"Yes, monsieur."

"Very good; then Anicette shall enter the Beauvisage household at once."

He whistled. Paradise presented himself so rapidly that his master said:
"You were listening!"

"In spite of myself, Monsieur le comte; these partitions are nothing but
paper. But if Monsieur le comte prefers, I will move upstairs."

"No, you can listen; it is your perquisite. It is for me to speak low
when I don't want you to know my affairs. Go back to Cinq-Cygne, and
give this gold piece to that little Anicette from me. Julien shall have
the credit of enticing her away," he continued, addressing Goulard.
"That bit of gold will inform her that she is to follow him. Anicette
may be useful to the success of our candidate."

"Anicette?"

"Monsieur, it is now thirty-two years since lady's-maids have served
my purposes. I had my first adventure at the age of thirteen, like the
regent, the great-great-grandfather of our present King. Do you know the
fortune of this Mademoiselle Beauvisage?"

"I can't help knowing it, monsieur, for yesterday at Madame Marion's,
Madame Beauvisage said openly that Monsieur Grevin, Cecile's
grandfather, would give his granddaughter the hotel de Beauseant in
Paris and two hundred thousand francs for a wedding present."

The stranger's eyes expressed no surprise. He seemed to consider the
fortune rather paltry.

"Do you know Arcis well?" he asked of Goulard.

"I am the sub-prefect and I was born here."

"What is the best way to balk curiosity?"

"By satisfying it. For instance, Monsieur le Comte has a baptismal name;
let him register that with the title of count."

"Very good; Comte Maxime."

"And if monsieur will assume the position of a railway official, Arcis
will be content; it will amuse itself by floating that stick at least
for a fortnight."

"No, I prefer to be concerned in irrigation; it is less common. I have
come down to survey the wastelands of Champagne in order to reclaim
them. That will be, my good Monsieur Goulard, a reason for inviting me
to dine with you to-morrow to meet the mayor and his family; I wish to
see them, and study them."

"I shall be only to happy to receive you," said the sub-prefect; "but I
must ask your indulgence for the deficiencies of my little household."

"If I succeed in managing the election of Arcis according to the wishes
of those who have sent me here, you, my dear friend, will be made a
prefect. Here, read these"; and he held out two letter