Page:Curious myths of the Middle Ages (1876).djvu/670



There is one numerical curiosity of a very remarkabll character, which I must not omit.

The ancient Chamber of Deputies, such as it existed ii 1830, was composed of 402 members, and was divided into' two parties. The one, numbering 221 members, declared itself strongly for the revolution of July; the other party, numbering 181, did not favour a change. The result was the constitutional monarchy, which re-established order after the three memorable days of July. The parties were known by the following nicknames. The larger was commonly called La queue de Robespierre^ and the smaller, Les honnetes gens. Now the remarkable fact is, that if we give to the letters of the alphabet their numerical values as they stand in their order, as i for A, 2 for B, 3 for C, and so on to Z, which is valued at 25, and then write vertically on the left hand the words. La queue de Robespierre, with the number equivalent to each letter opposite to it, and on the right hand, in like manner, Les honnetes gens, if each column of numbers be summed up, the result is the number of members wh< formed each party.

I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 i( ABCDEFGHI J K L M N O Pj

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 QRSTUVXYZ