登陆注册
15491300000138

第138章 CHAPTER IX GIVE AND TAKE(2)

"Is it possible you are not aware that the ministry met with terrible defeat last night? But instead of resigning, as every one expected, they have dissolved the Chamber and appeal to the people.""I knew nothing of all that," said la Peyrade. "I have not read the morning papers.""So," continued Lousteau, "all parliamentary ambitions will take the field, and, if I am well informed, Monsieur Thuillier, already member of the Council-general, intends to present himself as candidate for election in the 12th arrondissement.""Yes," said la Peyrade, "that is likely to be his intention.""Well, monsieur, I desire to place at his disposition an instrument the value of which I am confident you will not underestimate. The 'Echo de la Bievre,' a specialist paper, can have a decisive influence on the election in that quarter.""And you would be disposed," asked la Peyrade, "to make that paper support Monsieur Thuillier's candidacy?""Better than that," replied Lousteau. "I have come to propose to Monsieur Thuillier that he purchase the paper itself. Once the proprietor of it he can use it as he pleases.""But in the first place," said la Peyrade, "what is the present condition of the enterprise? In its character as a specialist journal --as you called it just now--it is a sheet I have seldom met with; in fact, it would be entirely unknown to me were it not for the remarkable article you were so good as to devote to Thuillier's defence at the time his pamphlet was seized."Etienne Lousteau bowed his thanks, and then said:

"The position of the paper is excellent; we can give it to you on easy terms, for we were intending shortly to stop the publication.""That is strange for a prosperous journal."

"On the contrary, it happens to be quite natural. The founders, who were all representatives of the great leather interest, started this paper for a special object. That object has been attained. The 'Echo de la Bievre' has therefore become an effect without a cause. In such a case, stockholders who don't like the tail end of matters, and are not eager after small profits, very naturally prefer to sell out.""But," asked la Peyrade, "does the paper pay its costs?""That," replied Lousteau, "is a point we did not consider; we were not very anxious to have subscribers; the mainspring of the whole affair was direct and immediate action on the ministry of commerce to obtain a higher duty on the introduction of foreign leathers. You understand that outside of the tannery circle, this interest was not very exciting to the general reader.""I should have thought, however," persisted la Peyrade, "that a newspaper, however circumscribed its action, would be a lever which depended for its force on the number of its subscribers.""Not for journals which aim for a single definite thing," replied Lousteau, dogmatically. "In that case, subscribers are, on the contrary, an embarrassment, for you have to please and amuse them, and in so doing, the real object has to be neglected. A newspaper which has a definite and circumscribed object ought to be like the stroke of that pendulum which, striking steadily on one spot, fires at a given hour the cannon of the Palais-Royal.""At any rate," said la Peyrade, "what price do you put upon a publication which has no subscribers, does not pay its expenses, and has until now been devoted to a purpose totally different from that you propose for it?""Before answering," returned Lousteau, "I shall ask you another question. Have you any intention of buying it?""That's according to circumstances," replied la Peyrade. "Of course Imust see Thuillier; but I may here remark to you that he knows absolutely nothing about newspaper business. With his rather bourgeois ideas, the ownership of a newspaper will seem to him a ruinous speculation. Therefore, if, in addition to an idea that will scare him, you suggest an alarming price, it is useless for me to speak to him. I am certain he would never go into the affair.""No," replied Lousteau. "I have told you we should be reasonable;these gentlemen have left the whole matter in my hands. Only, I beg to remark that we have had propositions from other parties, and in giving Monsieur Thuillier this option, we intended to pay him a particular courtesy. When can I have your answer?""To-morrow, I think; shall I have the honor of seeing you at your own house, or at the office of the journal?""No," said Lousteau, "to-morrow I will come here, at the same hour, if that is convenient to you.""Perfectly," replied la Peyrade, bowing out his visitor, whom he was inclined to think more consequential than able.

By the manner in which the barrister had received the proposition to become an intermediary to Thuillier, the reader must have seen that a rapid revolution had taken place in his ideas. Even if he had not received that extremely disquieting letter from the president of the order of barristers, the new situation in which Thuillier would be placed if elected to the Chamber gave him enough to think about.

Evidently his dear good friend would have to come back to him, and Thuillier's eagerness for election would deliver him over, bound hand and foot. Was it not the right moment to attempt to renew his marriage with Celeste? Far from being an obstacle to the good resolutions inspired by his amorous disappointment and his incipient brain fever, such a finale would ensure their continuance and success. Moreover, if he received, as he feared, one of those censures which would ruin his dawning prospects at the bar, it was with the Thuilliers, the accomplices and beneficiaries of the cause of his fall, that his instinct led him to claim an asylum.

With these thoughts stirring in his mind la Peyrade obeyed the summons and went to see the president of the order of barristers.

