under made out of the administration of the war by
the great monopoly he had established were suddenly to cease, Bigot felt
that his genius would be put to a severe test. But he had no misgivings,
because he had no scruples. He was not the man to go under in any storm.
He would light upon his feet, as he expressed it, if the world turned
upside down.

Bigot suddenly stopped in his walk. His mind had been dwelling upon
the great affairs of his Intendancy and the mad policy of the Court of
Versailles. A new thought struck him. He turned and looked fixedly at
his Secretary.

"De Pean!" said he. "We have not a sure hold of the Chevalier de
Repentigny! That young fellow plays fast and loose with us. One who
dines with me at the palace and sups with the Philiberts at the Chien
d'Or cannot be a safe partner in the Grand Company!"

"I have small confidence in him, either," replied De Pean. "Le Gardeur
has too many loose ends of respectability hanging about him to make him
a sure hold for our game."

"Just so! Cadet, Varin, and the rest of you, have only half haltered the
young colt. His training so far is no credit to you! The way that cool
bully, Colonel Philibert, walked off with him out of Beaumanoir, was a
sublime specimen of impudence. Ha! Ha! The recollection of it has salted
my meat ever since! It was admirably performed! although, egad, I should
have liked to run my sword through Philibert's ribs! and not one of you
all was man enough to do it for me!"

"But your Excellency gave no hint, you seemed full of politeness towards
Philibert," replied De Pean, with a tone that implied he would have done
it had Bigot given the hint.

"Zounds! as if I do not know it! But it was provoking to be flouted,
so politely too, by that whelp of the Golden Dog! The influence of that
Philibert is immense over young De Repentigny. They say he once pulled
him out of the water, and is, moreover, a suitor of the sister, a
charming girl, De Pean! with no end of money, lands, and family power.
She ought to be secured as well as her brother in the interests of the
Grand Company. A good marriage with one of our party would secure her,
and none of you dare propose, by God!"

"It is useless to think of proposing to her," replied De Pean. "I know
the proud minx. She is one of the angelic ones who regard marriage as a
thing of Heaven's arrangement. She believes God never makes but one
man for one woman, and it is her duty to marry him or nobod