Tuileries。 Before setting out； the children again shook solemnly their grandmother's wrinkled and hardened hand。 She was watching them go； stupefied and oppressed； when all at once； by an adorable spontaneous movement； the youngest turned back when he had got to the door and； pushing the great negro aside； came to throw himself head foremost； like a little buffalo； into Mme。 Jansoulet's skirts； squeezing her to him； while holding out his smooth forehead； covered with brown curls； with the grace of a child offering its kiss like a flower。 Perhaps this one； nearer the warmth of the nest； the cradling knees of the nurses with their peasant songs； had felt the maternal influence； of which the Levantine had deprived him； reach his heart。 The old woman trembled all over with the surprise of this instinctive embrace。
〃Oh！ little one； little one；〃 said she； seizing the little silky； curly head which reminded her so much of another and she kissed it wildly。 Then the child unloosed himself； and ran off without saying anything； his head moist with hot tears。
Left alone with Cabassu； the mother； comforted by this embrace； asked some explanation of the priest's words。 Had her son many enemies？
〃Oh！〃 said Cabassu； 〃it is not astonishing； in his position。〃
〃But what is this great daythis sitting of which you all speak？〃
〃Well； then； it is to…day that we shall know whether Bernard will be deputy or no。〃
〃What？ He is not one now； then？ And I have told them everywhere in the country。 I illuminated Saint…Romans a month ago。 Then they have made me tell a lie。〃
The /masseur/ had a great deal of trouble in explaining to her the parliamentary formalities of the verification of elections。 She only listened with one ear； walking up and down the linen…room feverishly。
〃That's where my Bernard is now； then？〃
〃Yes； madame。〃
〃And can women go to the Chamber？ Then why is his wife not there？ For one does not need telling that it is an important matter for him。 On a day like this he needs to feel all those whom he loves at his side。 See； my lad； you must take me there； to this sitting。 Is it far？〃
〃No； quite near。 Only； it must have begun already。 And then；〃 added he； a little disconcerted； 〃it is the hour when madame wants me。〃
〃Ah！ Do you teach her this thing you are professor of？ What do you call it？〃
〃Massage。 We have learned it from the ancients。 Yes； there she is ringing for me； and some one will come to fetch me。 Shall I tell her you are here？〃
〃No； no； I prefer to go there at once。〃
〃But you have no admission ticket。〃
〃Bah！ I will tell them I am Jansoulet's mother； come to hear him judged。〃 Poor mother； she spoke truer than she knew。
〃Wait； Mme。 Francoise。 I will give you some one to show you the way； at least。〃
〃Oh； you know； I have never been able to put up with servants。 I have a tongue。 There are people in the streets。 I shall find my way。〃
He made a last attempt； without letting her see all his thought。 〃Take care； his enemies are going to speak against him in the Chamber。 You will hear things to hurt you。〃
Oh； the beautiful smile of belief and maternal pride with which she answered： 〃Don't I know better than them all what my child is worth？ Could anything make me mistaken in him？ I should have to be very ungrateful then。 Get along with you！〃
And shaking her head with its flapping cap wings； she set off fiercely indignant。
With head erect and upright bearing the old woman strode along under the great arcades which they had told her to follow； a little troubled by the incessant noise of the carriages； and by the idleness of this walk； unaccompanied by the faithful distaff which had never quitted her for fifty years。 All these ideas of enmities and persecutions； the mysterious words of the priest； the guarded talk of Cabassu； frightened and agitated her。 She found in them the meaning of the presentiments which had so overpowered her as to snatch her from her habits； her duties； the care of the house and of her invalid。 Besides； since Fortune had thrown on her and her son this golden mantle with its heavy folds； Mme。 Jansoulet had never become accustomed to it； and was always waiting for the sudden disappearance of these splendours。 Who knows if the break…up was not going to begin this time？ And suddenly； through these sombre thoughts； the remembrance of the scene that had just passed； of the little one rubbing himself on her woollen gown； brought on her wrinkled lips a tender smile； and she murmured in her peasant tongue：
〃Oh； for the little one； at any rate。〃
She crossed a magnificent square； immense； dazzling； two fountains throwing up their water in a silvery spray； then a great stone bridge； and at the end was a square building with statues on its front； a railing with carriages drawn up before it； people going on； numbers of policemen。 It was there。 She pushed through the crowd bravely and came up to the high glass doors。
〃Your card； my good woman？〃
The 〃good woman〃 had no card； but she said quite simply to one of the porters in red who were keeping the door：
〃I am Bernard Jansoulet's mother。 I have come for the sitting of my boy。〃
