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Page 28
"Let 'em go," said Bixiou, with a facetious look; "they have
Providence on their side, and Providence will bring them back without
you and in spite of themselves. A manufacturer ought to be a
fatalist."
"What luck! There's Maxime, with Canalis and Giraud," said Leon.
"Come along, friend Gazonal, the promised actors are mustering on the
stage," said Bixiou.
And all three advanced to the above-named personages, who seemed to be
sauntering along with nothing to do.
"Have they turned you out, or why are you idling about in this way?"
said Bixiou to Giraud.
"No, while they are voting by secret ballot we have come out for a
little air," replied Giraud.
"How did the prime minister pull through?"
"He was magnificent!" said Canalis.
"Magnificent!" repeated Maxime.
"Magnificent!" cried Giraud.
"So! so! Right, Left, and Centre are unanimous!"
"All with a different meaning," observed Maxime de Trailles.
Maxime was the ministerial deputy.
"Yes," said Canalis, laughing.
Though Canalis had already been a minister, he was at this moment
tending toward the Right.
"Ah! but you had a fine triumph just now," said Maxime to Canalis; "it
was you who forced the minister into the tribune."
"And made him lie like a charlatan," returned Canalis.
"A worthy victory," said the honest Giraud. "In his place what would
you have done?"
"I should have lied."
"It isn't called lying," said Maxime de Trailles; "it is called
protecting the crown."
So saying, he led Canalis away to a little distance.
"That's a great orator," said Leon to Giraud, pointing to Canalis.
"Yes and no," replied the councillor of state. "A fine bass voice, and
sonorous, but more of an artist in words than an orator. In short,
he's a fine instrument but he isn't music, consequently he has not,
and he never will have, the ear of the Chamber; in no case will he
ever be master of the situation."
Canalis and Maxime were returning toward the little group as Giraud,
deputy of the Left Centre, pronounced this verdict. Maxime took Giraud
by the arm and led him off, probably to make the same confidence he
had just made Canalis.
"What an honest, upright fellow that is," said Leon to Canalis,
nodding towards Giraud.
"One of those upright fellows who kill administrators," replied
Canalis.
"Do you think him a good orator?"
"Yes and no," replied Canalis; "he is wordy; he's long-winded, a
plodder in argument, and a good logician; but he doesn't understand
the higher logic, that of events and circumstances; consequently he
has never had, and never will have, the ear of the Chamber."
At the moment when Canalis uttered this judgment on Giraud, the latter
was returning with Maxime to the group; and forgetting the presence of
a stranger whose discretion was not known to them like that of Leon
and Bixiou, he took Canalis by the hand in a very significant manner.
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