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can do what you like with the Chamber； and be master of the
situation。〃
〃Maxime has trapped them both；〃 said Leon to his cousin； 〃that fellow
is like a fish in water among the intrigues of the Chamber。〃
〃Who is he？〃 asked Gazonal。
〃An ex…scoundrel who is now in a fair way to become an ambassador；〃
replied Bixiou。
〃Giraud！〃 said Leon to the councillor of state； 〃don't leave the
Chamber without asking Rastignac what he promised to tell you about a
suit you are to render a decision on two days hence。 It concerns my
cousin here； I'll go and see you to…morrow morning early about it。〃
The three friends followed the three deputies； at a distance； into the
lobby。
〃Cousin； look at those two men；〃 said Leon； pointing out to him a
former minister and the leader of the Left Centre。 〃Those are two men
who really have 'the ear of the Chamber；' and who are called in jest
ministers of the department of the Opposition。 They have the ear of
the Chamber so completely that they are always pulling it。〃
〃It is four o'clock；〃 said Bixiou； 〃let us go back to the rue de
Berlin。〃
〃Yes； you've now seen the heart of the government； cousin； and you
must next be shown the ascarides； the taenia； the intestinal worm；
the republican； since I must needs name him；〃 said Leon。
When the three friends were once more packed into their hackney…coach；
Gazonal looked at his cousin and Bixiou like a man who had a mind to
launch a flood of oratorical and Southern bile upon the elements。
〃I distrusted with all my might this great hussy of a town；〃 he rolled
out in Southern accents； 〃but since this morning I despise her！ The
poor little province you think so petty is an honest girl； but Paris
is a prostitute； a greedy； lying comedian； and I am very thankful not
to be robbed of my skin in it。〃
〃The day is not over yet；〃 said Bixiou； sententiously； winking at
Leon。
〃And why do you complain in that stupid way；〃 said Leon； 〃of a
prostitution to which you will owe the winning of your lawsuit？ Do you
think you are more virtuous than we； less of a comedian； less greedy；
less liable to fall under some temptation； less conceited than those
we have been making dance for you like puppets？〃
〃Try me！〃
〃Poor lad！〃 said Leon； shrugging his shoulders； 〃haven't you already
promised Rastignac your electoral influence？〃
〃Yes； because he was the only one who ridiculed himself。〃
〃Poor lad！〃 repeated Bixiou； 〃why slight me； who am always ridiculing
myself？ You are like a pug…dog barking at a tiger。 Ha！ if you saw us
really ridiculing a man； you'd see that we can drive a sane man mad。〃
This conversation brought Gazonal back to his cousin's house； where
the sight of luxury silenced him； and put an end to the discussion。
Too late he perceived that Bixiou had been making him pose。
At half…past five o'clock； the moment when Leon de Lora was making his
evening toilet to the great wonderment of Gazonal； who counted the
thousand and one superfluities of his cousin； and admired the
solemnity of the valet as he performed his functions； the 〃pedicure of
monsieur〃 was announced； and Publicola Masson； a little man fifty
years of age； made his appearance； laid a small box of instruments on
the floor； and sat down on a small chair opposite to Leon； after
bowing to Gazonal and Bixiou。
〃How are matters going with you？〃 asked Leon； delivering to Publicola
one of his feet； already washed and prepared by the valet。
〃I am forced to take two pupils；two young fellows who； despairing of
fortune； have quitted surgery for corporistics； they were actually
dying of hunger； and yet they are full of talent。〃
〃I'm not asking you about pedestrial affairs； I want to know how you
are getting on politically。〃
Masson gave a glance at Gazonal； more eloquent than any species of
question。
〃Oh！ you can speak out； that's my cousin； in a way he belongs to you；
he thinks himself legitimist。〃
〃Well！ we are coming along； we are advancing！ In five years from now
Europe will be with us。 Switzerland and Italy are fermenting finely；
and when the occasion comes we are all ready。 Here； in Paris； we have
fifty thousand armed men； without counting two hundred thousand
citizens who haven't a penny to live upon。〃
〃Pooh；〃 said Leon； 〃how about the fortifications？〃
〃Pie…crust； we can swallow them；〃 replied Masson。
〃In the first place； we sha'n't let the cannon in； and； in the second；
