"One word, monsieur, one word."
"Ambitious man who prefers to owe his position to political favour rather than to a public election."
"You talk very lightly of a public election, monsieur. Do you believe that a seat in either political body can be secured so easily, no matter how well fitted the person may be to fill such a position? (In speaking in this way of myself, I am only repeating your words, remember.) You may not be aware that I have been trying to secure a seat in the Chamber of Peers ten years, monsieur."
"Nonsense! You could be a deputy in less than a month if you chose."
"I?"
"Yes, you, Baron de la Rochaiguë."
"I, a deputy! That would be magnificent, marquis, for you have opened my eyes to the vast, immense, infinite field of labour that would lie before me. But how could I secure an election?"
"It so happens that the electors of the district where my estates are situated desire to confer the honour of representing them upon me."
"You, M. le marquis?"
"Yes, I! Just imagine what an idea people will form of those worthy fellows down there from their representative. People will fancy when they see me that I am the envoy of a colony founded by Punchinello."