“Do you want me to be coquettish?”

“Not too much so, my angel,” replied Thuillier, with a foppish air.

And he departed, not observing the stupor which overcame Flavie.

“That young man is a power,” she said to herself.  “Well, we shall see!”

For these reasons she dressed her hair with marabouts, put on her prettiest gown of gray and pink, which allowed her fine shoulders to be seen beneath a pelerine of black lace, and took care to keep Celeste in a little silk frock made with a yoke and a large plaited collarette, telling her to dress her hair plainly, a la Berthe.

CHAPTER VIII

Ad MAJOREM THEODOSIS GLORIAM

At half-past four o’clock Theodose was at his post.  He had put on his vacant, half-servile manner and soft voice, and he drew Thuillier at once into the garden.

“My friend,” he said, “I don’t doubt your triumph, but I feel the necessity of again warning you to be absolutely silent.  If you are questioned about anything, especially about Celeste, make evasive answers which will keep your questioners in suspense.  You must have learned how to do that in a government office.”

“I understand!” said Thuillier.  “But what certainty have you?”

“You’ll see what a fine dessert I have prepared for you.  But please be modest.  There come the Minards; let me pipe to them.  Bring them out here, and then disappear yourself.”

After the first salutations, la Peyrade was careful to keep close to the mayor, and presently at an opportune moment he drew him aside to say:—­

“Monsieur le maire, a man of your political importance doesn’t come to bore himself in a house of this kind without an object.  I don’t want to fathom your motives—­which, indeed, I have no right to do—­and my part in this world is certainly not to mingle with earthly powers; but please pardon my apparent presumption, and deign to listen to a piece of advice which I shall venture to give you.  If I do you a service to-day you are in a position to return it to me to-morrow; therefore, in case I should be so fortunate as to do you a good turn, I am really only obeying the law of self-interest.  Our friend Thuillier is in despair at being a nobody; he has taken it into his head that he wants to become a personage in this arrondissement—­”

“Ah! ah!” exclaimed Minard.

“Oh! nothing very exalted; he wants to be elected to the municipal council.  Now, I know that Phellion, seeing the influence such a service would have on his family interests, intends to propose your poor friend as candidate.  Well, perhaps you might think it wise, in your own interests, to be beforehand with him.  Thuillier’s nomination could only be favorable for you—­I mean agreeable; and he’ll fill his place in the council very well; there are some there who are not as strong as he.  Besides, owing to his place to your support, he will see with your eyes; he already looks to you as one of the lights of the town.”