Litchfield enquirer., 1872-05-02
LE MlMiSTRE MAloRE LUI.
 A Conrsmporarv Story.
uI.-coETIsUED.

III.-cONTNuED.
 The count gazed for few seconds at ] Monsieur Jobus as if au inward voice 1 told him that here was an official of great CT weight than appeared on the surface; i then, by way of beginning an acquaint- ance, he said he would always rely on M. ] Jobus's zeal-at which M Jobus bowed; that he put the greatest confidence in M. ! Jobus's abilities-M. Jobus bowed anew; 1 and that he hoped often to have the pleas ure of seeing M Jobus again, whereupon there was rrlstling down the whole line of clerks, like the shaking of aspen leaves,
 set in motion by the wind: Somehow,
 the count could not help imagining there was s symptom of ironical mirth in this rustling. It reminded him of the diabol- ical notes which accompany the mild worded D0D GiOpanni.
 The presentation being over. the new minister was about to pass into his study; but the parliamentary secretary, taking alarm, whispered that it would be con- trsyy to all usage not to make 8 speech. A speech-why g speeehq What could the count have to say to all these gentle men who were cycling him as if he were somebody admitted on suffsfance, and intruding, rather unwarrantably on the whole, into their comfortable midst? However, the hungry expression in the stare of the clerks, and the expectant air on the physiognomy of M. Jobus, told so plainly that without oratory of some sort the days programme would be considered incomplete, that he stood still, and in a polite conversational tone said, d,-
 "GKNTLKMRN,-I shall not forget that which am persuaded is the guiding max i'm of your own conduct, that we are the servants of the public, and should make it point of honor to discharge the duties confded to us in the fullest way we hon. estly can. If we bear this in mind, and are conscientious as regards the quality of our labor as we'll as it's quantity, I have every hope that on the day we part, we shall do so mutually pleased with one an- other"
 This was not quite the kind of speech that had been expected, and it caused a moments astonishment However, al- lowances must be made for administer new to his work. The venerable M. Jobus started an applauding murmur; and all the clerks echoed the applauding mur- mur; and all the clerks echoed the 'ap- plauding murmur. the parliamentary un- der-secretary chiming in with a sonorous Good, good, such as those he delivered in the House when official persons were holding forth. Nevertheless, the more the venerable and irresponsible NJ. Jobus pondered upon the speech of his new chief, once the latter had withdrawn, the less did he like it. That reference to the public was singularly infelicitous. What had the public to do with the Cochin China office? Other ministers, when they made their inaugurative harangues, be- gan with 6 compliment to their predeces- sors, which was courtly custom and in- nocuous, that ought not lightly to be set aside. Then they extolled the institu- tions under which they were living, cau- tioned their hearers against the perils of anarchy, and wound up with the promise clerks and subalterns in their depart ministers come and go who had been fath- CTS to the Cochin. China office; and this sort of eloquence wrought no evil. Itwas easily digestible, like good pastry, very different from allusions to the ''quantity" and quality" of labor, the honest dis charge of conscientious duties, and so on. M. Jobus fancied he felt something dis quietingly hard under this speech. He had read of iron hands covered with velvet gloves; and, though he had never met with such thing, he opined it must have some such touch as this. His usual peace of mind was far from sestored when, an hour after the speech, the minister con- handed his attendance, to learn from him the current business of the office.
 He found the count already at work, opening dispatches, and freshprimed with information which the parliamentary secretary had given him. This parlia- mentary secretary made his exit as NJ. Jobus entered; and then the count, mo- tioning his new interlocutor to hand some and uncomfortable chair with an eighteenth century back, listened with great patience, and with more than ex- pedient interest, for space exceeding two hours, to all that he had to say. Fresh ministers are usually inquisitive, but not sighed M. Jobus, to this extent. The permanent irresponsible was surpris- ed, taken aback, and gradually alarmed to the depths of his soul by the probing na- ture of the questions which the new min ister put; by his minuteness in having ev- cry detail elaborstely explained before passing on to the next one; by his evident intention, in a word, to master all the items of his departmental labors thorough ly, just as if it was he who meant to be everything in the Cochin China house in- stead of M. Jobus! The efact is, the count had not accepted the office for amusement; and, as often happens with men who have never done stroke of work all their days, he was bringing to bear on his new occu- pations the Teseryes of energy accumulated during lifetime. Such men are curse and bitterness to any department where they introduce themselves. M. Jobus had seen no lack of ministers evince an ardor for reform on accession to power; but this was usually no more than 6 flash in the pan, brief mania, that subsided under the temperate influence of official at mosphere: nay, it was one of the curious facts of M. Jobus's experience, that the more minister had talked of reform be- fore attaining office the less did he dwell on the subject afterwards, which was perfectly natural; for when man has waded through 6 certain amount of sloppy country to reach given height, his chief pre.occupation on arriving is to change his boots, and to dismiss as soon as pos sible from his mind all the trying incl dents of the journey. Besides, reform ing ministers are generally taken up when they first come to power by the material comforts and dignities of their new posi- tion, ,--ths being housed, and having ones letters posted at the expense of the tax payer; the being able to say, 'sPut more coals on the fire, Auguste," without in- ward pangs a to coals costing sixty francs e ton; the wearing of gold-laced swallow tails, and seeing pretty women in drawing rooms wreathe their faces in smiles ct one's approach, with many other little nicenesaeaI equally new and gratifying.
 But ministers of Count de Ris's rank and fortune, who had never had to bemoan the price of fuel and stationery, look upon power as field for active exertions, which exertions, in the case of clear and com paratively young minds, are aptto assume shape extremely fatiguing for those who are pressed into forced cooperation. M. Jobus had already had occasion to observe | this during the occunancY of maruuis