“And that someone had to meddle with the sale of his book,” said Minard, slyly.  “However that may be, you can imagine that the woman was in a fine state of mind on hearing of the flight of the notary.  Off she went to la Peyrade’s lodgings; there she was told he was dining at the Thuilliers’; to the Thuilliers’ she came, after running about the streets—­for they didn’t give her quite the right address —­till ten o’clock; but she got there while the company were still sitting round waiting for the notary, and gaping at each other, no one knowing what to say and do, for neither Brigitte nor Thuillier have faculty enough to get out of such a scrape with credit; and we all missed the voice of Madame de Godollo and the talent of Madame Phellion.”

“Oh! you are too polite, Monsieur le maire,” said Madame Phellion, bridling.

“Well, as I said,” continued Minard, “at ten o’clock Madame Lambert reached the antechamber of Monsieur the general-councillor, and there she asked, in great excitement, to see la Peyrade.”

“That was natural,” said Phellion; “he being the intermediary of the investment, this woman had a right to question him.”

“You should just have seen that Tartuffe!” continued Minard.  “He had no sooner gone out than he returned, bringing the news.  As everybody was longing to get away, there followed a general helter-skelter.  And then what does our man do?  He goes back to Madame Lambert, who was crying that she was ruined! she was lost!—­which might very well be true, but it might also be only a scene arranged between them in presence of the company, whom the woman’s outcries detained in the antechamber.  ‘Don’t be anxious, my good woman,’ said la Peyrade; ’the investment was made at your request, consequently, I owe you nothing; BUT it is enough that the money passed through my hands to make my conscience tell me I am responsible.  If the notary’s assets are not enough to pay you I will do so.’”

“Yes,” said Phellion, “that was my idea as you told it; the intermediary is or ought to be responsible.  I should not have hesitated to do as Monsieur de la Peyrade did, and I do not think that after such conduct as that he ought to be taxed with Jesuitism.”

“Yes, you would have done so,” said Minard, “and so should I, but we shouldn’t have done it with a brass band; we should have paid our money quietly, like gentlemen.  But this electoral manager, how is he going to pay it?  Out of the ’dot’?”

At this moment the little page entered the room and gave a letter to Felix Phellion.  It came from pere Picot, and was written at his dictation by Madame Lambert, for which reason we will not reproduce the orthography.  The writing of Madame Lambert was of those that can never be forgotten when once seen.  Recognizing it instantly, Felix hastened to say:—­

“A letter from the professor”; then, before breaking the seal, he added, “Will you permit me, Monsieur le maire.”