birth to a child, wrote me,
asking for a good nurse. That is like one of our colleagues, Perraud--of
the Vosges.--One of his electors commissioned him to take back an
umbrella with him upon his early return. The electors regard their
deputies in the light of commission merchants."

"And as tobacco bureaus! Well, I wish to have more morality than that in
State affairs. I like giving, but I know how to refuse," said Vaudrey.

"That will be easy enough so long as you are popular and solid in
Parliament; but on the day that it is clearly proved that such and such
a future minister can make himself more useful than you to the personal
interests of everybody--and there are such ministers in sight--"

"Granet, yes, I know! He promises more butter than bread, to cry quits
later in giving more dry crusts than fresh butter. But I don't care to
deceive any one."

"As you please, Monsieur le Ministre, as you please," answered
Warcolier, in a mocking and gentle tone.

Sulpice did not like this man. He was a phrase-maker. He had a vague
feeling that this Warcolier who in public affected strictly severe
principles was privately undermining him and that he yielded to favors
in order to win support. It was enough for the minister to discourage
coarse, greedy ambitions, provided that the Under Secretary of State
encouraged unsavory, eager hopes by shrewd smiles and silence that
assented to all that was desired. This little underhand work going on in
his office was unknown to Vaudrey; he did not know that out of every
refusal he gave, Warcolier secured friends; but he maintained a watchful
distrust for this republican who had become so stanch a supporter of the
Republic only since that form of government had triumphed. Besides, what
had he to fear? The President of the Council, Monsieur Collard, of
Nantes, had the unbounded confidence of the head of the State and of the
Chamber; and he was Collard's intimate friend. The majority of the
cabinet was compact. The perfect calm of the horizon was undisturbed by
a cloud. Vaudrey could rule without fear, without excitement and give
all his spare time to that woman whose piercing glance, wandering smile,
palpitating nostrils, dishevelled, fair hair, kisses, fondness, cries,
and tones pursued him everywhere.

Marianne, how he loved her! From day to day, how his love of her
increased like a madman's! It seemed to him that he suddenly found
himself in the presence of the only woman who could