\"Iknowthatverywell；I’vemadethataffirmationscoresoftimeswhenIwasworkingfortherepublicannewspapersand——\"
\"Whenyouwere’thecourageousCerizet，’\"interruptedduPortail。
\"Well，thepresentmachination，hereitis。ThegovernmentwasmuchdispleasedatseeingThuillierelectedwithoutitsinfluencetotheCouncil—generaloftheSeine；itwasangrywithanindependentandpatrioticcitizenwhoshowedbyhiscandidacythathecoulddowithoutit；anditlearned，moreover，thatthisexcellentcitizenwaspreparingapamphletonthesubject，alwaysadelicateone，ofthefinances，astowhichthisdangerousadversaryhadgreatexperience。
So，whatdidthisessentiallycorruptgovernmentdo？Itsubornedamaninwhom，asitlearned，Thuillierplacedconfidence，andforasumoftwenty—fivethousandfrancs（ameretrifletothepolice），thistreacherousfriendagreedtoinsertintothepamphletthreeorfourphraseswhichexposedittoseizureandcauseditsauthortobesummonedbeforethecourtofassizes。NowthewaytomaketheexplanationclinchthedoubtinThuillier’smindistolethimknowthatthenextdaylaPeyrade，who，asThuillierknew，hadn’tasou，paidDutocqpreciselythatverysumoftwenty—fivethousandfrancs。\"
\"Thedevil！\"criedCerizet，\"itisn’tabadtrick。FellowsoftheThuillierspecieswillbelieveanythingagainstthepolice。\"