“Appoint Baudoyer!” echoed the minister.  “Do you know him?”

“Yes,” said des Lupeaulx; “but suppose he proves incapable, as he will, you can then get rid of him by asking those who protect him to employ him elsewhere.  You will thus get back an important office to give to friends; it may come in at the right moment to facilitate some compromise.”

“But I have pledged it to Rabourdin.”

“That may be; and I don’t ask you to make the change this very day.  I know the danger of saying yes and no within twenty-four hours.  But postpone the appointment, and don’t sign the papers till the day after to-morrow; by that time you may find it impossible to retain Rabourdin,—­in fact, in all probability, he will send you his resignation—­”

“His resignation?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“He is the tool of a secret power in whose interests he has carried on a system of espionage in all the ministries, and the thing has been discovered by mere accident.  He has written a paper of some kind, giving short histories of all the officials.  Everybody is talking of it; the clerks are furious.  For heaven’s sake, don’t transact business with him to-day; let me find some means for you to avoid it.  Ask an audience of the King; I am sure you will find great satisfaction there if you concede the point about Baudoyer; and you can obtain something as an equivalent.  Your position will be better than ever if you are forced later to dismiss a fool whom the court party impose upon you.”

“What has made you turn against Rabourdin?”

“Would you forgive Monsieur de Chateaubriand for writing an article against the ministry?  Well, read that, and see how Rabourdin has treated me in his secret document,” said des Lupeaulx, giving the paper to the minister.  “He pretends to reorganize the government from beginning to end,—­no doubt in the interests of some secret society of which, as yet, we know nothing.  I shall continue to be his friend for the sake of watching him; by that means I may render the government such signal service that they will have to make me count; for the peerage is the only thing I really care for.  I want you fully to understand that I am not seeking office or anything else that would cause me to stand in your way; I am simply aiming for the peerage, which will enable me to marry a banker’s daughter with an income of a couple of hundred thousand francs.  And so, allow me to render you a few signal services which will make the King feel that I have saved the throne.  I have long said that Liberalism would never offer us a pitched battle.  It has given up conspiracies, Carbonaroism, and revolts with weapons; it is now sapping and mining, and the day is coming when it will be able to say, ‘Out of that and let me in!’ Do you think I have been courting Rabourdin’s wife for my own pleasure?  No, but I got much information from her.  So now, let us agree on two things; first, the postponement of the appointment; second, your sincere support of my election.  You shall find at the end of the session that I have amply repaid you.”