bureaucracy-第46章

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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　Excellency　than　a

quadragenarian　secretary；　there's　more　profit　and　less　annoyance。　I'm

a　man　with　spectacles；　grizzled　hair；　worn　out　with　dissipation；a

fine　lover；　truly！　I　tell　myself　all　this　again　and　again。　It　must　be

admitted；　of　course；　that　I　can　sometimes　be　useful；　but　never

agreeable。　Isn't　that　so？　A　man　must　be　a　fool　if　he　cannot　reason

about　himself。　You　can　safely　admit　the　truth　and　let　me　see　to　the

depths　of　your　heart；　we　are　partners；　not　lovers。　If　I　show　some

tenderness　at　times；　you　are　too　superior　a　woman　to　pay　any　attention

to　such　follies；　you　will　forgive　me；you　are　not　a　school…girl；　or　a

bourgeoise　of　the　rue　Saint…Denis。　Bah！　you　and　I　are　too　well　brought

up　for　that。　There's　the　Marquise　d'Espard　who　has　just　left　the　room；

this　is　precisely　what　she　thinks　and　does。　She　and　I　came　to　an

understanding　two　years　ago　＇the　coxcomb！＇；　and　now　she　has　only　to

write　me　a　line　and　say；　'My　dear　des　Lupeaulx；　you　will　oblige　me　by

doing　such　and　such　a　thing；'　and　it　is　done　at　once。　We　are　engaged

at　this　very　moment　in　getting　a　commission　of　lunacy　on　her　husband。

Ah！　you　women；　you　can　get　what　you　want　by　the　bestowal　of　a　few

favors。　Well；　then；　my　dear　child；　bewitch　the　minister。　I'll　help

you；　it　is　my　interest　to　do　so。　Yes；　I　wish　he　had　a　woman　who　could

influence　him；　he　wouldn't　escape　me；for　he　does　escape　me　quite

often；　and　the　reason　is　that　I　hold　him　only　through　his　intellect。

Now　if　I　were　one　with　a　pretty　woman　who　was　also　intimate　with　him；

I　should　hold　him　by　his　weaknesses；　and　that　is　much　the　firmest

grip。　Therefore；　let　us　be　friends；　you　and　I；　and　share　the

advantages　of　the　conquest　you　are　making。〃



Madame　Rabourdin　listened　in　amazement　to　this　singular　profession　of

rascality。　The　apparent　artlessness　of　this　political　swindler

prevented　her　from　suspecting　a　trick。



〃Do　you　believe　he　really　thinks　of　me？〃　she　asked；　falling　into　the

trap。



〃I　know　it；　I　am　certain　of　it。〃



〃Is　it　true　that　Rabourdin's　appointment　is　signed？〃



〃I　gave　him　the　papers　this　morning。　But　it　is　not　enough　that　your

husband　should　be　made　director；　he　must　be　Master　of　petitions。〃



〃Yes；〃　she　said。



〃Well；　then；　go　back　to　the　salon　and　coquette　a　little　more　with　his

Excellency。〃



〃It　is　true；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　never　fully　understood　you　till

to…night。　There　is　nothing　commonplace　about　YOU。〃



〃We　will　be　two　old　friends；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　〃and　suppress　all

