ferragus-第21章

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suffered　so　deeply！　His　life　till　then　so　upright；　so　pure；　was
becoming　crafty；　he　was　to　scheme　and　lie。　Clemence　was　scheming　and
lying。　This　to　him　was　a　moment　of　horrible　disgust。　Lost　in　a　flood
of　bitter　feelings；　Jules　stood　motionless　at　the　door　of　his　house。
Yielding　to　despair；　he　thought　of　fleeing；　of　leaving　France　forever；
carrying　with　him　the　illusions　of　uncertainty。　Then；　again；　not
doubting　that　the　letter　Clemence　had　just　posted　was　addressed　to
Ferragus；　his　mind　searched　for　a　means　of　obtaining　the　answer　that
mysterious　being　was　certain　to　send。　Then　his　thoughts　began　to
analyze　the　singular　good　fortune　of　his　life　since　his　marriage；　and
he　asked　himself　whether　the　calumny　for　which　he　had　taken　such
signal　vengeance　was　not　a　truth。　Finally；　reverting　to　the　coming
answer；　he　said　to　himself：

〃But　this　man；　so　profoundly　capable；　so　logical　in　his　every　act；　who
sees　and　foresees；　who　calculates；　and　even　divines；　our　very
thoughts；　is　he　likely　to　make　an　answer？　Will　he　not　employ　some
other　means　more　in　keeping　with　his　power？　He　may　send　his　answer　by
some　beggar；　or　in　a　carton　brought　by　an　honest　man；　who　does　not
suspect　what　he　brings；　or　in　some　parcel　of　shoes；　which　a　shop…girl
may　innocently　deliver　to　my　wife。　If　Clemence　and　he　have　agreed　upon
such　means〃

He　distrusted　all　things；　his　mind　ran　over　vast　tracts　and　shoreless
oceans　of　conjecture。　Then；　after　floating　for　a　time　among　a　thousand
contradictory　ideas；　he　felt　he　was　strongest　in　his　own　house；　and　he
resolved　to　watch　it　as　the　ant…lion　watches　his　sandy　labyrinth。

〃Fouguereau；〃　he　said　to　the　porter；　〃I　am　not　at　home　to　any　one　who
comes　to　see　me。　If　any　one　calls　to　see　madame；　or　brings　her
anything；　ring　twice。　Bring　all　letters　addressed　here　to　me；　no
matter　for　whom　they　are　intended。〃

〃Thus；〃　thought　he；　as　he　entered　his　study；　which　was　in　the
entresol；　〃I　forestall　the　schemes　of　this　Ferragus。　If　he　sends　some
one　to　ask　for　me　so　as　to　find　out　if　Clemence　is　alone；　at　least　I
shall　not　be　tricked　like　a　fool。〃

He　stood　by　the　window　of　his　study；　which　looked　upon　the　street；　and
then　a　final　scheme；　inspired　by　jealousy；　came　into　his　mind。　He
resolved　to　send　his　head…clerk　in　his　own　carriage　to　the　Bourse　with
a　letter　to　another　broker；　explaining　his　sales　and　purchases　and
requesting　him　to　do　his　business　for　that　day。　He　postponed　his　more
delicate　transactions　till　the　morrow；　indifferent　to　the　fall　or　rise
of　stocks　or　the　debts　of　all　Europe。　High　privilege　of　love！it
crushes　all　things；　all　interests　fall　before　it：　altar；　throne；
consols！

At　half…past　three；　just　the　hour　at　which　the　Bourse　is　in　full　blast
of　reports；　monthly　settlements；　premiums；　etc。；　Fouguereau　entered
the　study；　quite　radiant　with　his　news。

〃Monsieur；　an　old　woman　has　come；　but　very　cautiously；　I　think　she's　a
sly　one。　She　asked　for　monsieur；　and　seemed　much　annoyed　when　I　told
her　he　was　out；　then　she　gave　me　a　letter　for　madame；　and　here　it　is。〃

Fevered　with　anxiety；　Jules　opened　the　letter；　then　he　dropped　into　a
chair；　exhausted。　The　letter　was　mere　nonsense　throughout；　and　needed
a　key。　It　was　virtually　in　cipher。

〃Go　away；　Fouguereau。〃　The　porter　left　him。　〃It　is　a　mystery　deeper
than　the　sea　below　the　plummet　line！　Ah！　it　must　be　love；　love　only　is
so　sagacious；　so　inventive　as　this。　Ah！　I　shall　kill　her。〃

At　this　moment　an　idea　flashed　through　his　brain　with　such　force　that
he　felt　almost　physically　illuminated　by　it。　In　the　days　of　his
toilsome　poverty　before　his　marriage；　Jules　had　made　for　himself　a
true　friend。　The　extreme　delicacy　with　which　he　had　managed　the
susceptibilities　of　a　man　both　poor　and　modest；　the　respect　with　which
he　had　surrounded　him；　the　ingenious　cleverness　he　had　employed　to
nobly　compel　him　to　share　his　opulence　without　permitting　it　to　make
him　blush；　increased　their　friendship。　Jacquet　continued　faithful　to
Desmarets　in　spite　of　his　wealth。

