more desire than you to spend the rest of my days here, though I was
born in Arcis."

"You have a fine opportunity to be elected deputy yourself, my chief,"
said Olivier Vinet to Marest. "Come and see my father, who will, I
think, arrive here from Provins in a few hours. Let us propose to him
to have you chosen as ministerial candidate."

"Halt!" said Antonin; "the ministry has its own views about the deputy
of Arcis."

"Ah, bah!" exclaimed Vinet, "there are two ministries: the one that
thinks it makes elections, and another that thinks it profits by
them."

"Don't let us complicate Antonin's difficulties," said Frederic
Marest, winking at his substitute.

The four officials, who had crossed the open square and were close to
the Mulet inn, now saw Poupart leaving the house of Madame Marion and
coming towards them. A moment later, and the _porte cochere_ of that
house vomited the sixty-seven conspirators.

"So you went to that meeting?" said Antonin Goulard to Poupart.

"I shall never go again, monsieur le sous-prefet," said the innkeeper.
"The son of Monsieur Keller is dead, and I have now no object in going
there. God has taken upon himself to clear the ground."

"Well, Pigoult, what happened?" cried Olivier Vinet, catching sight of