M。　de　Canalis　hurries　to　the　tribune。
  /The　President/。M。　le　ministre　of　Public　Works　has　asked　for　the　　　floor；　as　minister　of　the　king　he　has　the　first　right　to　be　heard。
  /M。　de　Rastignac/。It　has　not　been　without　remonstrance　on　my　　　part；　gentlemen；　that　this　scandal　has　been　brought　to　your　　　　notice。　I　endeavored；　in　the　name　of　the　long　friendship　which　　　unites　me　to　Colonel　Franchessini；　to　persuade　him　not　to　speak　on　　　this　delicate　subject；　lest　his　parliamentary　inexperience；　　　aggravated　in　a　measure　by　his　witty　facility　of　speech；　should　　　lead　him　to　some　very　regrettable　indiscretion。　Such；　gentleman；　　　was　the　subject　of　the　little　conversation　you　may　have　seen　that　　　he　held　with　me　on　my　bench　before　he　asked　for　the　floor；　and　I　　　myself　have　asked　for　the　same　privilege　only　in　order　to　remove　　　from　your　minds　all　idea　of　my　complicity　in　the　great　mistake　he　　　has　just；　as　I　think；　committed　by　condescending　to　the　private　　　details　he　has　thought　fit　to　relate　to　this　assembly。　But　as；　　　against　my　intention；　and　I　may　add　against　my　will；　I　have　　　entered　the　tribune；　the　Chamber　will　permit　me；　perhaps；　　　although　no　ministerial　interest　is　here　concerned；to　say　a　few　　　words。　＇Cries　from　the　Centre：　〃Go　on！〃　〃Speak！〃＇
  M。　le　ministre　then　went　on　to　say　that　the　conduct　of　the　absent　　　deputy　showed　contempt　for　the　Chamber；　he　was　treating　it　lightly　　　and　cavalierly。　M。　de　Sallenauve　had　asked　for　leave　of　absence；　　　but　how　or　where　had　he　asked　for　it？　From　a　foreign　country！　That　　　is　to　say；　he　began　by　taking　it；　and　then　asked　for　it！　Did　he　　　trouble　himself；　as　is　usual　in　such　cases；　to　give　a　reason　for　　　the　request？　No；　he　merely　says；　in　his　letter　to　your　president；　　　that　he　is　forced　to　absent　himself　on　〃urgent　business；〃a　very　　　convenient　excuse；　on　which　the　Chamber　might　be　depopulated　of　　　half　its　members。　But；　supposing　that　M。　de　Sallenauve's　business　　　was　really　urgent；　and　that　he　thought　it　of　a　nature　not　to　be　　　explained　in　a　letter　that　would　necessarily　be　made　public；　why　　　had　he　not　written　confidentially　to　the　president；　or　even　　　requested　a　friend　in　some　responsible　position；　whose　simple　word　　　would　have　sufficed；　to　assure　the　Chamber　of　the　necessity　of　the　　　deputy's　absence　without　requiring　any　statement　of　private　　　reasons？
  At　this　point　M。　de　Rastignac's　remarks　were　interrupted　by　a　　　commotion　in　the　corridor　to　the　right。　Several　deputies　left　　　their　seats；　others　jumped　upon　the　benches；　apparently　　　endeavoring　to　see　something。　The　minister；　after　turning　to　the　　　president；　from　whom　he　seemed　to　be　asking　an　explanation；　went　　　back　to　the　ministerial　bench；　where　he　was　immediately　surrounded　　　by　a　number　of　the　deputies　of　the　Centre；　among　whom；　noticeable　　　for　the　vehemence　of　his　gestures；　was　M。　le　procureur…general　　　Vinet。　Groups　formed　in　the　audience　chamber；　the　sitting　was；　in　　　fact；　informally　suspended。
  After　a　few　moments'　delay　M。　le　president　rings　his　bell。
  /The　Ushers/。Take　your　seats；　gentlemen。
