e list you give, which I see at a glance contains names
the most a la mode in this kind of writing, more than one of them of
high social rank, whom it is difficult for me even to approach,--if, I
say, I fail?"

"What! with a carte blanche of terms? fie! Are you a Parisian? Well, to
answer you frankly, if you fail in so easy a task, you are not the man
to edit our journal, and I shall find another. Allez, courage! Take my
advice; see Savarin the first thing to-morrow morning. Of course, my
name and calling you will keep a profound secret from him, as from all.
Say as mysteriously as you can that parties you are forbidden to name
instruct you to treat with M. Savarin, and offer him the terms I have
specified, the thirty thousand francs paid to him in advance the moment
he signs the simple memorandum of agreement. The more mysterious you
are, the more you will impose,--that is, wherever you offer money and
don't ask for it."

Here Lebeau took up his hat, and, with a courteous nod of adieu, lightly
descended the gloomy stairs.

CHAPTER VIII.

At night, after this final interview with Lebeau, Graham took leave for
good of his lodgings in Montmartre, and returned to his apartment in
the Rue d'Anjou. He spent several hours of the next morning in answering
numerous letters accumulated during his absence. Late in the afternoon
he had an interview with M. Renard, who, as at that season of the year
he was not over-busied with other affairs, engaged to obtain leave to
place his services at Graham's command during the time requisite for
inquiries at Aix, and to be in readiness to start the next day. Graham
then went forth to pay one or two farewell visits; and these over,
bent his way through the Champs Elysees towards Isaura's villa, when he
suddenly encountered Rochebriant on horseback. The Marquis courteously
dismounted, committing his horse to the care of the groom, and linking
his arm in Graham's, expressed his pleasure at seeing him again;
then, with some visible hesitation and embarrassment, he turned the
conversation towards the political aspects of France.

"There was," he said, "much in certain words of yours, when we last
walked together in this very path, that sank deeply into my mind at the
time, and over which I have of late still more earnestly reflected. You
spoke of the duties a Frenchman owed to France, and the 'impolicy' of
remaining aloof from all public employment on the part of those attached
to the