|
The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from Scenes from a Courtesan's Life by Honore de Balzac: are, as it were, as soldiers of the secret army, so indispensable to a
government, in spite of the public orations of philanthropists or
narrow-minded moralists. But the absolute confidence placed in two men
of the temper of Peyrade and Corentin conveyed to them the right of
employing perfect strangers, under the risk, moreover, of being
responsible to the Minister in all serious cases. Peyrade's experience
and acumen were too valuable to Corentin, who, after the storm of 1820
had blown over, employed his old friend, constantly consulted him, and
contributed largely to his maintenance. Corentin managed to put about
a thousand francs a month into Peyrade's hands.
Peyrade, on his part, did Corentin good service. In 1816 Corentin, on
|
