bureaucracy-第29章
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At that moment des Lupeaulx； coming leisurely downstairs to breakfast
with the minister； was asking himself whether； before playing a trump
card for the husband； it might not be prudent to probe the wife's
heart and make sure of a reward for his devotion。 He was feeling about
for the small amount of heart that he possessed； when； at a turn of
the staircase； he encountered his lawyer； who said to him； smiling；
〃Just a word； Monseigneur；〃 in the tone of familiarity assumed by men
who know they are indispensable。
〃What is it； my dear Desroches？〃 exclaimed the politician。 〃Has
anything happened？〃
〃I have come to tell you that all your notes and debts have been
brought up by Gobseck and Gigonnet； under the name of a certain
Samanon。〃
〃Men whom I helped to make their millions！〃
〃Listen；〃 whispered the lawyer。 〃Gigonnet （really named Bidault） is
the uncle of Saillard； your cashier； and Saillard is father…in…law to
a certain Baudoyer； who thinks he has a right to the vacant place in
your ministry。 Don't you think I have done right to come and tell
you？〃
〃Thank you；〃 said des Lupeaulx； nodding to the lawyer with a shrewd
look。
〃One stroke of your pen will buy them off；〃 said Desroches； leaving
him。
〃What an immense sacrifice！〃 muttered des Lupeaulx。 〃It would be
impossible to explain it to a woman；〃 thought he。 〃Is Celestine worth
more than the clearing off of my debts？that is the question。 I'll go
and see her this morning。〃
So the beautiful Madame Rabourdin was to be； within an hour； the
arbiter of her husband's fate； and no power on earth could warn her of
the importance of her replies； or give her the least hint to guard her
conduct and compose her voice。 Moreover； in addition to her
mischances； she believed herself certain of success； never dreaming
that Rabourdin was undermined in all directions by the secret sapping
of the mollusks。
〃Well； Monseigneur；〃 said des Lupeaulx； entering the little salon
where they breakfasted； 〃have you seen the articles on Baudoyer？〃
〃For God's sake； my dear friend；〃 replied the minister； 〃don't talk of
those appointments just now； let me have an hour's peace！ They cracked
my ears last night with that monstrance。 The only way to save
Rabourdin is to bring his appointment before the Council； unless I
submit to having my hand forced。 It is enough to disgust a man with
the public service。 I must purchase the right to keep that excellent
Rabourdin by promoting a certain Colleville！〃
〃Why not make over the management of this pretty little comedy to me；
and rid yourself of the worry of it？ I'll amuse you every morning with
an account of the game of chess I should play with the Grand Almoner；〃
said des Lupeaulx。
〃Very good；〃 said the minister； 〃settle it with the head examiner。 But
you know perfectly well that nothing is more likely to strike the
king's mind than just those reasons the opposition journal has chosen
to put forth。 Good heavens！ fancy managing a ministry with such men as
Baudoyer under me！〃
〃An imbecile bigot；〃 said des Lupeaulx； 〃and as utterly incapable
as〃
〃as La Billardiere；〃 added the minister。
〃But La Billardiere had the manners of a gentleman…in…ordinary；〃
replied des Lupeaulx。 〃Madame；〃 he continued； addressing the countess；
〃it is now an absolute necessity to invite Madame Rabourdin to your
next private party。 I must assure you she is the intimate friend of
Madame de Camps； they were at the Opera together last night。 I first
met her at the hotel Firmiani。 Besides； you will see that she is not
of a kind to compromise a salon。〃
〃Invite Madame Rabourdin； my dear；〃 said the minister； 〃and pray let
us talk of something else。〃
CHAPTER VII
SCENES FROM DOMESTIC LIFE
Parisian households are literally eaten up with the desire to be in
keeping with the luxury that surrounds them on all sides； and few
there are who have the wisdom to let their external situation conform
to their internal revenue。 But this vice may perhaps denote a truly
French patriotism； which seeks to maintain the supremacy of the nation
in the matter of dress。 France reigns through clothes over the whole
of Europe； and every one must feel the importance of retaining a
commercial sceptre that makes fashion in France what the navy is to
England。 This patriotic ardor which leads a nation to sacrifice
everything to appearancesto the 〃paroistre；〃 as d'Aubigne said in
the days of Henri IV。is the cause of those vast secret labors which
employ the whole of a Parisian woman's morning； when she wishes； as
Madame Rabourdin wished； to keep up on twelve thousand francs a year
the style that many a family with thirty thousand does not indulge in。
Consequently； every Friday；the day of her dinner parties；Madame
Rabourdin helped the chambermaid to do the rooms； for the cook went
early to market； and the man…servant was cleaning the silver； folding
the napkins； and polishing the glasses。 The ill…advised individual who
might happen； through an oversight of the porter； to enter Madame
Rabourdin's establishment about eleven o'clock in the morning would
have found her in the midst of a disorder the reverse of picturesque；
wrapped in a dressing…gown； her hair ill…dressed； and her feet in old
slippers； attending to the lamps； arranging the flowers； or cooking in
haste an extremely unpoetic breakfast。 The visitor to whom the
