“As a matter of fact,” he answered, “I am too small a personage in the Hôtel de la Mole to take it upon myself to introduce anyone.” Julien told the marquis everything. In the evening he described Valenod’s pretensions, as well as his deeds and feats since 1814.
“Not only will you present the new baron to me,” replied de la Mole, very seriously, “but I will invite him to dinner for the day after to-morrow. He will be one of our new prefects.”
“If that is the case, I ask for my father the post of director of the workhouse,” answered Julien, coldly.
“With pleasure,” answered the marquis gaily. “It shall be granted. I was expecting a lecture. You are getting on.”
M. de Valenod informed Julien that the manager of the lottery office at Verrières had just died. Julien thought it humorous to give that place to M. de Cholin, the old dotard whose petition he had once picked up in de la Mole’s room. The marquis laughed heartily at the petition, which Julien recited as he made him sign the letter which requested that appointment of the minister of finance.
M. de Cholin had scarcely been nominated, when Julien learnt that that post had been asked by the department for the celebrated geometrician, monsieur Gros. That generous man had an income of only 1400 francs, and every year had lent 600 to the late manager who had just died, to help him bring up his family.
Julien was astonished at what he had done.
“That’s nothing,” he said to himself. “It will be necessary to commit several other injustices if I mean to get on, and also to conceal them beneath pretty, sentimental speeches. Poor monsieur Gros! It is he who deserves the cross. It is I who have it, and I ought to conform to the spirit of the Government which gives it me.”