“You have succeeded!”

He heard Guy’s voice again speaking this to him in joyous tones.  Succeeded!  It was certainly true.

Minister!  Was it possible!  He had at his beck and call a whole host of functionaries and servitors!  He it was who had the power to make the whole machine of government move—­he, the lawyer from Grenoble—­who ten years ago would have thought it a great honor to have been appointed to a place in the department of Isere!

All those people whom he could see in the shadow of the lighted boulevards buying the newspapers at the kiosks, would read therein his name and least gesture and action.

"Monsieur le Ministre has taken up his residence on the Place Beauvau.  Monsieur Vaudrey this morning received the heads of the Bureaus and the personnel of the Department of the Ministry of the Interior.  Monsieur Vaudrey, with the assistance of Monsieur Henri Jacquier of Oise, undersecretary of State, is actively engaged in examining the reports of prefects and under-prefects.  Monsieur will doubtless make some needed reforms in the administration of the prefectures." Everywhere, in all the newspapers, Monsieur Vaudrey!  The Minister of the Interior!  He, his name, his words, his projects, his deeds!

Success!  Yes, it was his, it had come!

Never in his wildest visions had he dreamed of the success that he had attained.  Never had he expected to catch sight of such bright rays as those which now shone down upon him from that star, which with the superstition of an ambitious man, he had singled out.  Success!  Success!

And now all the world should see what he would do.  Already in his own little town, in his speeches, during the war, at the elections of 1871, and especially at Versailles, during the years of struggle and political intrigue, in the tribune, or as a commissioner or sub-commissioner, he had given proofs of his qualifications as a statesman, but the touchstone of man is power.  Emerging from his semi-obscurity into the sunshine of success, he would at last show the world what he was and what he could do.  Power!  To command!  To create!  To impress his ideas upon a whole nation!  To have succeeded! succeeded! succeeded!  Sulpice’s dreams were realized at last.

And whilst the ministerial carriage was driving at a gallop towards the Place Beauvau, Sabine, muffled up in her furs, her fine skin caressed by the blue-fox border of her pelisse, said to herself, quite indifferent to the man himself, but delighted to have a minister’s name to enroll upon her list of guests: 

“He is a simpleton—­Vaudrey—­but a very charming simpleton, nevertheless.”

The iron gates of the Place Beauvau were thrown back for his Excellency’s carriage to enter.  The gravel creaked under the wheels, as the coupe turning off to the left, stopped under the awning over the door.

Sulpice alighted.  The great door opened to admit him.  Two white-cravatted servants occupied a bench while awaiting the minister’s return.