the deputy of arcis-第18章

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〃Well；　Monsieur　Antonin；〃　said　Cecile；　laughing　at　Vinet's　sarcasm。　〃Your　ten　minutes　have　expired；　and　you　haven't　told　us　whether　the　Unknown　is　a　count　or　not。〃

〃I　shall　keep　my　promise；〃　replied　the　sub…prefect；　perceiving　at　that　moment　the　head　of　his　valet　in　the　doorway；　and　again　he　left　his　place　beside　Cecile。

〃You　are　talking　of　the　stranger；〃　said　Madame　Marion。　〃Is　anything　really　known　about　him？〃

〃No；　madame；〃　replied　Achille　Pigoult；　〃but　he　is；　without　knowing　it；　like　the　clown　of　a　circus；　the　centre　of　the　eyes　of　the　two　thousand　inhabitants　of　this　town。　I　know　one　thing　about　him；〃　added　the　little　notary。

〃Oh；　tell　us；　Monsieur　Achille！〃　cried　Ernestine；　eagerly。

〃His　tiger's　name　is　Paradise！〃

〃Paradise！〃　echoed　every　one　included　in　the　little　circle。

〃Can　a　man　be　called　Paradise？〃　asked　Madame　Herbelot；　who　had　joined　her　sister…in…law。

〃It　tends　to　prove；〃　continued　the　notary；　〃that　the　master　is　an　angel；　for　when　his　tiger　follows　himyou　understand。〃

〃It　is　the　road　of　Paradise！　very　good；　that；〃　said　Madame　Marion；　anxious　to　flatter　Achille　Pigoult　in　the　interests　of　her　nephew。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Antonin's　valet　in　the　dining…room；　〃the　tilbury　has　a　coat　of　arms〃

〃Coat　of　arms！〃

〃Yes；　and　droll　enough　they　are！　There's　a　coronet　with　nine　points　and　pearls〃

〃Then　he's　a　count！〃

〃And　a　monster　with　wings；　flying　like　a　postilion　who　has　dropped　something。　And　here　is　what　is　written　on　the　belt；〃　added　the　man；　taking　a　paper　from　his　pocket。　〃Mademoiselle　Anicette；　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan's　lady's　maid；　who　came　in　a　carriage〃　（the　Cinq…Cygne　carriage　before　the　door　of　the　Mulet！）　〃to　bring　a　letter　to　the　gentleman；　wrote　it　down　for　me。〃

〃Give　it　to　me。〃

The　sub…prefect　read　the　words：　/Quo　me　trahit　fortuna/。

Though　he　was　not　strong　enough　in　French　blazon　to　know　the　house　that　bore　that　device；　Antonin　felt　sure　that　the　Cinq…Cygnes　would　not　send　their　chariot；　nor　the　Princess　de　Cadignan　a　missive　by　her　maid；　except　to　a　person　of　the　highest　nobility。

〃Ha！　so　you　know　the　maid　of　the　Princess　de　Cadignan！　happy　man！〃　said　Antonin。

Julien；　a　young　countryman；　after　serving　six　months　in　the　household　of　the　Comte　de　Gondreville；　had　entered　the　service　of　the　sub…　prefect；　who　wanted　a　servant　of　the　/right　style/。

〃But；　monsieur；　Anicette　is　my　father's　god…daughter。　Papa；　who　wanted　to　do　well　by　the　girl；　whose　father　was　dead；　sent　her　to　a　dressmaker　in　Paris　because　my　mother　could　not　endure　her。〃

〃Is　she　pretty？〃

〃Rather；　the　proof　is　that　she　got　into　trouble　in　Paris；　but　finally；　as　she　has　talent　and　can　make　gowns　and　dress　hair；　she　got　a　place　with　the　princess。〃

〃What　did　she　tell　you　about　Cinq…Cygne？　Is　there　much　company？〃

〃A　great　deal；　monsieur。　There's　the　princess　and　Monsieur　d'Arthez；　the　Duc　de　Maufrigneuse　and　the　duchess　and　the　young　marquis。　In　fact　the　chateau　is　full。　They　expect　Monseigneur　the　Bishop　of　Troyes　to…night。〃

〃Monsieur　Troubert！　I　should　like　to　know　how　long　he　is　going　to　stay。〃

〃Anicette　thinks　for　some　time；　and　she　believes　he　is　coming　to　meet　the　gentleman　who　is　now　at　the　Mulet。　They　expect　more　company。　The　coachman　told　me　they　were　talking　a　great　deal　about　the　election。　Monsieur　le　president　Michu　is　expected　in　a　few　days。〃

〃Try　to　bring　that　lady's　maid　into　town　on　pretence　of　shopping。　Have　you　any　designs　upon　her？〃

〃If　she　has　any　savings　I　don't　know　but　what　I　might。　She　is　a　sly　one；　though。〃

〃Tell　her　to　come　and　see　you　at　the　sub…prefecture。〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。　I'll　go　and　tell　her　now。〃

〃Don't　say　anything　about　me；　or　she　might　not　come。〃

〃Ah！　monsieur；　haven't　I　served　at　Gondreville？〃

〃You　don't　know　why　they　sent　that　message　from　Cinq…Cygne　at　this　hour；　do　you？　It　is　half…past　nine　o'clock。'

〃It　must　have　been　something　pressing。　The　gentleman　had　only　just　returned　from　Gondreville。〃

〃Gondreville！has　he　been　to　Gondreville？〃

〃He　dined　there；　monsieur。　If　you　went　to　the　Mulet　you'd　laugh！　The　little　tiger　is；　saving　your　presence；　as　drunk　as　a　fiddler。　He　drank　such　a　lot　of　champagne　in　the　servants'　hall　that　he　can't　stand　on　his　legs；　they　have　been　filling　him　for　fun。〃

