第12章

"I think it is not necessary to call the colonel to order," said the chairman."He is a father--"Silence was re-established.

"We did not come here," cried Fromaget, "to say Amen to everything the Messieurs Giguet, father and son, may wish--""No! no!" cried the assembly.

"Things are going badly," said Madame Marion to her cook in the garden.

"Messieurs," resumed Achille, "I confine myself to asking my friend Simon Giguet, categorically, what he expects to do for our interests.""Yes! yes!" cried the assembly.

"Since when," demanded Simon Giguet, "have good citizens like those of Arcis made trade and barter of the sacred mission of deputy?"It is impossible to represent the effect produced by noble sentiments on a body of men.They will applaud fine maxims, while they none the less vote for the degradation of their country, like the galley-slave who shouted for the punishment of Robert Macaire when he saw the thing played, and then went off and killed his own Monsieur Germeuil.

"Bravo!" cried several true-blood Giguet electors.

"You will send me to the Chamber," went on Simon, "if you do send me, to represent principles, the principles of 1789; to be one of the ciphers, if you choose, of the Opposition, but a cipher that votes with it to enlighten the government, make war against abuses, and promote progress in all things--""What do you call progress?" asked Fromaget."For us, progress means getting the waste lands of la Champagne under cultivation.""Progress! I will explain to you what I mean by that," cried Giguet, exasperated by the interruption.

"It is the frontier of the Rhine for France," put in the colonel, "and the destruction of the treaties of 1815.""It is selling wheat dear and keeping bread cheap," cried Achille Pigoult sarcastically, thinking that he made a joke, but actually expressing one of the delusions that reign in France.

"It is the happiness of all, obtained by the triumph of humanitarian doctrines," continued Simon.

"What did I tell you?" said Achille to his neighbors.

"Hush! silence! let us listen!" said various voices.

"Messieurs," said the stout Mollot, smiling, "the debate is beginning;give your attention to the orator; and let him explain himself.""In all transitional epochs, Messieurs," continued Simon, gravely, "and we are now in such an epoch--""Ba-a-a! ba-a-a!" bleated a friend of Achille Pigoult, who possessed the faculty (precious at elections) of ventriloquism.

A roar of laughter came from the whole assembly, who were Champagnards before all else.Simon Giguet folded his arms and waited till the tumult subsided.

"If it was intended to give me a lesson," he resumed, "and to tell me that I belong to the flock of the glorious defenders of the rights of humanity, the flock of the immortal priest who pleads for dying Poland, the daring pamphleteers, the scrutinizers of the civil test, the philosophers who demand sincerity in the working of our institutions, if that was the intention of my nameless interrupter, Ithank him.To me, progress is the realization of all that was promised to us by the revolution of July; it is electoral reform, it is--""What! are you a democrat?" said Achille Pigoult.

"No," replied the candidate."To desire the legitimate and regular development of our institutions, is that being a democrat? To me, progress is fraternity re-established between the members of the great French family.We cannot conceal from ourselves that many sufferings--"At three o'clock Simon Giguet was still explaining Progress, accompanied by the rhythmic snores of various electors which denoted a sound sleep.The malicious Achille Pigoult had urged all present to listen religiously to the young orator, who was now floundering in his phrases and paraphrases hopelessly at random.