e of forgery which he is going to make against young
d'Esgrignon, and follow up the proceedings at once without consulting
the public prosecutor at Paris. And, then, pray Heaven that the Ministry
dismisses you for doing your office impartially, in spite of the powers
that be; for if they do, your fortune is made! You will have a charming
wife and thirty thousand francs a year with her, to say nothing of four
millions expectations in ten years' time."

In two evenings Sauvager was talked over. Both he and the President kept
the affair a secret from old Blondet, from Michu, and from the second
member of the staff of prosecuting counsel. Feeling sure of Blondet's
impartiality on a question of fact, the President made certain of
a majority without counting Camusot. And now Camusot's unexpected
defection had thrown everything out. What the President wanted was a
committal for trial before the public prosecutor got warning. How if
Camusot or the second counsel for the prosecution should send word to
Paris?

And here some portion of Camusot's private history may perhaps explain
how it came to pass that Chesnel took it for granted that the examining
magistrate would be on the d'Esgrignons' side, and how he had the
boldness to tamper in the open street with that representative of
justice.

Camusot's father, a well-known silk mercer in the Rue des Bourdonnais,
was ambitious for the only son of his first marriage, and brought him
up to the law. When Camusot junior took a wife, he gained with her the
influence of an usher of the Royal cabinet, backstairs influence, it
is true, but still sufficient, since it had brought him his first
appointment as justice of the peace, and the second as examining
magistrate. At the time of his marriage, his father only settled an
income of six thousand francs upon him (the amount of his mother's
fortune, which he could legally claim), and as Mlle. Thirion brought
him no more than twenty thousand francs as her portion, the young couple
knew the hardships of hidden poverty. The salary of a provincial justice
of the peace does not exceed fifteen hundred francs, while an examining
magistrate's stipend is augmented by something like a thousand francs,
because his position entails expenses and extra work. The post,
therefore, is much coveted, though it is not permanent, and the work is
heavy, and that was why Mme. Camusot had just scolded her husband for
allowing the President to read his thoughts.