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electorally speaking； an immense amount of ground。 You are no longer
the man of the place； and your election could be balked by the cry of
what the English call 'absenteeism。' This makes your game very hard to
play。〃
〃I admit that；〃 said Thuillier； 〃but there are so many things wanted
besides money；a name for one thing； a manager； editorial staff； and
so forth。〃
〃A name； we have one made to hand； editors； they are you and I and a
few young fellows who grow on every bush in Paris。 As for the manager；
I have a man in view。〃
〃What name is it？〃 asked Thuillier。
〃L'Echo de la Bievre。〃
〃But there is already a paper of that name。〃
〃Precisely； and that's why I give my approval to the affair。 Do you
think I should be fool enough to advise you to start an entirely new
paper？ 'Echo de la Bievre！' that title is a treasure to a man who
wants support for his candidacy in the 12th arrondissement。 Say the
word only； and I put that treasure into your hands。〃
〃How？〃 asked Thuillier； with curiosity。
〃Parbleu！ by buying it； it can be had for a song。〃
〃There now； you see；〃 said Thuillier in a discouraged tone； 〃you never
counted in the cost of purchase。〃
〃How you dwell on nothings！〃 said la Peyrade； hunching his shoulders；
〃we have other and more important difficulties to solve。〃
〃Other difficulties？〃 echoed Thuillier。
〃Parbleu！〃 exclaimed la Peyrade； 〃do you suppose that after all that
has taken place between us I should boldly harness myself to your
election without knowing exactly what benefit I am to get for it？〃
〃But；〃 said Thuillier； rather astonished； 〃I thought that friendship
was a good exchange for such services。〃
〃Yes； but when the exchange consists in one side giving all and the
other side nothing； friendship gets tired of that sort of sharing； and
asks for something a little better balanced。〃
〃But； my dear Theodose； what have I to offer you that you have not
already rejected？〃
〃I rejected it； because it was offered without heartiness； and
seasoned with Mademoiselle Brigitte's vinegar； every self…respecting
man would have acted as I did。 Give and keep don't pass； as the old
legal saying is； but that is precisely what you persist in doing。〃
〃I！I think you took offence very unreasonably； but the engagement
might be renewed。〃
〃So be it；〃 replied la Peyrade； 〃but I will not put myself at the
mercy of either the success of the election or Mademoiselle Celeste's
caprices。 I claim the right to something positive and certain。 Give
and take； short accounts make good friends。〃
〃I perfectly agree with you；〃 said Thuillier； 〃and I have always
treated you with too much good faith to fear any of these precautions
you now want to take。 But what guarantees do you want？〃
〃I want that the husband of Celeste should manage your election； and
not Theodose de la Peyrade。〃
〃By hurrying things as much as possible； so Brigitte said； it would
still take fifteen days； and just think； with the elections only eight
weeks off； to lose two of them doing nothing！〃
〃Day after to…morrow；〃 replied la Peyrade； 〃the banns can be published
for the first time at the mayor's office； in the intervals of
publication some things could be done； for though the publishing of
the banns is not a step from which there is no retreat； it is at least
a public pledge and a long step taken； after that we can get your
notary to draw the contract at once。 Moreover； if you decide on buying
this newspaper； I shouldn't be afraid that you would go back on me；
for you don't want a useless horse in your stable； and without me I am
certain you can't manage him。〃
〃But； my dear fellow；〃 said Thuillier； going back to his objections；
〃suppose that affair proves too onerous？〃
〃There's no need to say that you are the sole judge of the conditions
of the purchase。 I don't wish any more than you do to buy a pig in a
poke。 If to…morrow you authorize me； I won't say to buy； but to let
these people know that you may possibly make the purchase； I'll confer
with one of them on your behalf； and you may be certain that I'll
stand up for your interests as if they were my own。〃
〃Very good； my dear fellow；〃 said Thuillier； 〃go ahead！〃
〃And as soon as the paper is purchased we are to fix the day for
signing the contract？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Thuillier； 〃but will you bind yourself to use your
utmost influence on the election？〃
〃As if it were my own；〃 replied la Peyrade； 〃which； by the bye； is not
altogether an hypothesis。 I have already received suggestions about my
own candidacy； and if I were vindictive〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Thuillier； with humility； 〃you would make a better
deputy than I； 〃but you are not of the required age； I think。〃
〃There's a better reason than that；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃you are my
friend； I find you again what you once were； and I shall keep the
pledges I have given you。 As for the election； I prefer that people
say of me； 'He makes deputies； but will be none himself。' Now I must
leave you and keep my appointment。 To…morrow in my own rooms； come and
see me； I shall have something to announce。〃
Whoso has ever been a newspaper man will ever be one； that horoscope
is as sure and certain as that of drunkards。 Whoever has tasted that
feverishly busy and relatively lazy and independent life； whoever has
exercised that sovereignty which criticises intellect； art； talent；
fame； virtue； absurdity； and even truth； whoever has occupied that
tribune erected by his own hands； fulfilled the functions of that
magistracy to which he is self…appointed；in short； whosoever has
been； for however brief a span； that proxy of public opinion； looks
upon himself when remanded to private life as an exile； and the moment
a chance is offered to him puts out an eager hand to snatch back his
crown。
For this reason when Etienne Lousteau went to la Peyrade； a former
journalist； with an offer of the weapon entitled the 〃Echo de la
Bievre；〃 all the latter's instincts as a newspaper man were aroused；
in spite of the very inferior quality of the blade。 The paper had
failed； la Peyrade believed he could revive it。 The subscribers； on
the vendor's own showing； were few and far between； but he would
exercise upon them a 〃compelle intrare〃 both powerful and
irresistible。 In the circumstances under which the affair was
presented to him it might surely be considered provincial。 Threatened
with the loss of his position at the bar； he was thus acquiring； as we
said before； a new position and that of a 〃detached fort〃； compelled；
as he might be； to defend himself； he could from that vantage…ground
take the offensive and oblige his enemies to reckon with him。
On the Thuillier side； the newspaper would undoubtedly make him a
personage of considerable importance； he would have more power on the
election； and by involving their capital in an enterprise which；
without him； they would feel a gulf and a snare； he bound them to him
by self…interests so firmly that there was nothing to fear from their
caprice or ingratitude。
This horizon； rapidly taken in during Etienne Lousteau's visit； had
fairly dazzled the Provencal； and we have seen the peremptory manner
in which Thuillier