bureaucracy-第12章

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his　wife's　wishes。　At　this　particular　moment；　while　he　talked

confidentially　with　a　supernumerary　of　his　office　who　was　destined；

later；　to　play　an　unconscious　part　in　a　political　intrigue　resulting

from　the　death　of　La　Billardiere；　he　watched；　though　half…

abstractedly；　his　wife　and　des　Lupeaulx。



Here　we　must　explain；　as　much　for　foreigners　as　for　our　own

grandchildren；　what　a　supernumerary　in　a　government　office　in　Paris

means。



The　supernumerary　is　to　the　administration　what　a　choir…boy　is　to　a

church；　what　the　company's　child　is　to　the　regiment；　what　the

figurante　is　to　a　theatre；　something　artless；　naive；　innocent；　a　being

blinded　by　illusions。　Without　illusions　what　would　become　of　any　of

us？　They　give　strength　to　bear　the　res　angusta　domi　of　arts　and　the

beginnings　of　all　science　by　inspiring　us　with　faith。　Illusion　is

illimitable　faith。　Now　the　supernumerary　has　faith　in　the

administration；　he　never　thinks　it　cold；　cruel；　and　hard；　as　it　really

is。　There　are　two　kinds　of　supernumeraries；　or　hangers…on；one　poor；

the　other　rich。　The　poor　one　is　rich　in　hope　and　wants　a　place；　the

rich　one　is　poor　in　spirit　and　wants　nothing。　A　wealthy　family　is　not

so　foolish　as　to　put　its　able　men　into　the　administration。　It　confides

an　unfledged　scion　to　some　head…clerk；　or　gives　him　in　charge　of　a

directory　who　initiates　him　into　what　Bilboquet；　that　profound

philosopher；　called　the　high　comedy　of　government；　he　is　spared　all

the　horrors　of　drudgery　and　is　finally　appointed　to　some　important

office。　The　rich　supernumerary　never　alarms　the　other　clerks；　they

know　he　does　not　endanger　their　interests；　for　he　seeks　only　the

highest　posts　in　the　administration。　About　the　period　of　which　we

write　many　families　were　saying　to　themselves：　〃What　can　we　do　with

our　sons？〃　The　army　no　longer　offered　a　chance　for　fortune。　Special

careers；　such　as　civil　and　military　engineering；　the　navy；　mining；　and

the　professorial　chair　were　all　fenced　about　by　strict　regulations　or

to　be　obtained　only　by　competition；　whereas　in　the　civil　service　the

revolving　wheel　which　turned　clerks　into　prefects；　sub…prefects；

assessors；　and　collectors；　like　the　figures　in　a　magic　lantern；　was

subjected　to　no　such　rules　and　entailed　no　drudgery。　Through　this　easy

gap　emerged　into　life　the　rich　supernumeraries　who　drove　their

tilburys；　dressed　well；　and　wore　moustachios；　all　of　them　as　impudent

as　parvenus。　Journalists　were　apt　to　persecute　the　tribe；　who　were

cousins；　nephews；　brothers；　or　other　relatives　of　some　minister；　some

deputy；　or　an　influential　peer。　The　humbler　clerks　regarded　them　as　a

means　of　influence。



The　poor　supernumerary；　on　the　other　hand；　who　is　the　only　real

worker；　is　almost　always　the　son　of　some　former　clerk's　widow；　who

lives　on　a　meagre　pension　and　sacrifices　herself　to　support　her　son

until　he　can　get　a　place　as　copying…clerk；　and　then　dies　leaving　him

no　nearer　the　head　of　his　department　than　writer　of　deeds；　order…

clerks；　or；　possibly；　under…head…clerk。　Living　always　in　some　locality

where　rents　are　low；　this　humble　supernumerary　starts　early　from　home。

For　him　the　Eastern　question　relates　only　to　the　morning　skies。　To　go

on　foot　and　not　get　muddied；　to　save　his　clothes；　and　allow　for　the

time　he　may　lose　in　standing　under　shelter　during　a　shower；　are　the

preoccupations　of　his　mind。　The　street　pavements；　the　flaggings　of　the

quays　and　the　boulevards；　when　first　laid　down；　were　a　boon　to　him。

If；　for　some　extraordinary　reason；　you　happen　to　be　in　the　streets　of

Paris　at　half…past　seven　or　eight　o'clock　of　a　winter's　morning；　and

