thing; more remained after four o'clock than was usual at other times.
It was not forgotten that fees and gratuities depend on the last
impressions made upon the minds of masters. The news of the union of the
two divisions, that of La Billardiere and that of Clergeot, under one
director, had spread through the various offices. The number of the
clerks to be retired was known, but all were in ignorance of the names.
It was taken for granted that Poiret would not be replaced, and that
would be a retrenchment. Little La Billardiere had already departed.
Two new supernumeraries had made their appearance, and, alarming
circumstance! they were both sons of deputies. The news told about
in the offices the night before, just as the clerks were dispersing,
agitated all minds, and for the first half-hour after arrival in the
morning they stood around the stoves and talked it over. But earlier
than that, Dutocq, as we have seen, had rushed to des Lupeaulx on
receiving his note, and found him dressing. Without laying down his
razor, the general-secretary cast upon his subordinate the glance of a
general issuing an order.

"Are we alone?" he asked.

"Yes, monsieur."

"Very good. March on Rabourdin; forward! steady! Of course you kept a
copy of that paper?"

"Yes."

"You understand me? Inde iroe! There must be a general hue and cry
raised against him. Find some way to start a clamor--"

"I could get a man to make a caricature, but I haven't five hundred
francs to pay for it."

"Who would make it?"

"Bixou."

"He shall have a thousand and be under-head-clerk to Colleville, who
will arrange with them; tell him so."

"But he wouldn't believe it on nothing more than my word."

"Are you trying to make me compromise myself? Either do the thing or let
it alone; do you hear me?"

"If Monsieur Baudoyer were director--"

"Well, he will be. Go now, and make haste; you have no time to lose.
Go down the back-stairs; I don't want people to know you have just seen
me."

While Dutocq was returning to the clerks' office and asking himself how
he could best incite a clamor against his chief without compromising
himself, Bixiou rushed to the Rabourdin office for a word of greeting.
Believing that he had lost his bet the incorrigible joker thought it
amusing to pretend that he had won it.

Bixiou [mimicking Phellion's voice]. "Gentlemen, I salute you with a
collective how d'ye do, and I appoint Sunday next for the dinner at
the R