heap papers, for, as a rule--taken en masse--they are very
intelligent and at the same time suspicious (mefiants), manage their own
little affairs very well and are rarely taken in; but there is something
in the popular orator that carries them away and they really believe
that a golden epoch is coming--when there will be no rich and no poor
and plenty and equality for all. They don't care a bit what form of
government they live under as long as their crops are good, and they can
have regular work and no war. The political agitators understand that
very well. They never lay any stress on Royalist or Bonapartist, or even
a military candidate. The "People's Candidate" is always their cry--one
of themselves who understands them and will give them all they want.
They are disappointed _always_. The ministers and deputies change, but
their lives don't, and run on in the same groove; but they are just as
sanguine each time there is an election, convinced that, at last, the
promised days of high pay and little work are coming.

I tried to reason with a nice, respectable man one day, the village
mason--one of the most fiery orators at the cafe, over his dominoes, but
in everyday life a sober, hard-working man, with a sickly wife and
several children, who are all clothed and generally looked after by us.
His favourite theme was the owners of chateaux and big houses who lived
in luxury and thought nothing of the poor.

I said to him, "Why do you listen to all those foolish speeches that are
made in the cafes? You know it isn't true half they say. Whenever you
come and ask for anything for your wife and your children, it is always
given to you. You know quite well whenever any one is ill in the
village, they always come here for wine, old linen, or bouillon."

"Oh, oui, Madame is good, but Madame does not understand."

"But it is you, mon ami, who don't understand. Once the election is
over, and they have got your vote, no one will think about you any
more."

"Oh, yes, Madame, everything will be divided--there will be no more big
houses, every one will have a garden and rabbits--not all for the rich.
It is not right; Madame knows it is not right." It was quite useless
talking to him.

Women in France never take the active part in elections that they do in
England. It interested me so much when we were living in England to see
many of the great ladies doing all they could for their candidate,
driving all over the country, with