e is any necessity."

Bixiou. "This time, La Billardiere is really dead."

Dutocq [in Bixiou's ear]. "Come outside a minute." [The two go into the
corridor and gaze at each other like birds of ill-omen.]

Dutocq [whispering]. "Listen. Now is the time for us to understand each
other and push our way. What would you say to your being made head of
the bureau, and I under you?"

Bixiou [shrugging his shoulders]. "Come, come, don't talk nonsense!"

Dutocq. "If Baudoyer gets La Billardiere's place Rabourdin won't stay
on where he is. Between ourselves, Baudoyer is so incapable that if du
Bruel and you don't help him he will certainly be dismissed in a couple
of months. If I know arithmetic that will give three empty places for us
to fill--"

Bixiou. "Three places right under our noses, which will certainly
be given to some bloated favorite, some spy, some pious fraud,--to
Colleville perhaps, whose wife has ended where all pretty women end--in
piety."

Dutocq. "No, to /you/, my dear fellow, if you will only, for once in
your life, use your wits logically." [He stopped as if to study the
effect of his adverb in Bixiou's face.] "Come, let us play fair."

Bixiou [stolidly]. "Let me see your game."

Dutocq. "I don't wish to be anything more than under-head-clerk. I know
myself perfectly well, and I know I haven't the ability, like you, to
be head of a bureau. Du Bruel can be director, and you the head of this
bureau; he will leave you his place as soon as he has made his pile;
and as for me, I shall swim with the tide comfortably, under your
protection, till I can retire on a pension."

Bixiou. "Sly dog! but how to you expect to carry out a plan which
means forcing the minister's hand and ejecting a man of talent? Between
ourselves, Rabourdin is the only man capable of taking charge of the
division, and I might say of the ministry. Do you know that they talk
of putting in over his head that solid lump of foolishness, that cube of
idiocy, Baudoyer?"

Dutocq [consequentially]. "My dear fellow, I am in a position to rouse
the whole division against Rabourdin. You know how devoted Fleury is to
him? Well, I can make Fleury despise him."

Bixiou. "Despised by Fleury!"

Dutocq. "Not a soul will stand by Rabourdin; the clerks will go in a
body and complain of him to the minister,--not only in our division, but
in all the divisions--"

Bixiou. "Forward, march! infantry, cavalry, artillery, and marines of
the guard! You ra