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To…day； scribblers are paramount。 Ink has ousted gunpowder； and talk
takes the place of shot。 After all； these little toads of editors are
pretty good fellows； and very clever。 Come and see me to…morrow at the
newspaper office； by that time I shall have said a word for you to my
nephew。 Before long you'll have a place on some journal or other。
Mariette； who is taking you at this moment （don't deceive yourself）
because she literally has nothing； no engagement； no chance of
appearing on the stage； and I have told her that you are going on a
newspaper like myself；Mariette will try to make you believe she is
loving you for yourself； and you will believe her！ Do as I do；keep
her as long as you can。 I was so much in love with Florentine that I
begged Finot to write her up and help her to a debut； but my nephew
replied； 'You say she has talent； well； the day after her first
appearance she will turn her back on you。' Oh； that's Finot all over！
You'll find him a knowing one。〃
The next day； about four o'clock； Philippe went to the rue de Sentier；
where he found Giroudeau in the entresol；caged like a wild beast in
a sort of hen…coop with a sliding panel； in which was a little stove；
a little table； two little chairs； and some little logs of wood。 This
establishment bore the magic words； SUBSCRIPTION OFFICE； painted on
the door in black letters； and the word 〃Cashier；〃 written by hand and
fastened to the grating of the cage。 Along the wall that lay opposite
to the cage； was a bench； where； at this moment； a one…armed man was
breakfasting； who was called Coloquinte by Giroudeau； doubtless from
the Egyptian colors of his skin。
〃A pretty hole！〃 exclaimed Philippe； looking round the room。 〃In the
name of thunder！ what are you doing here； you who charged with poor
Colonel Chabert at Eylau？ Youa gallant officer！〃
〃Well； yes！ broum！ broum！a gallant officer keeping the accounts of a
little newspaper；〃 said Giroudeau； settling his black silk skull…cap。
〃Moreover； I'm the working editor of all that rubbish；〃 he added；
pointing to the newspaper itself。
〃And I； who went to Egypt； I'm obliged to stamp it；〃 said the one…
armed man。
〃Hold your tongue； Coloquinte；〃 said Giroudeau。 〃You are in presence
of a hero who carried the Emperor's orders at the battle of
Montereau。〃
Coloquinte saluted。 〃That's were I lost my missing arm！〃 he said。
〃Coloquinte； look after the den。 I'm going up to see my nephew。〃
The two soldiers mounted to the fourth floor； where； in an attic room
at the end of a passage； they found a young man with a cold light eye；
lying on a dirty sofa。 The representative of the press did not stir；
though he offered cigars to his uncle and his uncle's friend。
〃My good fellow；〃 said Giroudeau in a soothing and humble tone； 〃this
is the gallant cavalry officer of the Imperial Guard of whom I spoke
to you。〃
〃Eh！ well？〃 said Finot； eyeing Philippe； who； like Giroudeau； lost all
his assurance before the diplomatist of the press。
〃My dear boy；〃 said Giroudeau； trying to pose as an uncle； 〃the
colonel has just returned from Texas。〃
〃Ah！ you were taken in by that affair of the Champ d'Asile； were you？
Seems to me you were rather young to turn into a Soldier…laborer。〃
The bitterness of this jest will only be understood by those who
remember the deluge of engravings； screens； clocks； bronzes； and
plaster…casts produced by the idea of the Soldier…laborer； a splendid
image of Napoleon and his heroes； which afterwards made its appearance
on the stage in vaudevilles。 That idea； however； obtained a national
subscription； and we still find； in the depths of the provinces； old
wall…papers which bear the effigy of the Soldier…laborer。 If this
young man had not been Giroudeau's nephew； Philippe would have boxed
his ears。
〃Yes； I was taken in by it； I lost my time； and twelve thousand francs
to boot；〃 answered Philippe； trying to force a grin。
〃You are still fond of the Emperor？〃 asked Finot。
〃He is my god；〃 answered Philippe Bridau。
〃You are a Liberal？〃
〃I shall always belong to the Constitutional Opposition。 Oh Foy！ oh
Manuel！ oh Laffitte！ what men they are！ They'll rid us of these
others；these wretches； who came back to France at the heels of the
enemy。〃
〃Well；〃 said Finot coldly； 〃you ought to make something out of your
misfortunes； for you are the victim of the Liberals； my good fellow。
Stay a Liberal； if you really value your opinions； but threaten the
party with the follies in Texas which you are ready to show up。 You
never got a farthing of the national subscription； did you？ Well； then
you hold a fine position： demand an account of that subscription。 I'll
tell you how you can do it。 A new Opposition journal is just starting；
under the auspices of the deputies of the Left； you shall be the
cashier； with a salary of three thousand francs。 A permanent place。
All you want is some one to go security for you in twenty thousand
francs； find that； and you shall be installed within a week。 I'll
advise the Liberals to silence you by giving you the place。 Meantime；
talk； threaten；threaten loudly。〃
Giroudeau let Philippe； who was profuse in his thanks； go down a few
steps before him； and then he turned back to say to his nephew； 〃Well；
you are a queer fellow！ you keep me here on twelve hundred francs〃
〃That journal won't live a year；〃 said Finot。 〃I've got something
better for you。〃
〃Thunder！〃 cried Philippe to Giroudeau。 〃He's no fool； that nephew of
yours。 I never once thought of making something； as he calls it； out
of my position。〃
That night at the cafe Lemblin and the cafe Minerve Colonel Philippe
fulminated against the Liberal party； which had raised subscriptions；
sent heroes to Texas； talked hypocritically of Soldier…laborers； and
left them to starve； after taking the money they had put into it； and
keeping them in exile for two years。
〃I am going to demand an account of the moneys collected by the
subscription for the Champ d'Asile；〃 he said to one of the frequenters
of the cafe； who repeated it to the journalists of the Left。
Philippe did not go back to the rue Mazarin； he went to Mariette and
told her of his forthcoming appointment on a newspaper with ten
thousand subscribers； in which her choregraphic claims should be
warmly advanced。
Agathe and Madame Descoings waited up for Philippe in fear and
trembling； for the Duc de Berry had just been assassinated。 The
colonel came home a few minutes after breakfast； and when his mother
showed her uneasiness at his absence； he grew angry and asked if he
were not of age。
〃In the name of thunder； what's all this！ here have I brought you some
good news； and you both look like tombstones。 The Duc de Berry is
dead； is he？well； so much the better！ that's one the less； at any
rate。 As for me； I am to be cashier of a newspaper； with a salary of
three thousand francs； and there you are； out