-did not run, but
looked at the English.--We laughed all together.--And I passed along
unmolested."

"Messieurs,--with the exception of our excellent De La Lande, I am
afraid it is too often those who lack the virtues of their race who make
most cry of it."

The meeting now resumed its discussions.

"We require strategy!" asserted a burly, red-haired lawyer from the
City.

"I confess myself in favor of strategy," admitted Zotique also;

"I am always in favor," said Chamilly, "of the strategy of organized
tactics, of the avoidance of useless by-questions, and of spirit and
intelligence in attack and defence."

"But you will not let us lie a little in protection of you," retorted
Zotique. "To me the moral law is to beat Picault."

"Assuredly!" the red-haired lawyer said indignantly, looking a half air
of patronage towards Chamilly, and breathing in for a steady blast of
eloquence: "It is time these ridiculous ideas which forbid us so many
successes were sent back to Paradise, and that such elections as the
present were governed upon rational principles. We cannot offer the
people directly what is good for them; because it is not what they want.
What they want, is what we must first of all assume to provide. Once in
power we can persuade them afterwards. Gentlemen, _to get into power_ is
the first absolute necessity. We cannot defeat the enemy except by
opposing to them some of their own methods. Revive the courage of the
young men by offering what they deserve--good places in case of success!
Replenish the coffers by having our army of contractors to oppose to the
ranks of theirs. If they lie, we have a right to lie. If they spend
money, we must spend it. If they cajole with figures, surely our
advantage as to the facts would enable us to produce others still more
astonishing. Human nature is not angelic--and you can never make it
otherwise."

"My friend," answered Chamilly, raising his strong frame deliberately,
"these are the very principles that I am resolutely determined to battle
with all my forces, I care not whether among my foes or my friends. Must
our young Liberals learn over again what Liberalism is? The true way to
enter polities is none other at any time than to deliberately choose a
higher stand and methods. Trickeries are easier and sometimes lead to a
kind of success: if our objects were sordid, we might descend to
demeaning hypocrisies, we might cheat, we might thieve, perjure, and be
puppets,