, monsieur; I began by being a supernumerary for three
years; after that I passed through all the grades; and I can show that
favor had nothing to do with my promotion."

"Then, monsieur, what would you say if with my rank as deputy (supposing
that I obtain the suffrages of this arrondissement) I, who have never
been a supernumerary and never passed through any grades, and whose
only claim upon the administration is that of having voted for it,--what
would you say if I were suddenly appointed over your head as the
director-general of your department?"

"I should say--I should say, monsieur, that the choice was a good one,
because the king himself would have made it."

"No, monsieur, you would not say it, or if you said it aloud, which I
scarcely think possible, you would think in your heart that the choice
was ridiculous and unjust. 'How the devil,' you would say to yourself,
'could this man, this sculptor, know anything about the intricate
business of registering archives?' And you would be right in condemning
such royal caprice; for what becomes of long and honorable services,
justly acquired rights, and steady promotion under such a system of
arbitrary choice? It is that I may not be the accomplice of this crying
abuse, because I think it neither just nor honest nor useful to obtain
in this way important public functions, that I denounce the system and
bind myself to accept no office. Is this, monsieur, pouring contempt on
public functions? Is it not rather lifting them to higher honor?"

Monsieur Godivet declared himself satisfied, and said no more.

"_Ah ca_! monsieur," cried another elector, after demanding the floor
in the rather tipsy voice, "you say you will ask no favors for your
constituents; then what good will you be to us?"

"My friend, I did not say I would ask nothing for my constituents. I
said I would ask nothing but what was just; but that, I may add, I shall
ask with energy and perseverance, for that is how justice should be
followed up."

"But," persisted the voter, "there are various ways of doing justice;
witness the suit I was made to lose against Jean Remy, with whom I had
trouble about a boundary--"

Colonel Giguet, interrupting,--

"Come, come, you are not going, I hope to talk about your private
affairs, and speak disrespectfully of magistrates?"

The voter resumed,--

"Magistrates, colonel, I respect, for I was one myself for six months in
'93, and I know the law. But, returning