bureaucracy-第36章

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　　acquirements　were　not　less　useful　than　the　truly　French　affability

　　of　his　manners）　for　the　express　purpose　of　conciliating　the

　　serious　interests　that　arise　under　its　administration。　No　rewards

　　have　ever　been　more　truly　deserved　than　those　by　which　the　King；

　　Louis　XVIII。；　and　his　present　Majesty　took　pleasure　in　crowning　a

　　loyalty　which　never　faltered　under　the　usurper。　This　old　family

　　still　survives　in　the　person　of　a　single　heir　to　the　excellent　man

　　whose　death　now　afflicts　so　many　warm　friends。　His　Majesty　has

　　already　graciously　made　known　that　Monsieur　Benjamin　de　la

　　Billardiere　will　be　included　among　the　gentlemen…in…ordinary　of

　　the　Bedchamber。



　　〃The　numerous　friends　who　have　not　already　received　their

　　notification　of　this　sad　event　are　hereby　informed　that　the

　　funeral　will　take　place　to…morrow　at　four　o'clock；　in　the　church

　　of　Saint…Roch。　The　memorial　address　will　be　delivered　by　Monsieur

　　l'Abbe　Fontanon。〃







　　〃Monsieur　Isidore…Charles…Thomas　Baudoyer；　representing　one　of　the

　　oldest　bourgeois　families　of　Paris；　and　head　of　a　bureau　in　the　

　　late　Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere's　division；　has　lately　recalled

　　the　old　traditions　of　piety　and　devotion　which　formerly

　　distinguished　these　great　families；　so　jealous　for　the　honor　and

　　glory　of　religion；　and　so　faithful　in　preserving　its　monuments。

　　The　church　of　Saint…Paul　has　long　needed　a　monstrance　in　keeping

　　with　the　magnificence　of　that　basilica；　itself　due　to　the　Company

　　of　Jesus。　Neither　the　vestry　nor　the　curate　were　rich　enough　to

　　decorate　the　altar。　Monsieur　Baudoyer　has　bestowed　upon　the　parish

　　a　monstrance　that　many　persons　have　seen　and　admired　at　Monsieur

　　Gohier's；　the　king's　jeweller。　Thanks　to　the　piety　of　this

　　gentleman；　who　did　not　shrink　from　the　immensity　of　the　price；　the

　　church　of　Saint…Paul　possesses　to…day　a　masterpiece　of　the

　　jeweller's　art　designed　by　Monsieur　de　Sommervieux。　It　gives　us

　　pleasure　to　make　known　this　fact；　which　proves　how　powerless　the

　　declamations　of　liberals　have　been　on　the　mind　of　the　Parisian

　　bourgeoisie。　The　upper　ranks　of　that　body　have　at　all　times　been

　　royalist　and　they　prove　it　when　occasion　offers。〃



〃The　price　was　five　thousand　francs；〃　said　the　Abbe　Gaudron；　〃but　as

the　payment　was　in　cash；　the　court　jeweller　reduced　the　amount。〃



〃Representing　one　of　the　oldest　bourgeois　families　in　Paris！〃　Saillard

was　saying　to　himself；　〃there　it　is　printed；in　the　official　paper；

too！〃



〃Dear　Monsieur　Gaudron；〃　said　Madame　Baudoyer；　〃please　help　my　father

to　compose　a　little　speech　that　he　could　slip　into　the　countess's　ear

when　he　takes　her　the　monthly　stipend；a　single　sentence　that　would

cover　all！　I　must　leave　you。　I　am　obliged　to　go　out　with　my　uncle

Mitral。　Would　you　believe　it？　I　was　unable　to　find　my　uncle　Bidault　at

home　this　afternoon。　Oh；　what　a　dog…kennel　he　lives　in！　But　Monsieur

Mitral；　who　knows　his　ways；　says　he　does　all　his　business　between

eight　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　midday；　and　that　after　that　hour　he

can　be　found　only　at　a　certain　cafe　called　the　Cafe　Themis；a

singular　name。〃



〃Is　justice　done　there？〃　said　the　abbe；　laughing。



〃Do　you　ask　why　he　goes　to　a　cafe　at　the　corner　of　the　rue　Dauphine

and　the　quai　des　Augustins？　They　say　he　plays　dominoes　there　every

night　with　his　friend　Monsieur　Gobseck。　I　don't　wish　to　go　to　such　a

place　alone；　my　uncle　Mitral　will　take　me　there　and　bring　me　back。〃



At　this　instant　Mitral　showed　his　yellow　face；　surmounted　by　a　wig

which　looked　as　though　it　might　be　made　of　hay；　and　made　a　sign　to　his

niece　to　come　at　once；　and　not　keep　a　carriage　waiting　at　two　francs

an　hour。　Madame　Baudoyer　rose　and　went　away　without　giving　any

explanation　to　her　husband　or　father。



〃Heaven　has　given　you　in　that　woman；〃　said　Monsieur　Gaudron　to

Baudoyer　when　Elisabeth　had　disappeared；　〃a　perfect　treasure　of

prudence　and　virtue；　a　model　of　wisdom；　a　Christian　who　gives　sure

signs　of　possessing　the　Divine　spirit。　Religion　alone　is　able　to　form

such　perfect　characters。　To…morrow　I　shall　say　a　mass　for　the　success

of　your　good　cause。　It　is　all…important；　for　the　sake　of　the　monarchy

and　of　religion　itself　that　you　should　receive　this　appointment。

Monsieur　Rabourdin　is　a　liberal；　he　subscribes　to　the　'Journal　des

Debats；'　a　dangerous　newspaper；　which　made　war　on　Monsieur　le　Comte　de

Villele　to　please　the　wounded　vanity　of　Monsieur　de　Chateaubriand。　His

Eminence　will　read　the　newspaper　to…night；　if　only　to　see　what　is　said

of　his　poor　friend　Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere；　and　Monseigneur　the

