"Gentlemen," said la Peyrade, "will you permit a recent dweller in the
faubourg Saint-Jacques to make one little remark, which is not without
importance?"

The consciousness that everybody had of the sterling merits of the
advocate of the poor produced the deepest silence.

"The influence of Monsieur le maire of an adjoining arrondissement,
which is immense in ours where he has left such excellent memories;
that of Monsieur Phellion, the oracle--yes, let the truth be spoken,"
he exclaimed, noticing a gesture made by Phellion--"the _oracle_ of his
battalion; the influence, no less powerful, which Monsieur Colleville
owes to the frank heartiness of his manner, and to his urbanity; that
of Monsieur Dutocq, the clerk of the justice court, which will not be
less efficacious, I am sure; and the poor efforts which I can offer in
my humble sphere of activity,--are pledges of success, but they are
not success itself. To obtain a rapid triumph we should pledge
ourselves, now and here, to keep the deepest secrecy on the
manifestation of sentiments which has just taken place. Otherwise, we
should excite, without knowing or willing it, envy and all the other
secondary passions, which would create for us later various obstacles
to overcome. The political meaning of the new social organization, its
very basis, its token, and the guarantee for its continuance, are in a
certain sharing of the governing power with the middle classes,
classes who are the true strength of modern societies, the centre of
morality, of all good sentiments and intelligent work. But we cannot
conceal from ourselves that the principle of election, extended now to
almost every function, has brought the interests of ambition, and the
passion for being _something_, excuse the word, into social depths where
they ought never to have penetrated. Some see good in this; others see