obstacle of which he made
short work. But there remained the legal obstacle he had expounded to
Danton. There was still a law in France; the same law which he had
found it impossible to move against La Tour d'Azyr, but which would move
briskly enough against himself in like case. And then, suddenly, as if
by inspiration, he saw the way--a way which if adopted would probably
bring La Tour d'Azyr to a poetic justice, bring him, insolent,
confident, to thrust himself upon Andre-Louis' sword, with all the odium
of provocation on his own side.

He turned to them again, and they saw that he was very pale, that his
great dark eyes glowed oddly.

"There will probably be some difficulty in finding a suppleant for this
poor Lagron," he said. "Our fellow-countrymen will be none so eager to
offer themselves to the swords of Privilege."

"True enough," said Le Chapelier gloomily; and then, as if suddenly
leaping to the thing in Andre-Louis' mind: "Andre!" he cried. "Would
you..."

"It is what I was considering. It would give me a legitimate place in
the Assembly. If your Tour d'Azyrs choose to seek me out then, why,
their blood be upon their own heads. I shall certainly do nothing to
discourage them." He smiled curiously. "I am just a rascal who tries to
be honest--Scaramouche always, in fact; a creature of sophistries. Do you
think that Ancenis would have me for its representative?"

"Will it have Omnes Omnibus for its representative?" Le Chapelier was
laughing, his countenance eager. "Ancenis will be convulsed with pride.
It is not Rennes or Nantes, as it might have been had you wished it. But
it gives you a voice for Brittany."

"I should have to go to Ancenis..."

"No need at all. A letter from me to the Municipality, and the
Municipality will confirm you at once. No need to move from here. In a
fortnight at most the thing can be accomplished. It is settled, then?"

Andre-Louis considered yet a moment. There was his academy. But he could
make arrangements with Le Duc and Galoche to carry it on for him
whilst himself directing and advising. Le Duc, after all, was become a
thoroughly efficient master, and he was a trustworthy fellow. At need a
third assistant could be engaged.

"Be it so," he said at last.

Le Chapelier clasped hands with him and became congratulatorily voluble,
until interrupted by the red-coated giant at the door.

"What exactly does it mean to our business, anyway?" he asked. "Does it
mean that w