mysteries of Parisian life were unknown would certainly have learned
for the rest of his life not to set foot in these greenrooms at the
wrong moment； a woman caught in her matin mysteries would ever after
point him out as a man capable of the blackest crimes； or she would
talk of his stupidity and indiscretion in a manner to ruin him。 The
true Parisian woman； indulgent to all curiosity that she can put to
profit； is implacable to that which makes her lose her prestige。 Such
a domiciliary invasion may be called； not only （as they say in police
reports） an attack on privacy； but a burglary； a robbery of all that
is most precious； namely； CREDIT。 A woman is quite willing to let
herself be surprised half…dressed； with her hair about her shoulders。
If her hair is all her own she scores one； but she will never allow
herself to be seen 〃doing〃 her own rooms； or she loses her pariostre；
that precious SEEMING…TO…BE！
Madame Rabourdin was in full tide of preparation for her Friday
dinner； standing in the midst of provisions the cook had just fished
from the vast ocean of the markets； when Monsieur des Lupeaulx made
his way stealthily in。 The general…secretary was certainly the last
man Madame Rabourdin expected to see； and so； when she heard his boots
creaking in the ante…chamber； she exclaimed； impatiently； 〃The hair…
dresser already！〃an exclamation as little agreeable to des Lupeaulx
as the sight of des Lupeaulx was agreeable to her。 She immediately
escaped into her bedroom； where chaos reigned； a jumble of furniture
to be put out of sight； with other heterogeneous articles of more or
rather less elegance；a domestic carnival； in short。 The bold des
Lupeaulx followed the handsome figure； so piquant did she seem to him
in her dishabille。 There is something indescribably alluring to the
eye in a portion of flesh seen through an hiatus in the undergarment；
more attractive far than when it rises gracefully above the circular
curve of the velvet bodice； to the vanishing line of the prettiest
swan's…neck that ever lover kissed before a ball。 When the eye dwells
on a woman in full dress making exhibition of her magnificent white
shoulders； do we not fancy that we see the elegant dessert of a grand
dinner？ But the glance that glides through the disarray of muslins
rumpled in sleep enjoys； as it were； a feast of stolen fruit glowing
between the leaves on a garden wall。
〃Stop！ wait！〃 cried the pretty Parisian； bolting the door of the
disordered room。
She rang for Therese； called for her daughter； the cook； and the man…
servant； wishing she possessed the whistle of the machinist at the
Opera。 Her call； however； answered the same purpose。 In a moment；
another phenomenon！ the salon assumed a piquant morning look； quite in
keeping with the becoming toilet hastily got together by the fugitive；
we say it to her glory； for she was evidently a clever woman； in this
at least。
〃You！〃 she said； coming forward； 〃at this hour？ What has happened？〃
〃Very serious things；〃 answered des Lupeaulx。 〃You and I must
understand each other now。〃
Celestine looked at the man behind his glasses； and understood the
matter。
〃My principle vice；〃 she said； 〃is oddity。 For instance； I do not mix
up affections with politics； let us talk politics；business； if you
will；the rest can come later。 However； it is not really oddity nor a
whim that forbids me to mingle ill…assorted colors and put together
things that have no affinity； and compels me to avoid discords； it is
my natural instinct as an artist。 We women have politics of our own。〃
Already the tones of her voice and the charm of her manners were
producing their effect on the secretary and metamorphosing his
roughness into sentimental courtesy； she had recalled him to his
obligations as a lover。 A clever pretty woman makes an atmosphere
about her in which the nerves relax and the feelings soften。
〃You are ignorant of what is happening；〃 said des Lupeaulx； harshly；
for he still thought it best to make a show of harshness。 〃Read that。〃
He gave the two newspapers to the graceful woman； having drawn a line
in red ink round each of the famous articles。
〃Good heavens！〃 she exclaimed； 〃but this is dreadful！ Who is this
Baudoyer？〃
〃A donkey；〃 answered des Lupeaulx； 〃but； as you see； he uses means；
he gives monstrances； he succeeds； thanks to some clever hand that
pulls the wires。〃
The thought of her debts crossed Madame Rabourdin's mind and blurred
her sight； as if two lightning flashes had blinded her eyes at the
same moment； her ears hummed under the pressure of the blood that
began to beat in her arteries； she remained for a moment quite
bewildered； gazing at a window which she did not see。
〃But are you faithful to us？〃 she said at last； with a winning glance
at des Lupeaulx； as if to attach him to her。
〃That is as it may be；〃 he replied； answering her glance with an
interrogative look which made the poor woman blush。
〃If you demand caution…money you may lose all；〃 she said； laughing； 〃I
thought you more magnanimous than you are。 And you； you thought me
less a person than I am；a sort of school…girl。〃
〃You have misunderstood me；〃 he said； with a covert smile； 〃I meant
that I could not assist a man who plays against me just as l'Etourdi
played against Mascarille。〃
〃What can you mean？〃
〃This will prove to you whether I am magnanimous or not。〃
He gave Madame Rabourdin the
