Therewascommotionontheplatform，longwhisperings，muchparleying。Atlastthecouncillorgotup。TheyknewnowthathisnamewasLieuvain，andinthecrowdthenamewaspassedfromonetotheother。Afterhehadcollatedafewpages，andbentoverthemtoseebetter，hebegan——
“Gentlemen!MayIbepermittedfirstofallbeforeaddressingyouontheobjectofourmeetingto-day，andthissentimentwill，Iamsure，besharedbyyouall，mayIbepermitted，Isay，topayatributetothehigheradministration，tothegovernmenttothemonarch，gentlemen，oursovereign，tothatbelovedking，towhomnobranchofpublicorprivateprosperityisamatterofindifference，andwhodirectswithahandatoncesofirmandwisethechariotofthestateamidtheincessantperilsofastormysea，knowing，moreover，howtomakepeacerespectedaswellaswar，industry，commerce，agriculture，andthefinearts？“
“Iought，“saidRodolphe，“togetbackalittlefurther。“
“Why？“saidEmma。
Butatthismomentthevoiceofthecouncillorrosetoanextraordinarypitch。Hedeclaimed——