tender　nonsense　and　tormenting　love；　we　will　take　things　as　they　did

under　the　Regency。　Ah！　they　had　plenty　of　wit　and　wisdom　in　those

days！〃



〃You　are　really　strong；　you　deserve　my　admiration；〃　she　said；　smiling；

and　holding　out　her　hand　to　him；　〃one　does　more　for　one's　friend；　you

know；　than　for　one's〃



She　left　him　without　finishing　her　sentence。



〃Dear　creature！〃　thought　des　Lupeaulx；　as　he　saw　her　approach　the

minister；　〃des　Lupeaulx　has　no　longer　the　slightest　remorse　in　turning

against　you。　To…morrow　evening　when　you　offer　me　a　cup　of　tea；　you

will　be　offering　me　a　thing　I　no　longer　care　for。　All　is　over。　Ah！

when　a　man　is　forty　years　of　age　women　may　take　pains　to　catch　him；

but　they　won't　love　him。〃



He　looked　himself　over　in　a　mirror；　admitting　honestly　that　though　he

did　very　well　as　a　politician　he　was　a　wreck　on　the　shores　of　Cythera。

At　the　same　moment　Madame　Rabourdin　was　gathering　herself　together　for

a　becoming　exit。　She　wished　to　make　a　last　graceful　impression　on　the

minds　of　all；　and　she　succeeded。　Contrary　to　the　usual　custom　in

society；　every　one　cried　out　as　soon　as　she　was　gone；　〃What　a　charming

woman！〃　and　the　minister　himself　took　her　to　the　outer　door。



〃I　am　quite　sure　you　will　think　of　me　to…morrow；〃　he　said；　alluding　to

the　appointment。



〃There　are　so　few　high　functionaries　who　have　agreeable　wives；〃

remarked　his　Excellency　on　re…entering　the　room；　〃that　I　am　very　well

satisfied　with　our　new　acquisition。〃



〃Don't　you　think　her　a　little　overpowering？〃　said　des　Lupeaulx　with　a

piqued　air。



The　women　present　all　exchanged　expressive　glances；　the　rivalry

between　the　minister　and　his　secretary　amused　them　and　instigated　one

of　those　pretty　little　comedies　which　Parisian　women　play　so　well。

They　excited　and　led　on　his　Excellency　and　des　Lupeaulx　by　a　series　of

comments　on　Madame　Rabourdin：　one　thought　her　too　studied　in　manner；

too　eager　to　appear　clever；　another　compared　the　graces　of　the　middle

classes　with　the　manners　of　high　life；　while　des　Lupeaulx　defended　his

pretended　mistress　as　we　all　defend　an　enemy　in　society。



〃Do　her　justice；　ladies；〃　he　said；　〃is　it　not　extraordinary　that　the

daughter　of　an　auctioneer　should　appear　as　well　as　she　does？　See　where

she　came　from；　and　what　she　is。　She　will　end　in　the　Tuileries；　that　is

what　she　intends；she　told　me　so。〃



〃Suppose　she　is　the　daughter　of　an　auctioneer；〃　said　the　Comtesse

Feraud；　smiling；　〃that　will　not　hinder　her　husband's　rise　to　power。〃



〃Not　in　these　days；　you　mean；〃　said　the　minister's　wife；　tightening

her　lips。



〃Madame；〃　said　his　Excellency　to　the　countess；　sternly；　〃such

sentiments　and　such　speeches　lead　to　revolutions；　unhappily；　the　court

and　the　great　world　do　not　restrain　them。　You　would　hardly　believe；

however；　how　the　injudicious　conduct　of　the　aristocracy　in　this

respect　displeases　certain　clear…sighted　personages　at　the　palace。　If

I　were　a　great　lord；　instead　of　being；　as　I　am；　a　mere　country

gentleman　who　seems　to　be　placed　where　he　is　to　transact　your　business

for　you；　the　monarchy　would　not　be　as　insecure　as　I　now　think　it　is。

What　becomes　of　a　throne　which　does　not　bestow　dignity　on　those　who

administer　its　government？　We　are　far　indeed　from　the　days　when　a　king

could　make　men　great　at　will；such　men　as　Louvois；　Colbert；

Richelieu；　Jeannin；　Villeroy；　Sully；Sully；　in　his　origin；　was　no

greater　than　I。　I　speak　to　you　thus　because　we　are　here　in　private

among　ourselves。　I　should　be　very　paltry　indeed　if　I　were　personally

offended　by　such　speeches。　After　all；　it　is　for　us　and　not　for　others

to　make　us　great。〃



〃You　are　appointed；　dear；〃　cried　Celestine；　pressing　her　husband's

hand　as　they　drove　away。　〃If　it　had　not　been　for　des　Lupeaulx　I　should

have　explained　your　scheme　to　his　Excellency。　But　I　will　do　it　next

Tuesday；　and　it　will　help　the　further　matter　of　making　you　Master　of

petitions。〃



In　the　life　of　every　woman　there　comes　a　day　when　she　shines　in　all

her　glory；　a　day　which　gives　her　an　unfading　recollection　to　which　she

recurs　with　happiness　all　her　life。　As　Madame　Rabourdin　took　off　one

by　one　the　ornaments　of　her　apparel；　she　thought　over　the　events　of

this　evening；　and　marked　the　day　among　the　triumphs　and　glories　of　her

life；all　her　beauties　had　been　seen　and　envied；　she　had　been　praised

and　flattered　by　the　minister's　wife；　delighted　thus　to　make　the　other

women　jealous　of　her；　but；　above　all；　her　grace　and　vanities　had　shone

to　the　profit　of　conjugal　love。　Her　husband　was　appointed。



〃Did　you　think　I　looked　well　to…night？〃　she　said　to　him；　joyously。



At　the　same　instant　Mitral；　waiting　at　the　Cafe　Themis；　saw　the　two

usurers　returning；　but　was　unable　to　perceive　the　slightest

indications　of　the　result　on　their　impassible　faces。



〃What　of　it？〃　he　said；　when　they　were　all　seated　at　table。



〃Same　as　ever；〃　replied　Gigonnet；　rubbing　his　hands；　〃victory　with

gold。〃



〃True；〃　said　Gobseck。



Mitral　took　a　cabriolet　and　went　straight　to　the　Saillards　and

Baudoyers；　who　were　still　playing　boston　at　a　late　hour。　No　one　was

present　but　the　Abbe　Gaudron。　Falleix；　half…dead　with　the　fatigue　of

his　journey；　had　gone　to　bed。



〃You　will　be　appointed；　nephew；〃　said　Mitral；　〃and　there's　a　surprise

in　store　for　you。〃



〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Saillard。



〃The　cro