to proceed farther. By Article 339 of the Civil
Code direct heirship alone has the right to attack the recognition of
natural children."

"Your balloon is collapsing fast," said the minister.

"So that the woman," continued Vinet, "has no object in proceeding, for
she can't inherit; it belongs to the government to pursue the case of
supposition of person; she can do no more than denounce the fact."

"From which you conclude?" said Rastignac, with that curtness of speech
which to a prolix speaker is a warning to be concise.

"From which I conclude, judicially speaking, that the Romilly
peasant-woman, so far as she is concerned, will have her trouble for her
pains; but, speaking politically, the thing takes quite another aspect."

"Let us see the political side," said the minister; "up to this point, I
see nothing."

"In the first place," replied the attorney-general, "you will admit that
it is always possible to bring a bad case?"

"Certainly."

"And I don't suppose it would signify much to you if the woman did
embark in a matter in which she can lose nothing but her costs?"

"No, I assure you I am wholly indifferent."

"In any case, I should have advised you to let things take their course.
The Beauvisage husband and wife have engaged to pay the costs and also
the expense of keeping the peasant-woman and her counsel in Paris during
the inquiry."

"Then," said Rastignac, still pressing for a conclusion, "the case is
really begun. What will be the result?"

"What will be the result?" cried the attorney-general, getting excited;
"why, anything you please if, _before the case comes for trial_,
your newspapers comment upon it, and your friends spread reports
and insinuations. What will result? why, an immense fall in public
estimation for our adversary suspected of stealing a name which does
not belong to him! What will result? why, the opportunity for a fierce
challenge in the Chamber."

"Which you will take upon yourself to make?" asked Rastignac.

"Ah! I don't know about that. The matter would have to be rather
more studied, and the turn the case might take more certain, if I had
anything to do with it."

"So, for the present," remarked the minister, "the whole thing amounts
to an application of Basile's famous theory about calumny: 'good to set
a-going, because some of it will always stick.'"

"Calumny!" exclaimed Vinet, "that remains to be seen. Perhaps a good
round of gossip is all that can be made