other end of the large table a fat, bald little man, with a very
pale, puffy face, and a white and shining head, was writing, with his
nose on the paper owing to extreme shortsightedness. Forestier said to
him: "I say, Saint-Potin, when are you going to interview those
people?"

"At four o'clock."

"Will you take young Duroy here with you, and let him into the way of
doing it?"

"All right."

Then turning to his friend, Forestier added: "Have you brought the
continuation of the Algerian article? The opening this morning was very
successful."

Duroy, taken aback, stammered: "No. I thought I should have time this
afternoon. I had heaps of things to do. I was not able."

The other shrugged his shoulders with a dissatisfied air. "If you are
not more exact than that you will spoil your future. Daddy Walter was
reckoning on your copy. I will tell him it will be ready to-morrow. If
you think you are to be paid for doing nothing you are mistaken."

Then, after a short silence, he added: "One must strike the iron while
it is hot, or the deuce is in it."

Saint-Potin rose, saying: "I am ready."

Then Forestier, leaning back in his chair, assumed a serious attitude in
order to give his instructions, and turning to Duroy, said: "This is
what it is. Within the last two days the Chinese General, Li Theng Fao,
has arrived at the Hotel Continental, and the Rajah Taposahib Ramaderao
Pali at the Hotel Bristol. You will go and interview them." Turning to
Saint-Potin, he continued: "Don't forget the main points I told you of.
Ask the General and the Rajah their opinion upon the action of England
in the East, their ideas upon her system of colonization and domination,
and their hopes respecting the intervention of Europe, and especially of
France." He was silent for a moment, and then added in a theatrical
aside: "It will be most interesting to our readers to learn at the same
time what is thought in China and India upon these matters which so
forcibly occupy public attention at this moment." He continued, for the
benefit of Duroy: "Watch how Saint-Potin sets to work; he is a capital
reporter; and try to learn the trick of pumping a man in five minutes."

Then he gravely resumed his writing, with the evident intention of
defining their relative positions, and putting his old comrade and
present colleague in his proper place.

As soon as they had crossed the threshold Saint-Potin began to laugh,
and said to Duroy: "There's a fl