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back　and　fill；　retreat　and　return　to　the　charge；　he　was　able　to　endure

being　struck　at；　turn　and　turn　about；　by　his　own　party；　by　the

opposition；　by　the　court；　by　the　clergy；　because　to　all　such　attacks

he　opposed　the　inert　force　of　a　substance　which　was　equally　soft　and

consistent；　thus　he　reaped　the　benefits　of　what　was　really　his

misfortune。　Harassed　by　a　thousand　questions　of　government；　his　mind；

like　that　of　an　old　lawyer　who　has　tried　every　species　of　case；　no

longer　possessed　the　spring　which　solitary　minds　are　able　to　retain；

nor　that　power　of　prompt　decision　which　distinguishes　men　who　are

early　accustomed　to　action；　and　young　soldiers。　How　could　it　be

otherwise？　He　had　practised　sophistries　and　quibbled　instead　of

judging；　he　had　criticised　effects　and　done　nothing　for　causes；　his

head　was　full　of　plans　such　as　a　political　party　lays　upon　the

shoulders　of　a　leader；matters　of　private　interest　brought　to　an

orator　supposed　to　have　a　future；　a　jumble　of　schemes　and　impractical

requests。　Far　from　coming　fresh　to　his　work；　he　was　wearied　out　with

marching　and　counter…marching；　and　when　he　finally　reached　the　much

desired　height　of　his　present　position；　he　found　himself　in　a　thicket

of　thorny　bushes　with　a　thousand　conflicting　wills　to　conciliate。　If

the　statesmen　of　the　Restoration　had　been　allowed　to　follow　out　their

own　ideas；　their　capacity　would　doubtless　have　been　criticised；　but

though　their　wills　were　often　forced；　their　age　saved　them　from

attempting　the　resistance　which　youth　opposes　to　intrigues；　both　high

and　low；intrigues　which　vanquished　Richelieu；　and　to　which；　in　a

lower　sphere；　Rabourdin　was　to　succumb。



After　the　rough　and　tumble　of　their　first　struggles　in　political　life

these　men；　less　old　than　aged；　have　to　endure　the　additional　wear　and

tear　of　a　ministry。　Thus　it　is　that　their　eyes　begin　to　weaken　just　as

they　need　to　have　the　clear…sightedness　of　eagles；　their　mind　is　weary

when　its　youth　and　fire　need　to　be　redoubled。　The　minister　in　whom

Rabourdin　sought　to　confide　was　in　the　habit　of　listening　to　men　of

undoubted　superiority　as　they　explained　ingenious　theories　of

government；　applicable　or　inapplicable　to　the　affairs　of　France。　Such

men；　by　whom　the　difficulties　of　national　policy　were　never

apprehended；　were　in　the　habit　of　attacking　this　minister　personally

whenever　a　parliamentary　battle　or　a　contest　with　the　secret　follies

of　the　court　took　place；on　the　eve　of　a　struggle　with　the　popular

mind；　or　on　the　morrow　of　a　diplomatic　discussion　which　divided　the

Council　into　three　separate　parties。　Caught　in　such　a　predicament；　a

statesman　naturally　keeps　a　yawn　ready　for　the　first　sentence　designed

to　show　him　how　the　public　service　could　be　better　managed。　At　such

periods　not　a　dinner　took　place　among　bold　schemers　or　financial　and

political　lobbyists　where　the　opinions　of　the　Bourse　and　the　Bank；　the

secrets　of　diplomacy；　and　the　policy　necessitated　by　the　state　of

affairs　in　Europe　were　not　canvassed　and　discussed。　The　minister　has

his　own　private　councillors　in　des　Lupeaulx　and　his　secretary；　who

collected　and　pondered　all　opinions　and　discussions　for　the　purpose　of

analyzing　and　controlling　the　various　interests　proclaimed　and

supported　by　so　many　clever　men。　In　fact；　his　misfortune　was　that　of

most　other　ministers　who　have　passed　the　prime　of　life；　he　trimmed　and

shuffled　under　all　his　difficulties；with　journalism；　which　at　this

period　it　was　thought　advisable　to　repress　in　an　underhand　way　rather

than　fight　openly；　with　financial　as　well　as　labor　questions；　with　the

clergy　as　well　as　with　that　other　question　of　the　public　lands；　with

liberalism　as　with　the　Chamber。　After　manoeuvering　his　way　to　power　in

the　course　of　seven　years；　the　minister　believed　that　he　could　manage

all　questions　of　administration　in　the　same　way。　It　is　so　natural　to

think　we　can　maintain　a　position　by　the　same　methods　which　served　us

to　reach　it　that　no　one　ventured　to　blame　a　system　invented　by

