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personages and studying their peculiarities。 They knew how far to
trust the clerks with loans of money； doing their various commissions
with absolute discretion； they pawned and took out of pawn； bought up
bills when due； and lent money without interest； albeit no clerk ever
borrowed of them without returning a 〃gratification。〃 These servants
without a master received a salary of nine hundred francs a year； new
years' gifts and 〃gratifications〃 brought their emoluments to twelve
hundred francs； and they made almost as much money by serving
breakfasts to the clerks at the office。
The elder of these men； who was also the richest； waited upon the main
body of the clerks。 He was sixty years of age； with white hair cropped
short like a brush； stout； thickset； and apoplectic about the neck；
with a vulgar pimpled face； gray eyes； and a mouth like a furnace
door； such was the profile portrait of Antoine； the oldest attendant
in the ministry。 He had brought his two nephews； Laurent and Gabriel；
from Echelles in Savoie；one to serve the heads of the bureaus； the
other the director himself。 All three came to open the offices and
clean them； between seven and eight o'clock in the morning； at which
time they read the newspapers and talked civil service politics from
their point of view with the servants of other divisions； exchanging
the bureaucratic gossip。 In common with servants of modern houses who
know their masters' private affairs thoroughly； they lived at the
ministry like spiders at the centre of a web； where they felt the
slightest jar of the fabric。
On a Thursday evening； the day after the ministerial reception and
Madame Rabourdin's evening party； just as Antoine was trimming his
beard and his nephews were assisting him in the antechamber of the
division on the upper floor； they were surprised by the unexpected
arrival of one of the clerks。
〃That's Monsieur Dutocq；〃 said Antoine。 〃I know him by that pickpocket
step of his。 He is always moving round on the sly； that man。 He is on
your back before you know it。 Yesterday； contrary to his usual ways；
he outstayed the last man in the office； such a thing hasn't happened
three times since he has been at the ministry。〃
Here follows the portrait of Monsieur Dutocq； order…clerk in the
Rabourdin bureau： Thirty…eight years old； oblong face and bilious
skin； grizzled hair always cut close； low forehead； heavy eyebrows
meeting together； a crooked nose and pinched lips； tall； the right
shoulder slightly higher than the left； brown coat； black waistcoat；
silk cravat； yellowish trousers； black woollen stockings； and shoes
with flapping bows； thus you behold him。 Idle and incapable； he hated
Rabourdin；naturally enough； for Rabourdin had no vice to flatter；
and no bad or weak side on which Dutocq could make himself useful。 Far
too noble to injure a clerk； the chief was also too clear…sighted to
be deceived by any make…believe。 Dutocq kept his place therefore
solely through Rabourdin's generosity； and was very certain that he
could never be promoted if the latter succeeded La Billardiere。 Though
he knew himself incapable of important work； Dutocq was well aware
that in a government office incapacity was no hindrance to
advancement； La Billardiere's own appointment over the head of so
capable a man as Rabourdin had been a striking and fatal example of
this。 Wickedness combined with self…interest works with a power
equivalent to that of intellect； evilly disposed and wholly self…
interested； Dutocq had endeavoured to strengthen his position by
becoming a spy in all the offices。 After 1816 he assumed a marked
religious tone； foreseeing the favor which the fools of those days
would bestow on those they indiscriminately called Jesuits。 Belonging
to that fraternity in spirit； though not admitted to its rites； Dutocq
went from bureau to bureau； sounded consciences by recounting immoral
jests； and then reported and paraphrased results to des Lupeaulx； the
latter thus learned all the trivial events of the ministry； and often
surprised the minister by his consummate knowledge of what was going
on。 He tolerated Dutocq under the idea that circumstances might some
day make him useful； were it only to get him or some distinguished
friend of his out of a scrape by a disgraceful marriage。 The two
understood each other well。 Dutocq had succeeded Monsieur Poiret the
elder； who had retired in 1814； and now lived in the pension Vanquer
in the Latin quarter。 Dutocq himself lived in a pension in the rue de
Beaune； and spent his evenings in the Palais…Royal； sometimes going to
the theatre； thanks to du Bruel； who gave him an author's ticket about
once a week。 And now； a word on du Bruel。
Though Sebastien did his work at the office for the small compensation
we have mentioned； du Bruel was in the habit of coming there to
advertise the fact that he was the under…head…clerk and to draw his
salary。 His real work was that of dramatic critic to a leading
ministerial journal； in which he also wrote articles inspired by the
ministers；a very well understood； clearly defined； and quite
unassailable position。 Du Bruel was not lacking in those diplomatic
little tricks which go so far to conciliate general good…will。 He sent
Madame Rabourdin an opera…box for a first representation； took her
there in a carriage and brought her back；an attention which
evidently pleased her。 Rabourdin； who was never exacting with his
subordinates allowed du Bruel to go off to rehearsals； come to the
office at his own hours； and work at his vaudevilles when there。
Monsieur le Duc de Chaulieu； the minister； knew that du Bruel was
writing a novel which was to be dedicated to himself。 Dressed with the
careless ease of a theatre man； du Bruel wore； in the morning；
trousers strapped under his feet； shoes with gaiters； a waistcoat
evidently vamped over； an olive surtout； and a black cravat。 At night
he played the gentleman in elegant clothes。 He lived； for good
reasons； in the same house as Florine； an actress for whom he wrote
plays。 Du Bruel； or to give him his pen name； Cursy； was working just
now at a piece in five acts for the Francais。 Sebastien was devoted to
the author；who occasionally gave him tickets to the pit；and
applauded his pieces at the parts which du Bruel told him were of
doubtful interest； with all the faith and enthusiasm of his years。 In
fact； the youth looked upon the playwright as a great author； and it
was to Sebastien that du Bruel said； the day after a first
representation of a vaudeville produced； like all vaudevilles； by
three collaborators； 〃The audience preferred the scenes written by
two。〃
〃Why don't you write alone？〃 asked Sebastien naively。
There were good reasons why du Bruel did not write alone。 He was the
third of an author。 A dramatic writer； as few people know； is made up
of three individuals； first； the man with brains who invents the
subject and maps out the structure； or scenario； of th