  The　deputies　hasten　on　all　sides　to　do　so。
  /The　President/。M。　de　Sallenauve　has　the　floor。
  M。　de　Sallenauve；　who；　during　the　few　moments　that　the　sitting　was　　　interrupted　by　his　entrance；　has　been　talking　with　M。　de　Canalis　　　and　M。　d'Arthez；　goes　to　the　tribune。　His　manner　is　modest；　but　he　　　shows　no　sign　of　embarrassment。　Every　one　is　struck　by　his　　　resemblance　to　the　portraits　of　one　of　the　most　fiery　of　the　　　revolutionary　orators。
  /A　Voice/。It　is　Dantonwithout　the　small…pox！
  /M。　de　Sallenauve/。＇Profound　silence。＇　Gentlemen；　I　do　not　　　misjudge　my　parliamentary　value；　I　know　that　the　persecution　　　directed　apparently　against　me　personally　is；　in　point　of　fact；　　　aimed　at　the　political　opinions　I　have　the　honor　to　represent。　　　But；　however　that　may　be；　my　election　seems　to　have　been　viewed　by　　　the　ministry　as　a　matter　of　some　importance。　In　order　to　oppose　　　it；　a　special　agent　and　special　journalists　were　sent　to　Arcis；　　　and　a　humble　employe　under　government；　with　a　salary　of　fifteen　　　hundred　francs；　was　dismissed；　after　twenty　years　of　faithful　and　　　honorable　service；　for　having　aided　in　my　success。　＇Loud　murmurs　　　from　the　Centre。＇　I　thank　my　honorable　interrupters；　feeling　sure　　　that　their　loud　disapprobation　is　given　to　this　strange　dismissal；　　　which　is　not　open　to　the　slightest　doubt。　＇Laughter　on　the　Left。＇　　　As　for　me；　gentlemen；　who　could　not　be　dismissed；　I　have　been　　　attacked　with　another　weapon；sagacious　calumny；　combined　with　my　　　fortunate　absence
  /The　Minister　of　Public　Works/。Of　course　the　government　sent　you　　　out　of　the　country。
  /M。　de　Sallenauve/。No；　Monsieur　le　ministre。　I　do　not　attribute　　　my　absence　to　either　your　influence　or　your　suggestions；　it　was　　　necessitated　by　imperious　duty；　and　it　had　no　other　instigation　or　　　motive。　But；　as　to　the　part　you　have　really　taken　in　the　　　denunciation　set　on　foot　against　me；　I　am　about　to　tell　the　facts；　　　and　the　Chamber　will　consider　them。　＇Close　attention。＇　The　law；　in　　　order　to　protect　the　independence　of　the　deputy；　directs　that　no　　　criminal　prosecution　can　be　begun　against　a　member　of　the　national　　　representation　without　the　preliminary　consent　of　the　Chamber；　　　this　fact　has　been　turned　with　great　adroitness　against　me。　If　the　　　complaint　had　been　laid　before　the　magistrates；　it　could　not　have　　　been　admitted　even　for　an　instant；　it　is　simply　a　bare　charge；　not　　　supported　by　evidence　of　any　kind；　and　I　have　never　heard　that　the　　　public　authorities　are　in　the　habit　of　prosecuting　citizens　on　the　　　mere　allegation　of　the　first…comer。　We　must　therefore　admire　the　　　subtlety　of　mind　which　instantly　perceived　that；　by　petitioning　　　you　for　leave　to　prosecute；　all　the　benefits　of　the　accusation；　　　politically　speaking；　would　be　obtained　without　encountering　the　　　difficulty　I　have　mentioned　in　the　courts。　＇Excitement。＇　Now；　to　　　what　able　parliamentary　tactician　must　we　ascribe　the　honor　of　　　this　invention？　You　know　already；　gentleman；　that　it　is　due　　　ostensibly　to　a　woman；　a　peasant…woman；　one　who　labors　for　her　　　living；　hence　the　conclusion　is　that　the　peasant…women　of　　　Champagne　have　an　intellectual　superiority　of　which；　up　to　this　　　time；　neither　you　nor　I　were　at　all　aware。　