see　through　piercing　cold　or　fog　or　rain　a　timid；　pale　young　man　loom

up；　cigarless；　take　notice　of　his　pockets。　You　will　be　sure　to　see　the

outline　of　a　roll　which　his　mother　has　given　him　to　stay　his　stomach

between　breakfast　and　dinner。　The　guilelessness　of　the　supernumerary

does　not　last　long。　A　youth　enlightened　by　gleams　by　Parisian　life

soon　measures　the　frightful　distance　that　separates　him　from　the　head…

clerkship；　a　distance　which　no　mathematician；　neither　Archimedes；　nor

Leibnitz；　nor　Laplace　has　ever　reckoned；　the　distance　that　exists

between　0　and　the　figure　1。　He　begins　to　perceive　the　impossibilities

of　his　career；　he　hears　talk　of　favoritism；　he　discovers　the　intrigues

of　officials：　he　sees　the　questionable　means　by　which　his　superiors

have　pushed　their　way；one　has　married　a　young　woman　who　made　a　false

step；　another；　the　natural　daughter　of　a　minister；　this　one　shouldered

the　responsibility　of　another's　fault；　that　one；　full　of　talent；　risks

his　health　in　doing；　with　the　perseverance　of　a　mole；　prodigies　of

work　which　the　man　of　influence　feels　incapable　of　doing　for　himself；

though　he　takes　the　credit。　Everything　is　known　in　a　government

office。　The　incapable　man　has　a　wife　with　a　clear　head；　who　has　pushed

him　along　and　got　him　nominated　for　deputy；　if　he　has　not　talent

enough　for　an　office；　he　cabals　in　the　Chamber。　The　wife　of　another

has　a　statesman　at　her　feet。　A　third　is　the　hidden　informant　of　a

powerful　journalist。　Often　the　disgusted　and　hopeless　supernumerary

sends　in　his　resignation。　About　three　fourths　of　his　class　leave　the

government　employ　without　ever　obtaining　an　appointment；　and　their

number　is　winnowed　down　to　either　those　young　men　who　are　foolish　or

obstinate　enough　to　say　to　themselves；　〃I　have　been　here　three　years；

and　I　must　end　sooner　or　later　by　getting　a　place；〃　or　to　those　who

are　conscious　of　a　vocation　for　the　work。　Undoubtedly　the　position　of

supernumerary　in　a　government　office　is　precisely　what　the　novitiate

is　in　a　religious　order；a　trial。　It　is　a　rough　trial。　The　State

discovers　how　many　of　them　can　bear　hunger；　thirst；　and　penury　without

breaking　down；　how　many　can　toil　without　revolting　against　it；　it

learns　which　temperaments　can　bear　up　under　the　horrible　experience

or　if　you　like；　the　diseaseof　government　official　life。　From　this

point　of　view　the　apprenticeship　of　the　supernumerary；　instead　of

being　an　infamous　device　of　the　government　to　obtain　labor　gratis；

becomes　a　useful　institution。



The　young　man　with　whom　Rabourdin　was　talking　was　a　poor　supernumerary

named　Sebastien　de　la　Roche；　who　had　picked　his　way　on　the　points　of

his　toes；　without　incurring　the　least　splash　upon　his　boots；　from　the

rue　du　Roi…Dore　in　the　Marais。　He　talked　of　his　mamma；　and　dared　not

raise　his　eyes　to　Madame　Rabourdin；　whose　house　appeared　to　him　as

gorgeous　as　the　Louvre。　He　was　careful　to　show　his　gloves；　well

cleaned　with　india…rubber；　as　little　as　he　could。　His　poor　mother　had

put　five　francs　in　his　pocket　in　case　it　became　absolutely　necessary

that　he　should　play　cards；　but　she　enjoined　him　to　take　nothing；　to

remain　standing；　and　to　be　very　careful　not　to　knock　over　a　lamp　or

the　bric…a…brac　from　an　etagere。　His　dress　was　all　of　the　strictest

black。　His　fair　face；　his　eyes；　of　a　fine　shade　of　green　with　golden

reflections；　were　in　keeping　with　a　handsome　head　of　auburn　hair。　The

poor　lad　looked　furtively　at　Madame　Rabourdin；　whispering　to　himself；

〃How　beautiful！〃　and　was　likely　to　dream　of　that　fairy　when　he　went　to

bed。



Rabourdin　had　noted　a　vocation　for　his　work　in　the　lad；　and　as　he

