the collection of antiquities-第5章

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ty　than　thisto　be　represented　by　old　men　at　a　time　when　its　ideas　are　already　stigmatized　as　old…fashioned？

When　the　legitimate　sovereign　appeared　to　be　firmly　seated　on　the　throne　again　in　1818；　the　Marquis　asked　himself　what　a　man　of　seventy　should　do　at　court；　and　what　duties；　what　office　he　could　discharge　there？　The　noble　and　high…minded　d'Esgrignon　was　fain　to　be　content　with　the　triumph　of　the　Monarchy　and　Religion；　while　he　waited　for　the　results　of　that　unhoped…for；　indecisive　victory；　which　proved　to　be　simply　an　armistice。　He　continued　as　before；　lord…paramount　of　his　salon；　so　felicitously　named　the　Collection　of　Antiquities。

But　when　the　victors　of　1793　became　the　vanquished　in　their　turn；　the　nickname　given　at　first　in　jest　began　to　be　used　in　bitter　earnest。　The　town　was　no　more　free　than　other　country　towns　from　the　hatreds　and　jealousies　bred　of　party　spirit。　Du　Croisier；　contrary　to　all　expectation；　married　the　old　maid　who　had　refused　him　at　first；　carrying　her　off　from　his　rival；　the　darling　of　the　aristocratic　quarter；　a　certain　Chevalier　whose　illustrious　name　will　be　sufficiently　hidden　by　suppressing　it　altogether；　in　accordance　with　the　usage　formerly　adopted　in　the　place　itself；　where　he　was　known　by　his　title　only。　He　was　〃the　Chevalier〃　in　the　town；　as　the　Comte　d'Artois　was　〃Monsieur〃　at　court。　Now；　not　only　had　that　marriage　produced　a　war　after　the　provincial　manner；　in　which　all　weapons　are　fair；　it　had　hastened　the　separation　of　the　great　and　little　noblesse；　of　the　aristocratic　and　bourgeois　social　elements；　which　had　been　united　for　a　little　space　by　the　heavy　weight　of　Napoleonic　rule。　After　the　pressure　was　removed；　there　followed　that　sudden　revival　of　class　divisions　which　did　so　much　harm　to　the　country。

The　most　national　of　all　sentiments　in　France　is　vanity。　The　wounded　vanity　of　the　many　induced　a　thirst　for　Equality；　though；　as　the　most　ardent　innovator　will　some　day　discover；　Equality　is　an　impossibility。　The　Royalists　pricked　the　Liberals　in　the　most　sensitive　spots；　and　this　happened　specially　in　the　provinces；　where　either　party　accused　the　other　of　unspeakable　atrocities。　In　those　days　the　blackest　deeds　were　done　in　politics；　to　secure　public　opinion　on　one　side　or　the　other；　to　catch　the　votes　of　that　public　of　fools　which　holds　up　hands　for　those　that　are　clever　enough　to　serve　out　weapons　to　them。　Individuals　are　identified　with　their　political　opinions；　and　opponents　in　public　life　forthwith　became　private　enemies。　It　is　very　difficult　in　a　country　town　to　avoid　a　man…to…man　conflict　of　this　kind　over　interests　or　questions　which　in　Paris　appear　in　a　more　general　and　theoretical　form；　with　the　result　that　political　combatants　also　rise　to　a　higher　level；　M。　Laffitte；　for　example；　or　M。　Casimir…Perier　can　respect　M。　de　Villele　or　M。　de　Payronnet　as　a　man。　M。　Laffitte；　who　drew　the　fire　on　the　Ministry；　would　have　given　them　an　asylum　in　his　house　if　they　had　fled　thither　on　the　29th　of　July　1830。　Benjamin　Constant　sent　a　copy　of　his　work　on　Religion　to　the　Vicomte　de　Chateaubriand；　with　a　flattering　letter　acknowledging　benefits　received　from　the　former　Minister。　At　Paris　men　are　systems；　whereas　in　the　provinces　systems　are　identified　with　men；　men；　moreover；　with　restless　passions；　who　must　always　confront　one　another；　always　spy　upon　each　other　in　private　life；　and　pull　their　opponents'　speeches　to　pieces；　and　live　generally　like　two　duelists　on　the　watch　for　a　chance　to　thrust　six　inches　of　steel　between　an　antagonist's　ribs。　Each　must　do　his　best　to　get　under　his　enemy's　guard；　and　a　political　hatred　becomes　as　all…absorbing　as　a　duel　to　the　death。　Epigram　and　slander　are　used　against　individuals　to　bring　the　party　into　discredit。

