“And they chose,” said la Peyrade, “precisely the very day when the Moniteur, announcing the dissolution of the Chamber, made you think about being a candidate for the 12th arrondissement.”

“Why not?” asked Thuillier, “what has my candidacy to do with the fees I owe to the court?”

“I’ll tell you,” said la Peyrade, dryly.  “The court is a thing essentially amiable and complaisant.  ‘Tiens!’ it said to itself, ’here’s this good Monsieur Thuillier going to be a candidate for the Chamber; how hampered he’ll be by his attitude to his ex-friend Monsieur de la Peyrade, with whom he wishes now he hadn’t quarrelled.  I’ll summon him for fees he doesn’t owe; that will bring him to the Palais where la Peyrade comes daily; and in that way he can meet him by chance, and so avoid taking a step which would hurt his self-love.”

“Well, there you are mistaken!” cried Thuillier, breaking the ice.  “I used so little craft, as you call it, that I’ve just come from your house, there! and your portress told me where to find you.”

“Well done!” said la Peyrade, “I like this frankness; I can get on with men who play above-board.  Well, what do you want of me?  Have you come to talk about your election?  I have already begun to work for it.”

“No, really?” said Thuillier, “how?”

“Here,” replied la Peyrade, feeling under his gown for his pocket and bringing out a paper, “here’s what I scribbled just now in the court-room while the lawyer on the other side rambled on like an expert.”

“What is it about?” asked Thuillier.

“Read and you’ll see.”

The paper read as follows:—­

  Estimate for a newspaper, small size, at thirty francs a year.

Calculating the editions at 5,000 the costs are:—­
Paper, 5 reams at 12 francs  . . . . . . . . . . 1,860 francs. 
Composition  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,400    "
Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   450    "
One administrator  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   250    "
One clerk  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   100    "
One editor (also cashier)  . . . . . . . . . . .   200    "
One despatcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   100    "
Folders  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   120    "
One office boy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    80    "
Office expenses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   150    "
Rent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   100    "
License and postage  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,500    "
Reporting and stenographic news  . . . . . . . . 1,800    "
---------
Total monthly,  15,110    "
"   yearly,  181,320    "

“Do you want to set up a paper?” asked Thuillier, in dread.

“I?” asked la Peyrade, “I want nothing at all; you are the one to be asked if you want to be a deputy.”

“Undoubtedly I do; because, when you urged me to become a municipal councillor, you put the idea into my head.  But reflect, my dear Theodose, one hundred and eighty one thousand three hundred and twenty francs to put out!  Have I a fortune large enough to meet such a demand?”