"Citizens!" said Compain, after this—"Citizens!"
And, by dint of repeating "Citizens," having obtained a little silence, he leaned on the rostrum with his two red hands, which looked like stumps, bent forward his body, and blinking his eyes:
"I believe that it would be necessary to give a larger extension to the calf's head."
All who heard him kept silent, fancying that they had misunderstood his words.
"Yes! the calf's head!"
Three hundred laughs burst forth at the same time. The ceiling shook.
At the sight of all these faces convulsed with mirth, Compain shrank back. He continued in an angry tone:
"What! you don't know what the calf's head is!"
It was a paroxysm, a delirium. They held their sides. Some of them even tumbled off the benches to the ground with convulsions of laughter. Compain, not being able to stand it any longer, took refuge beside Regimbart, and wanted to drag him away.
"No! I am remaining till 'tis all over!" said the Citizen.