the deputy of arcis-第17章

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of　certain　niggardly　coffers；　that　sort　of　half…pay　to　a　daring　man　kept　for　use　at　any　moment　and　possessing　many　secrets　of　the　art　of　diplomacy；　was　insufficient　for　the　dissipations　of　a　life　as　splendid　as　that　of　the　king　of　dandies；　the　tyrant　of　several　Parisian　clubs。　Consequently　Comte　Maxime　was　often　uneasy　about　matters　financial。　Possessing　no　property；　he　had　never　been　able　to　consolidate　his　position　by　being　made　a　deputy；　also；　having　no　ostensible　functions；　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　hold　a　knife　at　the　throat　of　any　minister　to　compel　his　nomination　as　peer　of　France。　At　the　present　moment　he　saw　that　Time　was　getting　the　better　of　him；　for　his　lavish　dissipations　were　beginning　to　wear　upon　his　person；　as　they　had　already　worn　out　his　divers　fortunes。　In　spite　of　his　splendid　exterior；　he　knew　himself；　and　could　not　be　deceived　about　that　self。　He　intended　to　〃make　an　end〃to　marry。

A　man　of　acute　mind；　he　was　under　no　illusion　as　to　the　apparent　consideration　in　which　he　was　held；　he　well　knew　it　was　false。　No　women　were　truly　on　his　side；　either　in　the　great　world　of　Paris　or　among　the　bourgeoisie。　Much　secret　malignity；　much　apparent　good…　humor；　and　many　services　rendered　were　necessary　to　maintain　him　in　his　present　position；　for　every　one　desired　his　fall；　and　a　run　of　ill…luck　might　at　any　time　ruin　him。　Once　sent　to　Clichy　or　forced　to　leave　the　country　by　notes　no　longer　renewable；　he　would　sink　into　the　gulf　where　so　many　political　carcasses　may　be　seen；carcasses　of　men　who　find　no　consolation　in　one　another's　company。　Even　this　very　evening　he　was　in　dread　of　a　collapse　of　that　threatening　arch　which　debt　erects　over　the　head　of　many　a　Parisian。　He　had　allowed　his　anxieties　to　appear　upon　his　face；　he　had　refused　to　play　cards　at　Madame　d'Espard's；　he　had　talked　with　the　women　in　an　absent…minded　manner；　and　finally　he　had　sunk　down　silent　and　absorbed　in　the　arm…　chair　from　which　he　had　just　risen　like　Banquo's　ghost。

Comte　Maxime　de　Trailles　now　found　himself　the　object　of　all　glances；　direct　and　indirect；　standing　as　he　did　before　the　fireplace　and　illumined　by　the　cross…lights　of　two　candelabra。　The　few　words　said　about　him　compelled　him；　in　a　way；　to　bear　himself　proudly；　and　he　did　so；　like　a　man　of　sense；　without　arrogance；　and　yet　with　the　intention　of　showing　himself　to　be　above　suspicion。　A　painter　could　scarcely　have　found　a　better　moment　in　which　to　seize　the　portrait　of　a　man　who；　in　his　way；　was　truly　extraordinary。　Does　it　not　require　rare　faculties　to　play　such　a　part；to　enable　one　through　thirty　years　to　seduce　women；　to　constrain　one　to　employ　great　gifts　in　an　underhand　sphere　only；inciting　a　people　to　rebel；　tracking　the　secrets　of　austere　politicians；　and　triumphing　nowhere　but　in　boudoirs　and　on　the　back…stairs　of　cabinets？

Is　there　not　something；　difficult　to　say　what；　of　greatness　in　being　able　to　rise　to　the　highest　calculations　of　statesmen　and　then　to　fall　coldly　back　into　the　void　of　a　frivolous　life？　Where　is　the　man　of　iron　who　can　withstand　the　alternating　luck　of　gambling；　the　rapid　missions　of　diplomacy；　the　warfare　of　fashion　and　society；　the　dissipations　of　gallantry；the　man　who　makes　his　memory　a　library　of　lies　and　craft；　who　envelops　such　diverse　thoughts；　such　conflicting　manoeuvres；　in　one　impenetrable　cloak　of　perfect　manners？　If　the　wind　of　favor　had　blown　steadily　upon　those　sails　forever　set；　if　the　luck　of　circumstances　had　attended　Maxime；　he　could　have　been　Mazarin；　the　Marechal　de　Richelieu；　Potemkin；　orperhaps　more　trulyLauzun；　without　Pignerol。