coadjutor　will　speak　of　you　to　the　King。　When　I　think　of　what　you　have

now　done　for　his　dear　church；　I　feel　sure　he　will　not　forget　you　in

his　prayers；　more　than　that；　he　is　dining　at　this　moment　with　the

coadjutor　at　the　house　of　the　curate　of　Saint…Roch。〃



These　words　made　Saillard　and　Baudoyer　begin　to　perceive　that

Elisabeth　had　not　been　idle　ever　since　Godard　had　informed　her　of

Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere's　decease。



〃Isn't　she　clever；　that　Elisabeth　of　mine？〃　cried　Saillard；

comprehending　more　clearly　than　Monsieur　l'abbe　the　rapid　undermining；

like　the　path　of　a　mole；　which　his　daughter　had　undertaken。



〃She　sent　Godard　to　Rabourdin's　door　to　find　out　what　newspaper　he

takes；〃　said　Gaudron；　〃and　I　mentioned　the　name　to　the　secretary　of

his　Eminence；for　we　live　at　a　crisis　when　the　Church　and　Throne　must

keep　themselves　informed　as　to　who　are　their　friends　and　who　their

enemies。〃



〃For　the　last　five　days　I　have　been　trying　to　find　the　right　thing　to

say　to　his　Excellency's　wife；〃　said　Saillard。



〃All　Paris　will　read　that；〃　cried　Baudoyer；　whose　eyes　were　still

riveted　on　the　paper。



〃Your　eulogy　costs　us　four　thousand　eight　hundred　francs；　son…in…law！〃

exclaimed　Madame　Saillard。



〃You　have　adorned　the　house　of　God；〃　said　the　Abbe　Gaudron。



〃We　might　have　got　salvation　without　doing　that；〃　she　returned。　〃But

if　Baudoyer　gets　the　place；　which　is　worth　eight　thousand　more；　the

sacrifice　is　not　so　great。　If　he　doesn't　get　it！　hey；　papa；〃　she

added；　looking　at　her　husband；　〃how　we　shall　have　bled！〃



〃Well；　never　mind；〃　said　Saillard；　enthusiastically；　〃we　can　always

make　it　up　through　Falleix；　who　is　going　to　extend　his　business　and

use　his　brother；　whom　he　has　made　a　stockbroker　on　purpose。　Elisabeth

might　have　told　us；　I　think；　why　Falleix　went　off　in　such　a　hurry。　But

let's　invent　my　little　speech。　This　is　what　I　thought　of：　'Madame；　if

you　would　say　a　word　to　his　Excellency'〃



〃'If　you　would　deign；'〃　said　Gaudron；　〃add　the　word　'deign；'　it　is

more　respectful。　But　you　ought　to　know；　first　of　all；　whether　Madame

la　Dauphine　will　grant　you　her　protection；　and　then　you　could　suggest

to　Madame　la　comtesse　the　idea　of　co…operating　with　the　wishes　of　her

Royal　Highness。〃



〃You　ought　to　designate　the　vacant　post；〃　said　Baudoyer。



〃'Madame　la　comtesse；'〃　began　Saillard；　rising；　and　bowing　to　his

wife；　with　an　agreeable　smile。



〃Goodness！　Saillard；　how　ridiculous　you　look。　Take　care；　my　man；

you'll　make　the　woman　laugh。〃



〃'Madame　la　comtesse；'〃　resumed　Saillard。　〃Is　that　better；　wife？〃



〃Yes；　my　duck。〃



〃'The　place　of　the　worthy　Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere　is　vacant；　my

son…in…law；　Monsieur　Baudoyer'〃



〃'Man　of　talent　and　extreme　piety；'〃　prompted　Gaudron。



〃Write　it　down；　Baudoyer；〃　cried　old　Saillard；　〃write　that　sentence

down。〃



Baudoyer　proceeded　to　take　a　pen　and　wrote；　without　a　blush；　his　own

praises；　precisely　as　Nathan　or　Canalis　might　have　reviewed　one　of

their　own　books。



〃'Madame　la　comtesse'　Don't　you　see；　mother？〃　said　Saillard　to　his

wife；　〃I　am　supposing　you　to　be　the　minister's　wife。〃



〃Do　you　take　me　for　a　fool？〃　she　answered　sharply。　〃I　know　that。〃



〃'The　place　of　the　late　worthy　de　la　Billardiere　is　vacant；　my　son…in…

law；　Monsieur　Baudoyer；　a　man　of　consummate　talent　and　extreme