You have all taken your time about it, but it's really a very fine ministry, which everybody regards with surprise and admiration." The decrees appointing the new ministers had appeared in the "Journal Officiel" that very morning.

After a long deadlock, after Vignon had for the second time seen his plans fail through ever-recurring obstacles, Monferrand, as a last resource, had suddenly been summoned to the Elysee, and in four-and-twenty hours he had found the colleagues he wanted and secured the acceptance of his list, in such wise that he now triumphantly re-ascended to power after falling from it with Barroux in such wretched fashion.

He had also chosen a new post for himself, relinquishing the department of the Interior for that of Finances, with the Presidency of the Council, which had long been his secret ambition.

His stealthy labour, the masterly fashion in which he had saved himself while others sank, now appeared in its full beauty.

First had come Salvat's arrest, and the use he had made of it, then the wonderful subterranean campaign which he had carried on against Vignon, the thousand obstacles which he had twice set across his path, and finally the sudden _denouement_ with that list he held in readiness, that formation of a ministry in a single day as soon as his services were solicited.
"It is fine work, I must compliment you on it," added little Massot by way of a jest.
"But I've had nothing to do with it," Duthil modestly replied.
"Nothing to do with it! Oh! yes you have, my dear sir, everybody says so." The deputy felt flattered and smiled, while the other rattled on with his insinuations, which were put in such a humorous way that nothing he said could be resented.