bureaucracy-第38章

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〃Nothing；〃　said　Gobseck。



〃Nobody　knows　we　are　in　it；〃　added　Gigonnet；　〃Samanon　screens　us。〃



〃Come；　listen　to　me；　Gigonnet；　it　is　cold；　and　your　niece　is　waiting

outside。　You'll　understand　what　I　want　in　two　words。　You　must　at　once；

between　you；　send　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　（without

interest）　into　the　country　after　Falleix；　who　has　gone　post…haste；

with　a　courier　in　advance　of　him。〃



〃Is　it　possible！〃　said　Gobseck。



〃What　for？〃　cried　Gigonnet；　〃and　where　to？〃



〃To　des　Lupeaulx's　magnificent　country…seat；〃　replied　Mitral。　〃Falleix

knows　the　country；　for　he　was　born　there；　and　he　is　going　to　buy　up

land　all　round　the　secretary's　miserable　hovel；　with　the　two　hundred

and　fifty　thousand　francs　I　speak　of；good　land；　well　worth　the

price。　There　are　only　nine　days　before　us　for　drawing　up　and　recording

the　notarial　deeds　（bear　that　in　mind）。　With　the　addition　of　this

land；　des　Lupeaulx's　present　miserable　property　would　pay　taxes　to　the

amount　of　one　thousand　francs；　the　sum　necessary　to　make　a　man

eligible　to　the　Chamber。　Ergo；　with　it　des　Lupeaulx　goes　into　the

electoral　college；　becomes　eligible；　count；　and　whatever　he　pleases。

You　know　the　deputy　who　has　slipped　out　and　left　a　vacancy；　don't

you？〃



The　two　misers　nodded。



〃Des　Lupeaulx　would　cut　off　a　leg　to　get　elected　in　his　place；〃

continued　Mitral；　〃but　he　must　have　the　title…deeds　of　the　property　in

his　own　name；　and　then　mortgage　them　back　to　us　for　the　amount　of　the

purchase…money。　Ah！　now　you　begin　to　see　what　I　am　after！　First　of

all；　we　must　make　sure　of　Baudoyer's　appointment；　and　des　Lupeaulx

will　get　it　for　us　on　these　terms；　after　that　is　settled　we　will　hand

him　back　to　you。　Falleix　is　now　canvassing　the　electoral　vote。　Don't

you　perceive　that　you　have　Lupeaulx　completely　in　your　power　until

after　the　election？for　Falleix's　friends　are　a　large　majority。　Now

do　you　see　what　I　mean；　papa　Gigonnet？〃



〃It's　a　clever　game；〃　said　Metivier。



〃We'll　do　it；〃　said　Gigonnet；　〃you　agree；　don't　you；　Gobseck？　Falleix

can　give　us　security　and　put　mortgages　on　the　property　in　my　name；

we'll　go　and　see　des　Lupeaulx　when　all　is　ready。〃



〃We're　robbed；〃　said　Gobseck。



〃Ha；　ha！〃　laughed　Mitral；　〃I'd　like　to　know　the　robber！〃



〃Nobody　can　rob　us　but　ourselves；〃　answered　Gigonnet。　〃I　told　you　we

were　doing　a　good　thing　in　buying　up　all　des　Lupeaulx's　paper　from　his

creditors　at　sixty　per　cent　discount。〃



〃Take　this　mortgage　on　his　estate　and　you'll　hold　him　tighter　still

through　the　interest；〃　answered　Mitral。



〃Possibly；〃　said　Gobseck。



After　exchanging　a　shrewd　look　with　Gobseck；　Gigonnet　went　to　the　door

of　the　cafe。



〃Elisabeth！　follow　it　up；　my　dear；〃　he　said　to　his　niece。　〃We　hold

your　man　securely；　but　don't　neglect　accessories。　You　have　begun　well；

clever　woman！　go　on　as　you　began　and　you'll　have　your　uncle's　esteem；〃

and　he　grasped　her　hand；　gayly。



〃But；〃　said　Mitral；　〃Metivier　and　Chaboisseau　heard　it　all；　and　they

may　play　us　a　trick　and　tell　the　matter　to　some　opposition　journal

which　would　catch　the　ball　on　its　way　and　counteract　the　effect　of　the

ministerial　article。　You　must　go　alone；　my　dear；　I　dare　not　let　those

two　cormorants　out　of　my　sight。〃　So　saying　he　re…entered　the　cafe。



The　next　day　the　numerous　subscribers　to　a　certain　liberal　journal

read；　among　the　Paris　items；　the　following　article；　inserted

authoritatively　by　Chaboisseau　and　Metivier；　share…holders　in　the　said

journal；　brokers　for　publishers；　printers；　and　paper…makers；　whose

behests　no　editor　dared　refuse：



　　〃Yesterday　a　ministerial　journal　plainly　indicated　as　the　probable

　　successor　of　Monsieur　le　Baron　de　la　Billardiere；　Monsieur

　　Baudoyer；　one　of　the　worthiest　citizens　of　a　populous　quarter；

　　where　his　benevolence　is　scarcely　less　known　than　the　piety　on

　　which　the　ministerial　organ　laid　so　much　stress。　Why　was　that

　　sheet　silent　as　to　his　talents？　Did　it　reflect　that　in　boasting　of

