ers.

These two individuals of the lesser bourgeoisie could, in consequence
of their connections, determine a certain number of floating votes, for
they influenced and advised a number of persons to whom the political
opinions of the candidate were a matter of indifference. Consequently,
Simon took possession of Poupart, and delivered the apothecary Fromaget
to his father, who had just come in to make his bow to the electors.

The sub-engineer of the arrondissement, the secretary of the mayor's
office, four sheriffs, three solicitors, the clerk of the court, and
the clerk of the justice of the peace, the registry-clerk, and the
tax-collector, all officials under government, two doctors, rivals of
Varlet, Grevin's brother-in-law, a miller named Laurent Goussard, the
head of the republicans of Arcis, the two assistant mayors, the printer
and publisher of Arcis, and about a dozen other bourgeois arrived in
succession, and walked about the garden until the gathering seemed
numerous enough to admit of opening the session.

At length, about mid-day, fifty men, all in their best clothes,--most of
them having come out of curiosity to see the handsome salons which were
much talked of throughout the arrondissement,--were seated on the chairs
Madame Marion had provided for them. The windows were left open, and
presently so deep a silence reigned that the rustle of Madame Marion's
gown was heard,--that good woman not being able to resist the pleasure
of descending to the garden and placing herself in a corner whence she
could listen to what went on in the salon. The cook, the chamber-maid,
and the man-servant stood in the dining-room and shared the emotions of
their masters.

"Messieurs," said Simon Giguet, "some among you desire to honor my
father by asking him to preside at this meeting; but Colonel Giguet
requests me to present his thanks, and express due gratitude for a
desire in which he sees a reward for his services to the country. We are
in his house; he thinks he ought, therefore, to decline those functions,
and he desires to propose in his stead an honorable merchant on whom
your suffrages have already bestowed the chief magistracy of this town,
Monsieur Phileas Beauvisage."

"Bravo! bravo!"

"We are, I think, all of one mind in adopting for this
meeting--essentially friendly, but entirely free, which will prejudice
in no way whatever the great preparatory and primary meeting in which
you will produce your candidat