nion.

"Do you understand such squeamishness?" he asked.

"Perfectly," replied Vinet, "and I wonder to see a clever man like you
so duped."

"Yes, duped to make you lose your time and I mine by coming here to
listen to a lecture on virtue!"

"That's not it; but I do think you guileless to be taken in by that
refusal to co-operate."

"What! do you think--"

"I think that this affair is risky; if it succeeds, the government, arms
folded, will reap the benefit. But if on the contrary we fail, it will
not take a share in the defeat. But you may be sure of this, for I
know Rastignac well: without seeming to know anything, and without
compromising himself in any way, he will help us, and perhaps more
usefully than by open connivance. Think! did he say a single word on
the morality of the affair? Didn't he say, again and again, 'I don't
oppose--I have no right to prevent'? And as to the venom of the case,
the only fault he found was that it wasn't sure to kill. But in truth,
my dear monsieur, this is going to be a hard pull, and we shall want all
the cleverness of that fellow Desroches to get us through."

"Then you think I had better see him?"

"Better see him! why, my good friend, you ought to go to him at once."

"Wouldn't it be better if he talked with you?"

"Oh! no, no!" exclaimed Vinet. "I may be the man to put the question
in the Chamber; and if Desroches were seen with me, I should lose my
virginity."

So saying, he took leave of Maxime with some haste, on the ground that
he ought then to be at the Chamber.

"But I," said Maxime, running after him,--"suppose I want to consult you
in the matter?"

"I leave to-night for my district, to get things into order before the
opening of the new session."

"But about bringing up the question which you say may devolve on you?"

"I or another. I will hasten back as soon as I can; but you understand,
I must put my department in order for a six months' absence."

"A good journey to you, then, Monsieur le procureur-general," replied
Maxime, sarcastically.

Left to himself, Monsieur de Trailles had a period of discouragement,
resulting from the discovery that these two political Bertrands meant
that his paw should pull the chestnuts from the fire. Rastignac's
behavior particularly galled him. His mind went back to their first
interview at Madame Restaud's, twenty years earlier, when he himself
held the sceptre of fashion, and Rastignac, a poor student, neither kn