unconscious comedians-第14章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
a year； he's a peer of France； the king has made him a count； he
married Nucingen's daughter； and he is one of the two or three
statesmen produced by the revolution of July。 But his fame and his
power bore him sometimes； and he comes down to laugh with us。〃
〃Ah ca！ cousin； why didn't you tell us you belonged to the
Opposition？〃 asked Leon； seizing Gazonal by the arm。 〃How stupid of
you！ One deputy more or less to Right or Left and your bed is made。〃
〃We are all for the Others down my way。〃
〃Let 'em go；〃 said Bixiou； with a facetious look； 〃they have
Providence on their side； and Providence will bring them back without
you and in spite of themselves。 A manufacturer ought to be a
fatalist。〃
〃What luck！ There's Maxime； with Canalis and Giraud；〃 said Leon。
〃Come along； friend Gazonal； the promised actors are mustering on the
stage；〃 said Bixiou。
And all three advanced to the above…named personages； who seemed to be
sauntering along with nothing to do。
〃Have they turned you out； or why are you idling about in this way？〃
said Bixiou to Giraud。
〃No； while they are voting by secret ballot we have come out for a
little air；〃 replied Giraud。
〃How did the prime minister pull through？〃
〃He was magnificent！〃 said Canalis。
〃Magnificent！〃 repeated Maxime。
〃Magnificent！〃 cried Giraud。
〃So！ so！ Right； Left； and Centre are unanimous！〃
〃All with a different meaning；〃 observed Maxime de Trailles。
Maxime was the ministerial deputy。
〃Yes；〃 said Canalis； laughing。
Though Canalis had already been a minister； he was at this moment
tending toward the Right。
〃Ah！ but you had a fine triumph just now；〃 said Maxime to Canalis； 〃it
was you who forced the minister into the tribune。〃
〃And made him lie like a charlatan；〃 returned Canalis。
〃A worthy victory；〃 said the honest Giraud。 〃In his place what would
you have done？〃
〃I should have lied。〃
〃It isn't called lying；〃 said Maxime de Trailles； 〃it is called
protecting the crown。〃
So saying； he led Canalis away to a little distance。
〃That's a great orator；〃 said Leon to Giraud； pointing to Canalis。
〃Yes and no；〃 replied the councillor of state。 〃A fine bass voice； and
sonorous； but more of an artist in words than an orator。 In short；
he's a fine instrument but he isn't music； consequently he has not；
and he never will have； the ear of the Chamber； in no case will he
ever be master of the situation。〃
Canalis and Maxime were returning toward the little group as Giraud；
deputy of the Left Centre； pronounced this verdict。 Maxime took Giraud
by the arm and led him off； probably to make the same confidence he
had just made Canalis。
〃What an honest； upright fellow that is；〃 said Leon to Canalis；
nodding towards Giraud。
〃One of those upright fellows who kill administrators；〃 replied
Canalis。
〃Do you think him a good orator？〃
〃Yes and no；〃 replied Canalis； 〃he is wordy； he's long…winded； a
plodder in argument； and a good logician； but he doesn't understand
the higher logic； that of events and circumstances； consequently he
has never had； and never will have； the ear of the Chamber。〃
At the moment when Canalis uttered this judgment on Giraud； the latter
was returning with Maxime to the group； and forgetting the presence of
a stranger whose discretion was not known to them like that of Leon
and Bixiou； he took Canalis by the hand in a very significant manner。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃I consent to what Monsieur de Trailles proposes。
I'll put the question to you in the Chamber； but I shall do it with
great severity。〃
〃Then we shall have the house with us； for a man of your weight and
your eloquence is certain to have the ear of the Chamber；〃 said
Canalis。 〃I'll reply to you； but I shall do it sharply； to crush you。〃
〃You could bring about a change of the cabinet； for on such ground you
can do what you like with the Chamber； and be master of the
situation。〃
〃Maxime has trapped them both；〃 said Leon to his cousin； 〃that fellow
is like a fish in water among the intrigues of the Chamber。〃
〃Who is he？〃 asked Gazonal。
〃An ex…scoundrel who is now in a fair way to become an ambassador；〃
replied Bixiou。
〃Giraud！〃 said Leon to the councillor of state； 〃don't leave the
Chamber without asking Rastignac what he promised to tell you about a
suit you are to render a decision on two days hence。 It concerns my
cousin here； I'll go and see you to…morrow morning early about it。〃
The three friends followed the three deputies； at a distance； into the
lobby。
〃Cousin； look at those two men；〃 said Leon； pointing out to him a
former minister and the leader of the Left Centre。 〃Those are two men
who really have 'the ear of the Chamber；' and who are called in jest
ministers of the department of the Opposition。 They have the ear of
the Chamber so completely that they are always pulling it。〃
〃It is four o'clock；〃 said Bixiou； 〃let us go back to the rue de
Berlin。〃
〃Yes； you've now seen the heart of the government； cousin； and you
must next be shown the ascarides； the taenia； the intestinal worm；
the republican； since I must needs name him；〃 said Leon。
When the three friends were once more packed into their hackney…coach；
Gazonal looked at his cousin and Bixiou like a man who had a mind to
launch a flood of oratorical and Southern bile upon the elements。
〃I distrusted with all my might this great hussy of a town；〃 he rolled
out in Southern accents； 〃but since this morning I despise her！ The
poor little province you think so petty is an honest girl； but Paris
is a prostitute； a greedy； lying comedian； and I am very thankful not
to be robbed of my skin in it。〃
〃The day is not over yet；〃 said Bixiou； sententiously； winking at
Leon。
〃And why do you complain in that stupid way；〃 said Leon； 〃of a
prostitution to which you will owe the winning of your lawsuit？ Do you
think you are more virtuous than we； less of a comedian； less greedy；
less liable to fall under some temptation； less conceited than those
we have been making dance for you like puppets？〃
〃Try me！〃
〃Poor lad！〃 said Leon； shrugging his shoulders； 〃haven't you already
promised Rastignac your electoral influence？〃
〃Yes； because he was the only one who ridiculed himself。〃
〃Poor lad！〃 repeated Bixiou； 〃why slight me； who am always ridiculing
myself？ You are like a pug…dog barking at a tiger。 Ha！ if you saw us
really ridiculing a man； you'd see that we can drive a sane man mad。〃
This conversation brought Gazonal back to his cousin's house； where
the sight of luxury silenced him； and put an end to the discussion。
Too late he perceived that Bixiou had been making him pose。
At half…past five o'clock； the moment when Leon de Lora was making his
evening toilet to the great wonderment of Gazonal； who counted the
thousand and one superfluities of his cousin； and admired the
solemnity of the valet as he performed his functions； the 〃pedicure of
monsieur〃 was announced； and Publicola Masson； a little man fifty
years of age； made his appearance； laid a small box of instruments on
the floor； and sat down on a small chair opposite to Leon； after
bowing to Gazonal and Bixiou。
〃How are matters going with you？〃 asked Leon； delivering to Publicola
one of his feet； already washed and prepared by the valet。
〃I am forced to take two pupils；two young fellows who； despairing of
fortune； have quitted surgery for corporistics； they were actually
dying of hunger； and yet they are full of talent。〃
〃I'm not asking you about pedestrial affairs； I want to know how you
are getting on politically。〃
Masson gave a glance at Gazonal； more eloquent than any species of
question。
〃Oh！ you can speak out； that's my cousin； in a way he belongs to you；
he thinks himself legitimist。〃
〃Well！ we are coming along； we are advancin
