bureaucracy-第26章

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anything　for　your　advancement。〃



〃Are　you　making　fun　of　us；　monsieur？〃　asked　Saillard；　staring　at　him

stupidly。



〃Far　be　it　from　me　to　do　that；〃　said　Dutocq。　〃I　have　just　come　from

the　printing…office　of　the　ministerial　journal　（where　I　carried　from

the　general…secretary　an　obituary　notice　of　Monsieur　de　la

Billardiere）；　and　I　there　read　an　article　which　will　appear　to…night

about　you；　which　has　given　me　the　highest　opinion　of　your　character

and　talents。　If　it　is　necessary　to　crush　Rabourdin；　I'm　in　a　position

to　give　him　the　final　blow；　please　to　remember　that。〃



Dutocq　disappeared。



〃May　I　be　shot　if　I　understand　a　single　word　of　it；〃　said　Saillard；

looking　at　Baudoyer；　whose　little　eyes　were　expressive　of　stupid

bewilderment。　〃I　must　buy　the　newspaper　to…night。〃



When　the　two　reached　home　and　entered　the　salon　on　the　ground…floor；

they　found　a　large　fire　lighted；　and　Madame　Saillard；　Elisabeth；

Monsieur　Gaudron　and　the　curate　of　Saint…Paul's　sitting　by　it。　The

curate　turned　at　once　to　Monsieur　Baudoyer；　to　whom　Elisabeth　made　a

sign　which　he　failed　to　understand。



〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　curate；　〃I　have　lost　no　time　in　coming　in　person

