bureaucracy-第39章

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　　me；　depended　on　my　being　able　to　give　you　an　immediate

　　explanation。



　　This　explanation　I　have　vainly　sought　to　give。　To…day　it　would；

　　perhaps；　be　useless；　for　a　fragment　of　my　work　relating　to　the

　　administration；　stolen　and　misused；　has　gone　the　rounds　of　the

　　offices　and　is　misinterpreted　by　hatred；　in　consequence；　I　find

　　myself　compelled　to　resign；　under　the　tacit　condemnation　of　my

　　superiors。



　　Your　Excellency　may　have　thought；　on　the　morning　when　I　first

　　sought　to　speak　with　you；　that　my　purpose　was　to　ask　for　my

　　promotion；　when；　in　fact；　I　was　thinking　only　of　the　glory　and

　　usefulness　of　your　ministry　and　of　the　public　good。　It　is　all…

　　important；　I　think；　to　correct　that　impression。



Then　followed　the　usual　epistolary　formulas。



It　was　half…past　seven　in　the　morning　when　the　man　consummated　the

sacrifice　of　his　ideas；　he　burned　everything；　the　toil　of　years。

Fatigued　by　the　pressure　of　thought；　overcome　by　mental　suffering；　he

fell　asleep　with　his　head　on　the　back　of　his　armchair。　He　was　wakened

by　a　curious　sensation；　and　found　his　hands　covered　with　his　wife's

tears　and　saw　her　kneeling　before　him。　Celestine　had　read　the

resignation。　She　could　measure　the　depth　of　his　fall。　They　were　now　to

be　reduced　to　live　on　four　thousand　francs　a　year；　and　that　day　she

had　counted　up　her　debts；they　amounted　to　something　like　thirty…two

thousand　francs！　The　most　ignoble　of　all　wretchedness　had　come　upon

them。　And　that　noble　man　who　had　trusted　her　was　ignorant　that　she　had

abused　the　fortune　he　had　confided　to　her　care。　She　was　sobbing　at　his

feet；　beautiful　as　the　Magdalen。



〃My　cup　is　full；〃　cried　Xavier；　in　terror。　〃I　am　dishonored　at　the

ministry；　and　dishonored〃



The　light　of　her　pure　honor　flashed　from　Celestine's　eyes；　she　sprang

up　like　a　startled　horse　and　cast　a　fulminating　glance　at　Rabourdin。



〃I！　I！〃　she　said；　on　two　sublime　tones。　〃Am　I　a　base　wife？　If　I　were；

you　would　have　been　appointed。　But；〃　she　added　mournfully；　〃it　is

easier　to　believe　that　than　to　believe　what　is　the　truth。〃



〃Then　what　is　it？〃　said　Rabourdin。



〃All　in　three　words；〃　she　said；　〃I　owe　thirty　thousand　francs。〃



Rabourdin　caught　his　wife　to　his　heart　with　a　gesture　of　almost

frantic　joy；　and　seated　her　on　his　knee。



〃Take　comfort；　dear；〃　he　said；　in　a　tone　of　voice　so　adorably　kind

that　the　bitterness　of　her　grief　was　changed　to　something

inexpressibly　tender。　〃I　too　have　made　mistakes；　I　have　worked

uselessly　for　my　country　when　I　thought　I　was　being　useful　to　her。　But

now　I　mean　to　take　another　path。　If　I　had　sold　groceries　we　should　now

be　millionaires。　Well；　let　us　be　grocers。　You　are　only　twenty…eight；

dear　angel；　in　ten　years　you　shall　recover　the　luxury　that　you　love；

which　we　must　needs　renounce　for　a　short　time。　I；　too；　dear　heart；　am

not　a　base　or　common　husband。　We　will　sell　our　farm；　its　value　has

