“My dear fellow, I thank you very much,” replied Minard.  “You are doing me a service I cannot sufficiently acknowledge, and which proves to me—­”

“That I don’t like those Phellions,” said la Peyrade, taking advantage of a slight hesitation on the part of the mayor, who feared to express an idea in which the lawyer might see contempt.  “I hate people who make capital out of their honesty and coin money from fine sentiments.”

“You know them well,” said Minard; “they are sycophants.  That man’s whole life for the last ten years is explained by this bit of red ribbon,” added the mayor, pointing to his own buttonhole.

“Take care!” said the lawyer, “his son is in love with Celeste, and he’s fairly in the heart of the family.”

“Yes, but my son has twelve thousand a year in his own right.”

“Oh!” said Theodose, with a start, “Mademoiselle Brigitte was saying the other day that she wanted at least as much as that in Celeste’s suitor.  Moreover, six months hence you’ll probably hear that Thuillier has a property worth forty thousand francs a year.”

“The devil! well, I thought as much.  Yes, certainly, he shall be made a member of the municipal council.”

“In any case, don’t say anything about me to him,” said the advocate of the poor, who now hastened away to speak to Madame Phellion.  “Well, my fair lady,” he said, when he reached her, “have you succeeded?”

“I waited till four o’clock, and then that worthy and excellent man would not let me finish what I had to say.  He is much to busy to accept such an office, and he sent a letter which Monsieur Phellion has read, saying that he, Doctor Bianchon, thanked him for his good intentions, and assured him that his own candidate was Monsieur Thuillier.  He said that he should use all his influence in his favor, and begged my husband to do the same.”

“And what did your excellent husband say?”

“‘I have done my duty,’ he said.  ’I have not been false to my conscience, and now I am all for Thuillier.’”

“Well, then, the thing is settled,” said la Peyrade.  “Ignore my visit, and take all the credit of the idea to yourselves.”

Then he went to Madame Colleville, composing himself in the attitude and manner of the deepest respect.

“Madame,” he said, “have the goodness to send out to me here that kindly papa Colleville.  A surprise is to be given to Monsieur Thuillier, and I want Monsieur Colleville to be in the secret.”

While la Peyrade played the part of man of the world with Colleville, and allowed himself various witty sarcasms when explaining to him Thuillier’s candidacy, telling him he ought to support it, if only to exhibit his incapacity, Flavie was listening in the salon to the following conversation, which bewildered her for the moment and made her ears ring.

“I should like to know what Monsieur Colleville and Monsieur de la Peyrade can be saying to each other to make them laugh like that,” said Madame Thuillier, foolishly, looking out of the window.