Jacquet；　a　nobly　upright　man；　a　toiler；　austere　in　his　morals；　had
slowly　made　his　way　in　that　particular　ministry　which　develops　both
honesty　and　knavery　at　the　same　time。　A　clerk　in　the　ministry　of
Foreign　Affairs；　he　had　charge　of　the　most　delicate　division　of　its
archives。　Jacquet　in　that　office　was　like　a　glow…worm；　casting　his
light　upon　those　secret　correspondences；　deciphering　and　classifying
despatches。　Ranking　higher　than　a　mere　/bourgeois/；　his　position　at
the　ministry　was　superior　to　that　of　the　other　subalterns。　He　lived
obscurely；　glad　to　feel　that　such　obscurity　sheltered　him　from
reverses　and　disappointments；　and　was　satisfied　to　humbly　pay　in　the
lowest　coin　his　debt　to　the　country。　Thanks　to　Jules；　his　position　had
been　much　ameliorated　by　a　worthy　marriage。　An　unrecognized　patriot；　a
minister　in　actual　fact；　he　contented　himself　with　groaning　in　his
chimney…corner　at　the　course　of　the　government。　In　his　own　home；
Jacquet　was　an　easy…going　king；an　umbrella…man；　as　they　say；　who
hired　a　carriage　for　his　wife　which　he　never　entered　himself。　In
short；　to　end　this　sketch　of　a　philosopher　unknown　to　himself；　he　had
never　suspected　and　never　in　all　his　life　would　suspect　the　advantages
he　might　have　drawn　from　his　position；that　of　having　for　his
intimate　friend　a　broker；　and　of　knowing　every　morning　all　the　secrets
of　the　State。　This　man；　sublime　after　the　manner　of　that　nameless
soldier　who　died　in　saving　Napoleon　by　a　〃qui　vive；〃　lived　at　the
ministry。

In　ten　minutes　Jules　was　in　his　friend's　office。　Jacquet　gave　him　a
chair；　laid　aside　methodically　his　green　silk　eye…shade；　rubbed　his
hands；　picked　up　his　snuff…box；　rose；　stretched　himself　till　his
shoulder…blades　cracked；　swelled　out　his　chest；　and　said：

〃What　brings　you　here；　Monsieur　Desmarets？　What　do　you　want　with　me？〃

〃Jacquet；　I　want　you　to　decipher　a　secret；a　secret　of　life　and
death。〃

〃It　doesn't　concern　politics？〃

〃If　it　did；　I　shouldn't　come　to　you　for　information；〃　said　Jules。　〃No；
it　is　a　family　matter；　about　which　I　require　you　to　be　absolutely
silent。〃

〃Claude…Joseph　Jacquet；　dumb　by　profession。　Don't　you　know　me　by　this
time？〃　he　said；　laughing。　〃Discretion　is　my　lot。〃

Jules　showed　him　the　letter。

〃You　must　read　me　this　letter；　addressed　to　my　wife。〃

〃The　deuce！　the　deuce！　a　bad　business！〃　said　Jacquet；　examining　the
letter　as　a　usurer　examines　a　note　to　be　negotiated。　〃Ha！　that's　a
gridiron　letter！　Wait　a　minute。〃

He　left　Jules　alone　for　a　moment；　but　returned　immediately。

〃Easy　enough　to　read；　my　friend！　It　is　written　on　the　gridiron　plan；
used　by　the　Portuguese　minister　under　Monsieur　de　Choiseul；　at　the
time　of　the　dismissal　of　the　Jesuits。　Here；　see！〃

Jacquet　placed　upon　the　writing　a　piece　of　paper　cut　out　in　regular
squares；　like　the　paper　laces　which　confectioners　wrap　round　their
sugarplums；　and　Jules　then　read　with　perfect　ease　the　words　that　were
visible　in　the　interstices。　They　were　as　follows：

　　〃Don't　be　uneasy；　my　dear　Clemence；　our　happiness　cannot　again　be
　　troubled；　and　your　husband　will　soon　lay　aside　his　suspicions。
　　However　ill　you　may　be；　you　must　have　the　courage　to　come　here
　　to…morrow；　find　strength　in　your　love　for　me。　Mine　for　you　has
　　induced　me　to　submit　to　a　cruel　operation；　and　I　cannot　leave　my
　　bed。　I　have　had　the　actual　cautery　applied　to　my　back；　and　it　was
　　necessary　to　burn　it　in　a　long　time；　you　understand　me？　But　I
　　thought　of　you；　and　I　did　not　suffer。

　　〃To　baffle　Maulincour　（who　will　not　persecute　us　much　longer）；　I
　　have　left　the　protecting　roof　of　the　embassy；　and　am　now　safe　from
　　all　inquiry　in　the　rue　des　Enfants…Rouges；　number　12；　with　an　old
　　woman；　Madame　Etienne　Gruget；　mother　of　that　Ida；　who　shall　pay
　　dear　for　her　folly。　Come　to…morrow；　at　nine　in　the　morning。　I　am
　　in　a　room　which　is　reached　only　by　an　interior　staircase。　Ask　for
　　Monsieur　Camuset。　Adieu；　I　kiss　your　forehead；　my　darling。〃

Jacquet　looked　at　Jules　with　a　sort　of　honest　terror；　the　sign　of　a
true　compassion；　as　he　made　his　favorite　exclamation　in　two　separate
and　distinct　tones；

〃The　deuce！　the　deuce！〃

〃That　seems　clear　to　you；　doesn't　it？〃　said　Jule