bureaucracy-第47章
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in store for you。〃
〃What is it？〃 asked Saillard。
〃The cross of the Legion of honor？〃 cried Mitral。
〃God protects those who guard his altars；〃 said Gaudron。
Thus the Te Deum was sung with equal joy and confidence in both camps。
CHAPTER VIII
FORWARD； MOLLUSKS！
The next day； Wednesday； Monsieur Rabourdin was to transact business
with the minister； for he had filled the late La Billardiere's place
since the beginning of the latter's illness。 On such days the clerks
came punctually； the servants were specially attentive； there was
always a certain excitement in the offices on these signing…days；and
why； nobody ever knew。 On this occasion the three servants were at
their post； flattering themselves they should get a few fees； for a
rumor of Rabourdin's nomination had spread through the ministry the
night before； thanks to Dutocq。 Uncle Antoine and Laurent had donned
their full uniform； when； at a quarter to eight； des Lupeaulx's
servant came in with a letter； which he begged Antoine to give
secretly to Dutocq； saying that the general…secretary had ordered him
to deliver it without fail at Monsieur Dutocq's house by seven
o'clock。
〃I'm sure I don't know how it happened；〃 he said； 〃but I overslept
myself。 I've only just waked up； and he'd play the devil's tattoo on
me if he knew the letter hadn't gone。 I know a famous secret； Antoine；
but don't say anything about it to the clerks if I tell you； promise？
He would send me off if he knew I had said a single word； he told me
so。〃
〃What's inside the letter？〃 asked Antoine； eying it。
〃Nothing； I looked this waysee。〃
He made the letter gape open； and showed Antoine that there was
nothing but blank paper to be seen。
〃This is going to be a great day for you； Laurent；〃 went on the
secretary's man。 〃You are to have a new director。 Economy must be the
order of the day； for they are going to unite the two divisions under
one directoryou fellows will have to look out！〃
〃Yes； nine clerks are put on the retired list；〃 said Dutocq； who came
in at the moment； 〃how did you hear that？〃
Antoine gave him the letter； and he had no sooner opened it than he
rushed headlong downstairs in the direction of the secretary's office。
The bureaus Rabourdin and Baudoyer； after idling and gossiping since
the death of Monsieur de la Billardiere； were now recovering their
usual official look and the dolce far niente habits of a government
office。 Nevertheless； the approaching end of the year did cause rather
more application among the clerks； just as porters and servants become
at that season more unctuously civil。 They all came punctually； for
one thing； more remained after four o'clock than was usual at other
times。 It was not forgotten that fees and gratuities depend on the
last impressions made upon the minds of masters。 The news of the union
of the two divisions； that of La Billardiere and that of Clergeot；
under one director； had spread through the various offices。 The number
of the clerks to be retired was known； but all were in ignorance of
the names。 It was taken for granted that Poiret would not be replaced；
and that would be a retrenchment。 Little La Billardiere had already
departed。 Two new supernumeraries had made their appearance； and；
alarming circumstance！ they were both sons of deputies。 The news told
about in the offices the night before； just as the clerks were
dispersing； agitated all minds； and for the first half…hour after
arrival in the morning they stood around the stoves and talked it
over。 But earlier than that； Dutocq； as we have seen； had rushed to
des Lupeaulx on receiving his note； and found him dressing。 Without
laying down his razor； the general…secretary cast upon his subordinate
the glance of a general issuing an order。
〃Are we alone？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； monsieur。〃
〃Very good。 March on Rabourdin； forward！ steady！ Of course you kept a
copy of that paper？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You understand me？ Inde iroe！ There must be a general hue and cry
raised against him。 Find some way to start a clamor〃
〃I could get a man to make a caricature； but I haven't five hundred
francs to pay for it。〃
〃Who would make it？〃
〃Bixou。〃
〃He shall have a thousand and be under…head…clerk to Colleville； who
will arrange with them； tell him so。〃
〃But he wouldn't believe it on nothing more than my word。〃
〃Are you trying to make me compromise myself？ Either do the thing or
let it alone； do you hear me？〃
〃If Monsieur Baudoyer were director〃
〃Well； he will be。 Go now； and make haste； you have no time to lose。
Go down the back…stairs； I don't want people to know you have just
seen me。〃
While Dutocq was returning to the clerks' office and asking himself
how he could best incite a clamor against his chief without
compromising himself； Bixiou rushed to the Rabourdin office for a word
of greeting。 Believing that he had lost his bet the incorrigible joker
thought it amusing to pretend that he had won it。
Bixiou ＇mimicking Phellion's voice＇。 〃Gentlemen； I salute you with a
collective how d'ye do； and I appoint Sunday next for the dinner at
the Rocher de Cancale。 But a serious question presents itself。 Is that
dinner to include the clerks who are dismissed？〃
Poiret。 〃And those who retire？〃
Bixiou。 〃Not that I care； for it isn't I who pay。〃 ＇General
stupefaction。＇ 〃Baudoyer is appointed。 I think I already hear him
calling Laurent〃 ＇mimicking Baudoyer＇； 〃Laurent！ lock up my hair…
shirt； and my scourge。〃 ＇They all roar with laughter。＇ 〃Yes； yes； he
laughs well who laughs last。 Gentlemen； there's a great deal in that
anagram of Colleville's。 'Xavier Rabourdin； chef de bureauD'abord
reva bureaux； e…u fin riche。' If I were named 'Charles X。； par la
grace de Dieu roi de France et de Navarre；' I should tremble in my
shoes at the fate those letters anagrammatize。〃
Thuillier。 〃Look here！ are you making fun？〃
Bixiou。 〃No； I am not。 Rabourdin resigns in a rage at finding Baudoyer
appointed director。〃
Vimeux ＇entering。＇ 〃Nonsense； no such thing！ Antoine （to whom I have
just been paying forty francs that I owed him） tells me that Monsieur
and Madame Rabourdin were at the minister's private party last night
and stayed till midnight。 His Excellency escorted Madame Rabourdin to
the staircase。 It seems she was divinely dressed。 In short； it is
quite certain that Rabourdin is to be director。 Riffe； the secretary's
copying clerk； told me he sat up all the night before to draw the
papers； it is no longer a secret。 Monsieur Clergeot is retired。 After
thirty years' service that's no misfortune。 Monsieur Cochlin； who is
rich〃
Bixiou。 〃By cochineal。〃
Vimeux。 〃Yes； cochineal； he's a partner in the house of Matifat； rue
des Lombards。 Well； he is retired； so is Poiret。 Neither is to be
replaced。 So much is certain； the rest is all conjecture。 The
appointment of Monsieur Rabourdin is to be announced this morning；
they are afraid of intrigues。〃
Bixiou。 〃What intrigues？〃
Fleury。 〃Baudoyer's； confound him！ The priests uphold him； here's
another article in the liberal journal；only half a dozen lines； but
they are queer〃 ＇reads＇：
〃Certain persons spoke last night in the lobby of the Opera…house
of the return of Monsieur de Chateaubriand to the ministry； basing
their opinion on the choice made of Monsieur Rabourdin （the
protege of friends of the noble viscount） to fill the office for
which Monsieur Baudoyer was first selected。 The clerical party is
not likely to withdraw unless in deference to the great writer。
〃Blackguards！〃
Dutocq ＇entering； having heard the whole discussion＇。 〃Blackguards！
Who？ Rabourdin？ Then you know the news？〃
Fleury ＇rolling his eyes savagely＇。 〃Rabourdin a blackguard！ Are you
mad； Dutocq？ do you want a ball in your brains to give them weight？〃
Dutocq。 〃I said nothing agai
