bureaucracy-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





〃Dear　creature！〃　thought　des　Lupeaulx；　as　he　saw　her　approach　the

minister；　〃des　Lupeaulx　has　no　longer　the　slightest　remorse　in　turning

against　you。　To…morrow　evening　when　you　offer　me　a　cup　of　tea；　you

will　be　offering　me　a　thing　I　no　longer　care　for。　All　is　over。　Ah！

when　a　man　is　forty　years　of　age　women　may　take　pains　to　catch　him；

but　they　won't　love　him。〃



He　looked　himself　over　in　a　mirror；　admitting　honestly　that　though　he

did　very　well　as　a　politician　he　was　a　wreck　on　the　shores　of　Cythera。

At　the　same　moment　Madame　Rabourdin　was　gathering　herself　together　for

a　becoming　exit。　She　wished　to　make　a　last　graceful　impression　on　the

minds　of　all；　and　she　succeeded。　Contrary　to　the　usual　custom　in

society；　every　one　cried　out　as　soon　as　she　was　gone；　〃What　a　charming

woman！〃　and　the　minister　himself　took　her　to　the　outer　door。



〃I　am　quite　sure　you　will　think　of　me　to…morrow；〃　he　said；　alluding　to

the　appointment。



〃There　are　so　few　high　functionaries　who　have　agreeable　wives；〃

remarked　his　Excellency　on　re…entering　the　room；　〃that　I　am　very　well

satisfied　with　our　new　acquisition。〃



〃Don't　you　think　her　a　little　overpowering？〃　said　des　Lupeaulx　with　a

piqued　air。



The　women　present　all　exchanged　expressive　glances；　the　rivalry

between　the　minister　and　his　secretary　amused　them　and　instigated　one

of　those　pretty　little　comedies　which　Parisian　women　play　so　well。

They　excited　and　led　on　his　Excellency　and　des　Lupeaulx　by　a　series　of

comments　on　Madame　Rabourdin：　one　thought　her　too　studied　in　manner；

too　eager　to　appear　clever；　another　compared　the　graces　of　the　middle

classes　with　the　manners　of　high　life；　while　des　Lupeaulx　defended　his

pretended　mistress　as　we　all　defend　an　enemy　in　society。



〃Do　her　justice；　ladies；〃　he　said；　〃is　it　not　extraordinary　that　the

daughter　of　an　auctioneer　should　appear　as　well　as　she　does？　See　where

she　came　from；　and　what　she　is。　She　will　end　in　the　Tuileries；　that　is

what　she　intends；she　told　me　so。〃



〃Suppose　she　is　the　daughter　of　an　auctioneer；〃　said　the　Comtesse

Feraud；　smiling；　〃that　will　not　hinder　her　husband's　rise　to　power。〃



〃Not　in　these　days；　you　mean；〃　said　the　minister's　wife；　tightening

her　lips。



〃Madame；〃　said　his　Excellency　to　the　countess；　sternly；　〃such

sentiments　and　such　speeches　lead　to　revolutions；　unhappily；　the　court

and　the　great　world　do　not　restrain　them。　You　would　hardly　believe；

however；　how　the　injudicious　conduct　of　the　aristocracy　in　this

respect　displeases　certain　clear…sighted　personages　at　the　palace。　If

I　were　a　great　lord；　instead　of　being；　as　I　am；　a　mere　country

gentleman　who　seems　to　be　placed　where　he　is　to　transact　your　business

for　you；　the　monarchy　would　not　be　as　insecure　as　I　now　think　it　is。

What　becomes　of　a　throne　which　does　not　bestow　dignity　on　those　who

administer　its　government？　We　are　far　indeed　from　the　days　when　a　king

could　make　men　great　at　will；such　men　as　Louvois；　Colbert；

Richelieu；　Jeannin；　Villeroy；　Sully；Sully；　in　his　origin；　was　no

greater　than　I。　I　speak　to　you　thus　because　we　are　here　in　private

among　ourselves。　I　should　be　very　paltry　indeed　if　I　were　personally

offended　by　such　speeches。　After　all；　it　is　for　us　and　not　for　others

to　make　us　great。〃



〃You　are　appointed；　dear；〃　cried　Celestine；　pressing　her　husband's

hand　as　they　drove　away。　〃If　it　had　not　been　for　des　Lupeaulx　I　should

have　explained　your　scheme　to　his　Excellency。　But　I　will　do　it　next

Tuesday；　and　it　will　help　the　further　matter　of　making　you　Master　of

petitions。〃



In　the　life　of　every　woman　there　comes　a　day　when　she　shines　in　all

her　glory；　a　day　which　gives　her　an　unfading　recollection　to　which　she

recurs　with　happiness　all　her　life。　As　Madame　Rabourdin　took　off　one

by　one　the　ornaments　of　her　apparel；　she　thought　over　the　events　of

this　evening；　and　marked　the　day　among　the　triumphs　and　glories　of　her

life；all　her　beauties　had　been　seen　and　envied；　she　had　been　praised

and　flattered　by　the　minister's　wife；　delighted　thus　to　make　the　other

women　jealous　of　her；　but；　above　all；　her　grace　and　vanities　had　shone

to　the　profit　of　conjugal　love。　Her　husband　was　appointed。



〃Did　you　think　I　looked　well　to…night？〃　she　said　to　him；　joyously。



At　the　same　instant　Mitral；　waiting　at　the　Cafe　Themis；　saw　the　two

usurers　returning；　but　was　unable　to　perceive　the　slightest

indications　of　the　result　on　their　impassible　faces。



〃What　of　it？〃　he　said；　when　they　were　all　seated　at　table。



〃Same　as　ever；〃　replied　Gigonnet；　rubbing　his　hands；　〃victory　with

gold。〃



〃True；〃　said　Gobseck。



Mitral　took　a　cabriolet　and　went　straight　to　the　Saillards　and

Baudoyers；　who　were　still　playing　boston　at　a　late　hour。　No　one　was

present　but　the　Abbe　Gaudron。　Falleix；　half…dead　with　the　fatigue　of

his　journey；　had　gone　to　bed。



〃You　will　be　appointed；　nephew；〃　said　Mitral；　〃and　there's　a　surprise

in　store　for　you。〃



〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Saillard。



〃The　cross　of　the　Legion　of　honor？〃　cried　Mitral。



〃God　protects　those　who　guard　his　altars；〃　said　Gaudron。



Thus　the　Te　Deum　was　sung　with　equal　joy　and　confidence　in　both　camps。







CHAPTER　VIII



FORWARD；　MOLLUSKS！



The　next　day；　Wednesday；　Monsieur　Rabourdin　was　to　transact　business

with　the　minister；　for　he　had　filled　the　late　La　Billardiere's　place

since　the　beginning　of　the　latter's　illness。　On　such　days　the　clerks

came　punctually；　the　servants　were　specially　attentive；　there　was

always　a　certain　excitement　in　the　offices　on　these　signing…days；and

why；　nobody　ever　knew。　On　this　occasion　the　three　servants　were　at

their　post；　flattering　themselves　they　should　get　a　few　fees；　for　a

rumor　of　Rabourdin's　nomination　had　spread　through　the　ministry　the

night　before；　thanks　to　Dutocq。　Uncle　Antoine　and　Laurent　had　donned

their　full　uniform；　when；　at　a　quarter　to　eight；　des　Lupeaulx's

servant　came　in　with　a　letter；　which　he　begged　Antoine　to　give

secretly　to　Dutocq；　saying　that　the　general…secretary　had　ordered　him

to　deliver　it　without　fail　at　Monsieur　Dutocq's　house　by　seven

o'clock。



〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know　how　it　happened；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　overslept

myself。　I've　only　just　waked　up；　and　he'd　play　the　devil's　tattoo　on

me　if　he　knew　the　letter　hadn't　gone。　I　know　a　famous　secret；　Antoine；

but　don't　say　anything　about　it　to　the　clerks　if　I　tell　you；　promise？

He　would　send　me　off　if　he　knew　I　had　said　a　single　word；　he　told　me

so。〃



〃What's　inside　the　letter？〃　asked　Antoine；　eying　it。



〃Nothing；　I　looked　this　waysee。〃



He　made　the　letter　gape　open；　and　showed　Antoine　that　there　was

nothing　but　blank　paper　to　be　seen。



〃This　is　going　to　be　a　great　day　for　you；　Laurent；〃　went　on　the

secretary's　man。　〃You　are　to　have　a　new　director。　Economy　must　be　the

order　of　the　day；　for　they　are　going　to　unite　the　two　divisions　under

one　directoryou　fellows　will　have　to　look　out！〃



〃Yes；　nine　clerks　are　put　on　the　retired　list；〃　said　Dutocq；　who　came

in　at　the　moment；　〃how　did　you　hear　that？〃



Antoine　gave　him　the　letter；　and　he　had　no　sooner　opened　it　than　he

rushed　headlong　downstairs　in　the　direction　of　the　secretary's　office。



The　bureaus　Rabourdin　and　Baudoyer；　after　idling　and　gossiping　since

the　death　of　Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere；　were　now　recovering　their

usual　official　look　and　the　dolce　far　niente　habits　of　a　government

office。　Nevertheless；　the　approaching　end　of　the　year　did　cause　rather

more　application　among　the　clerks；　just　as　porters　and　servants　become

at　that　season　more　unctuously　civil。　They　all　came　punctually；　for

one　thing；　more　remained　after　four　o'clock　than　was　usual　at　other

times。　It　was　not　forgotten　that　fees　and　gratuities　depend　on　the

last　impressions　made　upon　the　minds　of　masters。　The　news　of　the　union

of　the　two　divisions；　that　of　La　Billardiere　and　that　of　Clergeot；

under　one　director；　had　spread　through　the　various　offices。　The　number

of　the　clerks　to　be　retired　was　known；　but　all　were　in　ignorance　of

the　names。　It　was　taken　for　granted　that　Poiret　would　not　be　replaced；

and　that　would　be　a　retrenchment。　Little　La　Billardiere　had　already

departed。　Two　new　supernumeraries　had　made　their　appearance；　and；

alarming　circumstance！　they　were　both　sons　of　deputies。　The　news　told

about　in　the　offices　the　night　before；　just　as　the　clerks　were

dispersing；　agitated　all　minds；　and　for　the　first　half…hour　after

arrival　in　the　morning　they　stood　around　the　stoves　and　talked　it

over。　But　earlier　than　that；　Dutocq；　as　we　have　seen；　had　rushed　to

des　Lupeaulx　on　receiving　his　note；　and　found　him　dressing。　Without

laying　down　his　razor；　the　general…secretary　cast　upon　his　subordinate

the　glance　of　a　general　issuing　an　order。



〃Are　we　alone？〃　he　asked。



〃Yes；　monsieur。〃



〃Very　good。　March　on　Rabourdin；　forward！　steady！　Of　course　you　kept　a

copy　of　that　paper？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃You　understand　me？　Inde　iroe！　There　must　be　a　general　hue　and　cry

raised　against　him。　Find　some　way　to　start　a　clamor〃



〃I　could　get　a　man　to　make　a　caricature；　but　I　haven't　five　hundred

francs　to　pay　for　it。〃



〃Who　would　make　it？〃



〃Bixou。〃



〃He　shall　have　a　thousand　and　be　under…head…clerk　to　Colleville；　who

will　arrange　with　them；　tell　him　so。〃



〃But　he　wouldn't　believe　it　on　nothing　more　than　my　word。〃



〃Are　you　trying　to　make　me　compromise　myself？　Either　do　the　thing　or

let　it　alone；　do　you　hear　me？〃



〃If　Monsieur　Baudoyer　were　director〃



〃Well；　he　will　be。　Go　now；　and　make　haste；　you　have　no　time　to　lose。

Go　down　the　back…stairs；　I　don't　want　people　to　know　you　have　just

seen　me。〃



While　Dutocq　was　returning　to　the　clerks'　office　and　asking　himself

how　he　could　best　incite　a　clamor　against　his　chief　without

compromising　himself；　Bixiou　rushed　to　the　Rabourdin　office　for　a　word

of　greeting。　Believing　that　he　had　lost　his　bet　the　incorrigible　joker

thought　it　amusing　to　pretend　that　he　had　won　it。



Bixiou　＇mimicking　Phellion's　voice＇。　〃Gentlemen；　I　salute　you　with　a

collective　how　d'ye　do；　and　I　appoint　Sunday　next　for　the　dinner　at

the　Rocher　de　Cancale。　But　a　serious　question　presents　itself。　Is　that

dinner　to　include　the　clerks　who　are　dismissed？〃



Poiret。　〃And　those　who　retire？〃



Bixiou。　〃Not　that　I　care；　for　it　isn't　I　who　pay。〃　＇General

stupefaction。＇　〃Baudoyer　is　appointed。　I　think　I　already　hear　him

calling　Laurent〃　＇mimicking　Baudoyer＇；　〃Laurent！　lock　up　my　hair…

shirt；　and　my　scourge。〃　＇They　all　roar　with　laughter。＇　〃Yes；　yes；　he

laughs　well　who　laughs　last。　Gentlemen；　there's　a　great　deal　in　that

anagram　of　Colleville's。　'Xavier　Rabourdin；　chef　de　bureauD'abord

reva　bureaux；　e…u　fin　riche。'　If　I　were　named　'Charles　X。；　par　la

grace　de　Dieu　roi　de　France　et　de　Navarre；'　I　should　tremble　in　my

shoes　at　the　fate　those　letters　anagrammatize。〃



Thuillier。　〃Look　here！　are　you　making　fun？〃