it not concern one
four-hundredth part of the governing power,--as our excellent mayor has
lately said with the ready wit that characterizes him and for which we
have so high an appreciation?"

During these remarks Colonel Giguet was cutting a sheet of paper into
strips, and Simon had sent for pens and ink.

This preliminary discussion on forms had already made Simon extremely
uneasy, and had also aroused the attention of the sixty assembled
bourgeois. Presently they began to write their ballots, and the wily
Pigoult contrived to obtain a majority for Monsieur Mollot, the clerk of
the court, and Monsieur Godivet, the registrar. These nominations were
naturally very displeasing to Fromaget, the apothecary, and Marcelin the
solicitor.

"You enable us," said Achille Pigoult, "to manifest our independence.
Therefore you may feel more pride in being rejected than you could have
felt in being chosen."

Everybody laughed.

Simon Giguet then produced silence by demanding speech of the chairman,
whose shirt was already wet and became still wetter as he mustered all
his courage to say:--

"Monsieur Simon Giguet has the floor."

IV. THE FIRST PARLIAMENTARY TEMPEST

"Messieurs," said Simon Giguet, "I ask permission to thank Monsieur
Achille Pigoult, who, although our meeting is altogether friendly--"

"It is a meeting preparatory to the great primary meeting," said the
solicitor Marcelin.

"That is what I was about to explain," resumed Simon, "I thank Monsieur
Achille Pigoult for having insisted on the strictness of parliamentary
forms. This is the first time that the arrondissement of Arcis has been
at liberty to use--"

"At liberty!" said Pigoult, interrupting the orator.

"At liberty!" cried the assembly.

"At liberty," continued Simon Giguet, "to use its rights in the great
battle of a general election to the Chamber of Deputies; and as, in
a few days, we shall have a meeting, at which all electors will be
present, to judge of the merits of the candidates, we ought to feel
ourselves most fortunate in becoming accustomed here, in this limited
meeting, to the usages of great assemblies. We shall be all the more
able to decide the political future of the town of Arcis; for the
question now is to substitute a town's interests for family interests, a
whole region for a man."

Simon then reviewed the history of the Arcis elections for the last
twenty years. While approving the constant election of Francois K