e said:
"Do not forget the principal points I indicated to you. Ask the general
and the rajah their opinions on the dealings of England in the extreme
East, their ideas of their system of colonization and government, their
hopes relative to the intervention of Europe and of France in
particular." To Duroy he said: "Observe what Saint-Potin says; he is an
excellent reporter, and try to learn how to draw out a man in five
minutes." Then he resumed his work.

The two men walked down the boulevard together, while Saint-Potin gave
Duroy a sketch of all the officials connected with the paper, sparing
no one in his criticism. When he mentioned Forestier, he said: "As for
him, he was fortunate in marrying his wife."

Duroy asked: "What about his wife?"

Saint-Potin rubbed his hands. "Oh, she is beloved by an old fellow
named Vaudrec--he dotes upon her."

Duroy felt as if he would like to box Saint-Potin's ears. To change the
subject he said: "It seems to me that it is late, and we have two noble
lords to call upon!"

Saint-Potin laughed: "You are very innocent! Do you think that I am
going to interview that Chinese and that Indian? As if I did not know
better than they do what they should think to please the readers of 'La
Vie Francaise'! I have interviewed five hundred Chinese, Prussians,
Hindoos, Chilians, and Japanese. They all say the same thing. I need
only copy my article on the last comer, word for word, changing the
heading, names, titles, and ages: in that there must be no error, or I
shall be hauled over the coals by the 'Figaro' or 'Gaulois.' But on
that subject the porter of the hotels will post me in five minutes. We
will smoke our cigars and stroll in that direction. Total--one hundred
sous for cabfare. That is the way, my dear fellow."

When they arrived at the Madeleine, Saint-Potin said to his companion:
"If you have anything to do, I do not need you."

Duroy shook hands with him and walked away. The thought of the article
he had to write that evening haunted him. Mentally he collected the
material as he wended his way to the cafe at which he dined. Then he
returned home and seated himself at his table to work. Before his eyes
was the sheet of blank paper, but all the material he had amassed had
escaped him. After trying for an hour, and after filling five pages
with sentences which had no connection one with the other, he said: "I
am not yet familiar with the work. I must take another lesson."

At te