the muse of the department-第21章

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Lousteau　and　Bianchon；　who　told　her　strange　tales　about　the　great　men
of　the　day；　the　anecdotes　which　will　some　day　form　the　/Ana/　of　our
century；　sayings　and　doings　that　were　the　common　talk　of　Paris；　but
quite　new　to　her。

Of　course；　Lousteau　spoke　very　ill　of　the　great　female　celebrity　of　Le
Berry；　with　the　obvious　intention　of　flattering　Madame　de　la　Baudraye
and　leading　her　into　literary　confidences；　by　suggesting　that　she
could　rival　so　great　a　writer。　This　praise　intoxicated　Madame　de　la
Baudraye；　and　Monsieur　de　Clagny；　Monsieur　Gravier；　and　Gatien；　all
thought　her　warmer　in　her　manner　to　Etienne　than　she　had　been　on　the
previous　day。　Dinah's　three　/attaches/　greatly　regretted　having　all
gone　to　Sancerre　to　blow　the　trumpet　in　honor　of　the　evening　at　Anzy；
nothing；　to　hear　them；　had　ever　been　so　brilliant。　The　Hours　had　fled
on　feet　so　light　that　none　had　marked　their　pace。　The　two　Parisians
they　spoke　of　as　perfect　prodigies。

These　exaggerated　reports　loudly　proclaimed　on　the　Mall　brought
sixteen　persons　to　Anzy　that　evening；　some　in　family　coaches；　some　in
wagonettes；　and　a　few　bachelors　on　hired　saddle　horses。　By　about　seven
o'clock　this　provincial　company　had　made　a　more　or　less　graceful　entry
into　the　huge　Anzy　drawing…room；　which　Dinah；　warned　of　the　invasion；
had　lighted　up；　giving　it　all　the　lustre　it　was　capable　of　by　taking
the　holland　covers　off　the　handsome　furniture；　for　she　regarded　this
assembly　as　one　of　her　great　triumphs。　Lousteau；　Bianchon；　and　Dinah
exchanged　meaning　looks　as　they　studied　the　attitudes　and　listened　to
the　speeches　of　these　visitors；　attracted　by　curiosity。

What　invalided　ribbons；　what　ancestral　laces；　what　ancient　flowers；
more　imaginative　than　imitative；　were　boldly　displayed　on　some
perennial　caps！　The　Presidente　Boirouge；　Bianchon's　cousin；　exchanged
a　few　words　with　the　doctor；　from　whom　she　extracted　some　〃advice
gratis〃　by　expatiating　on　certain　pains　in　the　chest；　which　she
declared　were　nervous；　but　which　he　ascribed　to　chronic　indigestion。

〃Simply　drink　a　cup　of　tea　every　day　an　hour　after　dinner；　as　the
English　do；　and　you　will　get　over　it；　for　what　you　suffer　from　is　an
English　malady；〃　Bianchon　replied　very　gravely。

〃He　is　certainly　a　great　physician；〃　said　the　Presidente；　coming　back
to　Madame　de　Clagny；　Madame　Popinot…Chandier；　and　Madame　Gorju；　the
Mayor's　wife。

〃They　say；〃　replied　Madame　de　Clagny　behind　her　fan；　〃that　Dinah　sent
for　him；　not　so　much　with　a　view　to　the　elections　as　to　ascertain　why
she　has　no　children。〃

In　the　first　excitement　of　this　success；　Lousteau　introduced　the　great
doctor　as　the　only　possible　candidate　at　the　ensuing　elections。　But
Bianchon；　to　the　great　satisfaction　of　the　new　Sous…prefet；　remarked
that　it　seemed　to　him　almost　impossible　to　give　up　science　in　favor　of
politics。

〃Only　a　physician　without　a　practice；〃　said　he；　〃could　care　to　be
returned　as　a　deputy。　Nominate　statesmen；　thinkers；　men　whose
knowledge　is　universal；　and　who　are　capable　of　placing　themselves　on
the　high　level　which　a　legislator　should　occupy。　That　is　what　is
lacking　in　our　Chambers；　and　what　our　country　needs。〃

Two　or　three　young　ladies；　some　of　the　younger　men；　and　the　elder
women　stared　at　Lousteau　as　if　he　were　a　mountebank。

〃Monsieur　Gatien　Boirouge　declares　that　Monsieur　Lousteau　makes　twenty
thousand　francs　a　year　by　his　writings；〃　observed　the　Mayor's　wife　to
Madame　de　Clagny。　〃Can　you　believe　it？〃

〃Is　it　possible？　Why；　a　Public　Prosecutor　gets　but　a　thousand　crowns！〃

〃Monsieur　Gatien；〃　said　Madame　Chandier；　〃get　Monsieur　Lousteau　to
talk　a　little　louder。　I　have　not　heard　him　yet。〃

〃What　pretty　boots　he　wears；〃　said　Mademoiselle　Chandier　to　her
brother；　〃and　how　they　shine！〃

〃Yespatent　leather。〃

〃Why　haven't　you　the　same？〃

Lousteau　began　to　feel　that　he　was　too　much　on　show；　and　saw　in　the
manners　of　the　good　townsfolk　indications　of　the　desires　that　had
brought　them　there。

