r owe this
service to your friendship."

"Well, it sha'n't fail you," said the colonel, rising. "I'll do my best
to satisfy you; only, there must be a delay."

The visit had lasted long, and Maxime felt that a hint was given him to
abridge it. He therefore took leave, putting into his manner a certain
coldness which the colonel appeared not to notice.

No sooner had Monsieur de Trailles departed than Franchessini opened
a pack of cards and took out the knave of spades. This he cut up in a
curious manner, leaving the figure untouched. Placing this species
of hieroglyphic between two sheets of paper, he consigned it to an
envelope. On this envelope and disguising his hand the colonel wrote as
follows:--

Monsieur de Saint-Esteve, rue Saint-Anne, near the Quai des
Orfevres.

That done, he rang the bell and gave orders to put up his carriage,
which he had ordered before Maxime's arrival; after which he went out
alone on foot, and threw his singular missive into the first street
letter-box that he passed. He had taken care, before he left the house,
to see if it were properly sealed.

II. A CONVERSATION BETWEEN ELEVEN O'CLOCK AND MIDNIGHT

As a result of the elections which had just taken place, the ministry,
contrary to expectation, maintained a majority in the Chamber,--a
doubtful and provisional majority which would give it an uncertain and
struggling existence. But, at any rate, it had obtained that merely
numerical success which parties seek at any price to prolong their
power. The Te Deum was sung in all its camps,--a paean which serves as
well to celebrate victorious defeats as honest victories.

On the evening of the day when Colonel Franchessini received the visit
from Maxime de Trailles, the general result of the elections was made
known. The ministers of the left bank, whose wives received on that day,
found their salons crowded, particularly the Comte de Rastignac, the
minister of Public Works.

Madame de l'Estorade, too much absorbed in her children to be very exact
in the fulfilment of her social duties, had owed a visit to Madame
de Rastignac ever since the evening when the minister's wife had
interrupted her conversation with the sculptor apropos of the famous
statue. Monsieur de l'Estorade, zealous conservative as we know already,
had insisted that politics and politeness now combined to oblige them
both to pay this social debt. Arriving early, in order to be rid the
sooner of such a bo