increased　of　late。　That　and　the　sale　of　our　furniture　will　pay　my

debts。



MY　debts！　Celestine　embraced　her　husband　a　thousand　times　in　the

single　kiss　with　which　she　thanked　him　for　that　generous　word。



〃We　shall　still　have　a　hundred　thousand　francs　to　put　into　business。

Before　the　month　is　out　I　shall　find　some　favorable　opening。　If　luck

gave　a　Martin　Falleix　to　a　Saillard；　why　should　we　despair？　Wait

breakfast　for　me。　I　am　going　now　to　the　ministry；　but　I　shall　come

back　with　my　neck　free　of　the　yoke。〃



Celestine　clasped　her　husband　in　her　arms　with　a　force　men　do　not

possess；　even　in　their　passionate　moments；　for　women　are　stronger

through　emotion　than　men　through　power。　She　wept　and　laughed　and

sobbed　in　turns。



When　Rabourdin　left　the　house　at　eight　o'clock；　the　porter　gave　him

the　satirical　cards　suggested　by　Bixiou。　Nevertheless；　he　went　to　the

ministry；　where　he　found　Sebastien　waiting　near　the　door　to　entreat

him　not　to　enter　any　of　the　bureaus；　because　an　infamous　caricature　of

him　was　making　the　round　of　the　offices。



〃If　you　wish　to　soften　the　pain　of　my　downfall；〃　he　said　to　the　lad；

〃bring　me　that　drawing；　I　am　now　taking　my　resignation　to　Ernest　de　la

Briere　myself；　that　it　may　not　be　altered　or　distorted　while　passing

through　the　routine　channels。　I　have　my　own　reasons　for　wishing　to　see

that　caricature。〃



When　Rabourdin　came　back　to　the　courtyard；　after　making　sure　that　his

letter　would　go　straight　into　the　minister's　hands；　he　found　Sebastien

in　tears；　with　a　copy　of　the　lithograph；　which　the　lad　reluctantly

handed　over　to　him。



〃It　is　very　clever；〃　said　Rabourdin；　showing　a　serene　brow　to　his

companion；　though　the　crown　of　thorns　was　on　it　all　the　same。



He　entered　the　bureaus　with　a　calm　air；　and　went　at　once　into

Baudoyer's　section　to　ask　him　to　come　to　the　office　of　the　head　of　the

division　and　receive　instructions　as　to　the　business　which　that

incapable　being　was　henceforth　to　direct。



〃Tell　Monsieur　Baudoyer　that　there　must　be　no　delay；〃　he　added；　in　the

hearing　of　all　the　clerks；　〃my　resignation　is　already　in　the

minister's　hands；　and　I　do　not　wish　to　stay　here　longer　than　is

necessary。〃



Seeing　Bixiou；　Rabourdin　went　straight　up　to　him；　showed　him　the

lithograph；　and　said；　to　the　great　astonishment　of　all　present；



〃Was　I　not　right　in　saying　you　were　an　artist？　Still；　it　is　a　pity　you

directed　the　point　of　your　pencil　against　a　man　who　cannot　be　judged

in　this　way；　nor　indeed　by　the　bureaus　at　all；but　everything　is

laughed　at　in　France；　even　God。〃



Then　he　took　Baudoyer　into　the　office　of　the　late　La　Billardiere。　At

the　door　he　found　Phellion　and　Sebastien；　the　only　two　who；　under　his

great　disaster；　dared　to　remain　openly　faithful　to　the　fallen　man。

Rabourdin　noticed　that　Phellion's　eyes　were　moist；　and　he　could　not

refrain　from　wringing　his　hand。



〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　good　man；　〃if　we　can　serve　you　in　any　way；　make