mediocrity　to　please　minds　of　its　own　calibre。　The　Restoration；　like

the　Polish　revolution；　proved　to　nations　as　to　princes　the　true　value

of　a　Man；　and　what　will　happen　if　that　necessary　man　is　wanting。　The

last　and　the　greatest　weakness　of　the　public　men　of　the　Restoration

was　their　honesty；　in　a　struggle　in　which　their　adversaries　employed

the　resources　of　political　dishonesty；　lies；　and　calumnies；　and　let

loose　upon　them；　by　all　subversive　means；　the　clamor　of　the

unintelligent　masses；　able　only　to　understand　revolt。



Rabourdin　told　himself　all　these　things。　But　he　had　made　up　his　mind

to　win　or　lose；　like　a　man　weary　of　gambling　who　allows　himself　a　last

stake；　ill…luck　had　given　him　as　adversary　in　the　game　a　sharper　like

des　Lupeaulx。　With　all　his　sagacity；　Rabourdin　was　better　versed　in

matters　of　administration　than　in　parliamentary　optics；　and　he　was　far

indeed　from　imagining　how　his　confidence　would　be　received；　he　little

thought　that　the　great　work　that　filled　his　mind　would　seem　to　the

minister　nothing　more　than　a　theory；　and　that　a　man　who　held　the

position　of　a　statesman　would　confound　his　reform　with　the　schemes　of

political　and　self…interested　talkers。



As　the　minister　rose　from　table；　thinking　of　Francois　Keller；　his　wife

detained　him　with　the　offer　of　a　bunch　of　grapes；　and　at　that　moment

Rabourdin　was　announced。　Des　Lupeaulx　had　counted　on　the　minister's

preoccupation　and　his　desire　to　get　away；　seeing　him　for　the　moment

occupied　with　his　wife；　the　general…secretary　went　forward　to　meet

Rabourdin；　whom　he　petrified　with　his　first　words；　said　in　a　low　tone

of　voice：



〃His　Excellency　and　I　know　what　the　subject　is　that　occupies　your

mind；　you　have　nothing　to　fear〃；　then；　raising　his　voice；　he　added；

〃neither　from　Dutocq　nor　from　any　one　else。〃



〃Don't　feel　uneasy；　Rabourdin；〃　said　his　Excellency；　kindly；　but

making　a　movement　to　get　away。



Rabourdin　came　forward　respectfully；　and　the　minister　could　not　evade

him。



〃Will　your　Excellency　permit　me　to　see　you　for　a　moment　in　private？〃

he　said；　with　a　mysterious　glance。



The　minister　looked　at　the　clock　and　went　towards　the　window；　whither

the　poor　man　followed　him。



〃When　may　I　have　the　honor　of　submitting　the　matter　of　which　I　spoke

to　your　Excellency？　I　desire　to　fully　explain　the　plan　of

administration　to　which　the　paper　that　was　taken　belongs〃



〃Plan　of　administration！〃　exclaimed　the　minister；　frowning；　and

hurriedly　interrupting　him。　〃If　you　have　anything　of　that　kind　to

communicate　you　must　wait　for　the　regular　day　when　we　do　business

together。　I　ought　to　be　at　the　Council　now；　and　I　have　an　answer　to

make　to　the　Chamber　on　that　point　which　the　opposition　raised　before

the　session　ended　yesterday。　Your　day　is　Wednesday　next；　I　could　not

work　yesterday；　for　I　had　other　things　to　attend　to；　political　matters

are　apt　to　interfere　with　purely　administrative　ones。〃



〃I　place　my　honor　with　all　confidence　in　your　Excellency's　hands；〃

said　Rabourdin　gravely；　〃and　I　entreat　you　to　remember　that　you　have

not　allowed　me　time　to　give　you　an　immediate　explanation　of　the　stolen

paper〃



〃Don't　be　uneasy；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　interposing　between　the　minister

and　Rabourdin；　whom　he　thus　interrupted；　〃in　another　week　you　will

probably　be　appointed〃



The　minister　smiled　as　he　thought　of　des　Lupeaulx's　enthusiasm　for

Madame　Rabourdin；　and　he　glanced　knowingly　at　his　wife。　Rabourdin　saw

the　look；　and　tried　to　imagine　its　meaning；　his　attention　was　diverted

for　a　moment；　and　his　Excellency　took　advantage　of　the　fact　to　make

his　escape。



〃We　will　talk　of　all　this；　you　and　I；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　with　whom

Rabourdin；　much　to　his　surprise；　now　found　himself　alone。　〃Don't　be

angry　with　Dutocq；　I'll　answer　for　his　discretion。〃



〃Madame　Rabourdin　is　charming；〃　said　the　minister's　wife；　wishing　to

say　the　civil　thing　to　the　head　of　a　bureau。



The　children　all　gazed　at　Rabourdin　with