fast but what his marriage；〃 said Cerizet； 〃is at the present
moment a very doubtful thing。〃
〃Doubtful！〃 cried Dutocq； 〃why doubtful？〃
〃Well； I am commissioned to propose to him another wife； and I'm not
sure that any choice is left to him。〃
〃What the devil are you about； my dear fellow； lending your hand in
this way to another marriage when you know we have a mortgage on the
first？〃
〃One isn't always master of circumstances； my friend； I saw at once
when the new affair was laid before me that the one we had settled on
must infallibly go by the board。 Consequently； I've tried to work it
round in our interests； yours and mine。〃
〃Ah ca！ do you mean they are pulling caps for this Theodose？ Who is
the new match？ Has she money？〃
〃The 'dot' is pretty good； quite as much as Mademoiselle
Colleville's。〃
〃Then I wouldn't give a fig for it。 La Peyrade has signed those notes
and he will pay them。〃
〃Will he pay them？ that's the question。 You are not a business man；
neither is Theodose； it may come into his head to dispute the validity
of those notes。 What security have we that if the facts about their
origin should come out； and the Thuillier marriage shouldn't come off；
the court of commerce mightn't annul them as 'obligations without
cause。' For my part； I should laugh at such a decision； I can stand
it； and； moreover； my precautions are taken； but you； as clerk to a
justice…of…peace； don't you see that such an affair would give the
chancellor a bone to pick with you？〃
〃But； my good fellow；〃 said Dutocq； with the ill…humor of a man who
sees himself face to face with an argument he can't refute； 〃you seem
to have a mania for stirring up matters and meddling with〃
〃I tell you again；〃 said Cerizet； 〃this came to me； I didn't seek it；
but I saw at once that there was no use struggling against the
influence that is opposing us； so I chose the course of saving
ourselves by a sacrifice。〃
〃A sacrifice！ what sort of sacrifice？〃
〃Parbleu！ I've sold my share of those notes； leaving those who bought
them to fight it out with Master barrister。〃
〃Who is the purchaser？〃
〃Who do you suppose would step into my shoes unless it were the
persons who have an interest in this other marriage； and who want to
hold a power over Theodose； and control him by force if necessary。〃
〃Then my share of the notes is equally important to them？〃
〃No doubt； but I couldn't speak for you until I had consulted you。〃
〃What do they offer？〃
〃Hang it！ my dear fellow； the same that I accepted。 Knowing better
than you the danger of their competition I sold out to them on very
bad terms。〃
〃Well； but what are they； those terms？〃
〃I gave up my shares for fifteen thousand francs。〃
〃Come； come！〃 said Dutocq；