Part 9 (1/2)
”Have they turned you out, or why are you idling about in this way?”
said Bixiou to Giraud.
”No, while they are voting by secret ballot we have come out for a little air,” replied Giraud.
”How did the prime minister pull through?”
”He was magnificent!” said Ca.n.a.lis.
”Magnificent!” repeated Maxime.
”Magnificent!” cried Giraud.
”So! so! Right, Left, and Centre are unanimous!”
”All with a different meaning,” observed Maxime de Trailles.
Maxime was the ministerial deputy.
”Yes,” said Ca.n.a.lis, laughing.
Though Ca.n.a.lis had already been a minister, he was at this moment tending toward the Right.
”Ah! but you had a fine triumph just now,” said Maxime to Ca.n.a.lis; ”it was you who forced the minister into the tribune.”
”And made him lie like a charlatan,” returned Ca.n.a.lis.
”A worthy victory,” said the honest Giraud. ”In his place what would you have done?”
”I should have lied.”
”It isn't called lying,” said Maxime de Trailles; ”it is called protecting the crown.”
So saying, he led Ca.n.a.lis away to a little distance.
”That's a great orator,” said Leon to Giraud, pointing to Ca.n.a.lis.
”Yes and no,” replied the councillor of state. ”A fine ba.s.s voice, and sonorous, but more of an artist in words than an orator. In short, he's a fine instrument but he isn't music, consequently he has not, and he never will have, the ear of the Chamber; in no case will he ever be master of the situation.”
Ca.n.a.lis and Maxime were returning toward the little group as Giraud, deputy of the Left Centre, p.r.o.nounced this verdict. Maxime took Giraud by the arm and led him off, probably to make the same confidence he had just made Ca.n.a.lis.
”What an honest, upright fellow that is,” said Leon to Ca.n.a.lis, nodding towards Giraud.
”One of those upright fellows who kill administrators,” replied Ca.n.a.lis.
”Do you think him a good orator?”
”Yes and no,” replied Ca.n.a.lis; ”he is wordy; he's long-winded, a plodder in argument, and a good logician; but he doesn't understand the higher logic, that of events and circ.u.mstances; consequently he has never had, and never will have, the ear of the Chamber.”
At the moment when Ca.n.a.lis uttered this judgment on Giraud, the latter was returning with Maxime to the group; and forgetting the presence of a stranger whose discretion was not known to them like that of Leon and Bixiou, he took Ca.n.a.lis by the hand in a very significant manner.
”Well,” he said, ”I consent to what Monsieur de Trailles proposes. I'll put the question to you in the Chamber, but I shall do it with great severity.”