'Hear, hear!' cried the deputies on the right.
The deputy in the tribune took up his phrase again and softened it. He now strove to be more temperate in his language, speaking in carefully rounded periods of great purity of style, which fell from his lips with a solemn rhythm. But M. de Marsy angrily objected to almost every expression he used. And then the deputy launched out into abstract oratory, vague sentences overladen with long words, which so veiled his real thoughts that the President was obliged to leave him alone. However, all at once the orator returned to his old manner.
'To resume what I was saying. My friends and myself refuse to vote the first paragraph of the address in answer to the speech from the throne——'
'We can get on very well without you!' cried a voice; at which loud laughter sped along the benches.
'We shall not vote in favour of the first paragraph of the address,' quietly continued the representative of the opposition, 'unless our amendment is adopted. We cannot join in returning exaggerated thanks to the Chief of the State when so many restrictions are imposed. Liberty is indivisible. It cannot be cut up into fragments and distributed in rations like alms.'
At this fresh shouts arose from every part of the Chamber.
'Your liberty is license!'
'Don't talk about alms! You yourself are begging an unwholesome popularity!'
'You'd be cutting off heads if you had your way!'
'Our amendment,' continued the deputy in the tribune, as though he had heard nothing of these cries, 'asks for the repeal of the Public Safety Act, the liberty of the press, freedom of elections——'