In　such　warfare　as　this；　waged　ceremoniously　and　without　rancor　on　the　side　of　the　Antiquities；　while　du　Croisier's　faction　went　so　far　as　to　use　the　poisoned　weapons　of　savagesin　this　warfare　the　advantages　of　wit　and　delicate　irony　lay　on　the　side　of　the　nobles。　But　it　should　never　be　forgotten　that　the　wounds　made　by　the　tongue　and　the　eyes；　by　gibe　or　slight；　are　the　last　of　all　to　heal。　When　the　Chevalier　turned　his　back　on　mixed　society　and　entrenched　himself　on　the　Mons　Sacer　of　the　aristocracy；　his　witticisms　thenceforward　were　directed　at　du　Croisier's　salon；　he　stirred　up　the　fires　of　war；　not　knowing　how　far　the　spirit　of　revenge　was　to　urge　the　rival　faction。　None　but　purists　and　loyal　gentlemen　and　women　sure　one　of　another　entered　the　Hotel　d'Esgrignon；　they　committed　no　indiscretions　of　any　kind；　they　had　their　ideas；　true　or　false；　good　or　bad；　noble　or　trivial；　but　there　was　nothing　to　laugh　at　in　all　this。　If　the　Liberals　meant　to　make　the　nobles　ridiculous；　they　were　obliged　to　fasten　on　the　political　actions　of　their　opponents；　while　the　intermediate　party；　composed　of　officials　and　others　who　paid　court　to　the　higher　powers；　kept　the　nobles　informed　of　all　that　was　done　and　said　in　the　Liberal　camp；　and　much　of　it　was　abundantly　laughable。　Du　Croisier's　adherents　smarted　under　a　sense　of　inferiority；　which　increased　their　thirst　for　revenge。

In　1822；　du　Croisier　put　himself　at　the　head　of　the　manufacturing　interest　of　the　province；　as　the　Marquis　d'Esgrignon　headed　the　noblesse。　Each　represented　his　party。　But　du　Croisier；　instead　of　giving　himself　out　frankly　for　a　man　of　the　extreme　Left；　ostensibly　adopted　the　opinions　formulated　at　a　later　date　by　the　221　deputies。

By　taking　up　this　position；　he　could　keep　in　touch　with　the　magistrates　and　local　officials　and　the　capitalists　of　the　department。　Du　Croisier's　salon；　a　power　at　least　equal　to　the　salon　d'Esgrignon；　larger　numerically；　as　well　as　younger　and　more　energetic；　made　itself　felt　all　over　the　countryside；　the　Collection　of　Antiquities；　on　the　other　hand；　remained　inert；　a　passive　appendage；　as　it　were；　of　a　central　authority　which　was　often　embarrassed　by　its　own　partisans；　for　not　merely　did　they　encourage　the　Government　in　a　mistaken　policy；　but　some　of　its　most　fatal　blunders　were　made　in　consequence　of　the　pressure　brought　to　bear　upon　it　by　the　Conservative　party。

The　Liberals；　so　far；　had　never　contrived　to　carry　their　candidate。　The　department　declined　to　obey　their　command　knowing　that　du　Croisier；　if　elected；　would　take　his　place　on　the　Left　Centre　benches；　and　as　far　as　possible　to　the　Left。　Du　Croisier　was　in　correspondence　with　the　Brothers　Keller；　the　bankers；　the　oldest　of　whom　shone　conspicuous　among　〃the　nineteen　deputies　of　the　Left；〃　that　phalanx　made　famous　by　the　efforts　of　the　entire　Liberal　press。　This　same　M。　Keller；　moreover；　was　related　by　marriage　to　the　Comte　de　Gondreville；　a　Constitutional　peer　who　remained　in　favor　with　Louis　XVIII。　For　these　reasons；　the　Constitutional　Opposition　（as　distinct　from　the　Liberal　party）　was　always　prepared　to　vote　at　the　last　moment；　not　for　the　candidate　whom　they　professed　to　support；　but　for　du　Croisier；　if　that　worthy　could　succeed　in　gaining　a　sufficient　number　of　Royalist　votes；　but　at　every　election　du　Croisier　was　regularly　thrown　out　by　the　Royalists。　The　leaders　of　that　party；　taking　their　tone　from　the　Marquis　d'Esgrignon；　had　pretty　thoroughly　fathomed　and　gauged　their　man；　and　with　each　defeat；　du　Croisier　and　his　party　waxed　more　bitter。　Nothing　so　effectually　stirs　up　strife　as　the　failure　of　some　snare　set　with　elaborate　pains。

In　1822　there　seemed　to　be　a　lull　in　hostilities　which　had　been　kept　up　with　great　spirit　during　the　first　four　years　of　the　Restoration。　The　salon　du　Croisier　and　the　salon　d'Esgrignon；　having　measured　their　strength　and　weakness；　were　in　all　probability　waiting　for　opportunity；　that　Providence　of　party　strife。　Ordinary　persons　were　content　with　the　surface　quiet　which　deceived　the　Government；　but　those　who　knew　du　Croisier　better；　were　well　aware　that　the　passion　of　revenge　in　him；　as　in　all　men　whose　whole　life　consists　in　mental　activity；　is　implacable；　especially　when　political　ambitions　are　involved。　About　this　time　du　Croisier；　who　used　to　turn　white　and　red　at　the　bare　mention　of　d'Esgrignon　or　the　Chevalier；　and　shuddered　at　the　name　of　the　Collection　of　Antiquities；　chose　to　wear　the　impassive　countenance　of　a　savage。　He　smiled　upon　his