bureaucracy-第40章

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to　their　internal　revenue。　But　this　vice　may　perhaps　denote　a　truly

French　patriotism；　which　seeks　to　maintain　the　supremacy　of　the　nation

in　the　matter　of　dress。　France　reigns　through　clothes　over　the　whole

of　Europe；　and　every　one　must　feel　the　importance　of　retaining　a

commercial　sceptre　that　makes　fashion　in　France　what　the　navy　is　to

England。　This　patriotic　ardor　which　leads　a　nation　to　sacrifice

everything　to　appearancesto　the　〃paroistre；〃　as　d'Aubigne　said　in

the　days　of　Henri　IV。is　the　cause　of　those　vast　secret　labors　which

employ　the　whole　of　a　Parisian　woman's　morning；　when　she　wishes；　as

Madame　Rabourdin　wished；　to　keep　up　on　twelve　thousand　francs　a　year

the　style　that　many　a　family　with　thirty　thousand　does　not　indulge　in。

Consequently；　every　Friday；the　day　of　her　dinner　parties；Madame

Rabourdin　helped　the　chambermaid　to　do　the　rooms；　for　the　cook　went

early　to　market；　and　the　man…servant　was　cleaning　the　silver；　folding

the　napkins；　and　polishing　the　glasses。　The　ill…advised　individual　who

might　happen；　through　an　oversight　of　the　porter；　to　enter　Madame

Rabourdin's　establishment　about　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning　would

