"Mademoiselle, Ernest's devotion makes me almost think myself worth
something," said Canalis; "for my dear Pylades is full of talent; he
was the right hand of the greatest minister we have had since the
peace. Though he holds a fine position, he is good enough to be my
tutor in the science of politics; he teaches me to conduct affairs and
feeds me with his experience, when all the while he might aspire to a
much better situation. Oh! he is worth far more than I." At a gesture
from Modeste he continued gracefully: "Yes, the poetry that I express
he carries in his heart; and if I speak thus openly before him it is
because he has the modesty of a nun."
"Enough, oh, enough!" cried La Briere, who hardly knew which way to
look. "My dear Canalis, you remind me of a mother who is seeking to
marry off her daughter."
"How is it, monsieur," said Charles Mignon, addressing Canalis, "that
you can even think of becoming a political character?"
"It is abdication," said Modeste, "for a poet; politics are the
resource of matter-of-fact men."
"Ah, mademoiselle, the rostrum is to-day the greatest theatre of the
world; it has succeeded the tournaments of chivalry, it is now the
meeting-place for all intellects, just as the army has been the
rallying-point of courage.
Pages:
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292