ks for the information," said la Peyrade; "at least, I shall know
on which foot to hop. But you yourself, how came you to know him?"

"Oh! that's quite a history; by my help he was able to get back a lot of
diamonds which had been stolen from him."

At this moment Corentin entered the room.

"All is well," he said to la Peyrade. "There are signs of returning
reason. Bianchon, to whom I have told all, wishes to confer with
you; therefore, my dear Monsieur Cerizet, we will postpone until
this evening, if you are willing, our little study over the Thuillier
election."

"Well, so here you have him, at last!" said Cerizet, slapping la
Peyrade's shoulder.

"Yes," said Corentin, "and you know what I promised; you may rely on
that."

Cerizet departed joyful.

CHAPTER XVI. CHECKMATE TO THUILLIER

The day after that evening, when Corentin, la Peyrade, and Cerizet were
to have had their consultation in reference to the attack on Thuillier's
candidacy, the latter was discussing with his sister Brigitte the letter
in which Theodose declined the hand of Celeste, and his mind seemed
particularly to dwell on the postscript where it was intimated that la
Peyrade might not continue the editor of the "Echo de la Bievre." At
this moment Henri, the "male domestic," entered the room to ask if his
master would receive Monsieur Cerizet.

Thuillier's first impulse was to deny himself to that unwelcome visitor.
Then, thinking better of it, he reflected that if la Peyrade suddenly
left him in the lurch, Cerizet might possibly prove a precious resource.
Consequently, he ordered Henri to show him in. His manner, however, was
extremely cold, and in some sort expectant. As for Cerizet, he presented
himself without the slightest embarrassment and with the air of a man
who had calculated all the consequences of the step he was taking.

"Well, my dear monsieur," he began, "I suppose by this time you have
been posted as to the Sieur la Peyrade."

"What may you mean by that?" said Thuillier, stiffly.

"Well, the man," replied Cerizet, "who, after intriguing to marry your
goddaughter, breaks off the marriage abruptly--as he will, before
long, break that lion's-share contract he made you sign about his
editorship--can't be, I should suppose, the object of the same blind
confidence you formerly reposed in him."

"Ah!" said Thuillier, hastily, "then do you know anything about la
Peyrade's intention of leaving the newspaper?"

"No," sai