〃What　trick　can　I　play　them？〃　thought　he。

At　this　moment　the　footman；　so　calleda　farm…servant　put　into　livery
brought　in　the　letters　and　papers；　and　among　them　a　packet　of　proof；
which　the　journalist　left　for　Bianchon；　for　Madame　de　la　Baudraye；　on
seeing　the　parcel；　of　which　the　form　and　string　were　obviously　from
the　printers；　exclaimed：

〃What；　does　literature　pursue　you　even　here？〃

〃Not　literature；〃　replied　he；　〃but　a　review　in　which　I　am　now
finishing　a　story　to　come　out　ten　days　hence。　I　have　reached　the　stage
of　'/To　be　concluded　in　our　next/；'　so　I　was　obliged　to　give　my
address　to　the　printer。　Oh；　we　eat　very　hard…earned　bread　at　the　hands
of　these　speculators　in　black　and　white！　I　will　give　you　a　description
of　these　editors　of　magazines。〃

〃When　will　the　conversation　begin？〃　Madame　de　Clagny　asked　of　Dinah；
as　one　might　ask；　〃When　do　the　fireworks　go　off？〃

〃I　fancied　we　should　hear　some　amusing　stories；〃　said　Madame　Popinot
to　her　cousin；　the　Presidente　Boirouge。

At　this　moment；　when　the　good　folks　of　Sancerre　were　beginning　to
murmur　like　an　impatient　pit；　Lousteau　observed　that　Bianchon　was　lost
in　meditation　inspired　by　the　wrapper　round　the　proofs。

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Etienne。

〃Why；　here　is　the　most　fascinating　romance　possible　on　some　spoiled
proof　used　to　wrap　yours　in。　Here；　read　it。　/Olympia；　or　Roman
Revenge/。〃

〃Let　us　see；〃　said　Lousteau；　taking　the　sheet　the　doctor　held　out　to
him；　and　he　read　aloud　as　follows：

　　240　　　　　　　　　　OLYMPIA

　　cavern。　Rinaldo；　indignant　at　his
　　companions'　cowardice；　for　they　had
　　no　courage　but　in　the　open　field；　and
　　dared　not　venture　into　Rome；　looked
　　at　them　with　scorn。

　　〃Then　I　go　alone？〃　said　he。　He
　　seemed　to　reflect；　and　then　he　went
　　on：　〃You　are　poor　wretches。　I　shall
　　proceed　alone；　and　have　the　rich
　　booty　to　myself。You　hear　me！
　　Farewell。〃

　　〃My　Captain；〃　said　Lamberti；　〃if
　　you　should　be　captured　without
　　having　succeeded？〃

　　〃God　protects　me！〃　said　Rinaldo；
　　pointing　to　the　sky。

　　With　these　words　he　went　out；
　　and　on　his　way　he　met　the　steward

〃That　is　the　end　of　the　page；〃　said　Lousteau；　to　whom　every　one　had
listened　devoutly。

〃He　is　reading　his　work　to　us；〃　said　Gatien　to　Madame　Popinot…
Chandier's　son。

〃From　the　first　word；　ladies；〃　said　the　journalist；　jumping　at　an
opportunity　of　mystifying　the　natives；　〃it　is　evident　that　the
brigands　are　in　a　cave。　But　how　careless　romancers　of　that　date　were
as　to　details　which　are　nowadays　so　closely；　so　elaborately　studied
under　the　name　of　'local　color。'　If　the　robbers　were　in　a　cavern；
instead　of　pointing　to　the　sky　he　ought　to　have　pointed　to　the　vault
above　him。In　spite　of　this　inaccuracy；　Rinaldo　strikes　me　as　a　man
of　spirit；　and　his　appeal　to　God　is　quite　Italian。　There　must　have
been　a　touch　of　local　color　in　this　romance。　Why；　what　with　brigands；
and　a　cavern；　and　one　Lamberti　who　could　foresee　future　possibilities
there　is　a　whole　melodrama　in　that　page。　Add　to　these　elements　a
little　intrigue；　a　peasant　maiden　with　her　hair　dressed　high；　short
skirts；　and　a　hundred　or　so　of　bad　couplets。Oh！　the　public　will
crowd　to　see　it！　And　then　Rinaldohow　well　the　name　suits　Lafont！　By
giving　him　black　whiskers；　tightly…fitting　trousers；　a　cloak；　a
moustache；　a　pistol；　and　a　peaked　hatif　the　manager　of　the
Vaudeville　Theatre　were　but　bold　enough　to　pay　for　a　few　newspaper
articles；　that　would　secure　fifty　performances；　and　six　thousand
francs　for　the　author's　rights；　if　only　I　were　to　cry　it　up　in　my
columns。

〃To　proceed：

　　　　　　　　　OR　ROMAN　REVENGE　　　　219

　　The　Duchess　of　Bracciano　found
　　her　glove。　Adolphe；　who　had　brought
　　her　back　to　the　orange　grove；　might
　　certainly　have　supposed　that　there
　　was　some　purpose　in　her　forgetful…
　　ness；　for　at　this　moment　the　arbor
　　was　deserted。　The　sound　of　the　fes…
　　tivities　was　audible　in　the　distance。
　　The　puppet　show　that　had　been
　　promised　had　attracted　all　the
　　guests　to　the　ballroom。　Never　had
　　Olympia　looked　more　beautiful。
　　Her　lover's　eyes　met　hers　with　an
　　answering　glow；　and　they　under…
　　stood　each　other。　There　was　a　mo…
　　ment　of　silence；　delicious　to　their
　　souls；　and　impossible　to　describe。