bureaucracy-第57章
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study at this moment。
〃Monseigneur； I start at once for my election。〃
〃Wait a moment；〃 said his Excellency； leaving the private secretary
and taking des Lupeaulx by the arm into the recess of a window。 〃My
dear friend； let me have that arrondissement；if you will； you shall
be made count and I will pay your debts。 Later； if I remain in the
ministry after the new Chamber is elected； I will find a way to send
in your name in a batch for the peerage。〃
〃You are a man of honor； and I accept。〃
This is how it came to pass that Clement Chardin des Lupeaulx； whose
father was ennobled under Louis XV。； and who beareth quarterly； first；
argent； a wolf ravisant carrying a lamb gules； second； purpure； three
mascles argent； two and one； third； paly of twelve； gules and argent；
fourth； or； on a pale endorsed； three batons fleurdelises gules；
supported by four griffon's…claws jessant from the sides of the
escutcheon； with the motto 〃En Lupus in Historia；〃 was able to
surmount these rather satirical arms with a count's coronet。
Towards the close of the year 1830 Monsieur Rabourdin did some
business on hand which required him to visit the old ministry； where
the bureaus had all been in great commotion； owing to a general
removal of officials； from the highest to the lowest。 This revolution
bore heaviest； in point of fact； upon the lackeys； who are not fond of
seeing new faces。 Rabourdin had come early； knowing all the ways of
the place； and he thus chanced to overhear a dialogue between the two
nephews of old Antoine； who had recently retired on a pension。
〃Well； Laurent； how is your chief of division going on？〃
〃Oh； don't talk to me about him； I can't do anything with him。 He
rings me up to ask if I have seen his handkerchief or his snuff…box。
He receives people without making them wait； in short； he hasn't a bit
of dignity。 I'm often obliged to say to him： But； monsieur； monsieur
le comte your predecessor； for the credit of the thing； used to punch
holes with his penknife in the arms of his chair to make believe he
was working。 And he makes such a mess of his room。 I find everything
topsy…turvy。 He has a very small mind。 How about your man？〃
〃Mine？ Oh； I have succeeded in training him。 He knows exactly where
his letter…paper and envelopes； his wood； and his boxes and all the
rest of his things are。 The other man used to swear at me； but this
one is as meek as a lamb；still； he hasn't the grand style！ Moreover；
he isn't decorated； and I don't like to serve a chief who isn't； he
might be taken for one of us； and that's humiliating。 He carries the
office letter…paper home； and asked me if I couldn't go there and wait
at table when there was company。〃
〃Hey！ what a government； my dear fellow！〃
〃Yes； indeed； everybody plays low in these days。〃
〃I hope they won't cut down our poor wages。〃
〃I'm afraid they will。 The Chambers are prying into everything。 Why；
they even count the sticks of wood。〃
〃Well； it can't last long if they go on that way。〃
〃Hush； we're caught！ somebody is listening。〃
〃Hey！ it is the late Monsieur Rabourdin。 Ah； monsieur； I knew your
step。 If you have business to transact here I am afraid you will not
find any one who is aware of the respect that ought to be paid to you；
Laurent and I are the only persons remaining about the place who were
here in your day。 Messieurs Colleville and Baudoyer didn't wear out
the morocco of the chairs after you left。 Heavens； no！ six months
later they were made Collectors of Paris。〃
* * * * *
Note。Anagrams cannot； of course； be translated； that is why three
English ones have been substituted for some in French。 ＇Tr。＇
ADDENDUM
The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy。
Baudoyer； Isidore
The Middle Classes
Cousin Pons
Bianchon； Horace
Father Goriot
The Atheist's Mass
Cesar Birotteau
The Commission in Lunacy
Lost Illusions
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
A Bachelor's Establishment
The Secrets of a Princess
Pierrette
A Study of Woman
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
Honorine
The Seamy Side of History
The Magic Skin
A Second Home
A Prince of Bohemia
Letters of Two Brides
The Muse of the Department
The Imaginary Mistress
The Middle Classes
Cousin Betty
The Country Parson
In addition； M。 Bianchon narrated the following：
Another Study of Woman
La Grande Breteche
Bidault （known as Gigonnet）
Gobseck
The Vendetta
Cesar Birotteau
The Firm of Nucingen
A Daughter of Eve
Bixiou； Jean…Jacques
The Purse
A Bachelor's Establishment
Modeste Mignon
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
The Firm of Nucingen
The Muse of the Department
Cousin Betty
The Member for Arcis
Beatrix
A Man of Business
Gaudissart II。
The Unconscious Humorists
Cousin Pons
Brezacs （The）
The Country Parson
Bruel； Jean Francois du
A Bachelor's Establishment
A Start in Life
A Prince of Bohemia
The Middle Classes
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
A Daughter of Eve
Camps； Madame Octave de
Madame Firmiani
A Woman of Thirty
A Daughter of Eve
The Member for Arcis
Chaboisseau
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
A Man of Business
Chatelet； Marie…Louise…Anais de Negrepelisse； Baronne du
Lost Illusions
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Chessel； Madame de
The Lily of the Valley
Cochin； Emile…Louis…Lucien…Emmanuel
Cesar Birotteau
The Firm of Nucingen
The Middle Classes
Colleville
The Middle Classes
Colleville； Flavie Minoret； Madame
Cousin Betty
The Middle Classes
Desplein
The Atheist's Mass
Cousin Pons
Lost Illusions
The Thirteen
Pierrette
A Bachelor's Establishment
The Seamy Side of History
Modest Mignon
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
Honorine
Desroches （son）
A Bachelor's Establishment
Colonel Chabert
A Start in Life
A Woman of Thirty
The Commission in Lunacy
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
The Firm of Nucingen
A Man of Business
The Middle Classes
Dutocq
The Middle Classes
Falleix； Martin
The Firm of Nucingen
Falleix； Jacques
The Thirteen
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
Ferraud； Comtesse
Colonel Chabert
Finot； Andoche
Cesar Birotteau
A Bachelor's Establishment
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
A Start in Life
Gaudissart the Great
The Firm of Nucingen
Fleury
The Middle Classes
Fontaine； Comte de
The Chouans
Modeste Mignon
The Ball at Sceaux
Cesar Birotteau
Fontanon； Abbe
A Second Home
Honorine
The Member for Arcis
Gaudron； Abbe
Honorine
A Start in Life
Gobseck； Jean…Esther Van
Gobseck
Father Goriot
Cesar Birotteau
The Unconscious Humoriists
Godard； Joseph
The Middle Classes
Granson； Athanase
Jealousies of a Country Town
Gruget； Madame Etienne
The Thirteen
A Bachelor's Establishment
Keller； Francois
Domestic Peace
Cesar Birotteau
Eugenie Grandet
The Member for Arcis
La Bastie la Briere； Ernest de
Modeste Mignon
La Billardiere； Athanase…Jean…Francois…Michel； Baron Flamet de
The Chouans
Cesar Birotteau
Laudigeois
The Middle Classes
Louis XVIII。； Louis…Stanislas…Xavier
The Chouans
The Seamy Side of History
The Gondreville Mystery
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life
The Ball at Sceaux
The Lily of the Valley
Colonel Chabert
Lupeaulx； Clement Chardin des
The Muse of the Department
Eugenie Grandet
A Bachelor's
