albert savarus-第24章

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that　moment　wore　the　lofty　expression　which　a　general　may　have　when　he
hears　the　first　gun　fired　for　a　battle。　He　raised　his　eyes　to　heaven；
and　left　the　room；　saying　to　himself；　〃What　a　priest　he　would　make！〃

Eloquence　is　not　at　the　Bar。　The　pleader　rarely　puts　forth　the　real
powers　of　his　soul；　if　he　did；　he　would　die　of　it　in　a　few　years。
Eloquence　is；　nowadays；　rarely　in　the　pulpit；　but　it　is　found　on
certain　occasions　in　the　Chamber　of　Deputies；　when　an　ambitious　man
stakes　all　to　win　all；　or；　stung　by　a　myriad　darts；　at　a　given　moment
bursts　into　speech。　But　it　is　still　more　certainly　found　in　some
privileged　beings；　at　the　inevitable　hour　when　their　claims　must
either　triumph　or　be　wrecked；　and　when　they　are　forced　to　speak。　Thus
at　this　meeting；　Albert　Savarus；　feeling　the　necessity　of　winning
himself　some　supporters；　displayed　all　the　faculties　of　his　soul　and
the　resources　of　his　intellect。　He　entered　the　room　well；　without
awkwardness　or　arrogance；　without　weakness；　without　cowardice；　quite
gravely；　and　was　not　dismayed　at　finding　himself　among　twenty　or
thirty　men。　The　news　of　the　meeting　and　of　its　determination　had
already　brought　a　few　docile　sheep　to　follow　the　bell。

Before　listening　to　Monsieur　Boucher；　who　was　about　to　deluge　him　with
a　speech　announcing　the　decision　of　the　Boucher　Committee；　Albert
begged　for　silence；　and；　as　he　shook　hands　with　Monsieur　Boucher；
tried　to　warn　him；　by　a　sign；　of　an　unexpected　danger。

〃My　young　friend；　Alfred　Boucher；　has　just　announced　to　me　the　honor
you　have　done　me。　But　before　that　decision　is　irrevocable；〃　said　the
lawyer；　〃I　think　that　I　ought　to　explain　to　you　who　and　what　your
candidate　is；　so　as　to　leave　you　free　to　take　back　your　word　if　my
declaration　should　disturb　your　conscience！〃

This　exordium　was　followed　by　profound　silence。　Some　of　the　men
thought　it　showed　a　noble　impulse。

Albert　gave　a　sketch　of　his　previous　career；　telling　them　his　real
name；　his　action　under　the　Restoration；　and　revealing　himself　as　a　new
man　since　his　arrival　at　Besancon；　while　pledging　himself　for　the
future。　This　address　held　his　hearers　breathless；　it　was　said。　These
men；　all　with　different　interests；　were　spellbound　by　the　brilliant
eloquence　that　flowed　at　boiling　heat　from　the　heart　and　soul　of　this
ambitious　spirit。　Admiration　silenced　reflection。　Only　one　thing　was
clearthe　thing　which　Albert　wished　to　get　into　their　heads：

Was　it　not　far　better　for　the　town　to　have　one　of　those　men　who　are
born　to　govern　society　at　large　than　a　mere　voting…machine？　A
statesman　carries　power　with　him。　A　commonplace　deputy；　however
incorruptible；　is　but　a　conscience。　What　a　glory　for　Provence　to　have
found　a　Mirabeau；　to　return　the　only　statesman　since　1830　that　the
revolution　of　July　had　produced！

Under　the　pressure　of　this　eloquence；　all　the　audience　believed　it
great　enough　to　become　a　splendid　political　instrument　in　the　hands　of
their　representative。　They　all　saw　in　Albert　Savaron；　Savarus　the
great　Minister。　And；　reading　the　secret　calculations　of　his
constituents；　the　clever　candidate　gave　them　to　understand　that　they
would　be　the　first　to　enjoy　the　right　of　profiting　by　his　influence。

This　confession　of　faith；　this　ambitious　programme；　this　retrospect　of
his　life　and　character　was；　according　to　the　only　man　present　who　was
capable　of　judging　of　Savarus　（he　has　since　become　one　of　the　leading
men　of　Besancon）；　a　masterpiece　of　skill　and　of　feeling；　of　fervor；
interest；　and　fascination。　This　whirlwind　carried　away　the　electors。
Never　had　any　man　had　such　a　triumph。　But；　unfortunately；　speech；　a
weapon　only　for　close　warfare；　has　only　an　immediate　effect。
Reflection　kills　the　word　when　the　word　ceases　to　overpower
reflection。　If　the　votes　had　then　been　taken；　Albert's　name　would
undoubtedly　have　come　out　of　the　ballot…box。　At　the　moment；　he　was
conqueror。　But　he　must　conquer　every　day　for　two　months。

