Yet nobody mentioned his name. I found no difficulty, however, in picturing him to myself formidable and mysterious, leading his forces to certain victory. Grandfather was negligently listening to Casenave’s dialogue with his double. Martinod, who had been observing him for a moment or two, now secretly and again full in the face, suddenly leaned toward him, and said abruptly: “Do you know one thing, Father Rambert? You are the one to lead us in this fight.” “I!” exclaimed grandfather, quite taken aback. “Oho!” And he gurgled out his little laugh. They let him laugh at his ease, after which Martinod repeated his offer. “To be sure, you. Who deserves it better? In ’48 you came near dying for liberty.” “Not at all. I did not come near dying.” This proposition was not further pressed. But as we were going back to the house at the dinner hour he stood still, saying: “That was a good thing, Martinod! I their candidate? Insane!” He laughed again with all his heart. A little further on he repeated, “I, their candidate!” This time he did not laugh. I understood that all the same he was not displeased with Martinod’s suggestion. II THE CIRCUS MY attention was distracted from these election concerns by the circus which had been set up in the Market Place. Its immense white tent, at last secured in place by solid pegs, bore above the entrance curtain, in letters of gold against a blue background, the inscription _Marinetti’s Circus_. A drummer plied his drumsticks at short intervals to attract the attention of the public, and from time to time the portière was raised and a princess in a spangled robe and rose-coloured stockings emerged like an apparition. I used to pass that way on my return from school, merely to hear that unceasing drum and to see that lady, who was sometimes old and sometimes very young. How I longed to get inside the tent! I indulged my desire for this forbidden paradise by lingering as long as possible and then speeding away at my best pace, so as not to be late at home.