to　thank　you　for　the　magnificent　gift　with　which　you　have　adorned　my

poor　church。　I　dared　not　run　in　debt　to　buy　that　beautiful　monstrance；

worthy　of　a　cathedral。　You；　who　are　one　of　our　most　pious　and　faithful

parishioners；　must　have　keenly　felt　the　bareness　of　the　high　altar。　I

am　on　my　way　to　see　Monseigneur　the　coadjutor；　and　he　will；　I　am　sure；

send　you　his　own　thanks　later。〃



〃I　have　done　nothing　as　yet〃　began　Baudoyer。



〃Monsieur　le　cure；〃　interposed　his　wife；　cutting　him　short。　〃I　see　I

am　forced　to　betray　the　whole　secret。　Monsieur　Baudoyer　hopes　to

complete　the　gift　by　sending　you　a　dais　for　the　coming　Fete…Dieu。　But

the　purchase　must　depend　on　the　state　of　our　finances；　and　our

finances　depend　on　my　husband's　promotion。〃



〃God　will　reward　those　who　honor　him；〃　said　Monsieur　Gaudron；

preparing；　with　the　curate；　to　take　leave。



〃But　will　you　not；〃　said　Saillard　to　the　two　ecclesiastics；　〃do　us　the

honor　to　take　pot　luck　with　us？〃



〃You　can　stay；　my　dear　vicar；〃　said　the　curate　to　Gaudron；　〃you　know　I

am　engaged　to　dine　with　the　curate　of　Saint…Roch；　who；　by　the　bye；　is

to　bury　Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere　to…morrow。〃



〃Monsieur　le　cure　de　Saint…Roch　might　say　a　word　for　us；〃　began

Baudoyer。　His　wife　pulled　the　skirt　of　his　coat　violently。



〃Do　hold　your　tongue；　Baudoyer；〃　she　said；　leading　him　aside　and

whispering　in　his　ear。　〃You　have　given　a　monstrance　to　the　church；

that　cost　five　thousand　francs。　I'll　explain　it　all　later。〃



The　miserly　Baudoyer　make　a　sulky　grimace；　and　continued　gloomy　and

cross　for　the　rest　of　the　day。



〃What　did　you　busy　yourself　about　Falleix's　passport　for？　Why　do　you

meddle　in　other　people's　affairs？〃　he　presently　asked　her。



〃I　must　say；　I　think　Falleix's　affairs　are　as　much　ours　as　his；〃

returned　Elisabeth；　dryly；　glancing　at　her　husband　to　make　him　notice

Monsieur　Gaudron；　before　whom　he　ought　to　be　silent。



〃Certainly；　certainly；〃　said　old　Saillard；　thinking　of　his　co…

partnership。



〃I　hope　you　reached　the　newspaper　office　in　time？〃　remarked　Elisabeth

to　Monsieur　Gaudron；　as　she　helped　him　to　soup。



〃Yes；　my　dear　lady；〃　answered　the　vicar；　〃when　the　editor　read　the

little　article　I　gave　him；　written　by　the　secretary　of　the　Grand

Almoner；　he　made　no　difficulty。　He　took　pains　to　insert　it　in　a

conspicuous　place。　I　should　never　have　thought　of　that；　but　this　young

journalist　has　a　wide…awake　mind。　The　defenders　of　religion　can　enter

the　lists　against　impiety　without　disadvantage　at　the　present　moment；

for　there　is　a　great　deal　of　talent　in　the　royalist　press。　I　have

every　reason　to　believe　that　success　will　crown　your　hopes。　But　you

must　remember；　my　dear　Baudoyer；　to　promote　Monsieur　Colleville；　he　is

an　object　of　great　interest　to　his　Eminence；　in　fact；　I　am　desired　to

mention　him　to　you。〃



〃If　I　am　head　of　the　division；　I　will　make　him　head　of　one　of　my

bureaus；　if　you　want　me　to；〃　said　Baudoyer。



The　matter　thus　referred　to　was　explained　after　dinner；　when　the

ministerial　organ　（bought　and　sent　up　by　the　porter）　proved　to　contain

among　its　Paris　news　the　following　articles；　called　items：



　　〃Monsieur　le　Baron　de　la　Billardiere　died　this　morning；　after　a

　　long　and　painful　illness。　The　king　loses　a　devoted　servant；　the

　　Church　a　most　pious　son。　Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere's　end　has

　　fitly　crowned　a　noble　life；　consecrated　in　dark　and　troublesome

　　times　to　perilous　missions；　and　of　late　years　to　arduous　civic

　　duties。　Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere　was　provost　of　a　department；

　　where　his　force　of　character　triumphed　over　all　the　obstacles　that

　　rebellion　arrayed　against　him。　He　subsequently　accepted　the

　　difficult　post　of　director　of　a　division　（in　which　his　great

　　acquirements　were　not　less　useful　than　the　truly　French　affability

　　of　his　manners）　for　the　express　purpose　of　conciliating　the

　　serious　interests　that　arise　under　its　administration。　No　rewards

　　have　ever　been　more　truly　deserved　than　those　by　which　the　King；

　　Louis　XVIII。；　and　his　present　Majesty　took　pleasure　in　crowning　a

　　loyalty　which　never　faltered　under　the　usurper。　This　old　family

　　still　survives　in　the　person　of　a　single　heir　to　the　excellent　man

　　whose　death　now　afflicts　so　many　warm　friends。　His　Majesty　has

　　already　graciously　made　known　that　Monsieur　Benjamin　de　la

　　Billardiere　will　be　included　among　the　gentlemen…in…ordinary　of

　　the　Bedchamber。



　　〃The　numerous　friends　who　have　not　already　received　their

　　notification　of　this　sad　event　are　hereby　informed　that　the

　　funeral　will　take　place　to…morrow　at　four　o'clock；　in　the　church

　　of　Saint…Roch。　The　memorial　address　will　be　delivered　by　Monsieur

　　l'Abbe　Fontanon。〃







　　〃Monsieur　Isidore…Charles…Thomas　Baudoyer；　representing　one　of　the

　　oldest　bourgeois　families　of　Paris；　and　head　of　a　bureau　in　the　

　　late　Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere's　division；　has　lately　recalled

