the deputy of arcis-第42章

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l　always　be　found　to　serve　the　interests　of　the　government；　for　　　this　reason　the　police　are　invariably　accused　of　inciting　them。　　　True　resistance；　that　which　I　stand　for；　will　always　be　legal　　　resistance；　pursued　by　legal　means；　by　the　press；　by　the　tribune；　　　and　with　Patiencethat　great　force　granted　to　the　oppressed　and　　　to　the　vanquished。〃

These　words；　you　will　remember；　madame；　were　those　in　which　Sallenauve　answered　his　questioners　at　the　preparatory　meeting。　Then　followed　in　large　letters：

　　THE　RIOT　HAS　BEEN　SUPPRESSED。　WHO　WILL　PROFIT　BY　IT？

That　sheet　of　paper　did　marvels；　it　completely　foiled　the　efforts　of　Monsieur　de　Trailles；　who；　throwing　off　the　mask；　had　spent　his　day　in　perorating；　in　white　gloves；　on　the　market…place　and　from　the　steps　of　the　electoral　college。

This　evening　the　result　is　known；　namely；　two　hundred　and　one　votes　cast：　two　for　Beauvisage；　twenty…nine　for　Simon　Giguet；　one　hundred　and　seventy　for　Sallenauve。

Consequently；　Monsieur　Charles　de　Sallenauve　is　proclaimed　Deputy。




PART　III

MONSIEUR　DE　SALLENAUVE



I

THE　SORROWS　OF　MONSIEUR　DE　TRAILLES

During　the　evening　which　followed　the　election　in　which　he　had　played　a　part　so　humiliating　to　his　vanity；　Maxime　de　Trailles　returned　to　Paris。　It　might　be　supposed　that　in　making；　on　his　arrival；　a　rapid　toilet　and　ordering　his　carriage　to　be　instantly　brought　round；　he　was　hastening　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　Comte　de　Rastignac；　minister　of　Public　Works；　to　whom　he　must　have　desired　to　render　an　account　of　his　mission；　and　explain　as　best　he　could　the　reasons　of　its　ill…success。

But　another　and　more　pressing　interest　seemed　to　claim　him。

〃To　Colonel　Franchessini's；〃　he　said　to　his　coachman。

Arriving　at　the　gate　of　one　of　the　prettiest　hotels　in　the　/quartier/　Breda；　and　nodding　to　the　concierge；　he　received　an　affirmative　sign；　which　meant；　〃Monsieur　is　at　home〃；　and　at　the　same　time　a　valet　appeared　on　the　portico　to　receive　him。

〃Is　the　colonel　visible？〃　he　asked。

〃He　has　just　gone　into　madame's　room。　Does　monsieur　wish　me　to　call　him？〃

〃No；　I'll　wait　for　him　in　the　study。〃

Then；　like　one　familiar　with　the　house；　and　without　waiting　for　the　servant　to　usher　him；　he　entered　a　large　room　on　the　ground…floor；　which　looked　into　a　garden；　and　was　filled　with　a　miscellaneous　collection　of　articles　testifying　to　the　colonel's　habits　and　tastes。　Books；　charts；　and　maps　certainly　justified　the　word　〃study〃；　but；　as　a　frantic　sportsman　and　member　of　the　Jockey　Club；　the　colonel　had　allowed　this　sanctum　of　mental　labor　and　knowledge　to　become；　by　degrees；　his　smoking；　fencing；　and　harness　room。　Pipes　and　weapons　of　all　shapes　and　all　lands；　saddles；　hunting…whips；　spurs；　bits　of　many　patterns；　foils　and　boxing…gloves　formed　a　queer　and　heterogenous　collection。　However；　by　thus　surrounding　his　daily　life　with　the　objects　of　his　favorite　/studies/；　the　colonel　proved　himself　a　man　who　possessed　the　courage　of　his　opinions。　In　fact；　he　openly　said　that；　beyond　a　passing　notice；　there　was　no　reading　worth　a　man's　attention　except　the　〃Stud　Journal。〃

It　is　to　be　supposed；　however；　that　politics　had　managed　in　some　way　to　slip　into　this　existence　devoted　to　muscular　exercise　and　the　hippic　science；　for；　from　a　heap　of　the　morning　journals　disdainfully　flung　upon　the　floor　by　the　worthy　colonel；　Monsieur　de　Trailles　picked　up　a　copy　of　the　legitimist　organ；　in　which　he　read；　under　the　heading　of　ELECTIONS；　the　following　article：

