ThenheapproachedMadameRabourdin。”Wehavemuchtosaytoeachother，”heremarkedasheseatedhimselfbesidethebeautifulwoman，whoreceivedhimadmirably。”Ah！”hecontinued，givingherasideglance，”youaregrandindeed；I
findyoujustwhatIexpected，gloriousunderdefeat。Doyouknowthatitisaveryrarethingtofindasuperiorwomanwhoanswerstotheexpectationsformedofher。Sodefeatdoesn’tdisheartenyou？Youareright；weshalltriumphintheend，”hewhisperedinherear。”Yourfateisalwaysinyourownhands，——solong，Imean，asyourallyisamanwhoadoresyou。Wewillholdcounseltogether。””ButisBaudoyerappointed？”sheasked。”Yes，”saidthesecretary。”Doeshegetthecross？””Notyet；buthewillhaveitlater。””Amazing！””Ah！youdon’tunderstandpoliticalexigencies。”
Duringthisevening，whichseemedinterminabletoMadameRabourdin，anotherscenewasoccurringintheplaceRoyale，——oneofthosecomedieswhichareplayedinsevenParisiansalonswheneverthereisachangeofministry。TheSaillards’salonwascrowded。MonsieurandMadameTransonarrivedateighto’clock；MadameTransonkissedMadameBaudoyer，neeSaillard。MonsieurBataille，captainoftheNationalGuard，camewithhiswifeandthecurateofSaintPaul’s。”MonsieurBaudoyer，”saidMadameTranson。”Iwishtobethefirsttocongratulateyou；theyhavedonejusticetoyourtalents。Youhaveindeedearnedyourpromotion。””Hereyouare，director，”saidMonsieurTranson，rubbinghishands，”andtheappointmentisveryflatteringtothisneighborhood。””Andwecantrulysayitcametopasswithoutanyintriguing，”saidtheworthySaillard。”Wearenoneofuspoliticalintriguers；WEdon’tgotoselectpartiesattheministry。”
UncleMitralrubbedhisnoseandgrinnedasheglancedathisnieceElisabeth，thewomanwhosehandhadpulledthewires，whowastalkingwithGigonnet。Falleix，honestfellow，didnotknowwhattomakeofthestupidblindnessofSaillardandBaudoyer。MessieursDutocq，Bixiou，duBruel，Godard，andCollevillethelatterappointedheadofthebureauentered。”Whatacrew！”whisperedBixioutoduBruel。”Icouldmakeafinecaricatureofthemintheshapesoffishes，——dorys，flounders，sharks，andsnappers，alldancingasaraband！””Monsieur，”saidColleville，”Icometoofferyoumycongratulations；
orratherwecongratulateourselvesinhavingsuchamanplacedoverus；andwedesiretoassureyouofthezealwithwhichweshallco-