touched all hearts. You have shown, in thus retiring, a most
unusual disinterestedness, and the esteem of your fellow-citizens--"

"Excuse me," said Thuillier, interrupting him, "I cannot allow you to
continue; the article about which you are so good as to congratulate me,
was inserted by mistake."

"What!" said the linen-draper; "then do you not retire? Can you suppose
that in opposition to the candidacy of Monsieur Minard (whose presence
in these precincts seems to me rather singular) you have the slightest
chance of success?"

"Monsieur," said Thuillier, "have the goodness to request the electors
of your arrondissement to await the issue of to-morrow's paper, in which
I shall furnish categorical explanations of the most distinct character.
The article to-day is the result of a misunderstanding."

"It will be a sad pity, monsieur," said the linen-draper, "if you lose
this occasion to place yourself in the eyes of your fellow-citizens
beside the Washingtons and other great men of antiquity."

"I say again, _to-morrow_, messieurs," said Thuillier. "I am none the
less sensible to the honor you do me, and I trust that when you know the
whole truth, I shall not suffer in your esteem."

"A pretty queer mess this seems to be," said the voice of an elector.

"Yes," said another; "it looks as if they meant to bamboozle us."

"Messieurs, messieurs!" cried the chairman, putting a stop to the
outbreak; "to-morrow--we will wait until to-morrow for the promised
explanations."

Whereupon, the deputation retired.

It is not likely that Thuillier would have accompanied them beyond the
door of the sanctum, but in any case he was prevented by the sudden
entrance of la Peyrade.

"I have just come from your house, my dear fellow," said the Provencal;
"they told me I should find you here."

"You have come, doubtless, for the purpose of explaining to me the
strange article you allowed yourself to insert in my name."

"Precisely," said la Peyrade. "The remarkable man whom you know,
and whose powerful influence you have already felt, confided to me
yesterday, in your interests, the plans of the government, and I saw at
once that your defeat was inevitable. I wished therefore to secure to
you an honorable and dignified retreat. There was no time to lose; you
were absent from Paris, and therefore--"

"Very good, monsieur," said Thuillier; "but you will take notice that
from the present moment you are no longer the editor of thi