itself; you see yourselves the influence of Monsieur Giguet. Our
mayor, Monsieur Beauvisage, is presiding over that preparatory
meeting."

"After all," said Olivier Vinet slyly to the sub-prefect, "Simon
Giguet is your friend and schoolmate; he will belong to the Thiers'
party; you risk nothing in supporting his election."

"The present ministry could dismiss me before its fall," replied the
sub-prefect, "and who knows when I should be reappointed?"

"Collinet, the grocer!--that makes the sixty-sixth elector who has
entered the Giguet house," said Monsieur Martener, who was practising
his trade as examining-judge by counting the electors.

"If Charles Keller is the ministerial candidate," resumed the
sub-prefect, "I ought to have been told of it; the government makes a
mistake in giving time for Simon Giguet to get hold of the electors."

These four individuals had now reached, walking slowly, the spot where
the avenue ceases and becomes an open square.

"There's Monsieur Groslier," said the judge, catching sight of a man
on horseback.

This was the commissary of police; he saw the government of Arcis
collected on the public square, and he rode up to the four gentlemen.

"Well, Monsieur Groslier?" said the sub-prefect, taking the commissary
a little apart from his three colleagues.