Blinded by enthusiasm, he was both too ignorant and too learned to be tolerant, and would not allow for men's weaknesses; he required an ideal government of perfect justice and perfect liberty.

It was at this period that Antoine Macquart thought of setting him against the Rougons.

He fancied that this young enthusiast would work terrible havoc if he were only exasperated to the proper pitch.

This calculation was not altogether devoid of shrewdness.
Such being Antoine's scheme, he tried to induce Silvere to visit him, by professing inordinate admiration for the young man's ideas.

But he very nearly compromised the whole matter at the outset.