himself　took　the　whole　service　seriously；　he　felt　a　lively　interest　in

him。　He　guessed　the　poverty　of　his　mother's　home；　kept　together　on　a

widow's　pension　of　seven　hundred　francs　a　yearfor　the　education　of

the　son；　who　was　just　out　of　college；　had　absorbed　all　her　savings。　He

therefore　treated　the　youth　almost　paternally；　often　endeavoured　to

get　him　some　fee　from　the　Council；　or　paid　it　from　his　own　pocket。　He

overwhelmed　Sebastien　with　work；　trained　him；　and　allowed　him　to　do

the　work　of　du　Bruel's　place；　for　which　that　vaudevillist；　otherwise

known　as　Cursy；　paid　him　three　hundred　francs　out　of　his　salary。　In

the　minds　of　Madame　de　la　Roche　and　her　son；　Rabourdin　was　at　once　a

great　man；　a　tyrant；　and　an　angel。　On　him　all　the　poor　fellow's　hopes

of　getting　an　appointment　depended；　and　the　lad's　devotion　to　his

chief　was　boundless。　He　dined　once　a　fortnight　in　the　rue　Duphot；　but

always　at　a　family　dinner；　invited　by　Rabourdin　himself；　Madame　asked

him　to　evening　parties　only　when　she　wanted　partners。



At　that　moment　Rabourdin　was　scolding　poor　Sebastien；　the　only　human

being　who　was　in　the　secret　of　his　immense　labors。　The　youth　copied

and　recopied　the　famous　〃statement；〃　written　on　a　hundred　and　fifty

folio　sheets；　besides　the　corroborative　documents；　and　the　summing　up

（contained　in　one　page）；　with　the　estimates　bracketed；　the　captions　in

a　running　hand；　and　the　sub…titles　in　a　round　one。　Full　of　enthusiasm；

in　spite　of　his　merely　mechanical　participation　in　the　great　idea；　the

lad　of　twenty　would　rewrite　whole　pages　for　a　single　blot；　and　made　it

his　glory　to　touch　up　the　writing；　regarding　it　as　the　element　of　a

noble　undertaking。　Sebastien　had　that　afternoon　committed　the　great

imprudence　of　carrying　into　the　general　office；　for　the　purpose　of

copying；　a　paper　which　contained　the　most　dangerous　facts　to　make

known　prematurely；　namely；　a　memorandum　relating　to　the　officials　in

the　central　offices　of　all　ministries；　with　facts　concerning　their

fortunes；　actual　and　prospective；　together　with　the　individual

enterprises　of　each　outside　of　his　government　employment。



All　government　clerks　in　Paris　who　are　not　endowed；　like　Rabourdin；

with　patriotic　ambition　or　other　marked　capacity；　usually　add　the

profits　of　some　industry　to　the　salary　of　their　office；　in　order　to

eke　out　a　living。　A　number　do　as　Monsieur　Saillard　did；put　their

money　into　a　business　carried　on　by　others；　and　spend　their　evenings

in　keeping　the　books　of　their　associates。　Many　clerks　are　married　to

milliners；　licensed　tobacco　dealers；　women　who　have　charge　of　the

public　lotteries　or　reading…rooms。　Some；　like　the　husband　of　Madame

Colleville；　Celestine's　rival；　play　in　the　orchestra　of　a　theatre；

others　like　du　Bruel；　write　vaudeville；　comic　operas；　melodramas；　or

act　as　prompters　behind　the　scenes。　We　may　mention　among　them　Messrs。

Planard；　Sewrin；　etc。　Pigault…Lebrun；　Piis；　Duvicquet；　in　their　day；

were　in　government　employ。　Monsieur　Scribe's　head…librarian　was　a

clerk　in　the　Treasury。



Besides　such　information　as　this；　Rabourdin's　memorandum　contained　an

inquiry　into　the　moral　and　physical　capacities　and　faculties　necessary

in　those　who　were　to　examine　the　intelligence；　aptitude　for　labor；　and

sound　health　of　the　applicants　for　government　service；three

indispensable　qualities　in　men　who　are　to　bear　the　burden　of　public

affairs　and　should　do　their　business　well　and　quickly。　But　this

careful　study；　the　result　of　ten　years'　observation　and　experience；

and　of　a　long　acquaintance　with　men　and　things　obtained　by　intercourse

with　the　various　functionaries　in　the　different　ministries；　would

assuredly　have；　to　those　who　did　not　see　its　purport