coming, but Thuillier overcame her indecision.

"My old and ever young friend," he said, taking her round the waist, for
she was alone in her little salon, "I won't have any secret from you. A
great affair is in the wind for me. I can't tell you more than that, but
I can ask you to be particularly charming to a certain young man--"

"Who is it?"

"La Peyrade."

"Why, Charles?"

"He holds my future in his hands. Besides, he's a man of genius. I know
what that is. He's got this sort of thing,"--and Thuillier made the
gesture of a dentist pulling out a back tooth. "We must bind him to us,
Flavie. But, above all, don't let him see his power. As for me, I shall
just give and take with him."

"Do you want me to be coquettish?"

"Not too much so, my angel," replied Thuillier, with a foppish air.

And he departed, not observing the stupor which overcame Flavie.

"That young man is a power," she said to herself. "Well, we shall see!"

For these reasons she dressed her hair with marabouts, put on her
prettiest gown of gray and pink, which allowed her fine shoulders to be
seen beneath a pelerine of black lace, and took care to keep Celeste
in a little silk frock made with a yoke and a large plaited collarette,
telling her to dress her hair plainly, a la Berthe.

CHAPTER VIII. AD MAJOREM THEODOSIS GLORIAM

At half-past four o'clock Theodose was at his post. He had put on his
vacant, half-servile manner and soft voice, and he drew Thuillier at
once into the garden.

"My friend," he said, "I don't doubt your triumph, but I feel the
necessity of again warning you to be absolutely silent. If you are
questioned about anything, especially about Celeste, make evasive
answers which will keep your questioners in suspense. You must have
learned how to do that in a government office."

"I understand!" said Thuillier. "But what certainty have you?"

"You'll see what a fine dessert I have prepared for you. But please
be modest. There come the Minards; let me pipe to them. Bring them out
here, and then disappear yourself."

After the first salutations, la Peyrade was careful to keep close to the
mayor, and presently at an opportune moment he drew him aside to say:--

"Monsieur le maire, a man of your political importance doesn't come to
bore himself in a house of this kind without an object. I don't want to
fathom your motives--which, indeed, I have no right to do--and my part
in this world is certainly not to mingle w