Madame De Marelle

           Autumnhadcome.TheDuRoyshadspenttheentiresummerinParis,leadingavigorouscampaignin"LaVieFrancaise,"infavorofthenewcabinet.AlthoughitwasonlytheearlypartofOctober,thechamberwasabouttoresumeitssessions,foraffairsinMoroccowerebecomingmenacing.ThecelebratedspeechmadebyCountdeLambertSarrazinhadfurnishedDuRoywithmaterialfortenarticlesontheAlgeriancolony."LaVieFrancaise"hadgainedconsiderableprestigebyitsconnectionwiththepower;itwasthefirsttogivepoliticalnews,andeverynewspaperinParisandtheprovincessoughtinformationfromit.Itwasquoted,feared,andbegantoberespected:itwasnolongertheorganofagroupofpoliticalintriguers,buttheavowedmouthpieceofthecabinet.Laroche-MathieuwasthesoulofthejournalandDuRoyhisspeaking-trumpet.M.Walterretireddiscreetlyintothebackground.Madeleine’ssalonbecameaninfluentialcenterinwhichseveralmembersofthecabinetmeteveryweek.Thepresidentofthecouncilhadevendinedtheretwice;theministerofforeignaffairswasquiteathomeattheDuRoys;hecameatanyhour,bringingdispatchesorinformation,whichhedictatedeithertothehusbandorwifeasiftheywerehissecretaries.Aftertheministerhaddeparted,whenDuRoywasalonewithMadeleine,heutteredthreatsandinsinuationsagainstthe"parvenu,"ashecalledhim.Hiswifesimplyshruggedhershouldersscornfully,repeating:"Becomeaministerandyoucandothesame;untilthen,besilent.