at inspired a graver
and more unquiet interest had been created by the Vicomte de Mauleon.
Recent articles in the Sens Commun, written under the name of Pierre
Firmin on the discussions on the vexed question of the plebiscite, had
given umbrage to the Government, and Rameau had received an intimation
that he, as editor, was responsible for the compositions of the
contributors to the journal he edited; and that though, so long as
Pierre Firmin had kept his caustic spirit within proper bounds, the
Government had winked at the evasion of the law which required every
political article in a journal to be signed by the real name of its
author, it could do so no longer. Pierre Firmin was apparently a nom
de plume; if not, his identity must be proved, or Rameau would pay the
penalty which his contributor seemed bent on incurring.

Rameau, much alarmed for the journal that might be suspended, and for
himself who might be imprisoned, conveyed this information through the
publisher to his correspondent Pierre Firmin, and received the next
day an article signed Victor de Mauleon, in which the writer proclaimed
himself to be one and the same with Pierre Firmin, and, taking a yet
bolder tone than he had before assumed, dared the Government to attempt
legal measures against him. The Government was prudent enough to
disregard that haughty bravado, but Victor de Mauleon rose at once into
political importance. He had already in his real name and his quiet way
established a popular and respectable place in Parisian society. But if
this revelation created him enemies whom he had not before provoked, he
was now sufficiently acquitted, by tacit consent, of the sins formerly
laid to his charge, to disdain the assaults of party wrath. His old
reputation for personal courage and skill in sword and pistol served,
indeed, to protect him from such charges as a Parisian journalist does
not reply to with his pen. If he created some enemies, he created many
more friends, or, at least, partisans and admirers. He only needed fine
and imprisonment to become a popular hero.

A few days after he had thus proclaimed himself, Victor de Mauleon--who
had before kept aloof from Rameau, and from salons at which he was
likely to meet that distinguished minstrel--solicited his personal
acquaintance, and asked him to breakfast.

Rameau joyfully went. He had a very natural curiosity to see the
contributor whose articles had so mainly insured the sale of the Sens