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knew it。 Already he felt himself a sultan； and thought of demanding
from Madame Jules； imperiously； all her secrets。
In those days Paris was seized with a building…fever。 If Paris is a
monster； it is certainly a most mania…ridden monster。 It becomes
enamored of a thousand fancies： sometimes it has a mania for building；
like a great seigneur who loves a trowel； soon it abandons the trowel
and becomes all military； it arrays itself from head to foot as a
national guard； and drills and smokes； suddenly； it abandons military
manoeuvres and flings away cigars； it is commercial； care…worn； falls
into bankruptcy； sells its furniture on the place de Chatelet； files
its schedule； but a few days later； lo！ it has arranged its affairs
and is giving fetes and dances。 One day it eats barley…sugar by the
mouthful； by the handful； yesterday it bought 〃papier Weymen〃； to…day
the monster's teeth ache； and it applies to its walls an
alexipharmatic to mitigate their dampness； to…morrow it will lay in a
provision of pectoral paste。 It has its manias for the month； for the
season； for the year； like its manias of a day。
So； at the moment of which we speak； all the world was building or
pulling down something；people hardly knew what as yet。 There were
very few streets in which high scaffoldings on long poles could not be
seen； fastened from floor to floor with transverse blocks inserted
into holes in the walls on which the planks were laid；a frail
construction； shaken by the brick…layers； but held together by ropes；
white with plaster； and insecurely protected from the wheels of
carriages by the breastwork of planks which the law requires round all
such buildings。 There is something maritime in these masts； and
ladders； and cordage； even in the shouts of the masons。 About a dozen
yards from the hotel Maulincour； one of these ephemeral barriers was
erected before a house which was then being built of blocks of free…
stone。 The day after the event we have just related； at the moment
when the Baron de Maulincour was passing this scaffolding in his
cabriolet on his way to see Madame Jules； a stone； two feet square；
which was being raised to the upper storey of this building； got loose
from the ropes and fell； crushing the baron's servant who was behind
the cabriolet。 A cry of horror shook both the scaffold and the masons；
one of them； apparently unable to keep his grasp on a pole； was in
danger of death； and seemed to have been touched by the stone as it
passed him。
A crowd collected rapidly； the masons came down the ladders swearing
and insisting that Monsieur de Maulincour's cabriolet had been driven
against the boarding and so had shaken their crane。 Two inches more
and the stone would have fallen on the baron's head。 The groom was
dead； the carriage shattered。 'Twas an event for the whole
neighborhood； the newspapers told of it。 Monsieur de Maulincour；
certain that he had not touched the boarding； complained； the case
went to court。 Inquiry being made； it was shown that a small boy；
armed with a lath； had mounted guard and called to all foot…passengers
to keep away。 The affair ended there。 Monsieur de Maulincour obtained
no redress。 He had lost his servant； and was confined to his bed for
some days； for the back of the carriage when shattered had bruised him
severely； and the nervous shock of the sudden surprise gave him a
fever。 He did not； therefore； go to see Madame Jules。
Ten days after this event； he left the house for the first time； in
his repaired cabriolet； when； as he drove down the rue de Bourgogne
and was close to the sewer opposite to the Chamber of Deputies； the
axle…tree broke in two； and the baron was driving so rapidly that the
breakage would have caused the two wheels to come together with force
enough to break his head； had it not been for the resistance of the
leather hood。 Nevertheless； he was badly wounded in the side。 For the
second time in ten days he was carried home in a fainting condition to
his terrified grandmother。 This second accident gave him a feeling of
distrust； he thought； though vaguely； of Ferragus and Madame Jules。 To
throw light on these suspicions he had the broken axle brought to his
room and sent for his carriage…maker。 The man examined the axle and
the fracture； and proved two things： First； the axle was not made in
his workshop； he furnished none that did not bear the initials of his
name on the iron。 But he could not explain by what means this axle had
been substituted for the other。 Secondly； the breakage of the
suspicious axle was caused by a hollow space having been blown in it
and a straw very cleverly inserted。
〃Eh！ Monsieur le baron； whoever did that was malicious！〃 he said； 〃any
one would swear； to look at it； that the axle was sound。〃
Monsieur de Maulincour begged the carriage…maker to say nothing of the
affair； but he felt himself warned。 These two attempts at murder were
planned with an ability which denoted the enmity of intelligent minds。
〃It is war to the death；〃 he said to himself； as he tossed in his bed；
〃a war of savages； skulking in ambush； of trickery and treachery；
declared in the name of Madame Jules。 What sort of man is this to whom
she belongs？ What species of power does this Ferragus wield？〃
Monsieur de Maulincour； though a soldier and brave man； could not
repress a shudder。 In the midst of many thoughts that now assailed
him； there was one against which he felt he had neither defence nor
courage： might not poison be employed ere long by his secret enemies？
Under the influence of fears； which his momentary weakness and fever
and low diet increased； he sent for an old woman long attached to the
service of his grandmother； whose affection for himself was one of
those semi…maternal sentiments which are the sublime of the
commonplace。 Without confiding in her wholly； he charged her to buy
secretly and daily； in different localities； the food he needed；
telling her to keep it under lock and key and bring it to him herself；
not allowing any one； no matter who； to approach her while preparing
it。 He took the most minute precautions to protect himself against
that form of death。 He was ill in his bed and alone； and he had
therefore the leisure to think of his own security；the one necessity
clear…sighted enough to enable human egotism to forget nothing！
But the unfortunate man had poisoned his own life by this dread； and；
in spite of himself； suspicion dyed all his hours with its gloomy
tints。 These two lessons of attempted assassination did teach him；
however； the value of one of the virtues most necessary to a public
man； he saw the wise dissimulation that must be practised in dealing
with the great interests of life。 To be silent about our own secret is
nothing； but to be silent from the start； to forget a fact as Ali
Pacha did for thirty years in order to be sure of a vengeance waited
for for thirty years； is a fine study in a land where there are few
men who can keep their own counsel for thirty days。 Monsieur de
Maulincour literally lived only through Madame Jules。 He was
perpetually absorbed in a sober examination into the means he ought to
employ to triumph in t