the deputy of arcis-第20章

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〃Madame；　I　have　not　the　power　to　marry　my　daughter　according　to　my　own　tastes。　In　the　first　place；　her　father　and　I　leave　her　absolutely　free　to　choose　for　herself。　If　she　wanted　to　marry　the　'great　Unknown'　and　we　found　that　the　match　was　suitable；　we　should　give　our　consent。　Besides　this；　Cecile　is　wholly　dependent　on　her　grandfather；　who　intends　to　give　her　on　her　marriage　the　Hotel　de　Beauseant　in　Paris；　which　he　purchased　for　us　six　years　ago；　the　value　of　which　is　now　rated　at　eight　hundred　thousand　francs。　It　is　one　of　the　finest　houses　in　the　faubourg　Saint…Germain。　Moreover；　he　intends　to　add　two　hundred　thousand　francs　for　the　cost　of　fitting　it　up。　A　grandfather　who　behaves　in　this　way；　and　who　can　influence　my　mother…in…law　to　make　a　few　sacrifices　for　her　granddaughter　in　expectation　of　a　suitable　marriage；　has　a　right　to　advise〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Madame　Marion；　stupefied　by　this　confidence；　which　made　the　marriage　of　her　nephew　and　Cecile　extremely　difficult。

〃Even　if　Cecile　had　nothing　to　expect　from　her　grandfather　Grevin；〃　continued　Madame　Beauvisage；　〃she　would　not　marry　without　first　consulting　him。　If　you　have　any　proposals　to　make；　go　and　see　my　father。〃

〃Very　good；　I　will　go；〃　said　Madame　Marion。

Madame　Beauvisage　made　a　sign　to　Cecile；　and　together　they　left　the　salon。

The　next　day　Antonin　and　Frederic　Marest　found　themselves；　according　to　their　usual　custom；　with　Monsieur　Martener　and　Olivier；　beneath　the　lindens　of　the　Avenue　of　Sighs；　smoking　their　cigars　and　walking　up　and　down。　This　daily　promenade　is　one　of　the　petty　pleasures　of　government　officials　in　the　provinces　when　they　happen　to　be　on　good　terms　with　one　another。

After　they　had　made　a　few　turns；　Simon　Giguet　came　up　and　joined　them　saying　to　the　sub…prefect　with　a　mysterious　air：

〃You　ought　to　be　faithful　to　an　old　comrade　who　wishes　to　get　you　the　rosette　of　an　officer　and　a　prefecture。〃

〃You　are　beginning　your　political　career　betimes；〃　said　Antonin；　laughing。　〃You　are　trying　to　corrupt　me；　rapid　puritan！〃

〃Will　you　support　me？〃

〃My　dear　fellow；　you　know　very　well　that　Bar…sur…Aube　votes　here。　Who　can　guarantee　a　majority　under　such　circumstances？　My　colleague　of　Bar…sur…Aube　would　complain　of　me　if　I　did　not　unite　my　efforts　with　his　in　support　of　the　government。　Your　promise　is　conditional；　whereas　my　dismissal　would　be　certain。〃

〃But　I　have　no　competitors。〃

〃You　think　so；〃　said　Antonin；　〃but　some　one　is　sure　to　turn　up；　you　may　rely　on　that。〃

〃Why　doesn't　my　aunt　come；　when　she　knows　I　am　on　a　gridiron！〃　exclaimed　Giguet；　suddenly。　〃These　three　hours　are　like　three　years！〃

His　secret　had　escaped　him　and　he　now　admitted　to　his　friend　that　Madame　Marion　had　gone　on　his　behalf　to　old　Grevin　with　a　formal　proposal　for　Cecile's　hand。

The　pair　had　now　reached　the　Brienne　road　opposite　to　the　Mulet　hostelry。　While　the　lawyer　looked　down　the　street　towards　the　bridge　his　aunt　would　have　to　cross；　the　sub…prefect　examined　the　gullies　made　by　the　rain　in　the　open　square。　Arcis　is　not　paved。　The　plains　of　Champagne　furnish　no　material　fit　for　building；　nor　even　pebbles　large　enough　for　cobble…stone　pavements。　One　or　two　streets　and　a　few　detached　places　are　imperfectly　macadamized　and　that　is　saying　enough　to　describe　their　condition　after　a　rain。　The　sub…prefect　gave　himself　an　appearance　of　occupation　by　apparently　exercising　his　thoughts　on　this　important　object；　but　he　lost　not　a　single　expression　of　suffering　on　the　anxious　face　of　his　companion。

