bureaucracy-第45章

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and　Gobseck　on　the　field　of　battle；for　des　Lupeaulx　found　them　both

waiting。　At　eight　o'clock　that　evening；　Martin　Falleix；　returning　on

the　wings　of　the　wind；thanks　to　three　francs　to　the　postboys　and　a

courier　in　advance；had　brought　back　with　him　the　deeds　of　the

property　signed　the　night　before。　Taken　at　once　to　the　Cafe　Themis　by

Mitral；　these　securities　passed　into　the　hands　of　the　two　usurers；　who

hastened　（though　on　foot）　to　the　ministry。　It　was　past　eleven　o'clock。

Des　Lupeaulx　trembled　when　he　saw　those　sinister　faces；　emitting　a

simultaneous　look　as　direct　as　a　pistol　shot　and　as　brilliant　as　the

flash　itself。



〃What　is　it；　my　masters？〃　he　said。



The　two　extortioners　continued　cold　and　motionless。　Gigonnet　silently

pointed　to　the　documents　in　his　hand；　and　then　at　the　servant。



〃Come　into　my　study；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　dismissing　his　valet　by　a

sign。



〃You　understand　French　very　well；〃　remarked　Gigonnet；　approvingly。



〃Have　you　come　here　to　torment　a　man　who　enabled　each　of　you　to　make　a

couple　of　hundred　thousand　francs？〃



〃And　who　will　help　us　to　make　more；　I　hope；〃　said　Gigonnet。



〃Some　new　affair？〃　asked　des　Lupeaulx。　〃If　you　want　me　to　help　you；

consider　that　I　recollect　the　past。〃



〃So　do　we；〃　answered　Gigonnet。



〃My　debts　must　be　paid；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　disdainfully；　so　as　not　to

seem　worsted　at　the　outset。



〃True；〃　said　Gobseck。



〃Let　us　come　to　the　point；　my　son；〃　said　Gigonnet。　〃Don't　stiffen　your

chin　in　your　cravat；　with　us　all　that　is　useless。　Take　these　deeds　and

read　them。〃



The　two　usurers　took　a　mental　inventory　of　des　Lupeaulx's　study　while

he　read　with　amazement　and　stupefaction　a　deed　of　purchase　which

seemed　wafted　to　him　from　the　clouds　by　angels。



〃Don't　you　think　you　have　a　pair　of　intelligent　business　agents　in

Gobseck　and　me？〃　asked　Gigonnet。



〃But　tell　me；　to　what　do　I　owe　such　able　co…operation？〃　said　des

Lupeaulx；　suspicious　and　uneasy。



〃We　knew　eight　days　ago　a　fact　that　without　us　you　would　not　have

known　till　to…morrow　morning。　The　president　of　the　chamber　of

commerce；　a　deputy；　as　you　know；　feels　himself　obliged　to　resign。〃



Des　Lupeaulx's　eyes　dilated；　and　were　as　big　as　daisies。



〃Your　minister　has　been　tricking　you　about　this　event；〃　said　the

concise　Gobseck。



〃You　master　me；〃　said　the　general…secretary；　bowing　with　an　air　of

profound　respect；　bordering　however；　on　sarcasm。



〃True；〃　said　Gobseck。



〃Can　you　mean　to　strangle　me？〃



〃Possibly。〃



〃Well；　then；　begin　your　work；　executioners；〃　said　the　secretary；

smiling。



〃You　will　see；〃　resumed　Gigonnet；　〃that　the　sum　total　of　your　debts　is

added　to　the　sum　loaned　by　us　for　the　purchase　of　the　property；　we

have　bought　them　up。〃



〃Here　are　the　deeds；〃　said　Gobseck；　taking　from　the　pocket　of　his

greenish　overcoat　a　number　of　legal　papers。



〃You　have　three　years　in　which　to　pay　off　the　whole　sum；〃　said

Gigonnet。



〃But；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　frightened　at　such　kindness；　and　also　by　so

apparently　fantastic　an　arrangement。　〃What　do　you　want　of　me？〃



〃La　Billardiere's　place　for　Baudoyer；〃　said　Gigonnet；　quickly。



〃That's　a　small　matter；　though　it　will　be　next　to　impossible　for　me　to

do　it；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx。　〃I　have　just　tied　my　hands。〃



〃Bite　the　cords　with　your　teeth；〃　said　Gigonnet。



〃They　are　sharp；〃　added　Gobseck。



〃Is　that　all？〃　asked　des　Lupeaulx。



〃We　keep　the　title…deeds　of　the　property　till　the　debts　are　paid；〃

said　Gigonnet；　putting　one　of　the　papers　before　des　Lupeaulx；　〃and　if

the　matter　of　the　appointment　is　not　satisfactorily　arranged　within

six　days　our　names　will　be　substituted　in　place　of　yours。〃



〃You　are　deep；〃　cried　the　secretary。



〃Exactly；〃　said　Gobseck。



〃And　this　is　all？〃　exclaimed　des　Lupeaulx。



〃All；〃　said　Gobseck。



〃You　agree？〃　asked　Gigonnet。



Des　Lupeaulx　nodded　his　head。



〃Well；　then；　sign　this　power　of　attorney。　Within　two　days　Baudoyer　is

to　be　nominated；　within　six　your　debts　will　be　cleared　off；　and〃



〃And　what？〃　asked　des　Lupeaulx。



〃We　guarantee〃



〃Guarantee！what？〃　said　the　secretary；　more　and　more　astonished。



〃Your　election　to　the　Chamber；〃　said　Gigonnet；　rising　on　his　heels。

〃We　have　secured　a　majority　of　fifty…two　farmers'　and　mechanics'

