ling and compelling chains of the
social system--I mean political interests."

"Does he want to be a statesman?" asked Emile Blondet, sarcastically.

"Yes, no doubt that's in his famous programme of universality; and you
ought to see the consistency and perseverance he puts into that idea!
Only last year two hundred and fifty thousand francs dropped into his
mouth as if from the skies, and he instantly bought a hovel in the rue
Saint-Martin to make himself eligible for the Chamber. Then--another
pretty speculation--with the rest of the money he bought stock in the
'National,' where I meet him every time I want to have a laugh over the
republican Utopia. He has his flatterers on the staff of that estimable
newspaper; they have persuaded him that he's a born orator and can
cut the finest figure in the Chamber. They even talk of getting up a
candidacy for him; and on some of their enthusiastic days they go so far
as to assert that he bears a distant likeness to Danton."

"But this is getting burlesque," said Emile Blondet.

I don't know if you have ever remarked, my dear Monsieur Gaston, that in
men of real talent there is always great leniency of judgment. In this,
Joseph Bridau is pre-eminent.

"I think with you," he said, "that if Dorlange takes this step, and
enters politics, he will be lost to art. But, after all, why should he
not succeed in the Chamber? He expresses himself with great facility,
and seems to me to have ideas at his command. Look at Canalis when he
was made deputy! 'What! a poet!' everybody cried out,--which didn't
prevent him from making himself a fine reputation as orator, and
becoming a minister."

"But the first question is how to get into the Chamber," said Emile
Blondet. "Where does Dorlange propose to stand?"

"Why, naturally, for one of the rotten boroughs of the 'National.' I
don't know if it has yet been chosen."

"General rule," said the writer for the "Debats." "To obtain your
election, even though you may have the support of an active and ardent
party, you must also have a somewhat extended political notoriety, or,
at any rate, some provincial backing of family or fortune. Has Dorlange
any of those elements of success?"

"As for the backing of a family, that element is particularly lacking,"
replied Bixiou; "in fact, in his case, it is conspicuously absent."

"Really?" said Emile Blondet. "Is he a natural child?"

"Nothing could be more natural,--father and mother unknown. But