The　count；　though　rather　tall　and　constitutionally　slender；　had　of　late　acquired　some　protuberance　of　stomach；　but　he　〃restrained　it　to　the　majestic；〃　as　Brillat…Savarin　once　said。　His　clothes　were　always　so　well　made；　that　he　kept　about　his　whole　person　an　air　of　youth；　something　active　and　agile；　due　no　doubt　to　his　habits　of　exercise；　fencing；　riding；　and　hunting。　Maxime　possessed　all　the　physical　graces　and　elegances　of　aristocracy；　still　further　increased　by　his　personally　superior　bearing。　His　long；　Bourbonine　face　was　framed　by　whiskers　and　a　beard；　carefully　kept；　elegantly　cut；　and　black　as　jet。　This　color；　the　same　as　that　of　his　abundant　hair；　he　now　obtained　by　an　Indian　cosmetic；　very　costly　and　used　in　Persia；　the　secret　of　which　he　kept　to　himself。　He　deceived　the　most　practised　eye　as　to　the　white　threads　which　for　some　time　past　had　invaded　his　hair。　The　remarkable　property　of　this　dye；　used　by　Persians　for　their　beards　only；　is　that　it　does　not　render　the　features　hard；　it　can　be　shaded　by　indigo　to　harmonize　well　with　the　individual　character　of　the　skin。　It　was　this　operation　that　Madame　Mollot　may　have　seen；though　people　in　Arcis；　by　way　of　a　jest；　still　ask　themselves　what　it　was　that　Madame　Mollot　saw。

Maxime　had　a　very　handsome　forehead；　blue　eyes；　a　Greek　nose；　a　pleasant　mouth；　and　a　well…cut　chin；　but　the　circle　of　his　eyes　was　now　marked　with　numberless　lines；　so　fine　that　they　might　have　been　traced　by　a　razor　and　not　visible　at　a　little　distance。　His　temples　had　similar　lines。　The　face　was　also　slightly　wrinkled。　His　eyes；　like　those　of　gamblers　who　have　sat　up　innumerable　nights；　were　covered　with　a　glaze；　but　the　glance；　though　it　was　thus　weakened；　was　none　the　less　terrible；in　fact；　it　terrified；　a　hidden　heat　was　felt　beneath　it；　a　lava　of　passions　not　yet　extinct。　The　mouth；　once　so　fresh　and　rosy；　now　had　colder　tints；　it　was　straight　no　longer；　but　inclined　to　the　right；a　sinuosity　that　seemed　to　indicate　falsehood。　Vice　had　twisted　the　lips；　but　the　teeth　were　white　and　handsome。

These　blemishes　disappeared　on　a　general　view　of　his　face　and　person。　His　figure　was　so　attractive　that　no　young　man　could　compete　with　Maxime　when　on　horseback　in　the　Bois；　where　he　seemed　younger　and　more　graceful　than　the　youngest　and　most　graceful　among　them。　The　privilege　of　eternal　youth　has　been　possessed　by　several　men　in　our　day。

The　count　was　all　the　more　dangerous　because　he　seemed　to　be　easy　and　indolent；　never　showing　the　iron　determination　which　he　had　about　all　things。　This　apparent　indifference；　which　enabled　him　to　abet　a　popular　sedition　for　the　purpose　of　strengthening　the　authority　of　a　prince　with　as　much　ability　as　he　would　have　bestowed　upon　a　court　intrigue；　had　a　certain　grace。　People　never　distrust　calmness　and　uniformity　of　manner；　especially　in　France；　where　we　are　accustomed　to　a　great　deal　of　movement　and　stir　about　the　smallest　things。

The　count；　who　was　dressed　in　the　fashion　of　1839；　wore　a　black　coat；　a　cashmere　waistcoat　of　dark　blue　embroidered　with　tiny　flowers　of　a　lighter　blue；　black　trousers；　gray　silk　stockings；　and　varnished　leather　shoes。　His　watch；　placed　in　one　of　his　waistcoat　pockets；　was　fastened　by　an　elegant　chain　to　a　button…hole。

〃Rastignac；〃　he　said；　accepting　the　cup　of　tea　which　the　pretty　Madame　de　Rastignac　offered　him；　〃will　you　come　with　me　to　the　Austrian　ambassador's？〃

〃My　dear　fellow；　I　am　too　recently　married　not　to　go　home　with　my　wife。〃

〃That　means　that　/later/〃　said　the　young　countess；　turning　round　and　looking　at　her　husband。

〃Later　is　the　end　of　the　world；〃　replied　Maxime。　〃But　I　shall　certainly　win　my　cause　if　I　take　Madame　for　a　judge。〃

With　a　charming　gesture；　the　count　invited　the　pretty　countess　to　come　nearer　to　him。　After　listening　a　few　moments　and　looking　at　her　mother；　she　said　to　Rastignac：

〃If　you　want　to　go　to　the　embassy　with　Monsieur　de　Trailles；　mamma　will　take　me　home。〃

A　few　moments　later　the　Baronne　de　Nucingen　and　the　Comtesse　de　Rastignac　went　away　together。　Maxime　and　Rastignac　followed　a　little　later；　and　when　they　were　both　seated　in　the　count's　carriage；　the　latter　said：

