ive hundred francs,
he would have some twenty thousand francs and more; we might buy
up Sechard's printing-office, and we could do as we liked with the
master-printer if we lent him the capital," Petit-Claud had said.

Others had taken up the idea, and in this way Petit-Claud strengthened
his position with regard to David on the one side and the Cointets on
the other. Casting about him for a tool for his party, he naturally
thought that a rogue of Cerizet's calibre was the very man for the
purpose.

"If you can find Sechard's hiding-place and put him in our hands,
somebody will lend you twenty thousand francs to buy his business, and
very likely there will be a newspaper to print. So, set about it," he
had said.

Petit-Claud put more faith in Cerizet's activity than in all the
Doublons in existence; and then it was that he promised Cointet that
Sechard should be arrested. But now that the little lawyer cherished
hopes of office, he saw that he must turn his back upon the Liberals;
and, meanwhile, the amount for the printing-office had been subscribed
in L'Houmeau. Petit-Claud decided to allow things to take their natural
course.

"Pooh!" he thought, "Cerizet will get into trouble with his paper, and
give me an opportunity of displaying my talents."

He walked up to the door of the printing-office and spoke to Kolb, the
sentinel. "Go up and warn David that he had better go now," he said,
"and take every precaution. I am going home; it is one o'clock."

Marion came to take Kolb's place. Lucien and David came down together
and went out, Kolb a hundred paces ahead of them, and Marion at the
same distance behind. The two friends walked past the hoarding, Lucien
talking eagerly the while.

"My plan is extremely simple, David; but how could I tell you about it
while Eve was there? She would never understand. I am quite sure that at
the bottom of Louise's heart there is a feeling that I can rouse, and I
should like to arouse it if it is only to avenge myself upon that idiot
the prefect. If our love affair only lasts for a week, I will contrive
to send an application through her for the subvention of twenty thousand
francs for you. I am going to see her again to-morrow in the little
boudoir where our old affair of the heart began; Petit-Claud says that
the room is the same as ever; I shall play my part in the comedy; and I
will send word by Basine to-morrow morning to tell you whether the
actor was hissed. You may be at