Logre had told him that
the Genius of Liberty perched on the Colonne de Juillet[*] would have
come down and set itself at their head, he would hardly have expressed
any surprise. In the evenings, at Monsieur Lebigre's, he showed great
enthusiasm and spoke effusively of the approaching battle, as though it
were a festival to which all good and honest folks would be invited. But
although Gavard in his delight began to play with his revolver, Charvet
got more snappish than ever, and sniggered and shrugged his shoulders.
His rival's assumption of the leadership angered him extremely; indeed,
quite disgusted him with politics. One evening when, arriving early,
he happened to find himself alone with Logre and Lebigre, he frankly
unbosomed himself.

[*] The column erected on the Place de la Bastille in memory
of the Revolution of July 1830, by which Charles X was
dethroned.--Translator.

"Why," said he, "that fellow Florent hasn't an idea about politics,
and would have done far better to seek a berth as writing master in a
ladies' school! It would be nothing short of a misfortune if he were to
succeed, for, with his visionary social sentimentalities, he would crush
us down beneath his confounded working men! It's all that, you know,
which ruins the party. We don't need any more tearful sentimentalists,
humanitarian poets, people who kiss and slobber over each other for the
merest scratch. But he won't succeed! He'll just get locked up, and that
will be the end of it."

Logre and the wine dealer made no remark, but allowed Charvet to talk on
without interruption.

"And he'd have been locked up long ago," he continued, "if he were
anything as dangerous as he fancies he is. The airs he puts on just
because he's been to Cayenne are quite sickening. But I'm sure that the
police knew of his return the very first day he set foot in Paris, and
if they haven't interfered with him it's simply because they hold him in
contempt."

At this Logre gave a slight start.

"They've been dogging me for the last fifteen years," resumed the
Hebertist, with a touch of pride, "but you don't hear me proclaiming it
from the house-tops. However, he won't catch me taking part in his riot.
I'm not going to let myself be nabbed like a mere fool. I dare say he's
already got half a dozen spies at his heels, who will take him by the
scruff of the neck whenever the authorities give the word."

"Oh, dear, no! What an idea!" exclaimed Mon