〃What　do　you　want　of　me；　Maxime？　Why　do　you　take　me　by　the　throat　in　this　way？　What　did　you　say　to　my　wife？〃

〃I　told　her　I　had　something　to　say　to　you。　You　are　a　lucky　fellow；　you　are！　You　have　ended　by　marrying　the　only　heiress　of　the　Nucingen　millionsafter　twenty　years　at　hard　labor。〃

〃Maxime！〃

〃But　I！　here　am　I；　exposed　to　the　doubts　of　everybody。　A　miserable　coward　like　du　Tillet　dares　to　ask　if　I　have　the　courage　to　kill　myself！　It　is　high　time　for　me　to　settle　down。　Does　the　ministry　want　to　get　rid　of　me；　or　does　it　not？　You　ought　to　know。　At　any　rate；　you　must　find　out；〃　continued　Maxime；　making　a　gesture　with　his　hand　to　silence　Rastignac。　〃Here　is　my　plan：　listen　to　it。　You　ought　to　serve　me；　for　I　have　served　you；　and　can　serve　you　again。　The　life　I　live　now　is　intolerable；　I　want　an　escape　from　it。　Help　me　to　a　marriage　which　shall　bring　me　half　a　million。　Once　married；　appoint　me　minister　to　some　wretched　little　republic　in　America。　I'll　stay　there　long　enough　to　make　my　promotion　to　the　same　post　in　Germany　legitimate。　If　I　am　worth　anything；　they　will　soon　take　me　out　of　it；　if　I　am　not　worth　anything；　they　can　dismiss　me。　Perhaps　I　may　have　a　child。　If　so；　I　shall　be　stern　with　him；　his　mother　will　be　rich；　I'll　make　him　a　minister；　perhaps　an　ambassador。〃

〃Here　is　my　answer；〃　said　Rastignac。　〃An　incessant　battle　is　going　on　greater　than　common　people　who　are　not　in　it　have　any　idea　of　between　power　in　its　swaddling…clothes　and　power　in　its　childhood。　Power　in　swaddling…clothes　is　the　Chamber　of　Deputies　which；　not　being　restrained　by　an　hereditary　chamber〃

〃Ha！　ha！〃　said　Maxime；　〃you　are　now　a　peer　of　France。〃

〃I　should　say　the　same　if　I　were　not；〃　said　the　new　peer。　〃But　don't　interrupt　me；　you　are　concerned　in　all　this。　The　Chamber　of　Deputies　is　fated　to　become　the　whole　government；　as　de　Marsay　used　to　tell　us　（the　only　man　by　whom　France　could　have　been　saved）；　for　peoples　don't　die；　they　are　slaves　or　free　men；　and　that's　all。　Child…power　is　the　royalty　that　was　crowned　in　August；　1830。　The　present　ministry　is　beaten；　it　dissolves　the　Chamber　and　brings　on　a　general　election　in　order　to　prevent　the　coming　ministry　from　calling　one；　but　it　does　not　expect　a　victory。　If　it　were　victorious　in　these　elections；　the　dynasty　would　be　in　danger；　whereas；　if　the　ministry　is　beaten；　the　dynastic　party　can　fight　to　advantage　for　a　long　time。　The　mistakes　of　the　Chamber　will　turn　to　the　profit　of　a　will　which　wants；　unfortunately；　to　be　the　whole　political　power。　When　a　ruler　is　that　whole；　as　Napoleon　was；　there　comes　a　moment　when　he　must　supplement　himself；　and　having　by　that　time　alienated　superior　men；　he；　the　great　single　will；　can　find　no　assistant。　That　assistant　ought　to　be　what　is　called　a　cabinet；　but　there　is　no　cabinet　in　France；　there　is　only　a　Will　with　a　life　lease。　In　France　it　is　the　government　that　is　blamed；　the　opposition　never；　it　may　lose　as　many　battles　as　it　fights；　but；　like　the　allies　in　1814；　one　victory　suffices。　With　〃three　glorious　days〃　it　overturned　and　destroyed　everything。　Therefore；　if　we　are　heirs　of　power；　we　must　cease　to　govern；　and　wait。　I　belong　by　my　personal　opinions　to　the　aristocracy；　and　by　my　public　opinions　to　the　royalty　of　July。　The　house　of　Orleans　served　me　to　raise　the　fortunes　of　my　family；　and　I　shall　ever　remain　attached　to　it。〃

〃The　'ever'　of　Monsieur　de　Talleyrand；　be　it　understood；〃　put　in　Maxime。

〃At　this　moment　I　can't　do　anything　for　you；〃　continued　Rastignac。　〃We　shall　not　be　in　power　more　than　six　months　l