are going now, the enormous
sums M. Jansoulet has spent during the last five months--not to count
what came from the outside, attracted by the magic of his name? I
thought, as you did, that all these soundings, borings, purchasings of
land that the books set forth in fine round-hand were exaggerated beyond
measure. But who could suspect such effrontery? This is why the director
was so opposed to the idea of bringing me on the electioneering trip.
I don't want to have an explanation now. My poor Nabob has quite enough
trouble in this election. Only, whenever we get back, I shall lay before
him all the details of my long inquiry, and, whether he wants it or not,
I will get him out of this den of thieves. They have finished below.
Old Piedigriggio is crossing the square, pulling up the slip-knot of
his long peasant's purse, which looks to me well filled. The bargain is
made, I conclude. Good-bye, hurriedly, my dear M. Joyeuse; remember me
to your daughters and ask them to keep a tiny little place for me round
the work-table.

PAUL DE GERY.

The electioneering whirlwind which had enveloped them in Corsica,
crossed the sea behind them like a blast of the sirocco and filled the
flat in the Place Vendome with a mad wind of folly. It was overrun from
morning to night by the habitual element, augmented now by a constant
arrival of little dark men, brown as the locust-bean, with regular
features and thick beards, some turbulent and talkative, like Paganetti,
others silent, self-contained and dogmatic: the two types of the race
upon which the same climate produces different effects. All these
famished islanders, in the depths of their savage country, promised
each other to meet at the Nabob's table. His house had become an inn, a
restaurant, a market-place. In the dining-room, where the table was
kept constantly laid, there was always to be found some newly arrived
Corsican, with the bewildered and greedy appearance of a country cousin,
having something to eat.

The boasting, clamorous race of election agents is the same everywhere;
but these were unusually fiery, had a zeal even more impassioned and
the vanity of turkey-cocks, all worked up to white heat. The most
insignificant recorder, inspector, mayor's secretary, village
schoolmaster, spoke as if he had the whole country behind him, and the
pockets of his threadbare black coat full of votes. And it is a fact,
in Corsican parishes (Jansoulet had seen it for himself) famili