A strange thing, and calculated to make the philosopher reflect, is this heap of traitors from which comes this heap of oaths! Let us, then, dwell upon this charming feature of the 2nd of December:-- M.Bonaparte Louis believes in men's oaths! he believes in the oaths that one takes to him! When M.Rouher takes off his glove, and says, "I swear;" when M.Suin takes off his glove, and says, "I swear;" when M.
Troplong places his hand upon his breast, on that spot where is placed the third button of a senator, and the heart of other men, and says, "I swear," M.Bonaparte feels tears in his eyes; deeply moved, he foots up all these loyalties, and contemplates all these creatures with profound emotion.

He trusts! he believes! Oh, abyss of candour! Really, the innocence of rogues sometimes elicits the wonder of honest men.
One thing, however, must astonish the kindly-disposed observer and vex him a little; that is, the capricious and disproportionate manner in which oaths are paid for, the inequality of the prices that M.
Bonaparte places on this commodity.

For example, M.Vidocq, if he were still chief of police, would receive six thousand francs per annum, M.
Baroche receives eighty thousand.

It follows, then, that the oath of M.
Vidocq would bring him in but 16 francs 66 centimes per day, while the oath of M.Baroche brings him in 222 francs 22 centimes.

This is evidently unjust; why such a difference?
An oath is an oath; an oath consists of a glove removed and six letters.