CHAPTER X.
THE COMMUNISTS.
At this moment the private door opened, and three men entered the editorial sanctum.
Marrast quickly turned, and his friend was silent.
"Ha! Albert, Flocon, Rollin!" he cried. "Welcome, welcome! Our friend, Louis Blanc, was just about wasting on me a sermon upon patience, but now he'll have an audience worthy of the subject. Be seated and listen!"
"Patience!" exclaimed Flocon. "Well, I'm sure we need it."
"That we do, in our present low estate," echoed Rollin.
Albert said nothing, but smiled with sarcastic significance.
When the salutations were over and the party, all but Marrast, who restlessly paced the room, were seated, Louis Blanc looked around on his friends with a sad smile, and continued: