bureaucracy-第30章

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〃This　will　prove　to　you　whether　I　am　magnanimous　or　not。〃



He　gave　Madame　Rabourdin　the　memorandum　stolen　by　Dutocq；　pointing　out

to　her　the　passage　in　which　her　husband　had　so　ably　analyzed　him。



〃Read　that。〃



Celestine　recognized　the　handwriting；　read　the　paper；　and　turned　pale

under　the　blow。



〃All　the　ministries；　the　whole　service　is　treated　in　the　same　way；〃

said　des　Lupeaulx。



〃Happily；〃　she　said；　〃you　alone　possess　this　document。　I　cannot

explain　it；　even　to　myself。〃



〃The　man　who　stole　it　is　not　such　a　fool　as　to　let　me　have　it　without

keeping　a　copy　for　himself；　he　is　too　great　a　liar　to　admit　it；　and

too　clever　in　his　business　to　give　it　up。　I　did　not　even　ask　him　for

it。〃



〃Who　is　he？〃



〃Your　chief　clerk。〃



〃Dutocq！　People　are　always　punished　through　their　kindnesses！　But；〃

she　added；　〃he　is　only　a　dog　who　wants　a　bone。〃



〃Do　you　know　what　the　other　side　offer　me；　poor　devil　of　a　general…

secretary？〃



〃What？〃



〃I　owe　thirty…thousand　and　odd　miserable　francs；you　will　despise　me

because　it　isn't　more；　but　here；　I　grant　you；　I　am　significant。　Well；

Baudoyer's　uncle　has　bought　up　my　debts；　and　is；　doubtless；　ready　to

give　me　a　receipt　for　them　if　Baudoyer　is　appointed。〃



〃But　all　that　is　monstrous。〃



〃Not　at　all；　it　is　monarchical　and　religious；　for　the　Grand　Almoner　is

concerned　in　it。　Baudoyer　himself　must　appoint　Colleville　in　return

for　ecclesiastical　assistance。〃



〃What　shall　you　do？〃



〃What　will　you　bid　me　do？〃　he　said；　with　charming　grace；　holding　out

his　hand。



Celestine　no　longer　thought　him　ugly；　nor　old；　nor　white　and　chilling

as　a　hoar…frost；　nor　indeed　anything　that　was　odious　and　offensive；

but　she　did　not　give　him　her　hand。　At　night；　in　her　salon；　she　would

have　let　him　take　it　a　hundred　times；　but　here；　alone　and　in　the

morning；　the　action　seemed　too　like　a　promise　that　might　lead　her　far。



〃And　they　say　that　statesmen　have　no　hearts！〃　she　cried

enthusiastically；　trying　to　hide　the　harshness　of　her　refusal　under

the　grace　of　her　words。　〃The　thought　used　to　terrify　me；〃　she　added；

assuming　an　innocent；　ingenuous　air。



〃What　a　calumny！〃　cried　des　Lupeaulx。　〃Only　this　week　one　of　the

stiffest　of　diplomatists；　a　man　who　has　been　in　the　service　ever　since

he　came　to　manhood；　has　married　the　daughter　of　an　actress；　and　has

introduced　her　at　the　most　iron…bound　court　in　Europe　as　to

quarterings　of　nobility。〃



〃You　will　continue　to　support　us？〃



〃I　am　to　draw　up　your　husband's　appointment　But　no　cheating；

remember。〃



She　gave　him　her　hand　to　kiss；　and　tapped　him　on　the　cheek　as　she　did

so。　〃You　are　mine！〃　she　said。



Des　Lupeaulx　admired　the　expression。



＇That　night；　at　the　Opera；　the　old　coxcomb　related　the　incident　as

follows：　〃A　woman　who　did　not　want　to　tell　a　man　she　would　be　his；an

acknowledgment　a　well…bred　woman　never　allows　herself　to　make；

changed　the　words　into　'You　are　mine。'　Don't　you　think　the　evasion

charming？〃＇



〃But　you　must　be　my　ally；〃　he　answered。　〃Now　listen；　your　husband　has

spoken　to　the　minister　of　a　plan　for　the　reform　of　the　administration；

the　paper　I　have　shown　you　is　a　part　of　that　plan。　I　want　to　know　what

it　is。　Find　out；　and　tell　me　to…night。〃



〃I　will；〃　she　answered；　wholly　unaware　of　the　important　nature　of　the

errand　which　brought　des　Lupeaulx　to　the　house　that　morning。



〃Madame；　the　hair…dresser。〃



〃At　last！〃　thought　Celestine。　〃I　don't　see　how　I　should　have　got　out

of　it　if　he　had　delayed　much　longer。〃



〃You　do　not　know　to　what　lengths　my　devotion　can　go；〃　said　des

Lupeaulx；　rising。　〃You　shall　be　invited　to　the　first　select　party

given　by　his　Excellency's　wife。〃



〃Ah；　you　are　an　angel！〃　she　cried。　〃And　I　see　now　how　much　you　love

me；　you　love　me　intelligently。〃



〃To…night；　dear　child；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　find　out　at　the　Opera　what

journalists　are　conspiring　for　Baudoyer；　and　we　will　measure　swords

together。〃



〃Yes；　but　you　must　dine　with　us；　will　you　not？　I　have　taken　pains　to

get　the　things　you　like　best〃



〃All　that　is　so　like　love；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx　to　himself　as　he　went

downstairs；　〃that　I　am　willing　to　be　deceived　in　that　way　for　a　long

time。　Well；　if　she　IS　tricking　me　I　shall　know　it。　I'll　set　the

cleverest　of　all　traps　before　the　appointment　is　fairly　signed；　and

I'll　read　her　heart。　Ah！　my　little　cats；　I　know　you！　for；　after　all；

women　are　just　what　we　men　are。　Twenty…eight　years　old；　virtuous；　and

living　here　in　the　rue　Duphot！a　rare　piece　of　luck　and　worth

cultivating；〃　thought　the　elderly　butterfly　as　he　fluttered　down　the

staircase。



〃Good　heavens！　that　man；　without　his　glasses；　must　look　funny　enough

in　a　dressing…gown！〃　thought　Celestine；　〃but　the　harpoon　is　in　his

back　and　he'll　tow　me　where　I　want　to　go；　I　am　sure　now　of　that

invitation。　He　has　played　his　part　in　my　comedy。〃



When；　at　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　Rabourdin　came　home　to　dress

for　dinner；　his　wife　presided　at　his　toilet　and　presently　laid　before

him　the　fatal　memorandum　which；　like　the　slipper　in　the　Arabian

Nights；　the　luckless　man　was　fated　to　meet　at　every　turn。



〃Who　gave　you　that？〃　he　asked；　thunderstruck。



〃Monsieur　des　Lupeaulx。〃



〃So　he　has　been　here！〃　cried　Rabourdin；　with　a　look　which　would

certainly　have　made　a　guilty　woman　turn　pale；　but　which　Celestine

received　with　unruffled　brow　and　a　laughing　eye。



〃And　he　is　coming　back　to　dinner；〃　she　said。　〃Why　that　startled　air？〃



〃My　dear；〃　replied　Rabourdin；　〃I　have　mortally　offended　des　Lupeaulx；

such　men　never　forgive；　and　yet　he　fawns　upon　me！　Do　you　think　I　don't

see　why？〃



〃The　man　seems　to　me；〃　she　said；　〃to　have　good　taste；　you　can't　expect

me　to　blame　him。　I　really　don't　know　anything　more　flattering　to　a

woman　than　to　please　a　worn…out　palate。　After〃



〃A　truce　to　nonsense；　Celestine。　Spare　a　much…tried　man。　I　cannot　get

an　audience　of　the　minister；　and　my　honor　is　at　stake。〃



〃Good　heavens；　no！　Dutocq　can　have　the　promise　of　a　good　place　as　soon

as　you　are　named　head　of　the　division。〃



〃Ah！　I　see　what　you　are　about；　dear　child；〃　said　Rabourdin；　〃but　the

game　you　are　playing　is　just　as　dishonorable　as　the　real　thing　that　is

going　on　around　us。　A　lie　is　a　lie；　and　an　honest　woman〃



〃Let　me　use　the　weapons　employed　against　us。〃



〃Celestine；　the　more　that　man　des　Lupeaulx　feels　he　is　foolishly

caught　in　a　trap；　the　more　bitter　he　will　be　against　me。〃



〃What　if　I　get　him　dismissed　altogether？〃



Rabourdin　looked　at　his　wife　in　amazement。



〃I　am　thinking　only　of　your　advancement；　it　was　high　time；　my　poor

husband；〃　continued　Celestine。　〃But　you　are　mistaking　the　dog　for　the

game；〃　she　added；　after　a　pause。　〃In　a　few　days　des　Lupeaulx　will　have

accomplished　all　that　I　want　of　him。　While　you　are　trying　to　speak　to

the　minister；　and　before　you　can　even　see　him　on　business；　I　shall

have　seen　him　and　spoken　with　him。　You　are　worn　out　in　trying　to　bring

that　plan　of　your　brain　to　birth；a　plan　which　you　have　been　hiding

from　me；　but　you　will　find　that　in　three　months　your　wife　has

accomplished　more　than　you　have　done　in　six　years。　Come；　tell　me　this

fine　scheme　of　yours。〃



Rabourdin；　continuing　to　shave；　cautioned　his　wife　not　to　say　a　word

about　his　work；　and　after　assuring　her　that　to　confide　a　single　idea

to　des　Lupeaulx　would　be　to　put　the　cat　near　the　milk…jug；　he　began　an

explanation　of　his　labors。



〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　this　before；　Rabourdin？〃　said　Celestine；

cutting　her　husband　short　at　his　fifth　sentence。　〃You　might　have　saved

yourself　a　world　of　trouble。　I　can　understand　that　a　man　should　be

blinded　by　an　idea　for　a　moment；　but　to　nurse　it　up　for　six　or　seven

years；　that's　a　thing　I　cannot　comprehend！　You　want　to　reduce　the

budget；a　vulgar　and　commonplace　idea！　The　budget　ought；　on　the

contrary；　to　reach　two　hundred　millions。　Then；　indeed；　France　would　be

great。　If　you　want　a　new　system　let　it　be　one　of　loans；　as　Monsieur　de

Nucingen　keeps　saying。　The　poorest　of　all　treasuries　is　the　one　with　a

surplus　that　it　never　uses；　the　mission　of　a　minister　of　finance　is　to

fling　gold　out　of　the　windows。　It　will　come　back　to　him　through　the

cellars；　and　you；　you　want　to　hoard　it！　The　thing　to　do　is　to　increase

the　offices　and　all　government　employments；　instead　of　reducing　them！

So　far　from　lessening　the　public　debt；　you　ought　to　increase　the

creditors。　If　the　Bourbons　want　to　reign　in　peace；　let　them　seek

creditors　in　the　towns　and　villages；　and　place　their　loans　there；

above　all；　they　ought　not　to　let　foreigners　draw　interest　away　from

France；　some　day　an　alien　nation　might　ask　us　for　the　capital。　Whereas

if　capital　and　interest　are　held　only　in　France；　neither　France　nor

credit　can　perish。　That's　what　saved　England。　Your　plan　is　the

tradesman's　plan。　An　ambitious　public　man　should　produce　some　bold

scheme；he　should　make　himself　another　Law；　without　Law's　fatal　ill…

luck；　he　ought　to　exhibit　the　power　of　credit；　and　show　that　we　should

reduce；　not　principal；　but　interest；　as　they　do　in　England。〃



〃Come；　come；　Celestine；〃　said　Rabourdin；　〃mix　up　ideas　as　much　as　you

please；　and　make　fun　of　them；I'm　accustomed　to　that；　but　don't

criticise　a　work　of　which　you　know　nothing　as　yet。〃



〃Do　I　need；〃　she　asked；　〃to　know　a　scheme　the　essence　of　which　is　to

govern　France　with　a　civil　service　of　six　thousand　men　instead　of

twenty　thousand？　My　dear　friend；　even　allowing　it　were　the　plan　of　a

man　of　genius；　a　king　of　France　who　attempted　to　carry　it　out　would

get　himself　dethroned。　You　can　keep　down　a　feudal　aristocracy　by

levelling　a　few　heads；　but　you　can't　subdue　a　hydra　with　thousands。

And　is　it　with　the　present　ministersbetween　ourselves；　a　wretched

crewthat　you　expect　to　carry　out　your　reform？　No；　no；　change　the

monetary　system　if　you　will；　but　do　not　meddle　with　men；　with　little

men；　they　cry　out　too　much；　whereas　gold　is　dumb。〃



〃But；　Celestine；　if　you　will　talk；　and　put　wit　before　argument；　we

shall　never　understand　each　other。〃



〃Understand！　I　understand　what　that　paper；　in　which　you　have　analyzed

the　capacities　of　the　men　in　office；　will　lead　to；〃　she　replied；

paying　no　attention　to　what　her　husband　said。　〃Good　heavens！　you　have

sharpened　the　axe　to　cut　off　your　own　head。　Holy　Virgin！　why　didn't

you　consult　me？　I　could　have　at　least　prevented　you　from　committing

anything　to　writing；　or；　at　any　rate；　if　you　insisted　on　putting　it　to

paper；　I　would　have　written　it　down　myself；　and　it　should　never　have

left　this　house。　Good　God！　to　think　that　he　never　told　me！　That's　what

men　are！　capable　of　sleeping　with　the　wife　of　their　bosom　for　seven

years；　and　keeping　a　secret　from　her！　Hiding　their　thoughts　from　a

poor　woman　for　seven　years！doubting　her　devotion！〃



〃But；〃　cried　Rabourdin；　provoked；　〃for　eleven　years　and　more　I　have

been　unable　to　discuss　anything　with