“M. Manoël ought to give us each a key to it.”
“Not so,” said Manoël; “do you suspect me of wishing to rob the association? I may equally suspect you, when you ask for a key.”
“But,” said the valet, “we have all equal rights.”
“Really, monsieur, if you wish to make us all equal, we ought to have played the ambassador in turn. It would have been less plausible in the eyes of the public, but it would have satisfied you.”
“And besides,” said Beausire, “M. Manoël has the incontestable privilege of the inventor.”
“Oh,” replied the valet, “the thing once started, there are no more privileges. I do not speak for myself only; all our comrades think the same.”
“They are wrong,” said both Manoël and Beausire.
“I was wrong myself to take the opinion of M. Beausire; of course the secretary supports the ambassador.”
“Monsieur,” replied Beausire, “you are a knave, whose ears I would slit, if it had not already been done too often. You insult me by saying that I have an understanding with Manoël.”
“And me also,” said Manoël.