Rajah Taposahib Ramaderao Pali, stopping at Hotel Bishop, have been
in Paris two days. You must interview them." Addressing Saint-Potin,
he said: "Do not forget the principal points I indicated to you. Ask
the general and the rajah their opinions on the dealings of England
in the extreme East, their ideas of their system of colonization and
government, their hopes relative to the intervention of Europe and
of France in particular." To Duroy he said: "Observe what Saint-
Potin says; he is an excellent reporter, and try to learn how to
draw out a man in five minutes." Then he resumed his work.

The two men walked down the boulevard together, while Saint-Potin
gave Duroy a sketch of all the officials connected with the paper,
sparing no one in his criticism. When he mentioned Forestier, he
said: "As for him, he was fortunate in marrying his wife."

Duroy asked: "What about his wife?"

Saint-Potin rubbed his hands. "Oh, she is beloved by an old fellow
named Vaudrec--he dotes upon her."

Duroy felt as if he would like to box Saint-Potin's ears. To change
the subject he said: "It seems to me that it is late, and we have
two noble lords to call upon!"

Saint-Potin laughed: "You are very innocent! Do you think that I am
going to interview that Chinese and that Indian? As if I did not
know better than they do what they should think to please the
readers of 'La Vie Francaise'! I have interviewed five hundred
Chinese, Prussians, Hindoos, Chilians, and Japanese. They all say
the same thing. I need only copy my article on the last comer, word