ry's,
their attention was attracted by a crowd gathered around an immense
poster spread upon the bill-board. There seemed no little excitement
among the throng, a large proportion of whom appeared to be artisans and
laborers, and loud expressions of admiration, accompanied by animated
gestures, were heard. Nor were there wanting also words of deep
denunciation and of significant threatening.

"Down! down with the tyrants! Bread or blood! Wages for work! Food for
the laborer!" and other cries of equally fearful significance were
audible.

"Do you hear that, Beauchamp?" said Debray, quietly.

"Undoubtedly," was the equally quiet reply.

"Those laborers have deserted the daily toil which would give them the
bread they so fiercely demand, in order to discuss their imaginary
misery, and denounce those who are richer than themselves."

"But what brings them to the theatre at this hour?" asked
Chateau-Renaud.

"The new play," suggested Beauchamp.

"Ah! the new play. 'The Laborer of Lyons,' is it not?"

"Yes," said Debray, "and one of the most dangerous productions of the
hour."

"It is evidently from the pen of one unaccustomed to dramatic
composition, yet familiar with stage effect," added the journalist. "And
yet, without the least claptrap, with but little melodramatic power,
against strong opposition and bitter prejudices, and without claqueurs,
its own native force and the popularity of the principles it supports
have carried it triumphantly through the ordeal of two representations.
It will, doubtless, have a long run, and its influence will be
incalculable in the cause it advocates--the cause of human liberty and
human right."

"No doubt it will exert a most baneful influence," bitterly rejoined
Debray. "Without containing a syllable to which the Ministry can object,
at least sufficiently to warrant its suppression, it yet abounds with
principles, sentiments and theories of the most incendiary description,
well calculated to rouse the disaffection of the laboring classes to
frenzy. Its inevitable effect will be to give them a false and
exaggerated idea of their wrongs and their rights, and to stimulate them
to revolution. Oh! these men have much to answer for. They are drawing
down an avalanche."

"They are the champions of human liberty," said Beauchamp, warmly, "and
will be blessed by posterity, if not by the men of the present
generation."

"Truce to politics, Messieurs!" cried the Deputy, observing