have　found　her　in　the　midst　of　a　disorder　the　reverse　of　picturesque；

wrapped　in　a　dressing…gown；　her　hair　ill…dressed；　and　her　feet　in　old

slippers；　attending　to　the　lamps；　arranging　the　flowers；　or　cooking　in

haste　an　extremely　unpoetic　breakfast。　The　visitor　to　whom　the

mysteries　of　Parisian　life　were　unknown　would　certainly　have　learned

for　the　rest　of　his　life　not　to　set　foot　in　these　greenrooms　at　the

wrong　moment；　a　woman　caught　in　her　matin　mysteries　would　ever　after

point　him　out　as　a　man　capable　of　the　blackest　crimes；　or　she　would

talk　of　his　stupidity　and　indiscretion　in　a　manner　to　ruin　him。　The

true　Parisian　woman；　indulgent　to　all　curiosity　that　she　can　put　to

profit；　is　implacable　to　that　which　makes　her　lose　her　prestige。　Such

a　domiciliary　invasion　may　be　called；　not　only　（as　they　say　in　police

reports）　an　attack　on　privacy；　but　a　burglary；　a　robbery　of　all　that

is　most　precious；　namely；　CREDIT。　A　woman　is　quite　willing　to　let

herself　be　surprised　half…dressed；　with　her　hair　about　her　shoulders。

If　her　hair　is　all　her　own　she　scores　one；　but　she　will　never　allow

herself　to　be　seen　〃doing〃　her　own　rooms；　or　she　loses　her　pariostre；

that　precious　SEEMING…TO…BE！



Madame　Rabourdin　was　in　full　tide　of　preparation　for　her　Friday

dinner；　standing　in　the　midst　of　provisions　the　cook　had　just　fished

from　the　vast　ocean　of　the　markets；　when　Monsieur　des　Lupeaulx　made

his　way　stealthily　in。　The　general…secretary　was　certainly　the　last

man　Madame　Rabourdin　expected　to　see；　and　so；　when　she　heard　his　boots

creaking　in　the　ante…chamber；　she　exclaimed；　impatiently；　〃The　hair…

dresser　already！〃an　exclamation　as　little　agreeable　to　des　Lupeaulx

as　the　sight　of　des　Lupeaulx　was　agreeable　to　her。　She　immediately

escaped　into　her　bedroom；　where　chaos　reigned；　a　jumble　of　furniture

to　be　put　out　of　sight；　with　other　heterogeneous　articles　of　more　or

rather　less　elegance；a　domestic　carnival；　in　short。　The　bold　des

Lupeaulx　followed　the　handsome　figure；　so　piquant　did　she　seem　to　him

in　her　dishabille。　There　is　something　indescribably　alluring　to　the

eye　in　a　portion　of　flesh　seen　through　an　hiatus　in　the　undergarment；

more　attractive　far　than　when　it　rises　gracefully　above　the　circular

curve　of　the　velvet　bodice；　to　the　vanishing　line　of　the　prettiest

swan's…neck　that　ever　lover　kissed　before　a　ball。　When　the　eye　dwells

on　a　woman　in　full　dress　making　exhibition　of　her　magnificent　white

shoulders；　do　we　not　fancy　that　we　see　the　elegant　dessert　of　a　grand

dinner？　But　the　glance　that　glides　through　the　disarray　of　muslins

rumpled　in　sleep　enjoys；　as　it　were；　a　feast　of　stolen　fruit　glowing

between　the　leaves　on　a　garden　wall。



〃Stop！　wait！〃　cried　the　pretty　Parisian；　bolting　the　door　of　the

disordered　room。



She　rang　for　Therese；　called　for　her　daughter；　the　cook；　and　the　man…

servant；　wishing　she　possessed　the　whistle　of　the　machinist　at　the

Opera。　Her　call；　however；　answered　the　same　purpose。　In　a　moment；

another　phenomenon！　the　salon　assumed　a　piquant　morning　look；　quite　in

keeping　with　the　becoming　toilet　hastily　got　together　by　the　fugitive；

we　say　it　to　her　glory；　for　she　was　evidently　a　clever　woman；　in　this

at　least。



〃You！〃　she　said；　coming　forward；　〃at　this　hour？　What　has　happened？〃



〃Very　serious　things；〃　answered　des　Lupeaulx。　〃You　and　I　must

understand　each　other　now。〃



Celestine　looked　at　the　man　behind　his　glasses；　and　understood　the

matter。



〃My　principle　vice；〃　she　said；　〃is　oddity。　For　instance；　I　do　not　mix

up　affections　with　politics；　let　us　talk　politics；business；　if　you

will；the　rest　can　come　later。　However；　it　is　not　really　oddity　nor　a

whim　that　forbids　me　to　mingle　ill…assorted　colors　and　put　together

things　that　have　no　affinity；　and　compels　me　to　avoid　discords；　it　is

my　natural　instinct　as　an　artist。　We　women　have　politics　of　our　own。〃



Already　the　tones　of　her　voice　and　the　charm　of　her　manners　were

producing　their　effect　on　the　secretary　and　metamorphosing　his

roughness　into　sentimental　courtesy；　she　had　recalled　him　to　his

obligations　as　a　lover。　A　clever　pretty　woman　makes　an　atmosphere

about　her　in　which　the　nerves　relax　and　the　feelings　soften。



〃You　are　ignorant　of　what　is　happening；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　harshly；

for　he　still　thought　it　best　to　make　a　show　of　harshness。　〃Read　that。〃



He　gave　the　two　newspapers　to　the　graceful　woman；　having　drawn　a　line

in　red　ink　round　each　of　the　famous　articles。



〃Good　heavens！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃but　this　is　dreadful！　Who　is　this

Baudoyer？〃



〃A　donkey；〃　answered　des　Lupeaulx；　〃but；　as　you　see；　he　uses　means；

he　gives　monstrances；　he　succeeds；　thanks　to　some　clever　hand　that

pulls　the　wires。〃



The　thought　of　her　debts　crossed　Madame　Rabourdin's　mind　and　blurred

her　sight；　as　if　two　lightning　flashes　had　blinded　her　eyes　at　the

same　moment；　her　ears　hummed　under　the　pressure　of　the　blood　that

began　to　beat　in　her　arteries；　she　remained　for　a　moment　quite

bewildered；　gazing　at　a　window　which　she　did　not　see。



〃But　are　you　faithful　to　us？〃　she　said　at　last；　with　a　winning　glance

at　des　Lupeaulx；　as　if　to　attach　him　to　her。



〃That　is　as　it　may　be；〃　he　replied；　answering　her　glance　with　an

interrogative　look　which　made　the　poor　woman　blush。



〃If　you　demand　caution…money　you　may　lose　all；〃　she　said；　laughing；　〃I

thought　you　more　magnanimous　than　you　are。　And　you；　you　thought　me

less　a　person　than　I　am；a　sort　of　school…girl。〃



〃You　have　misunderstood　me；〃　he　said；　with　a　covert　smile；　〃I　meant

that　I　could　not　assist　a　man　who　plays　against　me　just　as　l'Etourdi

played　against　Mascarille。〃



〃What　can　you　mean？〃



〃This　will　prove　to　you　whether　I　am　magnanimous　or　not。〃



He　gave　Madame　Rabourdin　the　memorandum　stolen　by　Dutocq；　pointing　out

to　her　the　passage　in　which　her　husband　had　so　ably　analyzed　him。



〃Read　that。〃



Celestine　recognized　the　handwriting；　read　the　paper；　and　turned　pale

under　the　blow。



〃All　the　ministries；　the　whole　service　is　treated　in　the　same　way；〃

said　des　Lupeaulx。



〃Happily；〃　she　said；　〃you　alone　possess　this　document。　I　cannot

explain　it；　even　to　myself。〃



〃The　man　who　stole　it　is　not　such　a　fool　as　to　let　me　have　it　without

keeping　a　copy　for　himself；　he　is　too　great　a　liar　to　admit　it；　and

too　clever　in　his　business　to　give　it　up。　I　did　not　even　ask　him　for

it。〃



〃Who　is　he？〃



〃Your　chief　clerk。〃



〃Dutocq！　People　are　always　punished　through　their　kindnesses！　But；〃

she　added；　〃he　is　only　a　dog　who　wants　a　bone。〃



〃Do　you　know　what　the　other　side　offer　me；　poor　devil　of　a　general…

secretary？〃



〃What？〃



〃I　owe　thirty…thousand　and　odd　miserable　francs；you　will　despise　me

because　it　isn't　more；　but　here；　I　grant　you；　I　am　significant。　Well；

Baudoyer's