"I am your friend and your devoted friend. I should consider it a rascally thing to ask you for anything. A rascally thing, I say! You are in office, you are a minister, so much the better, yes, so much the better! But, at least, don't let your friends pester you, like vermin crawling before you, because you are all-powerful. I will never crawl before you, I warn you. I shall remain just what I am. You will take me just as I am or not at all. That will depend altogether upon the change of humor that the acquisition of honors may produce in you—"
"Jéliotte! we shall see, Jéliotte!"
"Well! You can take me or leave me. And as I do not wish to be confounded with the cringing valets who crowd your antechambers—"
"You crowd nothing, you will not dance attendance. Have I asked you to dance attendance?"
"No, not yet—I called simply to see if I should be received. Yes, it is merely in the nature of an experiment—it is made. It is to your honor, I admit, but I will not repeat it—I shall disappear. It is more simple. Yes, I have told you and I was determined to tell you that you will never see me, so long as you are a minister."
"Ah! Jéliotte! Jéliotte!"
"Never—not until you have fallen—For one always falls—"
"Fortunately," said Sulpice, with a laugh.
"Fortunately or unfortunately, that depends. I say: when you have fallen—then, oh! then, don't fear, I will not be the one to turn my back on you—"
"You are very kind."