The Red Robe against the friend of the deputy which the sporting judge dismissed was one of her many troubles. Meanwhile the arguments have been made, and the room is filled with spectators and ofii cials who are enthusiastic over the brilliant speech in which the modest prosecuting ol’ficer met the dangerous appeal to the jury of a dis tinguished advocate for the defense retained from the city for the purpose. The only fly in the ointment for the presiding judge is the fact just learned that a reporter of a Paris newspaper was present at the trial and had to stand up for want of a seat in the crowd of wuntry people. In the midst of this excitement the arrival of the attorney-general in town is announced, and the oflicials are agitated by the guess that he has come to offer promotion to the sporting judge. The attorney-general arrives, and after mutual salutations he asks the sporting judge to remain as the others retire. Instead of offering him promotion the attorney-general calls his attention to the case of “Diana," in which it appears that the sporting judge was on a spree in Bordeaux and not only mal treated the polioe when he was drunk but ventured to claim immunity from prosecution by invoking his authority asa judge although he was masquerading in the character of a military offioer. The judge suggests that probably the attorney-general himself was young once. "Not to that extent," says the attorney general. The judge refuses to resign on re quest and is threatened with prosecution and a scandal. He replies, “Prosecute, but the scandal will not fall so heavily on me as on the court. I am almost a stranger here. I am a bachelor of independent property and the set that I amuse myself with in Bordeaux will not think any the less of me because of this." He takes leave very politely, and just after wards the servant announces the deputy, who has come to see the attorney-general. After a little preliminary talk the deputy intro duces the support of the political necessity which his intimate friend, the keeper of the seals, thinks requires much quiet prudence at this time, and says his friend relies upon the attorney-general to do his part. “Certainly, if one could tell me what it is," says the attorney-general. "That is just what one wishes to assist," says
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the deputy, who then discloses to the reluc tant attorney-general his knowledge that the attorney-general's own ambitious plans are familiar to him, and that taking all things together, a perfect quiet. indeed an abso lutely dead calm is what is needed to preserve the equilibrium of all their political friends. The attorney-general replies that there is no occasion for anxiety, that the only thing of importance pending is the new use against the sporting judge. "But he is one of my best friends," says the deputy, "A fair man, an excellent judge, full of energy and sense. Indeed I have recommended him to my friend"—1iaming a superior by his Christian name—“for the post of counsellor which is now vacant." The attorney-general then shows him the charges against the sporting judge. The deputy glances at them and after tak ing a turn up and down the room, says, “Yes, but after all, if you only keep quiet. no one will know it. No scandal. The judiciary is attacked enough now without our furnish ing arms to its enemies." The attorney—general replies that unfor tunately the editor of a local paper threatens to publish the facts unless that judge is turned out of that district. The deputy laughs and says there is a comic side to the situation if the attorney-general will only look at all sides. The attomey-general asks his mean ing. The deputy suggests, just as a joke, that instead of prosecuting the judge the attorney-general might propose him to the authorities as counsellor for the vacant post and thereby please the recalcitrant editor, by removing him from this district, besides pleasing the deputy himself, the judge of course, and the deputy's friend who has the power to make the appointment, and there would be no scandal. The attorney-general is about to exclaim that such a course would be itself scandalous, when the deputy interrupts him. “You are mistaken. In politics there is only scandal when there is publicity." And he urges the expediency of not risking the repu tation of the magistrates in general merely for the momentary punishment of one of them. "You do not mean to ask me seriously?" says the attorney-general. “I'll tell you what we should do," says the deputy. "Let us talk with Senator So and So. You can at the same time say a word to him in your own favor for that place you
