"Oh, take care, Monsieur! take care!" said a professor. "Don't attack the precious boons we gained in 1830! Respect our liberties!" It would be better, he contended, to adopt a policy of decentralisation, and to distribute the surplus populations of the towns through the country districts.
"But they are gangrened!" exclaimed a Catholic. "Let religion be more firmly established!"
Martinon hastened to observe:
"As a matter of fact, it is a restraining force."
All the evil lay in this modern longing to rise above one's class and to possess luxuries.
"However," urged a manufacturer, "luxury aids commerce. Therefore, I approve of the Duc de Nemours' action in insisting on having short breeches at his evening parties."
"M. Thiers came to one of them in a pair of trousers. You know his joke on the subject?"
"Yes; charming! But he turned round to the demagogues, and his speech on the question of incompatibilities was not without its influence in bringing about the attempt of the twelfth of May."
"Oh, pooh!"
"Ay, ay!"