　　the　old　traditions　of　piety　and　devotion　which　formerly

　　distinguished　these　great　families；　so　jealous　for　the　honor　and

　　glory　of　religion；　and　so　faithful　in　preserving　its　monuments。

　　The　church　of　Saint…Paul　has　long　needed　a　monstrance　in　keeping

　　with　the　magnificence　of　that　basilica；　itself　due　to　the　Company

　　of　Jesus。　Neither　the　vestry　nor　the　curate　were　rich　enough　to

　　decorate　the　altar。　Monsieur　Baudoyer　has　bestowed　upon　the　parish

　　a　monstrance　that　many　persons　have　seen　and　admired　at　Monsieur

　　Gohier's；　the　king's　jeweller。　Thanks　to　the　piety　of　this

　　gentleman；　who　did　not　shrink　from　the　immensity　of　the　price；　the

　　church　of　Saint…Paul　possesses　to…day　a　masterpiece　of　the

　　jeweller's　art　designed　by　Monsieur　de　Sommervieux。　It　gives　us

　　pleasure　to　make　known　this　fact；　which　proves　how　powerless　the

　　declamations　of　liberals　have　been　on　the　mind　of　the　Parisian

　　bourgeoisie。　The　upper　ranks　of　that　body　have　at　all　times　been

　　royalist　and　they　prove　it　when　occasion　offers。〃



〃The　price　was　five　thousand　francs；〃　said　the　Abbe　Gaudron；　〃but　as

the　payment　was　in　cash；　the　court　jeweller　reduced　the　amount。〃



〃Representing　one　of　the　oldest　bourgeois　families　in　Paris！〃　Saillard

was　saying　to　himself；　〃there　it　is　printed；in　the　official　paper；

too！〃



〃Dear　Monsieur　Gaudron；〃　said　Madame　Baudoyer；　〃please　help　my　father

to　compose　a　little　speech　that　he　could　slip　into　the　countess's　ear

when　he　takes　her　the　monthly　stipend；a　single　sentence　that　would

cover　all！　I　must　leave　you。　I　am　obliged　to　go　out　with　my　uncle

Mitral。　Would　you　believe　it？　I　was　unable　to　find　my　uncle　Bidault　at

home　this　afternoon。　Oh；　what　a　dog…kennel　he　lives　in！　But　Monsieur

Mitral；　who　knows　his　ways；　says　he　does　all　his　business　between

eight　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　midday；　and　that　after　that　hour　he

can　be　found　only　at　a　certain　cafe　called　the　Cafe　Themis；a

singular　name。〃



〃Is　justice　done　there？〃　said　the　abbe；　laughing。



〃Do　you　ask　why　he　goes　to　a　cafe　at　the　corner　of　the　rue　Dauphine

and　the　quai　des　Augustins？　They　say　he　plays　dominoes　there　every

night　with　his　friend　Monsieur　Gobseck。　I　don't　wish　to　go　to　such　a

place　alone；　my　uncle　Mitral　will　take　me　there　and　bring　me　back。〃



At　this　instant　Mitral　showed　his　yellow　face；　surmounted　by　a　wig

which　looked　as　though　it　might　be　made　of　hay；　and　made　a　sign　to　his

niece　to　come　at　once；　and　not　keep　a　carriage　waiting　at　two　francs

an　hour。　Madame　Baudoyer　rose　and　went　away　without　giving　any

explanation　to　her　husband　or　father。



〃Heaven　has　given　you　in　that　woman；〃　said　Monsieur　Gaudron　to

Baudoyer　when　Elisabeth　had　disappeared；　〃a　perfect　treasure　of

prudence　and　virtue；　a　model　of　wisdom；　a　Christian　who　gives　sure

signs　of　possessing　the　Divine　spirit。　Religion　alone　is　able　to　form

such　perfect　characters。　To…morrow　I　shall　say　a　mass　for　the　success

of　your　good　cause。　It　is　all…important；　for　the　sake　of　the　monarchy

and　of　religion　itself　that　you　should　receive　this　appointment。

Monsieur　Rabourdin　is　a　liberal；　he　subscribes　to　the　'Journal　des

Debats；'　a　dangerous　newspaper；　which　made　war　on　Monsieur　le　Comte　de

Villele　to　please　the　wounded　vanity　of　Monsieur　de　Chateaubriand。　His

Eminence　will　read　the　newspaper　to…night；　if　only　to　see　what　is　said

of　his　poor　friend　Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere；　and　Monseigneur　the

coadjutor　will　speak　of　you　to　the　King。　When　I　think　of　what　you　have

now　done　for　his　dear　church；　I　feel　sure　he　will　not　forget　you　in

his　prayers；　more　than　that；　he　is　dining　at　this　moment　with　the

coadjutor　at　the　house　of　the　curate　of　Saint…Roch。〃



These　words　made　Saillard　and　Baudoyer　begin　to　perceive　that

Elisabeth　had　not　been　idle　ever　since　Godard　had　informed　her　of

Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere's　decease。



〃Isn't　she　clever；　that　Elisabeth　of　mine？〃　cried　Saillard；

comprehending　more　clearly　than　Monsieur　l'abbe　the　rapid　undermining；

like　the　path　of　a　mole；　which　his　daughter　had　undertaken。



〃She　sent　Godard　to　Rabourdin's　door　to　find　out　what　newspaper　he

takes；〃　said　Gaudron；　〃and　I　mentioned　the　name　to　the　secretary　of

his　Eminence；for　we　live　at　a　crisis　when　the　Church　and　Throne　must

keep　themselves　informed　as　to　who　are　their　friends　and　who　their

enemies。〃



〃For　the　last　five　days　I　have　been　trying　to　find　the　right　thing　to

say　to　his　Excellency's　wife；〃　said　Saillard。



〃All　Paris　will　read　that；〃　cried　Baudoyer；　whose　eyes　were　still

riveted　on　the　paper。



〃Your　eulogy　costs　us　four　thousand　eight　hundred　francs；　son…in…law！〃

exclaimed　Madame　Saillard。



〃You　have　adorned　the　house　of　God；〃　said　the　Abbe　Gaudron。



〃We　might　have　got　salvation　without　doing　that；〃　she　returned。　〃But