estowed upon the
masses will be a dangerous weapon in their hands. The man who votes,
criticises. An authority that is called in question is no longer an
authority. Can you imagine a society without a governing authority?
No, you cannot. Therefore, authority means force, and a basis of just
judgement should underlie force. Such are the reasons which have led me
to think that the principle of popular election is a most fatal one for
modern governments. I think that my attachment to the poor and suffering
classes has been sufficiently proved, and that no one will accuse me
of bearing any ill-will towards them, but though I admire the sublime
patience and resignation with which they tread the path of toil, I
must pronounce them to be unfit to take part in the government. The
proletariat seem to me to be the minors of a nation, and ought to remain
in a condition of tutelage. Therefore, gentlemen, the word _election_,
to my thinking, is in a fair way to cause as much mischief as the words
_conscience_ and _liberty_, which ill-defined and ill-understood, were
flung broadcast among the people, to serve as watchwords of revolt and
incitements to destruction. It seems to me to be a right and necessary
thing that the masses should be kept in tutelage for the good of
society."

"This system of yours runs so clean contrary to everybody's notions
nowadays, that we have some right to ask your reasons for it," said
Genestas, interrupting the doctor.

"By all means, captain."

"What is this the master is saying?" cried Jacquotte, as she went back
to her kitchen. "There he is, the poor dear man, and what is he doing
but advising them to crush the people! And they are listening to
him----"

"I would never have believed it of M. Benassis," answered Nicolle.

"If I require that the ignorant masses should be governed by a strong
hand," the doctor resumed, after a brief pause, "I should desire at the
same time that the framework of the social system should be sufficiently
yielding and elastic to allow those who have the will and are conscious
of their ability to emerge from the crowd, to rise and take their place
among the privileged classes. The aim of power of every kind is its own
preservation. In order to live, a government, to-day as in the past,
must press the strong men of the nation into its service, taking them
from every quarter, so as to make them its defenders, and to remove
from among the people the men of energy who incit