Albert　went　home　quivering。　The　townsfolk　had　applauded　him；　and　he
had　achieved　the　great　point　of　silencing　beforehand　the　malignant
talk　to　which　his　early　career　might　give　rise。　The　commercial
interest　of　Besancon　had　nominated　the　lawyer；　Albert　Savaron　de
Savarus；　as　its　candidate。

Alfred　Boucher's　enthusiasm；　at　first　infectious；　presently　became
blundering。

The　Prefet；　alarmed　by　this　success；　set　to　work　to　count　the
Ministerial　votes；　and　contrived　to　have　a　secret　interview　with
Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt；　so　as　to　effect　a　coalition　in　their　common
interests。　Every　day；　without　Albert's　being　able　to　discover　how；　the
voters　in　the　Boucher　committee　diminished　in　number。

Nothing　could　resist　the　slow　grinding　of　the　Prefecture。　Three　of
four　clever　men　would　say　to　Albert's　clients；　〃Will　the　deputy　defend
you　and　win　your　lawsuits？　Will　he　give　you　advice；　draw　up　your
contracts；　arrange　your　compromises？He　will　be　your　slave　for　five
years　longer；　if；　instead　of　returning　him　to　the　Chamber；　you　only
hold　out　the　hope　of　his　going　there　five　years　hence。〃

This　calculation　did　Savarus　all　the　more　mischief；　because　the　wives
of　some　of　the　merchants　had　already　made　it。　The　parties　interested
in　the　matter　of　the　bridge　and　that　of　the　water　from　Arcier　could
not　hold　out　against　a　talking…to　from　a　clever　Ministerialist；　who
proved　to　them　that　their　safety　lay　at　the　Prefecture；　and　not　in　the
hands　of　an　ambitious　man。　Each　day　was　a　check　for　Savarus；　though
each　day　the　battle　was　led　by　him　and　fought　by　his　lieutenantsa
battle　of　words；　speeches；　and　proceedings。　He　dared　not　go　to　the
Vicar…General；　and　the　Vicar…General　never　showed　himself。　Albert　rose
and　went　to　bed　in　a　fever；　his　brain　on　fire。

At　last　the　day　dawned　of　the　first　struggle；　practically　the　show　of
hands；　the　votes　are　counted；　the　candidates　estimate　their　chances；
and　clever　men　can　prophesy　their　failure　or　success。　It　is　a　decent
hustings；　without　the　mob；　but　formidable；　agitation；　though　it　is　not
allowed　any　physical　display；　as　it　is　in　England；　is　not　the　less
profound。　The　English　fight　these　battles　with　their　fists；　the　French
with　hard　words。　Our　neighbors　have　a　scrimmage；　the　French　try　their
fate　by　cold　combinations　calmly　worked　out。　This　particular　political
business　is　carried　out　in　opposition　to　the　character　of　the　two
nations。

The　Radical　party　named　their　candidate；　Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt　came
forward；　then　Albert　appeared；　and　was　accused　by　the　Chavoncourt
committee　and　the　Radicals　of　being　an　uncompromising　man　of　the
Right；　a　second　Berryer。　The　Ministry　had　their　candidate；　a　stalking…
horse；　useful　only　to　receive　the　purely　Ministerial　votes。　The　votes；
thus　divided；　gave　no　result。　The　Republican　candidate　had　twenty；　the
Ministry　got　fifty；　Albert　had　seventy；　Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt
obtained　sixty…seven。　But　the　Prefet's　party　had　perfidiously　made
thirty　of　its　most　devoted　adherents　vote　for　Albert；　so　as　to　deceive
the　enemy。　The　votes　for　Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt；　added　to　the　eighty
votesthe　real　numberat　the　disposal　of　the　Prefecture；　would　carry
the　election；　if　only　the　Prefet　could　succeed　in　gaining　over　a　few
of　the　Radicals。　A　hundred　and　sixty　votes　were　not　recorded：　those　of
Monsieur　de　Grancey's　following　and　the　Legitimists。

The　show　of　hands　at　an　election；　like　a　dress　rehearsal　at　a　theatre；
is　the　most　deceptive　thing　in　the　world。　Albert　Savarus　came　home；
putting　a　brave　face　on　the　matter；　but　half　dead。　He　had　had　the　wit；
the　genius；　or　the　good　luck　to　gain；　within　the　last　fortnight；　two
staunch　supportersGirardet's　father…in…law　and　a　very　shrewd　old
merchant　to　whom　Monsieur　de　Grancey　had　sent　him。　These　two　worthy
men；　his　self…appointed　spies；　affected　to　be　Albert's　most　ardent
opponents　in　the　hostile　camp。　Towards　the　end　of　the　show　of　hands
they　informed　Savarus；　through　the　medium　of　Monsieur　Boucher；　that
thirty　voters；　unknown；　were　working　against　him　in　his　party；　playing
the　same　trick　that　they　were　playing　for　his　benefit　on　the　other
side。

A　criminal　marching　to　execution　could　not　suffer　as　Albert　suffered
as　he　went　home　from　the　hall　where　his　fate　was　at　stake。　The
despa