"M. Thiers, like the worldly-wise and selfish man he is, has held himself aloof from the banquet, and even declined the invitation accepted by a hundred of his party; to-day he was absent from the Chamber and to-night from the conclave, all with the aspiring, yet vain hope, that the King will send for him to form a Ministry."
"And yet, in the Chamber, a few days ago, he said that he was of the party of the revolution in Europe."
"True, but he added that he wished the revolution carried on by its moderate supporters, and that he should do all he could to keep it in the hands of the moderate party."
"'But if it should pass into the hands of a party not moderate,' continued the crafty ex-Minister, 'I shall not abandon the cause of the revolution. I shall be always of the party of the revolution.' But see, he singles out Marrast, of all others!"
"And his old colleague of 'Le National' seems to give him no very cordial reception," added the Deputy. "But let us move up and hear the determination of the opposition relative to the banquet."
"That's the very question the little historian has just propounded to the great journalist. Now for the answer."
"The opposition decide, Monsieur, to abandon the banquet," was the angry reply of the editor to the ex-Minister.
"Indeed!" was the bland rejoinder; "and has a manifesto of this decision been issued to the people?"
"It has; and it instantly called forth a counter manifesto from the electoral committee of the Twelfth Arrondissement, expressing very natural astonishment that, at the same time the opposition abandoned the banquet, they had not abandoned their seats in the Chamber, and inviting them so to do at once."
"And the Ministry?" anxiously asked M. Thiers.
"Will to-morrow be impeached, Monsieur!"
"Ah! indeed! indeed!" cried the smart little aspirant, gleefully rubbing his hands.
At that moment General Lamoricière, the brother-in-law of Thiers, who owed so much to the house of Orléans, hastily approached.
"I come straight from the Tuileries," he said, with considerable excitement. "General Jacqueminot has just issued an order of the day, as commander-in-chief of the National Guard, appealing to them as the constitutional protectors of the Throne to take no part in the banquet. Orders have, also, been issued for the rappel to be beaten at dawn, in the Quartier St. Honoré, the scene of the contemplated procession. But it's all folly to rely on the National Guard. They are of the people. Only the Municipal Guard and the troops of the Line can be relied on in the civil conflict, which is sure to come to-morrow."