albert savarus-第25章

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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
despairing　lover　could　endure　no　companionship。　He　walked　through　the
streets　alone；　between　eleven　o'clock　and　midnight。　At　one　in　the
morning；　Albert；　to　whom　sleep　had　been　unknown　for　the　past　three
days；　was　sitting　in　his　library　in　a　deep　armchair；　his　face　as　pale
as　if　he　were　dying；　his　hands　hanging　limp；　in　a　forlorn　attitude
worthy　of　the　Magdalen。　Tears　hung　on　his　long　lashes；　tears　that　dim
the　eyes；　but　do　not　fall；　fierce　thought　drinks　them　up；　the　fire　of
the　soul　consumes　them。　Alone；　he　might　weep。　And　then；　under　the
kiosk；　he　saw　a　white　figure；　which　reminded　him　of　Francesca。

〃And　for　three　months　I　have　had　no　letter　from　her！　What　has　become
of　her？　I　have　not　written　for　two　months；　but　I　warned　her。　Is　she
ill？　Oh；　my　love！　My　life！　Will　you　ever　know　what　I　have　gone
through？　What　a　wretched　constitution　is　mine！　Have　I　an　aneurism？〃　he
asked　himself；　feeling　his　heart　beat　so　violently　that　its　pulses
seemed　audible　in　the　silence　like　little　grains　of　sand　dropping　on　a
big　drum。

At　this　moment　three　distinct　taps　sounded　on　his　door；　Albert
hastened　to　open　it；　and　almost　fainted　with　joy　at　seeing　the　Vicar…
General's　cheerful　and　triumphant　mien。　Without　a　word；　he　threw　his
arms　round　the　Abbe　de　Grancey；　held　him　fast；　and　clasped　him
closely；　letting　his　head　fall　on　the　old　man's　shoulder。　He　was　a
child　again；　he　cried　as　he　had　cried　on　hearing　that　Francesca
Soderini　was　a　married　woman。　He　betrayed　his　weakness　to　no　one　but
to　this　priest；　on　whose　face　shone　the　light　of　hope。　The　priest　had
been　sublime；　and　as　shrewd　as　he　was　sublime。

〃Forgive　me；　dear　Abbe；　but　you　come　at　one　of　those　moments　when　the
man　vanishes；　for　you　are　not　to　think　me　vulgarly　ambitious。〃

〃Oh！　I　know；〃　replied　the　Abbe。　〃You　wrote　'/Ambition　for　love's
sake/！'Ah！　my　son；　it　was　love　in　despair　that　made　me　a　priest　in
1786；　at　the　age　of　two…and…twenty。　In　1788　I　was　in　charge　of　a
parish。　I　know　life。I　have　refused　three　bishoprics　already；　I　mean
to　die　at　Besancon。〃

〃Come　and　see　her！〃　cried　Savarus；　seizing　a　candle；　and　leading　the
Abbe　into　the　handsome　room　where　hung　the　portrait　of　the　Duchesse
d'Argaiolo；　which　he　lighted　up。

〃She　is　one　of　those　women　who　are　born　to　reign！〃　said　the　Vicar…
General；　understanding　how　great　an　affection　Albert　showed　him　by
this　mark　of　confidence。　〃But　there　is　pride　on　that　brow；　it　is
implacable；　she　would　never　forgive　an　insult！　It　is　the　Archangel
Michael；　the　angel　of　Execution；　the　inexorable　angel'All　or
nothing'　is　the　motto　of　this　type　of　angel。　There　is　something
divinely　pitiless　in　that　head。〃

〃You　have　guessed　well；〃　cried　Savarus。　〃But；　my　dear　Abbe；　for　more
than　twelve　years　now　she　had　reigned　over　my　life；　and　I　have　not　a
thought　for　which　to　blame　myself〃

〃Ah！　if　you　could　only　say　the　same　of　God！〃　said　the　priest　with
simplicity。　〃Now；　to　talk　of　your　affairs。　For　ten　days　I　have　been　at
work　for　you。　If　you　are　a　real　politician；　this　time　you　will　follow
my　advice。　You　would　not　be　where　you　are　now　if　you　would　have　gone
to　the　Wattevilles　when　I　first　told　you。　But　you　must　go　there
to…morrow；　I　will　take　you　in　the　evening。　The　Rouxey　estates　are　in
danger；　the　case　must　be　defended　within　three　days。　The　election　will
not　be　over　in　three　days。　They　will　take　good　care　not　to　appoint
examiners　the　first　day。　There　will　be　several　voting　days；　and　you
will　be　elected　by　ballot〃

〃How　can　that　be？〃　asked　Savarus。

〃By　winning　the　Rouxey　lawsuit　you　will　gain　eighty　Legitimist　votes；
add　them　to　the　thirty　I　can　command；　and　you　have　a　hundred　and　ten。
Then；　as　twenty　remain　to　you　of　the　Boucher　committee；　you　will　have
a　hundred　and　thirty　in　all。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Albert；　〃we　must　get　seventy…five　more。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　priest；　〃since　all　the　rest　are　Ministerial。　But；　my
son；　you　have　two　hundred　votes；　and　the　Prefecture　no　more　than　a
hundred　and　eighty。〃