　　the　bourgeoise　nobility　of　Monsieur　Baudoyerwhich；　certainly；　is

　　a　nobility　as　good　as　any　otherit　was　pointing　out　a　reason　for

　　the　exclusion　of　the　candidate？　A　gratuitous　piece　of　perfidy！　an

　　attempt　to　kill　with　a　caress！　To　appoint　Monsieur　Baudoyer　is　to

　　do　honor　to　the　virtues；　the　talents　of　the　middle　classes；　of

　　whom　we　shall　ever　be　the　supporters；　though　their　cause　seems　at

　　times　a　lost　one。　This　appointment；　we　repeat；　will　be　an　act　of

　　justice　and　good　policy；　consequently　we　may　be　sure　it　will　not

　　be　made。〃



On　the　morrow；　Friday；　the　usual　day　for　the　dinner　given　by　Madame

Rabourdin；　whom　des　Lupeaulx　had　left　at　midnight；　radiant　in　beauty；

on　the　staircase　of　the　Bouffons；　arm　in　arm　with　Madame　de　Camps

（Madame　Firmiani　had　lately　married）；　the　old　roue　awoke　with　his

thoughts　of　vengeance　calmed；　or　rather　refreshed；　and　his　mind　full

of　a　last　glance　exchanged　with　Celestine。



〃I'll　make　sure　of　Rabourdin's　support　by　forgiving　him　now；I'll　get

even　with　him　later。　If　he　hasn't　this　place　for　the　time　being　I

should　have　to　give　up　a　woman　who　is　capable　of　becoming　a　most

precious　instrument　in　the　pursuit　of　high　political　fortune。　She

understands　everything；　shrinks　from　nothing；　from　no　idea　whatever！

and　besides；　I　can't　know　before　his　Excellency　what　new　scheme　of

administration　Rabourdin　has　invented。　No；　my　dear　des　Lupeaulx；　the

thing　in　hand　is　to　win　all　now　for　your　Celestine。　You　may　make　as

many　faces　as　you　please；　Madame　la　comtesse；　but　you　will　invite

Madame　Rabourdin　to　your　next　select　party。〃



Des　Lupeaulx　was　one　of　those　men　who　to　satisfy　a　passion　are　quite

able　to　put　away　revenge　in　some　dark　corner　of　their　minds。　His

course　was　taken；　he　was　resolved　to　get　Rabourdin　appointed。



〃I　will　prove　to　you；　my　dear　fellow；　that　I　deserve　a　good　place　in

your　galley；〃　thought　he　as　he　seated　himself　in　his　study　and　began

to　unfold　a　newspaper。



He　knew　so　well　what　the　ministerial　organ　would　contain　that　he

rarely　took　the　trouble　to　read　it；　but　on　this　occasion　he　did　open

it　to　look　at　the　article　on　La　Billardiere；　recollecting　with

amusement　the　dilemma　in　which　du　Bruel　had　put　him　by　bringing　him

the　night　before　Bixiou's　amendments　to　the　obituary。　He　was　laughing

to　himself　as　he　reread　the　biography　of　the　late　Comte　da　Fontaine；

dead　a　few　months　earlier；　which　he　had　hastily　substituted　for　that

of　La　Billardiere；　when　his　eyes　were　dazzled　by　the　name　of　Baudoyer。

He　read　with　fury　the　article　which　pledged　the　minister；　and　then　he

rang　violently　for　Dutocq；　to　send　him　at　once　to　the　editor。　But　what

was　his　astonishment　on　reading　the　reply　of　the　opposition　paper！　The

situation　was　evidently　serious。　He　knew　the　game；　and　he　saw　that　the

man　who　was　shuffling　his　cards　for　him　was　a　Greek　of　the　first

order。　To　dictate　in　this　way　through　two　opposing　newspapers　in　one

evening；　and　to　begin　the　fight　by　forestalling　the　intentions　of　the

minister　was　a　daring　game！　He　recognized　the　pen　of　a　liberal　editor；

and　resolved　to　question　him　that　night　at　the　opera。　Dutocq　appeared。



〃Read　that；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　handing　him　over　the　two　journals；　and

continuing　to　run　his　eye　over　others　to　see　if　Baudoyer　had　pulled

any　further　wires。　〃Go　to　the　office　and　ask　who　has　dared　to　thus

compromise　the　minister。〃



〃It　was　not　Monsieur　Baudoyer　himself；〃　answered　Dutocq；　〃for　he　never

left　the　ministry　yesterday。　I　need　not　go　and　inquire；　for　when　I

took　your　article　to　the　newspaper　office　I　met　a　young　abbe　who

brought　in　a　letter　from　the　Grand　Almoner；　before　which　you　yourself

would　have　had　to　bow。〃



〃Dutocq；　you　have　a　grudge　against　Monsieur　Rabourdin；　and　it　isn't

right；　for　he　has　twice　saved　you　from　being　turned　out。　However；　we

are　not　masters　of　our　own　feelings；　we　sometimes　hate　our

benefactors。　Only；　remember　this；　if　you　show　the　slightest　treachery

to　Rabour