“I have been so busy,” said Theodose, “that I have not had two minutes to give to any one, not even to you, whom I count among my friends, and with whom I have wished to talk about—”
“What? have you really been thinking seriously over what you said to me?” cried Thuillier, interrupting him.
“If you had not come here now for a full understanding, I shouldn’t respect you as I do,” replied la Peyrade, smiling. “You have been a sub-director, and therefore you must have the remains of ambition—which is deucedly legitimate in your case! Come, now, between ourselves, when one sees a Minard, that gilded pot, displaying himself at the Tuileries, and complimenting the king, and a Popinot about to become a minister of State, and then look at you! a man trained to administrative work, a man with thirty years’ experience, who has seen six governments, left to plant balsams in a little garden! Heavens and earth!—I am frank, my dear Thuillier, and I’ll say, honestly, that I want to advance you, because you’ll draw me after you. Well, here’s my plan. We are soon to elect a member of the council-general from this arrondissement; and that member must be you. And,” he added, dwelling on the word, “it will be you! After that, you will certainly be deputy from the arrondissement when the Chamber is re-elected, which must surely be before long. The votes that elect you to the municipal council will stand by you in the election for deputy, trust me for that.”
“But how will you manage all this?” cried Thuillier, fascinated.
“You shall know in good time; but you must let me conduct this long and difficult affair; if you commit the slightest indiscretion as to what is said, or planned, or agreed between us, I shall have to drop the whole matter, and good-bye to you!”
“Oh! you can rely on the absolute dumbness of a former sub-director; I’ve had secrets to keep.”
“That’s all very well; but these are secrets to keep from your wife and sister, and from Monsieur and Madame Colleville.”
“Not a muscle of my face shall reveal them,” said Thuillier, assuming a stolid air.
“Very good,” continued Theodose. “I shall test you. In order to make yourself eligible, you must pay taxes on a certain amount of property, and you are not paying them.”
“I beg your pardon; I’m all right for the municipal council at any rate; I pay two francs ninety-six centimes.”