　　The　staff　of　the　National　Guard　and　the　Jockey　Club；　which　had　　　various　representatives　in　the　last　Chamber；　have　just　sent　one　of　　　their　shining　notabilities　to　the　one　about　to　open。　Colonel　　　Franchessini；　so　well　known　for　his　ardor　in　punishing　the　　　refractories　of　the　National　Guard；　has　been　elected　almost　　　unanimously　in　one　of　the　rotten　boroughs　of　the　civil　list。　It　is　　　supposed　that　he　will　take　his　seat　beside　the　phalanx　of　other　　　henchmen；　and　show　himself　in　the　Chamber；　as　he　has　elsewhere；　　　one　of　the　firmest　supporters　of　the　policy　of　the　/present　order　　　of　things/。

As　Maxime　finished　reading　the　article；　the　colonel　entered。

After　serving　the　Empire　for　a　very　short　time；　Colonel　Franchessini　had　become　one　of　the　most　brilliant　colonels　of　the　Restoration；　but　in　consequence　of　certain　mists　which　had　risen　about　the　perfect　honorableness　of　his　character　he　had　found　himself　obliged　to　send　in　his　resignation；　so　that　in　1830　he　was　fully　prepared　to　devote　himself　in　the　most　ardent　manner　to　the　dynasty　of　July。　He　did　not　re…enter　military　service；　because；　shortly　after　his　misadventure　he　had　met　with　an　Englishwoman；　enormously　rich；　who　being　taken　with　his　beauty；　worthy　at　that　time　of　the　Antinous；　had　made　him　her　husband；　and　the　colonel　henceforth　contented　himself　with　the　epaulets　of　the　staff　of　the　National　Guard。　He　became；　in　that　position；　one　of　the　most　exacting　and　turbulent　of　blusterers；　and　through　the　influence　of　that　quality　combined　with　the　fortune　his　wife　had　given　him；　he　had　just　been　elected；　as　the　paper　stated；　to　the　Chamber　of　deputies。　Approaching　the　fifties；　like　his　friend　de　Trailles；　Colonel　Franchessini　had　still　some　pretensions　to　the　after…glow　of　youth；　which　his　slim　figure　and　agile　military　bearing　seemed　likely　to　preserve　to　him　for　some　time　longer。　Although　he　had　conquered　the　difficulty　of　his　gray　hair；　reducing　its　silvery　reflections　by　keeping　it　cut　very　close；　he　was　less　resigned　to　the　scantiness　of　his　moustache；　which　he　wore　in　youthful　style；　twirled　to　a　sharp　point　by　means　of　a　Hungarian　cosmetic；　which　also　preserved　to　a　certain　degree　its　primitive　color。　But　whoso　wants　to　prove　too　much　proves　nothing；　and　in　the　black　which　the　colonel　used　there　was　noticeably　a　raw　tone；　and　an　equality　of　shade　too　perfect　for　truth　of　nature。　Hence　his　countenance；　swarthy　and　strongly　marked　with　the　Italian　origin　indicated　by　his　name；　had　an　expression　of　singular　rigidity；　to　which　his　features；　now　become　angular；　his　piercing　glance；　and　his　nose　like　the　beak　of　a　bird　of　prey；　did　not　afford　the　requisite　corrective。

〃Hey；　Maxime！〃　he　cried；　shaking　hands　with　his　visitor；　〃where　the　devil　do　you　come　from？　It　is　more　than　a　fortnight　since　I　have　seen　you　at　the　club。〃

〃Where　do　I　come　from？〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Trailles。　〃I'll　tell　you　presently；　but　first　let　me　congratulate　you　on　your　election。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　colonel；　with　apparent　indifference；　〃/they/　would　put　me　up；　but　I　assure　you；　upon　my　honor；　I　was　very　innocent　of　it　all；　and　if　no　one　had　done　more　than　I〃

〃But；　my　dear　fellow；　you　are　a　blessed　choice　for　that　arrondissement；　I　only　wish　that　the　electors　I　have　had　to　do　with　were　equally　intelligent。〃

〃What！　have　you　been　standing　for　election？　I　didn't　suppose；　taking　into　consideration　therather　troubled　state　of　your　finances；　that　you　could　manage　it。〃

〃True；　and　I　was　not　electioneering　on　my　own　account。　Rastignac　was　uneasy　about　the　arrondissement　of　Arcis…sur…Aube；　and　he　asked　me　to　go　down　there　for　a　few　days。〃

〃Arcis…sur…Aube？　Seems　to　me　I　read　an　article　about　that　this　morning　in　one　of　those　cabbage…leaves。　Horrid　choice；　isn't　it？some　plasterer　or　image…maker　they　propose　to　send　us？〃

〃Precisely；　and　it　is　about　that　very　thing　I　have　come　to　see　you　before　I　see　the　others。　I　have　just　arrived；　and　I　don't　want　to　go　to　Rastignac　until　after　I　have　talked　with　you。〃