use　of　us。〃



Monsieur　Rabourdin　shut　himself　up　in　the　late　chief's　office　with

Monsieur　Baudoyer；　and　Phellion　helped　him　to　show　the　new　incumbent

all　the　administrative　difficulties　of　his　new　position。　At　each

separate　affair　which　Rabourdin　carefully　explained；　Baudoyer's　little

eyes　grew　big　as　saucers。



〃Farewell；　monsieur；〃　said　Rabourdin　at　last；　with　a　manner　that　was

half…solemn；　half…satirical。



Sebastien　meanwhile　had　made　up　a　package　of　papers　and　letters

belonging　to　his　chief　and　had　carried　them　away　in　a　hackney　coach。

Rabourdin　passed　through　the　grand　courtyard；　while　all　the　clerks

were　watching　from　the　windows；　and　waited　there　a　moment　to　see　if

the　minister　would　send　him　any　message。　His　Excellency　was　dumb。

Phellion　courageously　escorted　the　fallen　man　to　his　home；　expressing

his　feelings　of　respectful　admiration；　then　he　returned　to　the　office；

and　took　up　his　work；　satisfied　with　his　own　conduct　in　rendering

these　funeral　honors　to　the　neglected　and　misjudged　administrative

talent。



Bixiou　＇seeing　Phellion　re…enter＇。　〃Victrix　cause　diis　placuit；　sed

victa　Catoni。〃



Phellion。　〃Yes；　monsieur。〃



Poiret。　〃What　does　that　mean？〃



Fleury。　〃That　priests　rejoice；　and　Monsieur　Rabourdin　has　the　respect

of　men　of　honor。〃



Dutocq　＇annoyed＇。　〃You　didn't　say　that　yesterday。〃



Fleury。　〃If　you　address　me　you'll　have　my　hand　in　your　face。　It　is

known　for　certain　that　you　filched　those　papers　from　Monsieur

Rabourdin。〃　＇Dutocq　leaves　the　office。＇　〃Oh；　yes；　go　and　complain　to

your　Monsieur　des　Lupeaulx；　spy！〃



Bixiou　＇laughing　and　grimacing　like　a　monkey＇。　〃I　am　curious　to　know

how　the　division　will　get　along。　Monsieur　Rabourdin　is　so　remarkable　a

man　that　he　must　have　had　some　special　views　in　that　work　of　his。

Well；　the　minister　loses　a　fine　mind。〃　＇Rubs　his　hands。＇



Laurent　＇entering＇。　〃Monsieur　Fleury　is　requested　to　go　to　the

secretary's　office。〃



All　the　clerks。　〃Done　for！〃



Fleury　＇leaving　the　room＇。　〃I　don't　care；　I　am　offered　a　place　as

responsible　editor。　I　shall　have　all　my　time　to　myself　to　lounge　the

streets　or　do　amusing　work　in　a　newspaper　office。〃



Bixiou。　〃Dutocq　has　already　made　them　cut　off　the　head　of　that　poor

Desroys。〃



Colleville　＇entering　joyously＇。　〃Gentlemen；　I　am　appointed　head　of

this　bureau。〃



Thuillier。　〃Ah；　my　friend；　if　it　were　I　myself；　I　couldn't　be　better

pleased。〃



Bixiou。　〃His　wife　has　managed　it。〃　＇Laughter。＇



Poiret。　〃Will　any　one　tell　me　the　meaning　of　all　that　is　happening

here　to…day？〃



Bixiou。　〃Do　you　really　want　to　know？　Then　listen。　The　antechamber　of

the　administration　is　henceforth　a　chamber；　the　court　is　a　boudoir；

the　best　way　to　get　in　is　through　the　cellar；　and　the　bed　is　more　than

ever　a　cross…cut。〃



Poiret。　〃Monsieur　Bixiou；　may　I　entreat　you；　explain？〃



Bixiou。　〃I'll　paraphrase　my　opinion。　To　be　anything　at　all　you　must

begin　by　being　everything。　It　is　quite　certain　that　a　reform　of　this

service　is　needed；　for　on　my　word　of　honor；　the　State　robs　the　poor

officials　as　much　as　the　officials　rob　the　State　in　the　matter　of

hours。　But　why　is　it　that　we　idle　as　we　do？　because　they　pay　us　too

little；　and　the　reason　of　that　is　we　are　too　many　for　the　work；　and

your　late　chief；　the　virtuous　Rabourdin；　saw　all　this　plainly。　That

great　administrator；for　he　was　that；　gentlemen；saw　what　the　thing

is　coming　to；　the　thing　that　these　idiots　call　the　'working　of　our

admirable　institutions。'　The　chamber　will　want　before　long　to

administrate；　and　the　administrators　will　want　to　legislate。　The

government　will　try　to　administrate　and　the　administrators　will　want

to　govern；　and　so　it　will　go　on。　Laws　will　come　to　be　mere

regulations；　and　ordinances　will　be　thought　laws。　God　made　this　epoch

of　the　world　for　those　who　like　to　laugh。　I　live　in　a　state　of　jovial

admiration　of　the　spectacle　which　the　greatest　joker　of　modern　times；

Louis　XVIII。；　bequeathed　to　us〃　＇general　stupefaction＇。　〃Gentlemen；　if

France；　the　country　with　the　best　civil　service　in　Europe；　is　managed

thus；　what　do　you　suppose　the　other　nations　are　like？　Poor　unhappy

nations！　I　ask　myself　how　they　can　possibly　get　along　without　two

Chambers；　without　the　liberty　of　the　press；　without　reports；　without

circulars　even；　without　an　army　of　clerks？　Dear；　dear；　how　do　you

suppose　they　have　armies　and　navies？　how　can　they　exist　at　all　without

political　discussions？　Can　they　even　be　called　nations；　or

governments？　It　is　said　（mere　traveller's　tales）　that　these　strange

peoples　claim　to　have　a　policy；　to　wield　a　certain　influence；　but

that's　absurd！　how　can　they　when　they　haven't　'progress'　or　'new

lights'？　They　can't　stir　up　ideas；　they　haven't　an　independent　forum；

they　are　still　in　the　twilight　of　barbarism。　There　are　no　people　in

the　world　but　the　French　people　who　have　ideas。　Can　you　understand；

Monsieur　Poiret；〃　＇Poiret　jumped　as　if　he　had　been　shot＇　〃how　a　nation

can　do　without　heads　of　divisions；　general…secretaries　and　directors；

and