eed never conflict. 'Isidore
Baudoyer' anagrams into 'Ris d'aboyeur d'oie.'"

Colleville [petrified with amazement]. "You stole it from me!"

Bixiou [with dignity]. "Monsieur Colleville, do me the honor to believe
that I am rich enough in absurdity not to steal my neighbor's nonsense."

Baudoyer [entering with a bundle of papers in his hand]. "Gentlemen, I
request you to shout a little louder; you bring this office into such
high repute with the administration. My worthy coadjutor, Monsieur
Clergeot, did me the honor just now to come and ask a question, and he
heard the noise you are making" [passes into Monsieur Godard's room].

Bixiou [in a low voice]. "The watch-dog is very tame this morning;
there'll be a change of weather before night."

Dutocq [whispering to Bixiou]. "I have something I want to say to you."

Bixiou [fingering Dutocq's waistcoat]. "You've a pretty waistcoat, that
cost you nothing; is that what you want to say?"

Dutocq. "Nothing, indeed! I never paid so dear for anything in my life.
That stuff cost six francs a yard in the best shop in the rue de la
Paix,--a fine dead stuff, the very thing for deep mourning."

Bixiou. "You know about engravings and such things, my dear fellow, but
you are totally ignorant of the laws of etiquette. Well, no man can be
a universal genius! Silk is positively not admissible in deep mourning.
Don't you see I am wearing woollen? Monsieur Rabourdin, Monsieur
Baudoyer, and the minister are all in woollen; so is the faubourg
Saint-Germain. There's no one here but Minard who doesn't wear woollen;
he's afraid of being taken for a sheep. That's the reason why he didn't
put on mourning for Louis XVIII."

[During this conversation Baudoyer is sitting by the fire in Godard's
room, and the two are conversing in a low voice.]

Baudoyer. "Yes, the worthy man is dying. The two ministers are both with
him. My father-in-law has been notified of the event. If you want to do
me a signal service you will take a cab and go and let Madame Baudoyer
know what is happening; for Monsieur Saillard can't leave his desk, nor
I my office. Put yourself at my wife's orders; do whatever she wishes.
She has, I believe, some ideas of her own, and wants to take certain
steps simultaneously." [The two functionaries go out together.]

Godard. "Monsieur Bixiou, I am obliged to leave the office for the rest
of the day. You will take my place."

Baudoyer [to Bixiou, benignly]. "Consult me, if ther