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to give special importance to the circumstance； which was made known
to Monsieur Saillard； who came at once to confer with Baudoyer。
Bixiou； who happened at the moment to be at work with the latter； left
him to converse with his father…in…law and betook himself to the
bureau Rabourdin； where the usual routine was of course interrupted。
Bixiou ＇entering＇。 〃I thought I should find you at a white heat！ Don't
you know what's going on down below？ The virtuous woman is done for！
yes； done for； crushed！ Terrible scene at the ministry！〃
Dutocq ＇looking fixedly at him＇。 〃Are you telling the truth？〃
Bixiou。 〃Pray； who would regret it？ Not you； certainly； for you will
be made under…head…clerk and du Bruel head of the bureau。 Monsieur
Baudoyer gets the division。〃
Fleury。 〃I'll bet a hundred francs that Baudoyer will never be head of
the division。〃
Vimeux。 〃I'll join in the bet； will you； Monsieur Poiret？〃
Poiret。 〃I retire in January。〃
Bixiou。 〃Is it possible？ are we to lose the sight of those shoe…ties？
What will the ministry be without you？ Will nobody take up the bet on
my side？〃
Dutocq。 〃I can't； for I know the facts。 Monsieur Rabourdin is
appointed。 Monsieur de la Billardiere requested it of the two
ministers on his death…bed； blaming himself for having taken the
emoluments of an office of which Rabourdin did all the work； he felt
remorse of conscience； and the ministers； to quiet him； promised to
appoint Rabourdin unless higher powers intervened。〃
Bixiou。 〃Gentlemen； are you all against me？ seven to one；for I know
which side you'll take； Monsieur Phellion。 Well； I'll bet a dinner
costing five hundred francs at the Rocher de Cancale that Rabourdin
does not get La Billardiere's place。 That will cost you only a hundred
francs each； and I'm risking five hundred；five to one against me！ Do
you take it up？〃 ＇Shouting into the next room。＇ 〃Du Bruel； what say
you？〃
Phellion ＇laying down his pen＇。 〃Monsieur； may I ask on what you base
that contingent proposal？for contingent it is。 But stay； I am wrong
to call it a proposal； I should say contract。 A wager constitutes a
contract。〃
Fleury。 〃No； no； you can only apply the word 'contract' to agreements
that are recognized in the Code。 Now the Code allows of no action for
the recovery of a bet。〃
Dutocq。 〃Proscribe a thing and you recognize it。〃
Bixiou。 〃Good！ my little man。〃
Poiret。 〃Dear me！〃
Fleury。 〃True！ when one refuses to pay one's debts； that's recognizing
them。〃
Thuillier。 〃You would make famous lawyers。〃
Poiret。 〃I am as curious as Monsieur Phellion to know what grounds
Monsieur Bixiou has for〃
Bixiou ＇shouting across the office＇。 〃Du Bruel！ Will you bet？〃
Du Bruel ＇appearing at the door＇。 〃Heavens and earth； gentlemen； I'm
very busy； I have something very difficult to do； I've got to write an
obituary notice of Monsieur de la Billardiere。 I do beg you to be
quiet； you can laugh and bet afterwards。〃
Bixiou。 〃That's true； du Bruel； the praise of an honest man is a very
difficult thing to write。 I'd rather any day draw a caricature of
him。〃
Du Bruel。 〃Do come and help me； Bixiou。〃
Bixiou ＇following him＇。 〃I'm willing； though I can do such things much
better when eating。〃
Du Bruel。 〃Well； we will go and dine together afterwards。 But listen；
this is what I have written〃 ＇reads＇ 〃'The Church and the Monarchy are
daily losing many of those who fought for them in Revolutionary
times。'〃
Bixiou。 〃Bad； very bad； why don't you say； 'Death carries on its
ravages amongst the few surviving defenders of the monarchy and the
old and faithful servants of the King； whose heart bleeds under these
reiterated blows？'〃 ＇Du Bruel writes rapidly。＇ 〃'Monsieur le Baron
Flamet de la Billardiere died this morning of dropsy； caused by heart
disease。' You see； it is just as well to show there are hearts in
government offices； and you ought to slip in a little flummery about
the emotions of the Royalists during the Terror；might be useful；
hey！ But stay；no！ the petty papers would be sure to say the emotions
came more from the stomach than the heart。 Better leave that out。 What
are you writing now？〃
Du Bruel ＇reading＇。 〃'Issuing from an old parliamentary stock in which
devotion to the throne was hereditary； as was also attachment to the
faith of our fathers； Monsieur de la Billardiere'〃
Bixiou。 〃Better say Monsieur le Baron de la Billardiere。〃
Du Bruel。 〃But he wasn't baron in 1793。〃
Bixiou。 〃No matter。 Don't you remember that under the Empire Fouche
was telling an anecdote about the Convention； in which he had to quote
Robespierre； and he said； 'Robespierre called out to me； 〃Duc
d'Otrante； go to the Hotel de Ville。〃' There's a precedent for you！〃
Du Bruel。 〃Let me just write that down； I can use it in a vaudeville。
But to go back to what we were saying。 I don't want to put 'Monsieur
le baron；' because I am reserving his honors till the last； when they
rained upon him。〃
Bixiou。 〃Oh！ very good； that's theatrical；the finale of the
article。〃
Du Bruel ＇continuing＇。 〃'In appointing Monsieur de la Billardiere
gentleman…in…ordinary'〃
Bixiou。 〃Very ordinary！〃
Du Bruel。 〃'of the Bedchamber； the King rewarded not only the
services rendered by the Provost； who knew how to harmonize the
severity of his functions with the customary urbanity of the Bourbons；
but the bravery of the Vendean hero； who never bent the knee to the
imperial idol。 He leaves a son； who inherits his loyalty and his
talents。'〃
Bixiou。 〃Don't you think all that is a little too florid？ I should
tone down the poetry。 'Imperial idol！' 'bent the knee！' damn it； my
dear fellow； writing vaudevilles has ruined your style； you can't come
down to pedestrial prose。 I should say； 'He belonged to the small
number of those who。' Simplify； simplify！ the man himself was a
simpleton。〃
Du Bruel。 〃That's vaudeville； if you like！ You would make your fortune
at the theatre； Bixiou。〃
Bixiou。 〃What have you said about Quiberon？〃 ＇Reads over du Bruel's
shoulder。＇ 〃Oh； that won't do！ Here； this is what you must say： 'He
took upon himself； in a book recently published； the responsibility
for all the blunders of the expedition to Quiberon；thus proving the
nature of his loyalty； which did not shrink from any sacrifice。'
That's clever and witty； and exalts La Billardiere。〃
Du Bruel。 〃At whose expense？〃
Bixiou ＇solemn as a priest in a pulpit＇。 〃Why； Hoche and Tallien； of
course； don't you read history？〃
Du Bruel。 〃No。 I subscribed to the Baudouin series； but I've never had
time to open a volume； one can't find matter for vaudevilles there。〃
Phellion ＇at the door＇。 〃We all want to know； Monsieur Bixiou； what
made you think that the worthy and honorable Monsieur Rabourdin； who
has so long done the work of this division for Monsieur de la
Billardiere；he； who is the senior head of all the b