ll some office-gossip,--a series of movements which answered the
purpose of the three knocks given at the Theatre-Francais. After binding
his wife, daughter, and son-in-law to the deepest secrecy,--for,
however petty the gossip, their places, as he thought, depended on their
discretion,--he related the incomprehensible enigma of the resignation
of a deputy, the very legitimate desire of the general-secretary to get
elected to the place, and the secret opposition of the minister to this
wish of a man who was one of his firmest supporters and most zealous
workers. This, of course, brought down an avalanche of suppositions,
flooded with the sapient arguments of the two officials, who sent back
and forth to each other a wearisome flood of nonsense. Elisabeth quietly
asked three questions:--

"If Monsieur des Lupeaulx is on our side, will Monsieur Baudoyer be
appointed in Monsieur de la Billardiere's place?"

"Heavens! I should think so," cried the cashier.

"My uncle Bidault and Monsieur Gobseck helped in him 1814," thought she.
"Is he in debt?" she asked, aloud.

"Yes," cried the cashier with a hissing and prolonged sound on the last
letter; "his salary was attached, but some of the higher powers released
it by a bill at sight."

"Where is the des Lupeaulx estate?"

"Why, don't you know? in the part of the country where your grandfather
and your great-uncle Bidault belong, in the arrondissement of the deputy
who wants to resign."

When her colossus of a husband had gone to bed, Elisabeth leaned over
him, and though he always treated her remarks as women's nonsense, she
said, "Perhaps you will really get Monsieur de la Billardiere's place."

"There you go with your imaginations!" said Baudoyer; "leave Monsieur
Gaudron to speak to the Dauphine and don't meddle with politics."

At eleven o'clock, when all were asleep in the place Royale, Monsieur
des Lupeaulx was leaving the Opera for the rue Duphot. This particular
Wednesday was one of Madame Rabourdin's most brilliant evenings. Many of
her customary guests came in from the theatres and swelled the company
already assembled, among whom were several celebrities, such as: Canalis
the poet, Schinner the painter, Dr. Bianchon, Lucien de Rubempre, Octave
de Camps, the Comte de Granville, the Vicomte de Fontaine, du Bruel the
vaudevillist, Andoche Finot the journalist, Derville, one of the best
heads in the law courts, the Comte du Chatelet, deputy, du Tillet,
banker, an