me and see me just before the elections。 Between now and then I shall know in what locality the chances of the ministry are worst； and what resources two heads like yours and mine can find there。〃
〃But my twenty…five thousand francs are needed；〃 replied de Trailles。
〃Well； you must hide yourself； that's all。〃
Fifty days later； one morning before dawn； the Comte de Trailles went to the rue de Varennes； mysteriously in a hired cab。 At the gate of the ministry of Public Works； he sent the cab away； looked about him to see that he was not watched； and then waited in a little salon on the first floor until Rastignac should awake。 A few moments later the valet who had taken in his card ushered Maxime into the minister's bed…chamber； where that statesman was making his morning toilet。
〃My dear Maxime；〃 said the latter； 〃I can tell you a secret which will be in the newspapers two days hence； and which； meantime； you can turn to your own profit。 That poor Charles Keller； who danced the mazurka so well； as been killed in Africa。 His death leaves a vacancy； he was our candidate in the arrondissement of Arcis。 Here is a copy of two reports； one from the sub…prefect； the other from the commissary of police； informing the ministry that the election of the poor fellow would meet with opposition。 In that of the commissary of police you will find some information about the state of the town which ought to be useful to a man of your shrewdness； it seems that the ambition of the rival candidate comes chiefly from his desire to marry a certain heiress。 To one of your calibre that word is enough。 The Cinq…Cygnes； the Princesse de Cadignan； and Georges de Maufrigneuse are living at Cinq…Cygne； close to Arcis； you can certainly obtain through them all the Legitimist votes； therefore〃
〃Don't waste your breath；〃 said Maxime。 〃Is the commissary still there？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Give me a letter to him。〃
〃My dear fellow；〃 replied Rastignac； giving Maxime quite a bundle of papers； 〃you will find there two letters written to Gondreville for you。 You have been a page and he has been a senator； you can't fail therefore to understand each other。 Madame Francois Keller is pious； here is a letter introducing you to her from the Marechale de Carigliano。 The marechale has become dynastic； she recommends you warmly； and may go down herself。 I will only add one word： Distrust the sub…prefect； whom I think capable of working this candidate； this Simon Giguet； into a support for himself with the president of the council。 If you want letters； powers； credentials； write to me。〃
〃And those twenty…five thousand francs？〃 said Maxime。
〃Sign this note to the order of du Tillet； and here's the money。〃
〃I shall succeed；〃 said the count； 〃and you may tell the king that the deputy of Arcis shall belong to him body and soul。 If I fail； I give you leave to abandon me。〃
An hour later Maxime de Trailles was in his tilbury on the road to Arcis。
XIII
PREFACE BEFORE LETTERING
Once in possession of the information furnished by the landlady of the Mulet and by the sub…prefect Antonin Goulard； Monsieur de Trailles had soon arranged his plan of electoral operations； and this plan evinces itself so readily that the reader must already have perceived it。
To the candidacy of Simon Giguet； the wily agent of the government policy suddenly and abruptly opposed that of Phileas Beauvisage； and in spite of the nullity and unfitness of that individual this new combination； we must admit； had several incontestable chances of success。 In the light of his municipal halo Beauvisage had one enormous advantage with the mass of indifferent voters； as mayor of the town his name was known to them。 Logic has much more to do with the conducting of matters and things here below than it seems to have； it is like a woman to whom； after many infidelities； we still return。 What common…sense prescribes is that voters called upon to choose their representative in public matters should be thoroughly informed as to his capacity； his honesty； and his general character。 Too often； in practice； unfortunate twists are given to this principle； but whenever the electoral sheep； left to their own instincts； can persuade themselves that they are voting from their own intelligence and their own lights； we may be certain to see them following that line eagerly and with a sentiment of self…love。 Now to know a man's name； electorally speaking； is a good beginning toward a knowledge of the man himself。
Passing from indifferent to interested electors； we may be sure that Phileas was certain of rallying to himself the Gondreville party； now deprived by death of their own candidate。 The question for them was to punish the presumption of Simon Giguet； and any candidate would be acceptable to the viceroy of Arcis。 The mere nomination of a man against his grandson was a flagrant act of hostility and ingratitude； and a check to the count's provincial importance which must be removed and punished at any cost。
Still； when the first news of his electoral ambition reached his father…in…law； Beauvisage was met by an astonishment little flattering to his feelings and not encouraging。 The old notary had gauged his son…in…law once for all； and to his just and upright mind the idea of Phileas as a public man produced in its way the disagreeable effect that discordant instruments produce upon the ear。 If it be true that no man is a prophet in his own country； he is often even less so in his own family。 Still； the first impression once passed； Grevin would doubtless acclimatize himself to the idea of an expedient which would chime in with the plans he had already made for Severine's future。 Besides； for the safety of Gondreville's interests； so seriously threatened； what sacrifice of his own opinion would the old notary not have made？
With the legitimist and the republican parties who could have no weight in the election； except that of increasing a majority； the candidacy of Beauvisage had a singular recommendation；namely； his utter incapacity。 Conscious of not possessing sufficient strength to elect a deputy of their own； the two extremes of the antidynastic opposition seized； almost with ardor； the opportunity to stick a thorn in the side in what they called 〃the present order of things；〃 and it might confidently be expected that in this frame of mind they would joyfully and with all their hearts support a candidate so supremely ridiculous that a large slice of the ridicule must fall upon the government which supported him。
Moreover； in the opinions of the Left…Centre which had provisionally adopted Simon Giguet as its candidate； this move of Beauvisage was likely to produce a serious split； for he too had declared himself a man of the dynastic opposition； and； until further orders； Monsieur de Trailles （though all the while assuring him of the support of the ministry） encouraged his retaining that political tint； which was clearly the most popular in that region。 But whatever baggage of political convictions the incorruptible deputy of Arcis might bring with him to Paris； his horoscope was drawn： it was very certain that after his first appearance in the salons of the Tuileries an august seduction would make a henchman of him； if ministerial blandishments had not already produced that result。
The public side of this matter being thus well…planned and provided for； the ministerial agent could turn his attention to the personal aspect of the question； namely； that of turning the stuff he was making into a deputy to the still further use of being made into a father…in…law。
First point； the /dot/； second point； the daughter； and both appeared to suit him。 The first did not dazzle him； but as to the second； he did not conceal from himself the imperfections of a provincial education which he should have to unmake； but this was no serious objection to his sapient conjugal pedagogy。
Madame Beauvisage； when the matter was laid before her； swept her husband into it at a single bound。 Maxime recognized her for an ambitious woman who； in spite of her forty…four years； still had the air of being conscious of a heart。 Hence he saw that the game had better begin with a false attack on her to fall back later on the daughter。 How far these advanced works could be pushed； circumstances would show。 In either case； Maxime was well aware that his title； his reputation as a man of the world； and his masterly power of initiating them into the difficult and elegant mysteries of Parisian society were powerful reasons to bind the two women to him； not to speak of their gratitude for the political success of Monsieur Beauvisage of which he was the author。
But however all this might be； his matrimonial campaign offered one very serious difficulty。 The consent of old Grevin would have to be obtained； and he was not a man to allow Cecile to be married without investigating to its depths the whole past of a suitor。 This inquiry made； was it not to be feared that the thirty years' stormy biography of a roue would seem to the cautious old man a poor security for the future？
However； the species of governmental mission with which Monsieur de Trailles appeared in Arcis might seem to be an offset and even a condonation that