Gradually the uproar wore itself out, and diminished so that at last the President could make himself heard.  Leaning forward, he gravely addressed the young man in the tribune: 

“Monsieur, if you wish to be heard, let me beg of you not to be provocative in your language.”  And then to the others:  “Messieurs, if we are to proceed, I beg that you will restrain your feelings until the deputy-suppleant has concluded his discourse.”

“I shall endeavour to obey, M. le President, leaving provocation to the gentlemen of the Right.  If the few words I have used so far have been provocative, I regret it.  But it was necessary that I should refer to the distinguished deputy whose place I come so unworthily to fill, and it was unavoidable that I should refer to the event which has procured us this sad necessity.  The deputy Lagron was a man of singular nobility of mind, a selfless, dutiful, zealous man, inflamed by the high purpose of doing his duty by his electors and by this Assembly.  He possessed what his opponents would call a dangerous gift of eloquence.”

La Tour d’Azyr writhed at the well-known phrase — his own phrase — the phrase that he had used to explain his action in the matter of Philippe de Vilmorin, the phrase that from time to time had been cast in his teeth with such vindictive menace.

And then the crisp voice of the witty Canales, that very rapier of the Privileged party, cut sharply into the speaker’s momentary pause.

“M. le President,” he asked with great solemnity, “has the deputy-suppleant mounted the tribune for the purpose of taking part in the debate on the constitution of the legislative assemblies, or for the purpose of pronouncing a funeral oration upon the departed deputy Lagron?”

This time it was the Blacks who gave way to mirth, until checked by the deputy-suppleant.

“That laughter is obscene!” In this truly Gallic fashion he flung his glove into the face of Privilege, determined, you see, upon no half measures; and the rippling laughter perished on the instant quenched in speechless fury.

Solemnly he proceeded.

“You all know how Lagron died.  To refer to his death at all requires courage, to laugh in referring to it requires something that I will not attempt to qualify.  If I have alluded to his decease, it is because my own appearance among you seemed to render some such allusion necessary.  It is mine to take up the burden which he set down.  I do not pretend that I have the strength, the courage, or the wisdom of Lagron; but with every ounce of such strength and courage and wisdom as I possess that burden will I bear.  And I trust, for the sake of those who might attempt it, that the means taken to impose silence upon that eloquent voice will not be taken to impose silence upon mine.”

There was a faint murmur of applause from the Left, splutter of contemptuous laughter from the Right.