“The minister is obliged to attend a Council.  He will, however, have the honor to receive the gentlemen of the two Chambers.  As for the others, they can call again at another time.”

“What other time?” asked one of the postponed; “this is the third time in three days that I have come here uselessly.”

The usher made a gesture which meant, “It is not my affair; I follow my orders.”  But hearing certain murmurs as to the privilege granted to honorable members, he said, with a certain solemnity,—­

“The honorable gentlemen came to discuss affairs of public interest with his Excellency.”

The office-seekers, being compelled to accept this fib, departed.  After which the bell rang again.  The usher then assumed his most gracious expression of face.  By natural affinity, the lucky ones had gathered in a group at one end of the room.  Though they had never seen one another before, most of them being the offspring of the late national lying-in, they seemed to recognize a certain representative air which is very difficult to define, though it can never be mistaken.  The usher, not venturing to choose among so many eminent personages, turned a mute, caressing glance on all, as if to say,—­

“Whom shall I have the honor of first announcing?”

“Gentlemen,” said Colonel Franchessini, “I believe I have seen you all arrive.”

And he walked to the closed door, which the usher threw open, announcing in a loud, clear voice,—­

“Monsieur le Colonel Franchessini!”

“Ha! so you are the first this morning,” said the minister, making a few steps towards the colonel, and giving him his hand.  “What have you come for, my dear fellow?—­a railroad, a canal, a suspension bridge?”

“I have come, my good-natured minister, on private business in which you are more interested than I.”

“That is not a judicious way of urging it, for I warn you I pay little or no attention to my own business.”

“I had a visit from Maxime this morning, on his return from Arcis-sur-Aube,” said the colonel, coming to the point.  “He gave me all the particulars of that election.  He thinks a spoke might be put in the wheel of it.  Now, if you have time to let me make a few explanations—­”

The minister, who was sitting before his desk with his back to the fireplace, turned round to look at the clock.

“Look here, my dear fellow,” he said, “I’m afraid you will be long, and I have a hungry pack outside there waiting for me.  I shouldn’t listen to you comfortably.  Do me the favor to go and take a walk and come back at twelve o’clock to breakfast.  I’ll present you to Madame de Rastignac, whom you don’t know, I think, and after breakfast we will take a few turns in the garden; then I can listen to you in peace.”

“Very good, I accept that arrangement,” said the colonel, rising.

As he crossed the waiting-room, he said,—­