bureaucracy-第7章

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collected　autographs；　obtained　splendid　albums　gratis；　and　possessed

sketches；　engravings；　and　pictures。　He　did　a　great　deal　of　good　to

artists　by　simply　not　injuring　them　and　by　furthering　their　wishes　on

certain　occasions　when　their　self…love　wanted　some　rather　costly

gratification。　Consequently；　he　was　much　liked　in　the　world　of　actors

and　actresses；　journalists　and　artists。　For　one　thing；　they　had　the

same　vices　and　the　same　indolence　as　himself。　Men　who　could　all　say

such　witty　things　in　their　cups　or　in　company　with　a　danseuse；　how

could　they　help　being　friends？　If　des　Lupeaulx　had　not　been　a　general…

secretary　he　would　certainly　have　been　a　journalist。　Thus；　in　that

fifteen　years'　struggle　in　which　the　harlequin　sabre　of　epigram　opened

a　breach　by　which　insurrection　entered　the　citadel；　des　Lupeaulx　never

received　so　much　as　a　scratch。



As　the　young　fry　of　clerks　looked　at　this　man　playing　bowls　in　the

gardens　of　the　ministry　with　the　minister's　children；　they　cracked

their　brains　to　guess　the　secret　of　his　influence　and　the　nature　of

his　services；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　the　aristocrats　in　all　the

various　ministries　looked　upon　him　as　a　dangerous　Mephistopheles；

courted　him；　and　gave　him　back　with　usury　the　flatteries　he　bestowed

in　the　higher　sphere。　As　difficult　to　decipher　as　a　hieroglyphic

inscription　to　the　clerks；　the　vocation　of　the　secretary　and　his

usefulness　were　as　plain　as　the　rule　of　three　to　the　self…interested。

This　lesser　Prince　de　Wagram　of　the　administration；　to　whom　the　duty

of　gathering　opinions　and　ideas　and　making　verbal　reports　thereon　was

entrusted；　knew　all　the　secrets　of　parliamentary　politics；　dragged　in

the　lukewarm；　fetched；　carried；　and　buried　propositions；　said　the　Yes

and　the　No　that　the　ministers　dared　not　say　for　themselves。　Compelled

to　receive　the　first　fire　and　the　first　blows　of　despair　and　wrath；　he

laughed　or　bemoaned　himself　with　the　minister；　as　the　case　might　be。

Mysterious　link　by　which　many　interests　were　in　some　way　connected

with　the　Tuileries；　and　safe　as　a　confessor；　he　sometimes　knew

everything　and　sometimes　nothing；　and；　in　addition　to　all　these

functions　came　that　of　saying　for　the　minister　those　things　that　a

minister　cannot　say　for　himself。　In　short；　with　his　political

Hephaestion　the　minister　might　dare　to　be　himself；　to　take　off　his　wig

and　his　false　teeth；　lay　aside　his　scruples；　put　on　his　slippers；

unbutton　his　conscience；　and　give　way　to　his　trickery。　However；　it　was

not　all　a　bed　of　roses　for　des　Lupeaulx；　he　flattered　and　advised　his

master；　forced　to　flatter　in　order　to　advise；　to　advise　while

flattering；　and　disguise　the　advice　under　the　flattery。　All

politicians　who　follow　this　trade　have　bilious　faces；　and　their

constant　habit　of　giving　affirmative　nods　acquiescing　in　what　is　said

to　them；　or　seeming　to　do　so；　gives　a　certain　peculiar　turn　to　their

heads。　They　agree　indifferently　with　whatever　is　said　before　them。

Their　talk　is　full　of　〃buts；〃　〃notwithstandings；〃　〃for　myself　I

should；〃　〃were　I　in　your　place〃　（they　often　say　〃in　your　place〃）；

phrases；　however；　which　pave　the　way　to　opposition。



In　person；　Clement　des　Lupeaulx　had　the　remains　of　a　handsome　man；

five　feet　six　inches　tall；　tolerably　stout；　complexion　flushed　with

good　living；　powdered　head；　delicate　spectacles；　and　a　worn…out　air；

the　natural　skin　blond；　as　shown　by　the　hand；　puffy　like　that　of　an

old　woman；　rather　too　square；　and　with　short　nailsthe　hand　of　a

satrap。　His　foot　was　elegant。　After　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　des