votes；　which　will　be　thrown　precisely　as　those　who　lend　you　this　money

dictate。〃



Des　Lupeaulx　wrung　Gigonnet's　hand。



〃It　is　only　such　as　we　who　never　misunderstand　each　other；〃　he　said；

〃this　is　what　I　call　doing　business。　I'll　make　you　a　return　gift。〃



〃Right；〃　said　Gobseck。



〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Gigonnet。



〃The　cross　of　the　Legion　of　honor　for　your　imbecile　of　a　nephew。〃



〃Good；〃　said　Gigonnet；　〃I　see　you　know　him　well。〃



The　pair　took　leave　of　des　Lupeaulx；　who　conducted　them　to　the

staircase。



〃They　must　be　secret　envoys　from　foreign　powers；〃　whispered　the

footmen　to　each　other。



Once　in　the　street；　the　two　usurers　looked　at　each　other　under　a

street　lamp　and　laughed。



〃He　will　owe　us　nine　thousand　francs　interest　a　year；〃　said　Gigonnet；

〃that　property　doesn't　bring　him　in　five。〃



〃He　is　under　our　thumb　for　a　long　time；〃　said　Gobseck。



〃He'll　build；　he'll　commit　extravagancies；〃　continued　Gigonnet；

〃Falleix　will　get　his　land。〃



〃His　interest　is　only　to　be　made　deputy；　the　old　fox　laughs　at　the

rest；〃　said　Gobseck。



〃Hey！　hey！〃



〃Hi！　hi！〃



These　dry　little　exclamations　served　as　a　laugh　to　the　two　old　men；

who　took　their　way　back　（always　on　foot）　to　the　Cafe　Themis。



Des　Lupeaulx　returned　to　the　salon　and　found　Madame　Rabourdin　sailing

with　the　wind　of　success；　and　very　charming；　while　his　Excellency；

usually　so　gloomy；　showed　a　smooth　and　gracious　countenance。



〃She　performs　miracles；〃　thought　des　Lupeaulx。　〃What　a　wonderfully

clever　woman！　I　must　get　to　the　bottom　of　her　heart。〃



〃Your　little　lady　is　decidedly　handsome；〃　said　the　Marquise　to　the

secretary；　〃now　if　she　only　had　your　name。〃



〃Yes；　her　defect　is　that　she　is　the　daughter　of　an　auctioneer。　She

will　fail　for　want　of　birth；〃　replied　des　Lupeaulx；　with　a　cold　manner

that　contrasted　strangely　with　the　ardor　of　his　remarks　about　Madame

Rabourdin　not　half　an　hour　earlier。



The　marquise　looked　at　him　fixedly。



〃The　glance　you　gave　them　did　not　escape　me；〃　she　said；　motioning

towards　the　minister　and　Madame　Rabourdin；　〃it　pierced　the　mask　of

your　spectacles。　How　amusing　you　both　are；　to　quarrel　over　that　bone！〃



As　the　marquise　turned　to　leave　the　room　the　minister　joined　her　and

escorted　her　to　the　door。



〃Well；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx　to　Madame　Rabourdin；　〃what　do　you　think　of

his　Excellency？〃



〃He　is　charming。　We　must　know　these　poor　ministers　to　appreciate

them；〃　she　added；　slightly　raising　her　voice　so　as　to　be　heard　by　his

Excellency's　wife。　〃The　newspapers　and　the　opposition　calumnies　are　so

misleading　about　men　in　politics　that　we　are　all　more　or　less

influenced　by　them；　but　such　prejudices　turn　to　the　advantage　of

statesmen　when　we　come　to　know　them　personally。〃



〃He　is　very　good…looking；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx。



〃Yes；　and　I　assure　you　he　is　quite　lovable；〃　she　said；　heartily。



〃Dear　child；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　with　a　genial；　caressing　manner；　〃you

have　actually　done　the　impossible。〃



〃What　is　that？〃



〃Resuscitated　the　dead。　I　did　not　think　that　man　had　a　heart；　ask　his

wife。　But　he　may　have　just　enough　for　a　passing　fancy。　Therefore

profit　by　it。　Come　this　way；　and　don't　be　surprised。〃　He　led　Madame

Rabourdin　into　the　boudoir；　placed　her　on　a　sofa；　and　sat　down　beside

her。　〃You　are　very　sly；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　like　you　the　better　for　it。

Between　ourselves；　you　are　a　clever　woman。　Des　Lupeaulx　served　to

bring　you　into　this　house；　and　that　is　all　you　wanted　of　him；　isn't

it？　Now　when　a　woman　decides　to　love　a　man　for　what　she　can　get　out　of

him　it　is　better　to　take　a　sexagenarian　E