These lay the foundations of their fortune where men of better position and more influence would never dare to risk theirs.

Roudier, Granoux, and the others, all men of means and respectability, certainly seemed a thousand times preferable to Pierre as the acting leaders of the Conservative party.

But none of them would have consented to turn his drawing-room into a political centre.

Their convictions did not go so far as to induce them to compromise themselves openly; in fact, they were only so many provincial babblers, who liked to inveigh against the Republic at a neighbour's house as long as the neighbour was willing to bear the responsibility of their chatter.

The game was too risky.