t doubt, gratuitously distributed, to a great extent, among the
masses."

"But can the masses read the papers?" asked Marrast.

"Each family, house, neighborhood, cafe or cabaret, at any rate, has, at
least one reader," said Rollin; "and all the men, women and children
have ears to hear, if not power to comprehend. But some of these papers,
which I have seen, come down in style to the very humblest
comprehension."

"Can it be," asked Flocon, "that there is such a club as a society for
the diffusion of social knowledge in Paris, after the form of that in
London, instituted by Lord Henry Brougham and his Whig coadjutors, for
the diffusion of general information, and so opposed by the Tories."

"If there be such an association," said Louis Blanc, "it has managed to
elude all my vigilance thus far, and that of the Government, too, for
Guizot can perceive, if no one else can, the inevitable effect of all
this, and he has no idea that the dear people of France shall be
educated by any one save himself. But, actually, there seems to me to
exist too much unity of purpose and action in this enterprise for it to
be the work of an association. I should rather suppose one powerful and
philanthropic mind at the head of the movement, were there not two
things so plainly opposed to it as to forbid the idea--the first being
that there is no one man in Europe who is rich enough to expend such
immense sums upon such an enterprise, if he would, and the second that
there is no man who has the subject sufficiently at heart to do it, if
he could."

CHAPTER XI.

"WAIT AND HOPE."

Just then a light rap was heard at the private door, which Marrast
immediately hastened to open, as if in anticipation of the arrival of a
friend.

A brief and rapid colloquy ensued; then M. Dantes, the Deputy from
Marseilles, was introduced. He seemed acquainted with, and to be held in
high regard by all present. His dress, as usual, was black, with a white
cravat, and his manner and bearing had all that magnetism and dignity
which so deeply impressed those he met.

"I find you in private conference, do I not, Messieurs?" asked he,
glancing around with a smile. "I pray you let me not interrupt. I have
called but for a moment to speak with M. Marrast respecting a measure in
the Chamber, and have consented to enter only at his solicitation."

"You are right, M. Dantes," replied Marrast, "in supposing us engaged in
a private conference, and upon ma