Lupeaulx　was　always　to　be　seen　in　open…worked　silk　stockings；　low

shoes；　black　trousers；　cashmere　waistcoat；　cambric　handkerchief

（without　perfume）；　gold　chain；　blue　coat　of　the　shade　called　〃king's

blue；〃　with　brass　buttons　and　a　string　of　orders。　In　the　morning　he

wore　creaking　boots　and　gray　trousers；　and　the　short　close　surtout

coat　of　the　politician。　His　general　appearance　early　in　the　day　was

that　of　a　sharp　lawyer　rather　than　that　of　a　ministerial　officer。　Eyes

glazed　by　the　constant　use　of　spectacles　made　him　plainer　than　he

really　was；　if　by　chance　he　took　those　appendages　off。　To　real　judges

of　character；　as　well　as　to　upright　men　who　are　at　ease　only　with

honest　natures；　des　Lupeaulx　was　intolerable。　To　them；　his　gracious

manners　only　draped　his　lies；　his　amiable　protestations　and　hackneyed

courtesies；　new　to　the　foolish　and　ignorant；　too　plainly　showed　their

texture　to　an　observing　mind。　Such　minds　considered　him　a　rotten

plank；　on　which　no　foot　should　trust　itself。



No　sooner　had　the　beautiful　Madame　Rabourdin　decided　to　interfere　in

her　husband's　administrative　advancement　than　she　fathomed　Clement　des

Lupeaulx's　true　character；　and　studied　him　thoughtfully　to　discover

whether　in　this　thin　strip　of　deal　there　were　ligneous　fibres　strong

enough　to　let　her　lightly　trip　across　it　from　the　bureau　to　the

department；　from　a　salary　of　eight　thousand　a　year　to　twelve　thousand。

The　clever　woman　believed　she　could　play　her　own　game　with　this

political　roue；　and　Monsieur　des　Lupeaulx　was　partly　the　cause　of　the

unusual　expenditures　which　now　began　and　were　continued　in　the

Rabourdin　household。



The　rue　Duphot；　built　up　under　the　Empire；　is　remarkable　for　several

houses　with　handsome　exteriors；　the　apartments　of　which　are　skilfully

laid　out。　That　of　the　Rabourdins　was　particularly　well　arranged；a

domestic　advantage　which　has　much　to　do　with　the　nobleness　of　private

lives。　A　pretty　and　rather　wide　antechamber；　lighted　from　the

courtyard；　led　to　the　grand　salon；　the　windows　of　which　looked　on　the

street。　To　the　right　of　the　salon　were　Rabourdin's　study　and　bedroom；

and　behind　them　the　dining…room；　which　was　entered　from　the

antechamber；　to　the　left　was　Madame's　bedroom　and　dressing…room；　and

behind　them　her　daughter's　little　bedroom。　On　reception　days　the　door

of　Rabourdin's　study　and　that　of　his　wife's　bedroom　were　thrown　open。

The　rooms　were　thus　spacious　enough　to　contain　a　select　company；

without　the　absurdity　which　attends　many　middle…class　entertainments；

where　unusual　preparations　are　made　at　the　expense　of　the　daily

comfort；　and　consequently　give　the　effect　of　exceptional　effort。　The

salon　had　lately　been　rehung　in　gold…colored　silk　with　carmelite

touches。　Madame's　bedroom　was　draped　in　a　fabric　of　true　blue　and

furnished　in　a　rococo　manner。　Rabourdin's　study　had　inherited　the　late

hangings　of　the　salon；　carefully　cleaned；　and　was　adorned　by　the　fine

pictures　once　belonging　to　Monsieur　Leprince。　The　daughter　of　the　late

auctioneer　had　utilized　in　her　dining…room　certain　exquisite　Turkish

rugs　which　her　father　had　bought　at　a　bargain；　panelling　them　on　the

walls　in　ebony；　the　cost　of　which　has　since　become　exorbitant。　Elegant

buffets　made　by　Boulle；　also　purchased　by　the　auctioneer；　furnished

the　sides　of　the　room；　at　the　end　of　which　sparkled　the　brass

arabesques　inlaid　in　tortoise…shell　of　the　first　tall　clock　that

reappeared　in　the　nineteenth　century　to　claim　honor　for　the

masterpieces　of　the　seventeenth。　Flowers　perfumed　these　rooms　so　full

of　good　taste　and　of　exquisite　things；　where　each　detail　was　a　work　of

art　well　placed　and　well　surrounded；　and　where　Madame　Rabourdin；

