pproval. It was Le Chapelier, a lawyer
of Rennes, a prominent member of the Literary Chamber of that city, a
forceful man, fertile in revolutionary ideas and of an exceptional gift
of eloquence.
"Ah, it is you, Chapelier! Why don't you speak to them? Why don't you
tell them what to do? Up with you, man!" And he pointed to the plinth.
Le Chapelier's dark, restless eyes searched the other's impassive face
for some trace of the irony he suspected. They were as wide asunder
as the poles, these two, in their political views; and mistrusted as
Andre-Louis was by all his colleagues of the Literary Chamber of Rennes,
he was by none mistrusted so thoroughly as by this vigorous republican.
Indeed, had Le Chapelier been able to prevail against the influence of
the seminarist Vilmorin, Andre-Louis would long since have found himself
excluded from that assembly of the intellectual youth of Rennes, which
he exasperated by his eternal mockery of their ideals.
So now Le Chapelier suspected mockery in that invitation, suspected it
even when he failed to find traces of it on Andre-Louis' face, for he
had learnt by experience that it was a face not often to be trusted for
an indication of the real thoughts that moved behind it.
"Your notions and mine on that score can hardly coincide," said he.
"Can there be two opinions?" quoth Andre-Louis.
"There are usually two opinions whenever you and I are together,
Moreau--more than ever now that you are the appointed delegate of a
nobleman. You see what your friends have done. No doubt you approve
their methods." He was coldly hostile.
Andre-Louis looked at him without surprise. So invariably opposed to
each other in academic debates, how should Le Chapelier suspect his
present intentions?
"If you won't tell them what is to be done, I will," said he.
"Nom de Dieu! If you want to invite a bullet from the other side, I
shall not hinder you. It may help to square the account."
Scarcely were the words out than he repented them; for as if in answer
to that challenge Andre-Louis sprang up on to the plinth. Alarmed now,
for he could only suppose it to be Andre-Louis' intention to speak
on behalf of Privilege, of which he was a publicly appointed
representative, Le Chapelier clutched him by the leg to pull him down
again.
"Ah, that, no!" he was shouting. "Come down, you fool. Do you think we
will let you ruin everything by your clowning? Come down!"
Andre-Louis, maintaining his p
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