Read "Monsieur Bergeret in Paris" by Anatole France online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
At the offices of the Executive Committee in the Rue de Berri, Henri de Brécé, Joseph Lacrisse and Henri Léon were dealing with the business of the day.
"My dear President," said Joseph Lacrisse to Henri de Brécé. "I want you to find a prefecture for a good Royalist. I am sure you will not refuse when I have told you of my candidate's qualification. His father, Ferdinand Dellion, an iron-master at Valcombe, is in every way deserving of the King's favour. He is most careful of the moral and physical well-being of his workmen. He has a dispensary for them, and he sees that they go to Mass on Sundays and send their children to the church schools, and that they vote properly and abstain from trade unions. He is opposed, unfortunately, by the deputy Cothard and ill-supported by the sub-prefect of Valcombe. His son Gustave is one of the most active and energetic members of my Departmental Committee. He was most vigorous in the campaign against the Jews in our city, and was arrested at Auteuil for taking part in the demonstration against Loubet. You simply cannot refuse a prefecture to Gustave Dellion, my dear President!"