dressed　with　that　natural　simplicity　which　artists　alone　attain；　gave

the　impression　of　a　woman　accustomed　to　such　elegancies；　though　she

never　spoke　of　them；　but　allowed　the　charms　of　her　mind　to　complete

the　effect　produced　upon　her　guests　by　these　delightful　surroundings。

Thanks　to　her　father；　Celestine　was　able　to　make　society　talk　of　her

as　soon　as　the　rococo　became　fashionable。



Accustomed　as　des　Lupeaulx　was　to　false　as　well　as　real　magnificence

in　all　their　stages；　he　was；　nevertheless；　surprised　at　Madame

Rabourdin's　home。　The　charm　it　exercised　over　this　Parisian　Asmodeus

can　be　explained　by　a　comparison。　A　traveller　wearied　with　the　rich

aspects　of　Italy；　Brazil；　or　India；　returns　to　his　own　land　and　finds

on　his　way　a　delightful　little　lake；　like　the　Lac　d'Orta　at　the　foot

of　Monte　Rosa；　with　an　island　resting　on　the　calm　waters；　bewitchingly

simple；　a　scene　of　nature　and　yet　adorned；　solitary；　but　well

surrounded　with　choice　plantations　and　foliage　and　statues　of　fine

effect。　Beyond　lies　a　vista　of　shores　both　wild　and　cultivated；

tumultuous　grandeur　towers　above；　but　in　itself　all　proportions　are

human。　The　world　that　the　traveller　has　lately　viewed　is　here　in

miniature；　modest　and　pure；　his　soul；　refreshed；　bids　him　remain　where

a　charm　of　melody　and　poesy　surrounds　him　with　harmony　and　awakens

ideas　within　his　mind。　Such　a　scene　represents　both　life　and　a

monastery。



A　few　days　earlier　the　beautiful　Madame　Firmiani；　one　of　the　charming

women　of　the　faubourg　Saint…Germain　who　visited　and　liked　Madame

Rabourdin；　had　said　to　des　Lupeaulx　（invited　expressly　to　hear　this

remark）；　〃Why　do　you　not　call　on　Madame　？〃　with　a　motion　towards

Celestine；　〃she　gives　delightful　parties；　and　her　dinners；　above　all；

arebetter　than　mine。〃



Des　Lupeaulx　allowed　himself　to　be　drawn　into　an　engagement　by　the

handsome　Madame　Rabourdin；　who；　for　the　first　time；　turned　her　eyes　on

him　as　she　spoke。　He　had；　accordingly；　gone　to　the　rue　Duphot；　and

that　tells　the　tale。　Woman　has　but　one　trick；　cries　Figaro；　but　that's

infallible。　After　dining　once　at　the　house　of　this　unimportant

official；　des　Lupeaulx　made　up　his　mind　to　dine　there　often。　Thanks　to

the　perfectly　proper　and　becoming　advances　of　the　beautiful　woman；

whom　her　rival；　Madame　Colleville；　called　the　Celimene　of　the　rue

Duphot；　he　had　dined　there　every　Friday　for　the　last　month；　and

returned　of　his　own　accord　for　a　cup　of　tea　on　Wednesdays。



Within　a　few　days　Madame　Rabourdin；　having　watched　him　narrowly　and

knowingly；　believed　she　had　found　on　the　secretarial　plank　a　spot

where　she　might　safely　set　her　foot。　She　was　no　longer　doubtful　of

success。　Her　inward　joy　can　be　realized　only　in　the　families　of

government　officials　where　for　three　or　four　years　prosperity　has　been

counted　on　through　some　appointment；　long　expected　and　long　sought。

How　many　troubles　are　to　be　allayed！　how　many　entreaties　and　pledges

given　to　the　ministerial　divinities！　how　many　visits　of　self…interest

paid！　At　last；　thanks　to　her　boldness；　Madame　Rabourdin　heard　the　hour

strike　when　she　was　to　have　twenty　thousand　francs　a　year　instead　of

eight　thousand。



〃And　I　shall　have　managed　well；〃　she　said　to　herself。　〃I　have　had　to

make　a　little　outlay；　but　these　are　times　when　hidden　merit　is

overlooked；　whereas　if　a　man　keeps　himself　well　in　sight　before　the

world；　cultivates　social　relations　and　extends　them；　he　succeeds。

After　all；　ministers　and　their　friends　interest　themselves　only　in　the

people　they　see；　but　Rabourdin　knows　nothing　of　the　world！　If　I　had

not　cajoled　those　three　deputies　they　might　have　wanted　La

Billardiere's　place　themselves；　whereas；　now　that　I　have　invit