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thought　Dutocq；　alarmed　on　finding　himself　anticipated；　〃he　has

reached　the　ear　of　the　administration；　while　I　am　left　out　in　the

cold。　I　shouldn't　have　thought　it！〃



To　all　his　other　motives　of　aversion　to　Rabourdin　he　now　added　the

jealousy　of　one　man　to　another　man　of　the　same　calling；a　most

powerful　ingredient　in　hatred。



When　des　Lupeaulx　was　left　alone；　he　dropped　into　a　strange

meditation。　What　power　was　it　of　which　Rabourdin　was　the　instrument？

Should　he；　des　Lupeaulx；　use　this　singular　document　to　destroy　him；　or

should　he　keep　it　as　a　weapon　to　succeed　with　the　wife？　The　mystery

that　lay　behind　this　paper　was　all　darkness　to　des　Lupeaulx；　who　read

with　something　akin　to　terror　page　after　page；　in　which　the　men　of　his

acquaintance　were　judged　with　unerring　wisdom。　He　admired　Rabourdin；

though　stabbed　to　his　vitals　by　what　he　said　of　him。　The　breakfast…

hour　suddenly　cut　short　his　meditation。



〃His　Excellency　is　waiting　for　you　to　come　down；〃　announced　the

minister's　footman。



The　minister　always　breakfasted　with　his　wife　and　children　and　des

Lupeaulx；　without　the　presence　of　servants。　The　morning　meal　affords

the　only　moment　of　privacy　which　public　men　can　snatch　from　the

current　of　overwhelming　business。　Yet　in　spite　of　the　precautions　they

take　to　keep　this　hour　for　private　intimacies　and　affections；　a　good

many　great　and　little　people　manage　to　infringe　upon　it。　Business

itself　will；　as　at　this　moment；　thrust　itself　in　the　way　of　their

scanty　comfort。



〃I　thought　Rabourdin　was　a　man　above　all　ordinary　petty　manoeuvres；〃

began　the　minister；　〃and　yet　here；　not　ten　minutes　after　La

Billardiere's　death；　he　sends　me　this　note　by　La　Briere；it　is　like　a

stage　missive。　Look；〃　said　his　Excellency；　giving　des　Lupeaulx　a　paper

which　he　was　twirling　in　his　fingers。



Too　noble　in　mind　to　think　for　a　moment　of　the　shameful　meaning　La

Billardiere's　death　might　lend　to　his　letter；　Rabourdin　had　not

withdrawn　it　from　La　Briere's　hands　after　the　news　reached　him。　Des

Lupeaulx　read　as　follows：



　　〃Monseigneur；If　twenty…three　years　of　irreproachable　services

　　may　claim　a　favor；　I　entreat　your　Excellency　to　grant　me　an

　　audience　this　very　day。　My　honor　is　involved　in　the　matter　of

　　which　I　desire　to　speak。〃



〃Poor　man！〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　in　a　tone　of　compassion　which　confirmed

the　minister　in　his　error。　〃We　are　alone；　I　advise　you　to　see　him　now。

You　have　a　meeting　of　the　Council　when　the　Chamber　rises；　moreover；

your　Excellency　has　to　reply　to…day　to　the　opposition；　this　is　really

the　only　hour　when　you　can　receive　him。〃



Des　Lupeaulx　rose；　called　the　servant；　said　a　few　words；　and　returned

to　his　seat。　〃I　have　told　them　to　bring　him　in　at　dessert；〃　he　said。



Like　all　other　ministers　under　the　Restoration；　this　particular

minister　was　a　man　without　youth。　The　charter　granted　by　Louis　XVIII。

had　the　defect　of　tying　the　hands　of　the　kings　by　compelling　them　to

deliver　the　destinies　of　the　nation　into　the　control　of　the　middle…

aged　men　of　the　Chamber　and　the　septuagenarians　of　the　peerage；　it

robbed　them　of　the　right　to　lay　hands　on　a　man　of　statesmanlike　talent

wherever　they　could　find　him；　no　matter　how　young　he　was　or　how

poverty…stricken　his　condition　might　be。　Napoleon　alone　was　able　to

employ　young　men　as　he　chose；　without　being　restrained　by　any

consideration。　After　the　overthrow　of　that　mighty　will；　vigor　deserted

power。　Now　the　period　when　effeminacy　succeeds　to　vigor　presents　a

contrast　that　is　far　more　dangerous　in　France　than　in　other　countries。

As　a　general　thing；　ministers　who　were　old　before　they　entered　office

have　proved　second　or　third　rate；　while　those　who　were　taken　young

have　been　an　honor　to　European　monarchies　and　to　the　republics　whose

affairs　they　have　directed。　The　world　still　rings　with　the　struggle

between　Pitt　and　Napoleon；　two　men　who　conducted　the　politics　of　their

respective　countries　at　an　age　when　Henri　de　Navarre；　Richelieu；

Mazarin；　Colbert；　Louvois；　the　Prince　of　Orange；　the　Guises；

Machiavelli；　in　short；　all　the　best　known　of　our　great　men；　coming

from　the　ranks　or　born　to　a　throne；　began　to　rule　the　State。　The

Conventionthat　model　of　energywas　made　up　in　a　great　measure　of

young　heads；　no　sovereign　can　ever　forget　that　it　was　able　to　put

fourteen　armies　into　the　field　against　Europe。　Its　policy；　fatal　in

the　eyes　of　those　who　cling　to　what　is　called　absolute　power；　was

nevertheless　dictated　by　strictly　monarchical　principles；　and　it

behaved　itself　like　any　of　the　great　kings。



After　ten　or　a　dozen　years　of　parliamentary　struggle；　having　studied

the　science　of　politics　until　he　was　worn　down　by　it；　this　particular

minister　had　come　to　be　enthroned　by　his　party；　who　considered　him　in

the　light　of　their　business　man。　Happily　for　him　he　was　now　nearer

sixty　than　fifty　years　of　age；　had　he　retained　even　a　vestige　of

juvenile　vigor　he　would　quickly　have　quenched　it。　But；　accustomed　to

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　i