"Thuillier, you can count on me, your old friend," said Colleville.

At this moment the guests were sincerely touched by the sight presented
of old Mademoiselle Brigitte and Madame Thuillier. Brigitte, pale as
though she were fainting, was letting the slow tears run, unheeded,
down her cheeks, tears of deepest joy; while Madame Thuillier sat, as if
struck by lightning, with her eyes fixed. Suddenly the old maid darted
into the kitchen, crying out to Josephine the cook:--

"Come into the cellar my girl, we must get out the wine behind the
wood!"

"My friends," said Thuillier, in a shaking voice, "this is the finest
moment of my life, finer than even the day of my election, should
I consent to allow myself to be presented to the suffrages of my
fellow-citizens" ("You must! you must!"); "for I feel myself much worn
down by thirty years of public service, and, as you may well believe, a
man of honor has need to consult his strength and his capacities before
he takes upon himself the functions of the aedileship."

"I expected nothing less of you, Monsieur Thuillier," cried Phellion.
"Pardon me; this is the first time in my life that I have ever
interrupted a superior; but there are circumstances--"

"Accept! accept!" cried Zelie. "Bless my soul! what we want are men like
you to govern us."

"Resign yourself, my chief!" cried Dutocq, and, "Long live the future
municipal councillor! but we haven't anything to drink--"

"Well, the thing is settled," said Minard; "you are to be our
candidate."

"You think too much of me," replied Thuillier.

"Come, come!" cried Colleville. "A man who has done thirty years in the
galleys of the ministry of finance is a treasure to the town."

"You are much too modest," said the younger Minard; "your capacity is
well known to us; it remains a tradition at the ministry of finance."

"As you all insist--" began Thuillier.

"The King will be pleased with our choice; I can assure you of that,"
said Minard, pompously.

"Gentlemen," said la Peyrade, "will you permit a recent dweller in the
faubourg Saint-Jacques to make one little remark, which is not without
importance?"

The consciousness that everybody had of the sterling merits of the
advocate of the poor produced the deepest silence.

"The influence of Monsieur le maire of an adjoining arrondissement,
which is immense in ours where he has left such excellent memories;
that of Monsieur Phellion, the oracle--yes, let the truth b