〃How　is　he　getting　on；　that　little　minister？〃　said　the　colonel；　taking　no　notice　of　the　clever　steps　by　which　Maxime　was　gravitating　toward　the　object　of　his　visit。　〃They　seem　to　be　satisfied　with　him　at　the　palace。　Do　you　know　that　little　Nucingen　whom　he　married？〃

〃Yes；　I　often　see　Rastignac；　he　is　a　very　old　acquaintance　of　mine。〃

〃She　is　pretty；　that　little　thing；〃　continued　the　colonel；　〃very　pretty；　and　I　think；　the　first　year　of　marriage　well　buried；　one　might　risk　one's　self　in　that　direction　with　some　success。〃

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Maxime；　〃you　are　a　serious　man　now；　a　legislator！　As　for　me；　the　mere　meddling　in　electoral　matters　in　the　interests　of　other　people　has　sobered　me。〃

〃Did　you　say　you　went　to　Arcis…sur…Aube　to　hinder　the　election　of　that　stone…cutter？〃

〃Not　at　all；　I　went　there　to　throw　myself　in　the　way　of　the　election　of　a　Left…centre　candidate。〃

〃Pah！　the　Left；　pure　and　simple；　is　hardly　worse。　But　take　a　cigar；　these　are　excellent。　The　princes　smoke　them。〃

The　colonel　rose　and　rang　the　bell；　saying　to　the　servant　when　he　came；　〃A　light！〃

The　cigars　lighted；　Monsieur　de　Trailles　endeavored　to　prevent　another　interruption　by　declaring　before　he　was　questioned　that　he　had　never　smoked　anything　more　exquisite。　Comfortably　ensconced　in　his　arm…　chair；　the　colonel　seemed　to　offer　the　hope　of　a　less　fugacious　attention；　and　Monsieur　de　Trailles　resumed：

〃All　went　well　at　first。　To　crush　the　candidate　the　ministry　wanted　to　be　rid　of；a　lawyer；　and　the　worst　sort　of　cad；I　unearthed　a　stocking…maker；　a　fearful　fool；　whom　I　persuaded　to　offer　himself　as　candidate。　The　worthy　man　was　convinced　that　he　belonged　to　the　dynastic　opposition。　That　is　the　opinion　which；　for　the　time　being；　prevails　in　that　region。　The　election；　thanks　to　me；　was　as　good　as　made；　and；　our　man　once　in　Paris；　the　great　Seducer　in　the　Tuileries　had　only　to　say　five　words　to　him；　and　this　dynastic　opposer　could　have　been　turned　inside　out　like　one　of　this　own　stockings；　and　made　to　do　whatever　was　wanted　of　him。〃

〃Pretty　well　played　that！〃　said　the　colonel。　〃I　recognize　my　Maxime。〃

〃You　will　recognize　him　still　farther　when　he　tells　you　that　he　was　able；　without　recourse　to　perquisites；　to　make　his　own　little　profit　out　of　the　affair。　In　order　to　graft　a　little　parliamentary　ambition　upon　my　vegetable；　I　addressed　myself　to　his　wife；a　rather　appetizing　provincial；　though　past　her　prime。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　see；　very　good！〃　said　Franchessini；　〃husband　made　deputy　satisfiedshut　his　mouth。〃

〃You　are　all　wrong；　my　dear　fellow；　the　pair　have　an　only　daughter；　a　spoilt　child；　nineteen　years　old；　very　agreeable　face；　and　something　like　a　million　in　her　pocket。〃

〃But；　my　dear　Maxime；　I　passed　your　tailor's　house　last　night；　and　it　was　not　illuminated。〃

〃No；　that　would　have　been　premature。　However；　here　was　the　situation：　two　women　frantic　to　get　to　Paris；　gratitude　to　the　skies　for　the　man　who　would　get　them　an　introduction　to　the　Palais…Bourbon；　the　little　one　crazy　for　the　title　of　countess；　the　mother　transported　at　the　idea；　carefully　insinuated　by　me；　of　holding　a　political　salon；you　must　see　all　that　such　a　situation　offers；　and　you　know　me　too　well；　I　fancy；　to　suppose　that　I　should　fall　below　any　of　its　opportunities。〃

〃Quite　easy　in　mind　as　to　that；〃　said　the　colonel；　getting　up　to　open　a　window　and　let　out　the　smoke　of　their　two　cigars。

〃I　was　on　the　point；〃　continued　Maxime；　〃of　pocketing　both　daughter　and　/dot/；　when　there　fell　from　the　skies；　or　rather　there　rose　from　the　nether　regions；　a　Left　candidate；　the　stone…cutter；　as　you　call　him；　a　man　with　two　names；in　short；　a　natural　son〃

〃Ha！〃　said　the　colonel；　〃those　fellows　do　have　lucky　stars；　to　be　sure。　I　am　not　surprised　if　one　of　them　mowed　the　grass　from　under　your　fee