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ade a mortal enemy。 Oh！ we got warm； I can tell you！ However； I led the Giguets to fulminate against the Gondrevilles。 That puts the old count on my side。 No later than to…morrow he will hear what the /soi…disant/ patriots of Arcis have said about him and his corruptions and his infamies； to free their necks； as they called it； of his yoke。〃
〃Unanimous； were they？〃 said Olivier Vinet； laughing。
〃Unanimous； /to…day/；〃 remarked Monsieur Martener。
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed Pigoult； 〃the general sentiment of the electors is for one of their own townsmen。 Whom can you oppose to Simon Giguet；a man who has just spent two hours in explaining the word /progress/。〃
〃Take old Grevin！〃 cried the sub…prefect。
〃He has no such ambition；〃 replied Pigoult。 〃But we must first of all consult the Comte de Gondreville。 Look； look！〃 he added； 〃see the attentions with which Simon is taking him that gilded booby； Beauvisage。〃
And he pointed to the candidate； who was holding the mayor by the arm and whispering in his ear。 Beauvisage meantime was bowing right and left to the inhabitants； who gazed at him with the deference which provincials always testify to the richest man in their locality。
〃But there's no use cajoling /him/；〃 continued Pigoult。 〃Cecile's hand does not depend on either her father or her mother。〃
〃On whom； then？〃
〃On my old patron； Monsieur Grevin。 Even if Simon is elected deputy； the town is not won。〃
Though the sub…prefect and Frederic Marest tried to get an explanation of these words； Pigoult refused to give the reason of an exclamation which seemed to them big with meaning and implying a certain knowledge of the plans of the Beauvisage family。
All Arcis was now in a commotion； not only on account of the fatal event which had just overtaken the Gondreville family； but because of the great resolution come to at the Giguet house； where Madame Marion and her three servants were hurriedly engaged in putting everything in its usual order； ready to receive her customary guests； whose curiosity would probably bring them that evening in large numbers。
VI
THE CAMPAIGN OF 1814 FROM THE HOSIERY POINT OF VIEW
Champagne has all the appearance of a poor region； and it is a poor region。 Its general aspect is sad； the land is flat。 Passing through the villages； and even the towns； you will see nothing but miserable buildings of wood or half…baked clay； the best are built of brick。 Stone is scarcely used at all except on public buildings。 At Arcis the chateau； the law courts； and the church are the only stone buildings。 Nevertheless； Champagne； or； if you prefer to say so； the departments of the Aube； Marne； and Haut…Marne； richly endowed with vineyards； the fame of which is world…wide； are otherwise full of flourishing industries。
Without speaking of the manufactures of Reims； nearly all the hosiery of Francea very considerable tradeis manufactured about Troyes。 The surrounding country； over a circuit of thirty miles； is covered with workmen； whose looms can be seen through the open doors as we pass through the villages。 These workmen are employed by agents； who themselves are in the service of speculators called manufacturers。 The agents negotiate with the large Parisian houses； often with the retail hosiers； all of whom put out the sign； 〃Manufacturers of Hosiery。〃 None of them have ever made a pair of stockings； nor a cap； nor a sock； all their hosiery comes chiefly from Champagne； though there are a few skilled workmen in Paris who can rival the Champenois。
This intermediate agency between the producer and the consumer is an evil not confined to hosiery。 It exists in almost all trades； and increases the cost of merchandise by the amount of the profit exacted by the middlemen。 To break down these costly partitions； that injure the sale of products； would be a magnificent enterprise； which； in its results； would attain to the height of statesmanship。 In fact； industry of all kinds would gain by establishing within our borders the cheapness so essential to enable us to carry on victoriously the industrial warfare with foreign countries；a struggle as deadly as that of arms。
But the destruction of an abuse of this kind would not return to modern philanthropists the glory and the advantages of a crusade against the empty nutshells of the penitentiary and negrophobia； consequently； the interloping profits of these /bankers of merchandise/ will continue to weigh heavily both on producers and consumers。 In Francekeen…witted land！it is thought that to simplify is to destroy。 The Revolution of 1789 is still a terror。
We see； by the industrial energy displayed in a land where Nature is a godmother； what progress agriculture might make if capital would go into partnership with the soil； which is not so thankless in Champagne as it is in Scotland； where capital has done wonders。 The day when agriculture will have conquered the unfertile portion of those departments； and industry has seconded capital on the Champagne chalk； the prosperity of that region will triple itself。 Into that land； now without luxury； where homes are barren； English comfort will penetrate； money will obtain that rapid circulation which is the half of wealth； and is already beginning in several of the inert portions of our country。 Writers； administrators； the Church from its pulpit； the Press in its columns； all to whom chance has given power to influence the masses； should say and resay this truth；to hoard is a social crime。 The deliberate hoarding of a province arrests industrial life； and injures the health of a nation。
Thus the little town of Arcis； without much means of transition； doomed apparently to the most complete immobility； is； relatively； a rich town abounding in capital slowly amassed by its trade in hosiery。
Monsieur Phileas Beauvisage was the Alexander； or； if you will； the Attila of this business。 And here follow the means by which this honorable merchant had acquired his supremacy over cotton。
The last remaining child of farmers named Beauvisage； tenants of the splendid farm of Bellache； a dependency of the Gondreville estate； his parents made； in 1811； a great sacrifice in order to buy a substitute and save their only child from conscription。 After that； in 1813； the mother Beauvisage； having become a widow； saved her son once more from enrolment in the Gardes； thanks to the influence of the Comte de Gondreville。 Phileas； who was then twenty…one years of age； had been devoted for the last three years to the peaceable trade of hosiery。
Coming to the end of the lease of Bellache； old Madame Beauvisage declined to renew it。 She saw she had enough to do in her old age in taking care of her property。 That nothing might give her uneasiness of mind； she proceeded； by the help of Monsieur Grevin； the notary of Arcis； to liquidate her husband's estate； although her son made no request whatever for a settlement。 The result proved that she owed him the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand francs。 The good woman did not sell her landed property； most of which came from the unfortunate Michu； the former bailiff of the Simeuse family； she paid the sum to Phileas in ready money；advising him to buy out the business of his em