Part 12 (1/2)

”Your eulogy costs us four thousand eight hundred francs, son-in-law!”

exclaimed Madame Saillard.

”You have adorned the house of G.o.d,” said the Abbe Gaudron.

”We might have got salvation without doing that,” she returned. ”But if Baudoyer gets the place, which is worth eight thousand more, the sacrifice is not so great. If he doesn't get it! hey, papa,” she added, looking at her husband, ”how we shall have bled!--”

”Well, never mind,” said Saillard, enthusiastically, ”we can always make it up through Falleix, who is going to extend his business and use his brother, whom he has made a stockbroker on purpose. Elisabeth might have told us, I think, why Falleix went off in such a hurry. But let's invent my little speech. This is what I thought of: 'Madame, if you would say a word to his Excellency--'”

”'If you would deign,'” said Gaudron; ”add the word 'deign,' it is more respectful. But you ought to know, first of all, whether Madame la Dauphine will grant you her protection, and then you could suggest to Madame la comtesse the idea of co-operating with the wishes of her Royal Highness.”

”You ought to designate the vacant post,” said Baudoyer.

”'Madame la comtesse,'” began Saillard, rising, and bowing to his wife, with an agreeable smile.

”Goodness! Saillard; how ridiculous you look. Take care, my man, you'll make the woman laugh.”

”'Madame la comtesse,'” resumed Saillard. ”Is that better, wife?”

”Yes, my duck.”

”'The place of the worthy Monsieur de la Billardiere is vacant; my son-in-law, Monsieur Baudoyer--'”

”'Man of talent and extreme piety,'” prompted Gaudron.

”Write it down, Baudoyer,” cried old Saillard, ”write that sentence down.”

Baudoyer proceeded to take a pen and wrote, without a blush, his own praises, precisely as Nathan or Ca.n.a.lis might have reviewed one of their own books.

”'Madame la comtesse'--Don't you see, mother?” said Saillard to his wife; ”I am supposing you to be the minister's wife.”

”Do you take me for a fool?” she answered sharply. ”I know that.”

”'The place of the late worthy de la Billardiere is vacant; my son-in-law, Monsieur Baudoyer, a man of consummate talent and extreme piety--'” After looking at Monsieur Gaudron, who was reflecting, he added, ”'will be very glad if he gets it.' That's not bad; it's brief and it says the whole thing.”

”But do wait, Saillard; don't you see that Monsieur l'abbe is turning it over in his mind?” said Madame Saillard; ”don't disturb him.”

”'Will be very thankful if you would deign to interest yourself in his behalf,'” resumed Gaudron. ”'And in saying a word to his Excellency you will particularly please Madame la Dauphine, by whom he has the honor and the happiness to be protected.'”

”Ah! Monsieur Gaudron, that sentence is worth more than the monstrance; I don't regret the four thousand eight hundred--Besides, Baudoyer, my lad, you'll pay them, won't you? Have you written it all down?”

”I shall make you repeat it, father, morning and evening,” said Madame Saillard. ”Yes, that's a good speech. How lucky you are, Monsieur Gaudron, to know so much. That's what it is to be brought up in a seminary; they learn there how to speak to G.o.d and his saints.”

”He is as good as he is learned,” said Baudoyer, pressing the priest's hand. ”Did you write that article?” he added, pointing to the newspaper.

”No, it was written by the secretary of his Eminence, a young abbe who is under obligations to me, and who takes an interest in Monsieur Colleville; he was educated at my expense.”

”A good deed is always rewarded,” said Baudoyer.

While these four personages were sitting down to their game of boston, Elisabeth and her uncle Mitral reached the cafe Themis, with much discourse as they drove along about a matter which Elisabeth's keen perceptions told her was the most powerful lever that could be used to force the minister's hand in the affair of her husband's appointment.

Uncle Mitral, a former sheriff's officer, crafty, clever at sharp practice, and full of expedients and judicial precautions, believed the honor of his family to be involved in the appointment of his nephew.