ice, will create no small sensation.
It will begin with a tone of impartiality; it will refrain from all
violence of invective; it will have wit, it will have sentiment, and
eloquence; it will win its way into the salons and cafes of educated
men; and then, and then, when it does change from polished satire into
fierce denunciation and sides with the blouses, its effect will be
startling and terrific. Of this I will say more to citizen Rameau in
private. To you I need not enlarge upon the fact that, at Paris, a
combination of men, though immeasurably superior to us in status or
influence, without a journal at command is nowhere; with such a journal,
written not to alarm but to seduce fluctuating opinions, a combination
of men immeasurably inferior to us may be anywhere.

"Confreres, this affair settled, I proceed to distribute amongst you
sums of which each who receives will render me an account, except our
valued confrere the Pole. All that we can subscribe to the cause of
humanity a representative of Poland requires for himself." (A suppressed
laugh among all but the Pole, who looked round with a grave, imposing
air, as much as to say, "What is there to laugh at?--a simple truth.")

M. Lebeau then presented to each of his confreres a sealed envelope,
containing no doubt a bank-note, and perhaps also private instructions
as to its disposal. It was one of his rules to make the amount of any
sum granted to an individual member of the society from the fund at his
disposal a confidential secret between himself and the recipient.
Thus jealousy was avoided if the sums were unequal; and unequal they
generally were. In the present instance the two largest sums were given
to the "Medecin des Pauvres" and to the delegate from Verviers. Both
were no doubt to be distributed among "the poor," at the discretion of
the trustee appointed.

Whatever rules with regard to the distribution of money M. Lebeau
laid down were acquiesced in without demur, for the money was found
exclusively by himself, and furnished without the pale of the Secret
Council, of which he had made himself founder and dictator. Some other
business was then discussed, sealed reports from each member were handed
to the president, who placed them unopened in his pocket, and resumed,
"Confreres, our seance is now concluded. The period for our next meeting
must remain indefinite, for I myself shall leave Paris as soon as I
have set on foot the journal, on the details