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won't have a word to say THEN。 I consecrate to the adornment of your
room all the 'Children' I shall get in the provinces。〃
〃Well； that's a pretty thing to say！〃 cried the florist。 〃Monster of a
man！ Do you dare to talk to me of your children？ Do you suppose I am
going to stand that sort of thing？〃
〃Oh； what a goose you are； my Jenny！ That's only a figure of speech in
our business。〃
〃A fine business； then！〃
〃Well； but listen； if you talk all the time you'll always be in the
right。〃
〃I mean to be。 Upon my word； you take things easy！〃
〃You don't let me finish。 I have taken under my protection a
superlative idea；a journal； a newspaper； written for children。 In
our profession； when travellers have caught； let us suppose； ten
subscribers to the 'Children's Journal；' they say； 'I've got ten
Children；' just as I say when I get ten subscriptions to a newspaper
called the 'Movement；' 'I've got ten Movements。' Now don't you see？〃
〃That's all right。 Are you going into politics？ If you do you'll get
into Saint…Pelagie； and I shall have to trot down there after you。 Oh！
if one only knew what one puts one's foot into when we love a man； on
my word of honor we would let you alone to take care of yourselves；
you men！ However； if you are going away to…morrow we won't talk of
disagreeable things；that would be silly。〃
The coach stopped before a pretty house； newly built in the Rue
d'Artois； where Gaudissart and Jenny climbed to the fourth story。 This
was the abode of Mademoiselle Jenny Courand； commonly reported to be
privately married to the illustrious Gaudissart； a rumor which that
individual did not deny。 To maintain her supremacy； Jenny kept him to
the performance of innumerable small attentions； and threatened
continually to turn him off if he omitted the least of them。 She now
ordered him to write to her from every town； and render a minute
account of all his proceedings。
〃How many 'Children' will it take to furnish my chamber？〃 she asked；
throwing off her shawl and sitting down by a good fire。
〃I get five sous for each subscriber。〃
〃Delightful！ And is it with five sous that you expect to make me rich？
Perhaps you are like the Wandering Jew with your pockets full of
money。〃
〃But； Jenny； I shall get a thousand 'Children。' Just reflect that
children have never had a newspaper to themselves before。 But what a
fool I am to try to explain matters to you；you can't understand such
things。〃
〃Can't I？ Then tell me；tell me； Gaudissart； if I'm such a goose why
do you love me？〃
〃Just because you are a goose；a sublime goose！ Listen； Jenny。 See
here； I am going to undertake the 'Globe；' the 'Movement；' the
'Children；' the insurance business； and some of my old articles Paris；
instead of earning a miserable eight thousand a year； I'll bring back
twenty thousand at least from each trip。〃
〃Unlace me； Gaudissart； and do it right； don't tighten me。〃
〃Yes； truly；〃 said the traveller； complacently； 〃I shall become a
shareholder in the newspapers； like Finot； one of my friends； the son
of a hatter； who now has thirty thousand francs income； and is going
to make himself a peer of France。 When one thinks of that little
Popinot；ah； mon Dieu！ I forgot to tell you that Monsieur Popinot was
named minister of commerce yesterday。 Why shouldn't I be ambitious
too？ Ha！ ha！ I could easily pick up the jargon of those fellows who
talk in the chamber； and bluster with the rest of them。 Now； listen to
me：
〃Gentlemen；〃 he said； standing behind a chair； 〃the Press is neither a
tool nor an article of barter： it is； viewed under its political
aspects； an institution。 We are bound； in virtue of our position as
legislators； to consider all things politically； and therefore〃 （here
he stopped to get breath）〃and therefore we must examine the Press
and ask ourselves if it is useful or noxious； if it should be
encouraged or put down； taxed or free。 These are serious questions。 I
feel that I do not waste the time； always precious； of this Chamber by
examining this articlethe Pressand explaining to you its
qualities。 We are on the verge of an abyss。 Undoubtedly the laws have
not the nap which they ought to haveHein？〃 he said； looking at
Jenny。 〃All orators put France on the verge of an abyss。 They either
say that or they talk about the chariot of state； or convulsions； or
political horizons。 Don't I know their dodges？ I'm up to all the
tricks of all the trades。 Do you know why？ Because I was born with a
caul； my mother has got it； but I'll give it to you。 You'll see！ I
shall soon be in the government。〃
〃You！〃
〃Why shouldn't I be the Baron Gaudissart； peer of France？ Haven't they
twice elected Monsieur Popinot as deputy from the fourth
arrondissement？ He dines with Louis Phillippe。 There's Finot； he is
going to be； they say； a member of the Council。 Suppose they send me
as ambassador to London？ I tell you I'd nonplus those English！ No man
ever got the better of Gaudissart； the illustrious Gaudissart； and
nobody ever will。 Yes； I say it！ no one ever outwitted me； and no one
canin any walk of life； politics or impolitics； here or elsewhere。
But； for the time being； I must give myself wholly to the capitalists；
to the 'Globe；' the 'Movement；' the 'Children；' and my article Paris。〃
〃You will be brought up with a round turn； you and your newspapers。
I'll bet you won't get further than Poitiers before the police will
nab you。〃
〃What will you bet？〃
〃A shawl。〃
〃Done！ If I lose that shawl I'll go back to the article Paris and the
hat business。 But as for getting the better of Gaudissartnever！
never！〃
And the illustrious traveller threw himself into position before
Jenny； looked at her proudly； one hand in his waistcoat； his head at
three…quarter profile；an attitude truly Napoleonic。
〃Oh； how funny you are！ what have you been eating to…night？〃
Gaudissart was thirty…eight years of age； of medium height； stout and
fat like men who roll about continually in stage…coaches； with a face
as round as a pumpkin； ruddy cheeks； and regular features of the type
which sculptors of all lands adopt as a model for statues of
Abundance； Law； Force； Commerce； and the like。 His protuberant stomach
swelled forth in the shape of a pear； his legs were small； but active
and vigorous。 He caught Jenny up in his arms like a baby and kissed
her。
〃Hold your tongue； young woman！〃 he said。 〃What do you know about
Saint…Simonism； antagonism； Fourierism； criticism； heroic enterprise；
or woman's freedom？ I'll tell you what they are；ten francs for each
subscription； Madame Gaudissart。〃
〃On my word of honor； you are going crazy； Gaudissart。〃
〃More and more crazy about YOU；〃 he replied； flinging his hat upon the
sofa。
The next morning Gaudissart； having breakfasted gloriously with Jenny；
departed on horseback to work up the chief towns of the district to
which he was assigned