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about the Civil list。 But our financial lucubrations didn't annoy in
that way； and such a sum borrowed from the secret…service money for
the mere pleasure of plaguing you； seems to me rather fabulous。〃
〃Apparently；〃 said Thuillier； acrimoniously； 〃this honest go…between
had some interest in exaggerating my value。 One thing is very sure；
this monsieur had a debt of twenty…five thousand francs which harassed
him much； and a short time before the seizure this same monsieur； who
had no means of his own； paid off that debt； and unless you can tell
me where else he got the money； the inference I think is not difficult
to draw。〃
It was la Peyrade's turn to look fixedly at Thuillier。
〃Monsieur Thuillier；〃 he said； raising his voice； 〃let us get out of
enigmas and generalities； will you do me the favor to name that
person？〃
〃Well； no；〃 replied Thuillier； striking his hand upon the table； 〃I
shall not name him； because of the sentiments of esteem and affection
which formerly united us； but you have understood me； Monsieur la
Peyrade。〃
〃I ought to have known；〃 said the Provencal； in a voice changed by
emotion； 〃that in bringing a serpent to this place I should soon be
soiled by his venom。 Poor fool！ do you not see that you have made
yourself the echo of Cerizet's calumny？〃
〃Cerizet has nothing to do with it； on the contrary； he has told me
the highest good of you。 How was it； not having a penny the night
before；and I had reason to know it；that you were able to pay
Dutocq the round sum of twenty…five thousand francs the next day？〃
La Peyrade reflected for a moment。
〃No；〃 he said； 〃it was not Dutocq who told you that。 He is not a man
to wrestle with an enemy of my strength without a strong interest in
it。 It was Cerizet； he's the infamous calumniator； from whose hands I
wrenched the lease of your house near the Madeleine；Cerizet； whom in
kindness； I went to seek on his dunghill that I might give him the
chance of honorable employment； that is the wretch； to whom a benefit
is only an encouragement to treachery。 Tiens！ if I were to tell you
what that man is I should turn you sick with disgust； in the sphere of
infamy he has discovered worlds。〃
This time Thuillier made an able reply。
〃I don't know anything about Cerizet except through you；〃 he said；
〃you introduced him to me as a manager； offering every guarantee； but；
allowing him to be blacker than the devil； and supposing that this
communication comes from him； I don't see； my friend； that all that
makes YOU any the whiter。〃
〃No doubt I was to blame；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃for putting such a man
into relations with you； but we wanted some one who understood
journalism； and that value he really had for us。 But who can ever
sound the depths of souls like his？ I thought him reformed。 A manager；
I said to myself； is only a machine； he can do no harm。 I expected to
find him a man of straw； well； I was mistaken； he will never be
anything but a man of mud。〃
〃All that is very fine；〃 said Thuillier； 〃but those twenty…five
thousand francs found so conveniently in your possession； where did
you get them？ That is the point you are forgetting to explain。〃
〃But to reason about it；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃a man of my character in
the pay of the police and yet so poor that I could not pay the ten
thousand francs your harpy of a sister demanded with an insolence
which you yourself witnessed〃
〃But；〃 said Thuillier； 〃if the origin of this money is honest； as I
sincerely desire it may be； what hinders you from telling me how you
got it？〃
〃I cannot；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃the history of that money is a secret
entrusted to me professionally。〃
〃Come； come； you told me yourself that the statutes of your order
forbid all barristers from doing business of any kind。〃
〃Let us suppose；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃that I have done something not
absolutely regular； it would be strange indeed after what I risked； as
you know； for you； if you should have the face to reproach me with
it。〃
〃My poor friend； you are trying to shake off the hounds； but you can't
make me lose the scent。 You wish to keep your secret； then keep it。 I
am master of my own confidence and my own esteem； by paying you the
forfeit stipulated in our deed I take the newspaper into my own
hands。〃
〃Do you mean that you dismiss me？〃 cried la Peyrade。 〃The money that
you have put into the affair； all your chances of election； sacrificed
to the calumnies of such a being as Cerizet！〃
〃In the first place；〃 said Thuillier； 〃another editor…in…chief can be
found； it is a true saying that no man is indispensable。 As for
election to the Chamber I would rather never receive it than owe it to
the help of one who〃
〃Go on；〃 said la Peyrade； seeing that Thuillier hesitated； 〃or rather；
no； be silent； for you will presently blush for your suspicions and
ask my pardon humbly。〃
By this time la Peyrade saw that without a confession to which he must
compel himself； the influence and the future he had just recovered
would be cut from under his feet。 Resuming his speech he said；
solemnly：
〃You will remember； my friend； that you were pitiless； and； by
subjecting me to a species of moral torture； you have forced me to
reveal to you a secret that is not mine。〃
〃Go on；〃 said Thuillier； 〃I take the whole responsibility upon myself。
Make me see the truth clearly in this darkness； and if I have done
wrong I will be the first to say so。〃
〃Well；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃those twenty…five thousand francs are the
savings of a servant…woman who came to me and asked me to take them
and to pay her interest。〃
〃A servant with twenty…five thousand francs of savings！ Nonsense； she
must serve in monstrously rich households。〃
〃On the contrary； she is the one servant of an infirm old savant； and
it was on account of the discrepancy which strikes your mind that she
wanted to put her money in my hands as a sort of trustee。〃
〃Bless me！ my friend；〃 said Thuillier； flippantly； 〃you said we were
in want of a romance…feuilletonist； but really； after this； I sha'n't
be uneasy。 Here's imagination for you！〃
〃What？〃 said la Peyrade； angrily； 〃you don't believe me？〃
〃No； I do not believe you。 Twenty…five thousand francs savings in the
service of an old savant！ that is about as believable as the officer
of La Dame Blanche buying a chateau with his pay。〃
〃But if I prove to you the truth of my words； if I let you put your
finger upon it？〃
〃In that case； like Saint Thomas； I shall lower my flag before the
evidence。 Meanwhile you must permit me； my noble friend； to wait until
you offer me that proof。〃
Thuillier felt really superb。
〃I'd give a hundred francs；〃 he said to himself； 〃if Brigitte could
have been here and heard me impeach him。〃
〃Well；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃suppose that without leaving this office；
and by means of a note which you shall read； I bring into your
presence the person from whom I received the money； if she confirms
what I say will you believe me？〃
This proposal and the assurance with which it was made rather
staggered Thuillier。
〃I shall know what to do when the time comes；〃 he replied； changing
his tone。 〃But this must be done at once