〃And　the　count？〃

〃The　count　had　gone　to　bed；　but　as　soon　as　he　received　the　letter　he　got　up。　He　is　now　dressing　himself；　and　they　are　putting　the　horse　in　the　tilbury。　The　count　is　to　spend　the　night　at　Cinq…Cygne。〃

〃He　must　be　some　great　personage。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　monsieur；　for　Gothard；　the　steward　of　Cinq…Cygne；　came　this　morning　to　see　his　brother…in…law　Poupart；　and　warned　him　to　be　very　discreet　about　the　gentleman　and　to　serve　him　like　a　king。〃

〃Vinet　must　be　right；〃　thought　the　sub…prefect。　〃Can　there　be　some　cabal　on　foot？〃

〃It　was　Duc　Georges　de　Maufrigneuse　who　sent　Gothard　to　the　Mulet。　Poupart　came　to　the　meeting　here　this　morning　only　because　the　gentleman　wished　him　to　do　so；　if　he　had　sent　him　to　Paris；　he'd　go。　Gothard　told　Poupart　to　keep　silent　about　the　gentleman；　and　to　fool　all　inquisitive　people。〃

〃If　you　can　get　Anicette　here；　don't　fail　to　let　me　know；〃　said　Antonin。

〃But　I　could　see　her　at　Cinq…Cygne　if　monsieur　would　send　me　to　his　house　at　Val…Preux。〃

〃That's　an　idea。　You　might　profit　by　the　chariot　to　get　there。　But　what　reason　could　you　give　to　the　little　groom？〃

〃He's　a　madcap；　that　boy；　monsieur。　Would　you　believe　it；　drunk　as　he　is；　he　has　just　mounted　his　master's　thoroughbred；　a　horse　that　can　do　twenty　miles　an　hour；　and　started　for　Troyes　with　a　letter　in　order　that　it　may　reach　Paris　to…morrow！　And　only　nine　years　and　a　half　old！　What　will　he　be　at　twenty？〃

The　sub…prefect　listened　mechanically　to　these　remarks。　Julien　gossiped　on；　his　master　listening；　absorbed　in　thought　about　the　stranger。

〃Wait　here；〃　he　said　to　the　man　as　he　turned　with　slow　steps　to　re…enter　the　salon。　〃What　a　mess！〃　he　thought　to　himself；〃a　man　who　dines　at　Gondreville　and　spends　the　night　at　Cinq…Cygnes！　Mysteries　indeed！〃

〃Well？〃　cried　the　circle　around　Mademoiselle　Beauvisage　as　soon　as　he　reappeared。

〃He　is　a　count；　and　/vieille　roche/；　I　answer　for　it。〃

〃Oh！　how　I　should　like　to　see　him！〃　cried　Cecile。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Antonin；　smiling　and　looking　maliciously　at　Madame　Mollot；　〃he　is　tall　and　well…made　and　does　not　wear　a　wig。　His　little　groom　was　as　drunk　as　the　twenty…four　cantons；　they　filled　him　with　champagne　at　Gondreville　and　that　little　scamp；　only　nine　years　old；　answered　my　man　Julien；　who　asked　him　about　his　master's　wig；　with　all　the　assumption　of　an　old　valet：　'My　master！　wear　a　wig！if　he　did　I'd　leave　him。　He　dyes　his　hair　and　that's　bad　enough。'〃

〃Your　opera…glass　magnifies；〃　said　Achille　Pigoult　to　Madame　Mollot；　who　laughed。

〃Well；　the　tiger　of　the　handsome　count；　drunk　as　he　is；　is　now　riding　to　Troyes　to　post　a　letter；　and　he'll　get　there；　as　they　say；　in　five…　quarters　of　an　hour。〃

〃I'd　like　to　have　that　tiger；〃　said　Vinet。

〃If　the　count　dined　at　Gondreville　we　shall　soon　know　all　about　him；〃　remarked　Cecile；　〃for　my　grandpapa　is　going　there　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃What　will　strike　you　as　very　strange；〃　said　Antonin　Goulard；　〃is　that　the　party　at　Cinq…Cygne　have　just　sent　Mademoiselle　Anicette；　the　maid　of　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan；　in　the　Cinq…Cygne　carriage；　with　a　note　to　the　stranger；　and　he　is　going　now　to　pass　the　night　there。〃

〃/Ah　ca/！〃　said　Olivier　Vinet；　〃then　he　is　not　a　man；　he's　a　devil；　a　phoenix；　he　will　poculate〃

〃Ah；　fie！　monsieur；〃　said　Madame　Mollot；　〃you　use　words　that　are　really〃

〃'Poculate'　is　a　word　of　the　highest　latinity；　madame；〃　replied　Vinet；　gravely。　〃So；　as　I　said；　he　will　poculate　with　Louis　Philippe　in　the　morning；　and　banquet　at　the　Holy…Rood　with　Charles　the　Tenth　at　night。　There　is　but　one　reason　that　allows　a　decent　man　to　go　to　both　camps　from　Montague　to　Capulet！　Ha；　ha！　I　know　who　that　stranger　is。　He's〃

〃The　president　of　a　railway　from　Paris　to　Lyons；　or　Paris　to　Dijon；　or　from　Montereau　to　Troyes。〃

〃That's　true；〃　said　Antonin。　〃You　have　it。　There's　nothing　but　speculation　that　is　welcomed　everywhere。〃

〃Yes；　just　see　how　great　names；　great　families；　the　old　and　the　new　peerage　are