同类推荐
  • 保幼新编

    保幼新编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 订鬼篇

    订鬼篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 分春馆词

    分春馆词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 根本说一切有部苾刍尼毗奈耶

    根本说一切有部苾刍尼毗奈耶

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 秋山

    秋山

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 祁灵夫人

    祁灵夫人

    “他是我看上的人,一定会待我很好很好的。”灵天遥一直这样坚信着,祁易确是如她所想待她极好极好,只是对她的情谊却还不足称之为爱。祁易爱的是他从小与他一同长大的青梅竹马,颜安柔。一位白衣飘飘,笑比芙蓉的女子。从来祁府只有祁颜夫人,哪里有过什么祁灵夫人。原来能如愿嫁给祁易,是因为自己的体质能守他在人世多些年岁。
  • 闪击鏖战(第二次世界大战史丛书)

    闪击鏖战(第二次世界大战史丛书)

    德国在法、比、荷的胜利,不仅将英国的势力逐出西欧,同时也大大地削弱它在东南欧的影响。东南欧诸国在现代军备方面都很落后,因此竭力避免与这个欧洲大陆的头号军事强国发生冲突。匈牙利、保加利亚、罗马尼亚等巴尔干国家间的紧张关系,因德意两国(没有苏联参加)于1940年8月30日在维也纳强行裁决而趋于缓和。这个裁决使罗马尼亚损失最大。尽管如此,它却寻求和德国建立更加亲密的关系。这是因为它清楚地认识到由于英国在欧洲大陆的势力已不复存在,德国便成了能保卫它的剩余领土和对付苏俄威胁的唯一强国。希特勒准备在一定程度上满足罗马尼亚的愿望,因为首先他对普洛耶什蒂油田感兴趣,德国继续作战的能力在很大程度上就是要依赖它。
  • 与君长嫣

    与君长嫣

    死生契阔,与子成说。执子之手,与子偕老。
  • 只因彷徨才错过

    只因彷徨才错过

    只因彷徨才错过人物介绍男一:纪梵希,特别普通的富二代。爸爸叫纪临,经营两家手机加工厂妈妈王秋爱,奢侈品疯狂爱好者所以男主叫做纪梵希高二十班转校生女一:尹梓依,特别普通的女生。普通长相,普通家庭,普通成绩爸妈都是公务员一个特点就是爱管闲事爱时尚男二:沐辰星,一个阳光又调皮的大逗逼,篮球队队长,万人迷女二:姬凌,班花一枚,纯种富二代各种名牌,优越的外表下有着一个爷们儿的心,超八卦
  • 挣扎于创世

    挣扎于创世

    “想要活下去吗?去帮助已经进入末日的世界重新获得新生吧。”任松辰苦笑着听完脑海中的话语,难道他要成为救世主?而且还要前往不同世界不断的成为救世主?“其实我只是想要活下去而已。”任松辰是这么对自己说的。
  • 妖孽养成记

    妖孽养成记

    妖孽和娘娘腔只有一线之隔,却有着天差地壤之别。如果你是娘娘腔,那对不起,请别说我认识你。如果你是妖孽男,那好吧,我勉强嫁给你算了。施旖旎从来没想过,自己好歹也是一个走在新时代“前沿”,且一辈子叛逆期的人物。竟也会着了这青梅竹马的道。
  • 三百六十行修真

    三百六十行修真

    一个现代人穿越到修真世界,没有仙根,只有东一榔头西一棒槌的胡乱修炼。没有选择做一个好人的权利,失去了荣誉感。也没有选择做一个坏人的权利,失去了随心所欲的畅快感。只能想办法做一个活人。一直活着的人。打不过就跑,跑不了就骗,骗不成就蒙,蒙不住就阴,阴不着就哄,哄不下就诱..................前世是一个你穷我富的世界,你穷了,我富了,其他勿论;现在的世界是一个你死我活的世界,你死了,我活着……
  • 失忆妈咪:寻母记

    失忆妈咪:寻母记

    顾云初曾经以为自己是一个薄凉之人,即使是亲生骨肉,她也不会不舍。但是,当她看见那跟孩子的时候,觉得自己的心一下子就软了······费思辰看着爹地妈咪不冷不热的样子,心里急坏了。“爹地,你再不出手,妈咪就被人抢跑了!”
  • 梓叶

    梓叶

    梓叶的和离卿之间究竟是怎样的关系?是如表面那样的要好,还是有什么说不清道不明的什么秘密?这些全靠你自己去看。
  • 王牌玉面:最终的王

    王牌玉面:最终的王

    突然崛起的孟玖罗带领一众妖魔,散仙直逼仙界帝君所在的宫殿。次日仙界降于妖界,“老大,魔界那里?”妖王弯着腰询问着她的意见,“不必了,妖魔本一体。”她作画的玉指微微停顿了一下,只一下墨汁立即晕染开来原本秀丽的山水田园便有了瑕疵,孟玖罗轻轻用笔尖勾勒出一只将要垂死的小鸟“即使它从囚笼里逃出来了可也活不了了不是吗?”