＇Laughter。＇　It　must　be　　　said；　however；　that　before　coming　to　Paris　to　lodge　her　complaint；　　　this　woman　had　an　interview　with　the　mayor　of　Arcis；　my　opponent　　　on　the　ministerial　side　in　the　late　election。　From　this　conference　　　she　obtained　certain　lights。　To　which　we　must　add　that　the　mayor；　　　taking　apparently　much　interest　in　the　charge　to　be　brought　　　against　me；　agreed　to　pay　the　costs；　not　only　of　the　peasant…　　　woman's　trip　to　Paris；　but　also　those　of　the　village　practitioner　　　by　whom　she　was　accompanied。　＇Left：　〃Ha！　ha！〃＇　This　superior　woman　　　having　arrived　in　Paris；　with　whom　did　she　immediately　　　communicate？　With　the　special　agent　sent　down　to　Arcis　by　the　　　government　to　ensure　the　success　of　the　ministerial　candidate。　And　　　who　drew　up　the　petition　to　this　honorable　Chamber　for　the　　　necessary　authority　to　proceed　to　a　criminal　prosecution？　Not　　　precisely　the　special　ministerial　agent　himself；　but　a　barrister　　　under　his　dictation；　and　after　a　breakfast　to　which　the　peasant…　　　woman　and　her　adviser　were　invited　in　order　to　furnish　the　　　necessary　information。　＇Much　excitement。　〃Hear！　hear！〃＇
  /The　Minister　of　Public　Works　from　his　seat/。Without　discussing　　　the　truth　of　these　statements；　as　to　which　I　have　personally　no　　　knowledge；　I　affirm　upon　my　honor　that　the　government　is　　　completely　ignorant　of　the　proceedings　now　related；　which　it　　　blames　and　disavows　in　the　most　conclusive　manner。
  /M。　de　Sallenauve/。After　the　formal　declaration　which　I　have　had　　　the　good　fortune　to　evoke　it　would　ill　become　me；　gentlemen；　to　　　insist　on　tracing　the　responsibility　for　this　intrigue　back　to　the　　　government。　But　what　I　have　already　said　will　seem　to　you　natural　　　when　you　remember　that；　as　I　entered　this　hall；　the　minister　of　　　Public　Works　was　in　the　tribune；　taking　part；　in　a　most　unusual　　　　manner；　in　a　discussion　on　discipline　wholly　outside　of　his　　　department；　and　endeavoring　to　persuade　you　that　I　had　conducted　　　myself　towards　this　honorable　body　with　a　total　want　of　reverence。
  The　minister　of　Public　Works　said　a　few　words　which　did　not　reach　　　us。　Great　disturbance。
  /M。　Victorin　Hulot/。M。　le　president；　have　the　goodness　to　　　request　the　minister　of　Public　Works　not　to　interrupt　the　speaker。　　　He　can　answer。
  /M。　de　Sallenauve/。According　to　M。　le　comte　de　Rastignac；　I　　　showed　essential　disrespect　to　the　Chamber　by　asking；　in　a　foreign　　　country；　for　leave　of　absence；　which　it　was　obvious　I　had　already　　　taken　before　making　my　request。　But；　in　his　extreme　desire　to　find　　　me　to　blame；　the　minister　lost　sight　of　the　fact　that　at　the　time　　　I　left　France　the　Chamber　had　not　met；　no　president　existed；　and　　　therefore　in　making　my　request　at　that　time　to　the　president　of　　　this　assembly　I　should　simply　have　addressed　a　pure　abstraction。　　　＇Left：　〃True！〃＇　As　for　the　insufficiency　of　the　motives　with　which　　　I　supported　my　request；　I　regret　to　have　to　say　to　the　Chamber　　　t