〃I　have　two　hundred　votes？〃　said　Albert；　standing　stupid　with
amazement；　after　starting　to　his　feet　as　if　shot　up　by　a　spring。

〃You　have　those　of　Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt；〃　said　the　Abbe。

〃How？〃　said　Albert。

〃You　will　marry　Mademoiselle　Sidonie　de　Chavoncourt。〃

〃Never！〃

〃You　will　marry　Mademoiselle　Sidonie　de　Chavoncourt；〃　the　priest
repeated　coldly。

〃But　you　seeshe　is　inexorable；〃　said　Albert；　pointing　to　Francesca。

〃You　will　marry　Mademoiselle　Sidonie　de　Chavoncourt；〃　said　the　Abbe
calmly　for　the　third　time。

This　time　Albert　understood。　The　Vicar…General　would　not　be　implicated
in　a　scheme　which　at　last　smiled　on　the　despairing　politician。　A　word
more　would　have　compromised　the　priest's　dignity　and　honor。

〃To…morrow　evening　at　the　Hotel　de　Rupt　you　will　meet　Madame　de
Chavoncourt　and　her　second　daughter。　You　can　thank　her　beforehand　for
what　she　is　going　to　do　for　you；　and　tell　her　that　your　gratitude　is
unbounded；　that　you　are　hers　body　and　soul；　that　henceforth　your
future　is　that　of　her　family。　You　are　quite　disinterested；　for　you
have　so　much　confidence　in　yourself　that　you　regard　the　nomination　as
deputy　as　a　sufficient　fortune。

〃You　will　have　a　struggle　with　Madame　de　Chavoncourt；　she　will　want
you　to　pledge　your　word。　All　your　future　life；　my　son；　lies　in　that
evening。　But；　understand　clearly；　I　have　nothing　to　do　with　it。　I　am
answerable　only　for　Legitimist　voters；　I　have　secured　Madame　de
Watteville；　and　that　means　all　the　aristocracy　of　Besancon。　Amedee　de
Soulas　and　Vauchelles；　who　will　both　vote　for　you；　have　won　over　the
young　men；　Madame　de　Watteville　will　get　the　old　ones。　As　to　my
electors；　they　are　infallible。〃

〃And　who　on　earth　has　gained　over　Madame　de　Chavoncourt？〃　asked
Savarus。

〃Ask　me　no　questions；〃　replied　the　Abbe。　〃Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt；　who
has　three　daughters　to　marry；　is　not　capable　of　increasing　his　wealth。
Though　Vauchelles　marries　the　eldest　without　anything　from　her　father；
because　her　old　aunt　is　to　settle　something　on　her；　what　is　to　become
of　the　two　others？　Sidonie　is　sixteen；　and　your　ambition　is　as　good　as
a　gold　mine。　Some　one　has　told　Madame　de　Chavoncourt　that　she　will　do
better　by　getting　her　daughter　married　than　by　sending　her　husband　to
waste　his　money　in　Paris。　That　some　one　manages　Madame　de　Chavoncourt；
and　Madame　de　Chavoncourt　manages　her　husband。〃

〃That　is　enough；　my　dear　Abbe。　I　understand。　When　once　I　am　returned
as　deputy；　I　have　somebody's　fortune　to　make；　and　by　making　it　large
enough　I　shall　be　released　from　my　promise。　In　me　you　have　a　son；　a
man　who　will　owe　his　happiness　to　you。　Great　heavens！　what　have　I　done
to　deserve　so　true　a　friend？〃

〃You　won　a　triumph　for　the　Chapter；〃　said　the　Vicar…General；　smiling。
〃Now；　as　to　all　this；　be　as　secret　as　the　tomb。　We　are　nothing；　we
have　done　nothing。　If　we　were　known　to　have　meddled　in　election
matters；　we　should　be　eaten　up　alive　by　the　Puritans　of　the　Leftwho
do　worseand　blamed　by　some　of　our　own　party；　who　want　everything。
Madame　de　Chavoncourt　has　no　suspicion　of　my　share　in　all　this。　I　have
confided　in　no　one　but　Madame　de　Watteville；　whom　we　may　trust　as　we
trust　ourselves。〃

〃I　will　bring　the　Duchess　to　you　to　be　blessed！〃　cried　Savarus。

After　seeing　out　the　old　priest；　Albert　went　to　bed　in　the　swaddling
clothes　of　power。



Next　evening；　as　may　well　be　supposed；　by　nine　o'clock　Madame　la
Baronne　de　Watteville's　rooms　were　crowded　by　the　aristocracy　of
Besancon　in　convocation　extraordinary。　They　were　discussing　the
exceptional　step　of　going　to　the　poll；　to　oblige　the　daughter　of　the
Rupts。　It　was　known　that　the　former　Master　of　Appeals；　the　secretary
of　one　of　the　most　faithful　ministers　under　the　Elder　Branch；　was　to
be　presented　that　evening。　Madame　de　Chavoncourt　was　there　with　her
second　daughter　Sidonie；　exquisitely　dressed；　while　her　elder　sister；
secure　of　her　lover；　had　not　indulged　in　any　of　the　arts　of　the
toilet。　In　country　towns　these　little　things　are　remarked。　The　Abbe　de
Grancey's　fine　and　clever　head　was　to　be　seen　moving　from　group