Bixiou.  “Monsieur Dutocq gets that in Rabourdin’s office; why shouldn’t I get it this year?  Monsieur Baudoyer gets it.”

Colleville.  “Only through the influence of Monsieur Saillard.  No other chief clerk gets that in any of the divisions.”

Paulmier.  “Bah!  Hasn’t Monsieur Cochin three thousand?  He succeeded Monsieur Vavasseur, who served ten years under the Empire at four thousand.  His salary was dropped to three when the King first returned; then to two thousand five hundred before Vavasseur died.  But Monsieur Cochin, who succeeded him, had influence enough to get the salary put back to three thousand.”

Colleville.  “Monsieur Cochin signs E. A. L. Cochin (he is named Emile-Adolphe-Lucian), which, when anagrammed, gives Cochineal.  Now observe, he’s a partner in a druggist’s business in the rue des Lombards, the Maison Matifat, which made its fortune by that identical colonial product.”

Baudoyer [entering].  “Monsieur Chazelle, I see, is not here; you will be good enough to say I asked for him, gentlemen.”

Bixiou [who had hastily stuck a hat on Chazelle’s chair when he heard Baudoyer’s step].  “Excuse me, Monsieur, but Chazelle has gone to the Rabourdins’ to make an inquiry.”

Chazelle [entering with his hat on his head, and not seeing Baudoyer].  “La Billardiere is done for, gentlemen!  Rabourdin is head of the division and Master of petitions; he hasn’t stolen his promotion, that’s very certain.”

Baudoyer [to Chazelle].  “You found that appointment in your second hat, I presume” [points to the hat on the chair].  “This is the third time within a month that you have come after nine o’clock.  If you continue the practice you will get on—­elsewhere.” [To Bixiou, who is reading the newspaper.] “My dear Monsieur Bixiou, do pray leave the newspapers to these gentlemen who are going to breakfast, and come into my office for your orders for the day.  I don’t know what Monsieur Rabourdin wants with Gabriel; he keeps him to do his private errands, I believe.  I’ve rung three times and can’t get him.” [Baudoyer and Bixiou retire into the private office.]

Chazelle.  “Damned unlucky!”

Paulmier [delighted to annoy Chazelle].  “Why didn’t you look about when you came into the room?  You might have seen the elephant, and the hat too; they are big enough to be visible.”

Chazelle [dismally].  “Disgusting business!  I don’t see why we should be treated like slaves because the government gives us four francs and sixty-five centimes a day.”

Fleury [entering].  “Down with Baudoyer! hurrah for Rabourdin!—­that’s the cry in the division.”

Chazelle [getting more and more angry].  “Baudoyer can turn off me if he likes, I sha’n’t care.  In Paris there are a thousand ways of earning five francs a day; why, I could earn that at the Palais de Justice, copying briefs for the lawyers.”

Paulmier [still prodding him].  “It is very easy to say that; but a government place is a government place, and that plucky Colleville, who works like a galley-slave outside of this office, and who could earn, if he lost his appointment, more than his salary, prefers to keep his place.  Who the devil is fool enough to give up his expectations?”