"Citizens, citizens!"
At last he obtained a little quiet and the meeting, when consulted, brought Rasseneur's speech to an end. The delegates who had represented the pits in the interview with the manager led the others, all enraged by starvation and agitated by new ideas. The voting was decided in advance.
"You don't care a damn, you don't! you can eat!" yelled Levaque, thrusting out his fist at Rasseneur.
Étienne leaned over behind the chairman's back to appease Maheu, who was very red, and carried out of himself by this hypocritical discourse.
"Citizens!" said Pluchart, "allow me to speak!"
There was deep silence. He spoke. His voice sounded painful and hoarse; but he was used to it on his journeys, and took his laryngitis about with him like his programme. Gradually his voice expa