we've got a little machine more powerful than all the forts in the
world；a machine； due to a doctor； which cured more people during the
short time we worked it than the doctors ever killed。〃
〃How you talk！〃 exclaimed Gazonal； whose flesh began to creep at
Publicola's air and manner。
〃Ha！ that's the thing we rely on！ We follow Saint…Just and
Robespierre； but we'll do better than they； they were timid； and you
see what came of it； an emperor！ the elder branch！ the younger branch！
The Montagnards didn't lop the social tree enough。〃
〃Ah ca！ you； who will be； they tell me； consul； or something of that
kind； tribune perhaps； be good enough to remember；〃 said Bixiou； 〃that
I have asked your protection for the last dozen years。〃
〃No harm shall happen to you； we shall need wags； and you can take the
place of Barere；〃 replied the corn…doctor。
〃And I？〃 said Leon。
〃Ah； you！ you are my client； and that will save you； for genius is an
odious privilege； to which too much is accorded in France； we shall be
forced to annihilate some of our greatest men in order to teach others
to be simple citizens。〃
The corn…cutter spoke with a semi…serious； semi…jesting air that made
Gazonal shudder。
〃So；〃 he said； 〃there's to be no more religion？〃
〃No more religion OF THE STATE；〃 replied the pedicure； emphasizing the
last words； 〃every man will have his own。 It is very fortunate that
the government is just now endowing convents； they'll provide our
funds。 Everything； you see； conspires in our favour。 Those who pity
the peoples； who clamor on behalf of proletaries； who write works
against the Jesuits； who busy themselves about the amelioration of no
matter what；the communists； the humanitarians； the philanthropists；
you understand；all these people are our advanced guard。 While we are
storing gunpowder； they are making the tinder which the spark of a
single circumstance will ignite。〃
〃But what do you expect will make the happiness of France？〃 cried
Gazonal。
〃Equality of citizens and cheapness of provisions。 We mean that there
will be no persons lacking anything； no millionaires； no suckers of
blood and victims。〃
〃That's it！maximum and minimum；〃 said Gazonal。
〃You've said it；〃 replied the corn…cutter； decisively。
〃No more manufacturers？〃 asked Gazonal。
〃The state will manufacture。 We shall all be the usufructuaries of
France； each will have his ration as on board ship； and all the world
will work according to their capacity。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Gazonal； 〃and while awaiting the time when you can cut off
the heads of aristocrats〃
〃I cut their nails；〃 said the radical republican； putting up his tools
and finishing the jest himself。
Then he bowed very politely and went away。
〃Can this be possible in 1845？〃 cried Gazonal。
〃If there were time we could show you；〃 said his cousin； 〃all the
personages of 1793； and you could talk with them。 You have just seen
Marat； well！ we know Fouquier…Tinville； Collot d'Herbois； Robespierre；
Chabot； Fouche； Barras； there is even a magnificent Madame Roland。〃
〃Well； the tragic is not lacking in your play；〃 said Gazonal。
〃It is six o'clock。 Before we take you to see Odry in 'Les
Saltimbauques' to…night；〃 said Leon to Gazonal； 〃we must go and pay a
visit to Madame Cadine；an actress whom your committee…man Massol
cultivates； and to whom you must therefore pay the most assiduous
court。〃
〃And as it is all important that you conciliate that power； I am going
to give you a few instructions；〃 said Bixiou。 〃Do you employ workwomen
in your manufactory？〃
〃Of course I do；〃 replied Gazonal。
〃That's all I want to know；〃 resumed Bixiou。 〃You are not married； and
you are a great〃
〃Yes！〃 cried Gazonal； 〃you've guessed my strong point； I'm a great
lover of women。〃
〃Well； then！ if you will execute the little manoeuvre which I am about
to prescribe for you； you will taste； without spending a farthing； the
sweets to be found in the good graces of an actress。〃
When they reached the rue de la Victoire where the celebrated actress
lived； Bixiou； who meditated a trick upon the distrustful provincial；
had scarcely finished teaching him his role； but Gazonal was quick； as
we shall see； to take a hint。
The three friends went up to the second floor of a rather handsome
house； and found Madame Jenny Cadine just finishing dinner； for she
played that night in an