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Bixiou。 〃Yes。〃
Dutocq。 〃Then come home with me； for I must put the document into safe
keeping。〃
Bixiou。 〃You go first alone。〃 ＇Re…enters the bureau Rabourdin。＇ 〃What
Dutocq told you is really all true； word of honor！ It seems that
Monsieur Rabourdin has written and sent in very unflattering
descriptions of the clerks whom he wants to 'reform。' That's the real
reason why his secret friends wish him appointed。 Well； well； we live
in days when nothing astonishes me〃 ＇flings his cloak about him like
Talma； and declaims＇：
〃Thou who has seen the fall of grand； illustrious heads；
Why thus amazed； insensate that thou art；
〃to find a man like Rabourdin employing such means？ Baudoyer is too
much of a fool to know how to use them。 Accept my congratulations；
gentlemen； either way you are under a most illustrious chief〃 ＇goes
off＇。
Poiret。 〃I shall leave this ministry without ever comprehending a
single word that gentleman utters。 What does he mean with his 'heads
that fall'？〃
Fleury。 〃'Heads that fell？' why； think of the four sergeants of
Rochelle； Ney； Berton； Caron； the brothers Faucher； and the
massacres。〃
Phellion。 〃He asserts very flippantly things that he only guesses at。〃
Fleury。 〃Say at once that he lies； in his mouth truth itself turns to
corrosion。〃
Phellion。 〃Your language is unparliamentary and lacks the courtesy and
consideration which are due to a colleague。〃
Vimeux。 〃It seems to me that if what he says is false； the proper name
for it is calumny； defamation of character； and such a slanderer
deserves the thrashing。〃
Fleury ＇getting hot＇。 〃If the government offices are public places；
the matter ought to be taken into the police…courts。〃
Phellion ＇wishing to avert a quarrel； tries to turn the conversation＇。
〃Gentleman； might I ask you to keep quiet？ I am writing a little
treatise on moral philosophy； and I am just at the heart of it。〃
Fleury ＇interrupting＇。 〃What are you saying about it； Monsieur
Phellion？〃
Phellion ＇reading＇。 〃Question。What is the soul of man？
〃Answer。A spiritual substance which thinks and reasons。〃
Thuillier。 〃Spiritual substance！ you might as well talk about
immaterial stone。〃
Poiret。 〃Don't interrupt； let him go on。〃
Phellion ＇continuing＇。 〃Quest。Whence comes the soul？
〃Ans。From God； who created it of a nature one and indivisible； the
destructibility thereof is； consequently； not conceivable； and he hath
said〃
Poiret ＇amazed＇。 〃God said？〃
Phellion。 〃Yes； monsieur； tradition authorizes the statement。〃
Fleury ＇to Poiret＇。 〃Come； don't interrupt； yourself。〃
Phellion ＇resuming＇。 〃and he hath said that he created it immortal；
in other words； the soul can never die。
〃Quest。What are the uses of the soul？
〃Ans。To comprehend； to will； to remember； these constitute
understanding； volition； memory。
〃Quest。What are the uses of the understanding？
〃Ans。To know。 It is the eye of the soul。〃
Fleury。 〃And the soul is the eye of what？〃
Phellion ＇continuing＇。 〃Quest。What ought the understanding to know？
〃Ans。Truth。
〃Quest。Why does man possess volition？
〃Ans。To love good and hate evil。
〃Quest。What is good？
〃Ans。That which makes us happy。〃
Vimeux。 〃Heavens！ do you teach that to young ladies？〃
Phellion。 〃Yes〃 ＇continuing＇。 〃Quest。How many kinds of good are
there？〃
Fleury。 〃Amazingly indecorous； to say the least。〃
Phellion ＇aggrieved＇。 〃Oh； monsieur！〃 ＇Controlling himself。＇ 〃But
here's the answer；that's as far as I have got〃 ＇reads＇：
〃Ans。There are two kinds of good；eternal good and temporal good。〃
Poiret ＇with a look of contempt＇。 〃And does that sell for anything？〃
Phellion。 〃I hope it will。 It requires great application of mind to
carry on a system of questions and answers； that is why I ask you to
be quiet and let me think； for the answers〃
Thuillier ＇interrupting＇。 〃The answers might be sold separately。〃
Poiret。 〃Is that a pun？〃
Thuillier。 〃No； a riddle。〃
Phellion。 〃I am sorry I interrupted you〃 ＇he dives into his office
desk＇。 〃But〃 ＇to himself＇ 〃at any rate； I have stopped their talking
about Monsieur Rabourdin。〃
At this moment a scene was taking place between the minister and des
Lupeaulx which decided Rabourdin's fate。 The general…secretary had
gone to see the minister in his private study before the breakfast…
hour； to make sure that La Briere was not within hearing。
〃Your Excellency is not treating me frankly〃
〃He means a quarrel；〃 thought the minister； 〃and all because his
mistress coquetted with me last night。 I did not think you so
juvenile； my dear friend；〃 he said aloud。
〃Friend？〃 said the general…secretary； 〃that is what I want to find
out。〃
The minister looked haughtily at des Lupeaulx。
〃We are alone；〃 continued the secretary； 〃and we can come to an
understanding。 The deputy of the arrondissement in which my estate is
situated〃
〃So it is really an estate！〃 said the minister； laughing； to hide his
surprise。
〃Increased by a recent purchase of two hundred thousand francs' worth
of adjacent property；〃 replied des Lupeaulx； carelessly。 〃You knew of
the deputy's approaching resignation at least ten days ago； and you
did not tell me of it。 You were perhaps not bound to do so； but you
knew very well that I am most anxious to take my seat in the centre。
Has it occurred to you that I might fling myself back on the
'Doctrine'？which； let me tell you； will destroy the administration
and the monarchy both if you continue to allow the party of
representative government to be recruited from men of talent whom you
ignore。 Don't you know that in every nation there are fifty to sixty；
not more； dangerous heads； whose schemes are in proportion to their
ambition？ The secret of knowing how to govern is to know those heads
well； and either to chop them off or buy them。 I don't know how much
talent I have； but I know that I have ambition； and you are committing
a serious blunder when you set aside a man who wishes you well。 The
anointed head dazzles for the time being； but what next？Why； a war
of words； discussions will spring up once more and grow embittered；
envenomed。 Then； for your own sake； I advise you not to find me at the
Left Centre。 In spite of your prefect's manoeuvres （instructions for
which no doubt went from here confidentially） I am secure of a
majority。 The time has come for you and me to understand each other。
After a breeze like this people sometimes become closer friends than
ever。 I must be made count and receive the grand cordon of the Legion
of honor as a reward for my public services。 However； I care less for
those things just now than I do for something else in which you are
more personally concerned。 You have not yet appointed Rabourdin； and I
have news this morning which tends to show that most persons will be
better satisfied if you ap