It was indeed the sitting of her boy； for everywhere in this crowd besieging the doors； filling the passages； the hall； the tribune； the whole palace； the same name was repeated； accompanied with smiles and anecdotes。 A great scandal was expected； terrible revelations from the chairman； which would no doubt lead to some violence from the barbarian brought to bay； and they hurried to the spot as to a first night or a celebrated trial。 The old mother would hardly have been heard in the middle of this crowd； if the stream of gold left by the Nabob wherever he had passed； marking his royal progress； had not opened all the roads to her。 She went behind the attendant in this tangle of passages； of folding…doors； of empty resounding halls； filled with a hum which circulated with the air of the building； as if the walls； themselves soaked with babble； were joining to the sound of all these voices the echoes of the past。 While crossing a corridor she saw a little dark man gesticulating and crying to the servants：
〃You will tell Moussiou Jansoulet that it is I； that I am the Mayor of Sarlazaccio； that I have been condemned to five months' imprisonment for him。 In God's name； surely that is worth a card for the sitting。〃
Five months' imprisonment for her son！ Why？ Very much disturbed； she arrived at last； her ears singing； at the top of the staircase； where different inscriptions〃Tribune of the Senate； of the Diplomatic Body； of the Deputies〃stood above little doors like boxes in a theatre。 She entered； and without seeing anything at first except four or five rows of seats filled with people； and opposite； very far off； separated from her by a vast clear space； other galleries similarly filled。 She leaned up against the wall； astonished to be there； exhausted； almost ashamed。 A current of hot air which came to her face； a chatter of rising voices； drew her towards the slope of the gallery； towards the kind of gulf open in the middle where her son must be。 Oh！ how she would like to see him。 So squeezing herself in； and using her elbows； pointed and hard as her spindle； she glided and slipped between the wall and the seats； taking no notice of the anger she aroused or the contempt of the well…dressed women whose lace and fresh toilettes she crushed； for the assembly was elegant and fashionable。 Mme。 Jansoulet recognised； by his stiff shirt…front and aristocratic nose； the marquis who had visited them at Saint…Romans； who so well suited his name； but he did not look at her。 She was stopped farther progress by the back of a man sitting down； an enormous back which barred everything and forbade her go farther。 Happily； she could see nearly all the hall from here by leaning forward a little； and these semi…circular benches filled with deputies； the green hanging of the walls； the chair at the end； occupied by a bald man with a severe air； gave her the idea； under the studious and gray light from the roof； of a class about to begin； with all the chatter and movement of thoughtless schoolboys。
One thing struck herthe way in which all looks turned to one side； to the same point of attraction； and as she followed this current of curiosity which carried away the entire assembly； hall as well as galleries； she saw that what they were all looking atwas her son。
In the Jansoulet's country there is still； in some old churches； at the end of the choir； half…way up the crypt； a stone cell where lepers were admitted to hear mass； showing their dark profiles to the curious and fearful crowd； like wild beasts crouched against the loopholes in the wall。 Francoise well remembered having seen in the village where she had been brought up the leper； the bugbear of her infancy； hearing mass from his stone cage； lost in the shade and in isolation。 Now； seeing her son seated； his head in his hands； alone； up there away from the others； this memory came to her mind。 〃One might think it was a leper；〃 murmured the peasant。 And； in fact； this poor Nabob was a leper； his millions from the East weighing on him like some terrible and mysterious disease。 It happened that the bench on which he had chosen to sit had several recent vacancies on account of holidays or deaths； so that while the other deputies were talking to each other； laughing； making signs； he sat silent； alone； the object of attention to all the Chamber； an attention which his mother felt to be malevolent； ironic； which burned into her heart。 How was she to let him know that she was there； near him； that one faithful heart beat not far from his？ He would not turn to the gallery。 One would have said that he felt it hostile； that he feared to look there。 Suddenly； at the sound of the bell from the presidential platform； a rustle ran through the assembly； every head leaned forward with that fixed attention which makes the features unmovable； and a thin man in spectacles； whose sudden rise among so many seated figures gave him the authority of attitude at once； said； opening the paper he held in his hand：
〃Gentlemen； in the name of your third committee； I beg to move that the election of the second division of th