t of the Council was dead and the Chief of the State had turned
to Vaudrey to fill the high position which, but two hours before, had
been held by Monsieur Collard.

President of the Council! He, Vaudrey! Head of the Ministry! The first
in his country after the supreme head? The joyful surprise that such a
proposition caused him, so occupied his mind that he was unable to feel
very much moved by the loss of Monsieur Collard--of Nantes--. Sulpice,
moreover, had never profoundly cared for this austere advocate, although
he had been much associated with him. His liking for this man who
brought to the Council old-time opinions and preconceived ideas was a
merely political affection. The President's offer proved to him that his
own popularity, as well as his influence over parliament, had only
increased since his recent entry on public life. He was then about to be
in a position to assert his individuality still better. What a glorious
time for Grenoble and what wry faces Granet would make!

Sulpice hastened to announce this news to Adrienne, although it would
not become official until after Collard's funeral obsequies. He returned
almost triumphantly to the Hotel Beauvau. Only one thought, a sombre
image, clouded his joy: it was not the memory of Collard, but the sad
image of the man whom he had met at Ramel's, and who, when the
_Officiel_ should speak, should make the announcement, would shrug his
shoulders and say ironically:

"Well! and what then?"

He had scarcely whispered these words to Adrienne: "President of the
Council! I am President of the Council!" when, without being astonished
at the faint, almost indifferent smile that escaped the young wife, he
suddenly thought that he was under obligation to make a personal visit
to the Ministry of Justice where Collard was lying dead.

He ordered himself to be driven quickly to Place Vendome.

At every moment, carriages brought to the ministry men of grave mien,
decorated with the red ribbon, who entered wearing expressions suitable
to the occasion and inscribed their names in silence on the register,
passing the pen from one to another just as the aspergillus is passed
along in church. Everybody stood aside on noticing Vaudrey. It seemed to
him that they instinctively divined that Collard being out of the way
it was he who must be the man of the hour, the necessary man, the
President of the Council marked out in advance, the chief of the coming
_ministry_.

"Poor