"Bravo!" cried the notary alone.

"The devil take me!" thought Beauvisage, "if I am ever caught
haranguing again."

"Will Messieurs Fromaget and Marcelin accept the functions of
inspectors of the ballot?"

"It would be more regular," said Achille Pigoult, rising, "if the
meeting itself nominated those officers,--following, of course, the
parliamentary forms of the Chamber."

"That is best," said the huge Monsieur Mollot, clerk of the court;
"otherwise what is here taking place would be a mere farce; we should
not be free in our action, in which case we might as well continue to
do the will of Monsieur Simon Giguet."

Simon said a few words to Beauvisage, who rose and delivered himself
of a "Messieurs!" in palpitating tones.

"Pardon me, Monsieur le president," said Achille Pigoult, "the
chairman presides, he does not speak."

"Messieurs," continued Beauvisage, prompted by Simon, "if we are--to
conform--to parliamentary usage--I shall beg--the honorable gentleman
--Monsieur Pigoult--to address the meeting--from this table--here
present--"

Pigoult sprang to the table, stood beside it with his fingers resting