At　this　moment；　the　stranger　was　returning　from　the　Chateau　de　Cinq…　Cygne；　where　he　had　apparently　passed　the　night。　Goulard　resolved　to　clear　up；　himself；　the　mystery　wrapped　about　the　Unknown；　who　was　physically　enveloped　in　an　overcoat　of　thick　cloth　called　a　/paletot/；　then　the　fashion。　A　mantle；　thrown　across　his　knees　for　a　covering；　hid　the　lower　half　of　his　body；　while　an　enormous　muffler　of　red　cashmere　covered　his　neck　and　head　to　the　eyes。　His　hat；　jauntily　tipped　to　one　side；　was；　nevertheless；　not　ridiculous。　Never　was　a　mystery　more　mysteriously　bundled　up　and　swathed。

〃Look　out！〃　cried　the　tiger；　who　preceded　the　tilbury　on　horseback。　〃Open；　papa　Poupart；　open！〃　he　screamed　in　his　shrill　little　voice。

The　three　servants　of　the　inn　ran　out；　and　the　tilbury　drove　in　without　any　one　being　able　to　see　a　single　feature　of　the　stranger's　face。　The　sub…prefect　followed　the　tilbury　into　the　courtyard；　and　went　to　the　door　of　the　inn。

〃Madame　Poupart；〃　said　Antonin；　〃will　you　ask　MonsieurMonsieur〃

〃I　don't　know　his　name；〃　said　Gothard's　sister。

〃You　do　wrong！　The　rules　of　the　police　are　strict；　and　Monsieur　Groslier　doesn't　trifle；　like　some　commissaries　of　police。〃

〃Innkeepers　are　never　to　blame　about　election…time；〃　remarked　the　little　tiger；　getting　off　his　horse。

〃I'll　repeat　that　to　Vinet；〃　thought　the　sub…prefect。　〃Go　and　ask　your　master　if　he　can　receive　the　sub…prefect　of　Arcis。〃

Presently　Paradise　returned。

〃Monsieur　begs　Monsieur　the　sub…prefect　to　come　up；　he　will　be　delighted　to　see　him。〃

〃My　lad；〃　said　Olivier　Vinet；　who　with　the　two　other　functionaries　had　joined　the　sub…prefect　before　the　inn；　〃how　much　does　your　master　give　a　year　for　a　boy　of　your　cut　and　wits？〃

〃Give；　monsieur！　What　do　you　take　me　for？　Monsieur　le　comte　lets　himself　be　milked；　and　I'm　content。〃

〃That　boy　was　raised　in　a　good　school！〃　said　Frederic　Marest。

〃The　highest　school；　monsieur；〃　said　the　urchin；　amazing　the　four　friends　with　his　perfect　self…possession。

〃What　a　Figaro！〃　cried　Vinet。

〃Mustn't　lower　one's　price；〃　said　the　infant。　〃My　master　calls　me　a　little　Robert…Macaire；　and　since　we　have　learned　how　to　invest　our　money　we　are　Figaro；　plus　a　savings　bank。〃

〃How　much　do　you　earn？〃

〃Oh！　some　races　I　make　two　or　three　thousand　francsand　without　selling　my　master；　monsieur。〃

〃Sublime　infant！〃　said　Vinet；　〃he　knows　the　turf。〃

〃Yes；　and　all　gentlemen　riders；〃　said　the　child；　sticking　out　his　tongue　at　Vinet。

Antonin　Goulard；　ushered　by　the　landlord　into　a　room　which　had　been　turned　into　a　salon；　felt　himself　instantly　under　the　focus　of　an　eyeglass　held　in　the　most　impertinent　manner　by　the　stranger。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　sub…prefect　with　a　certain　official　hauteur；　〃I　have　just　learned　from　the　wife　of　the　innkeeper　that　you　refuse　to　conform　to　the　ordinances　of　the　police；　and　as　I　do　not　doubt　that　you　are　a　person　of　distinction；　I　have　come　myself〃

〃Is　your　name　Goulard？〃　demanded　the　stranger　in　a　high　voice。

〃I　am　the　sub…prefect；　monsieur；〃　replied　Antonin　Goulard。

〃Your　father　belonged　to　the　Simeuse　family？〃

〃And　I；　monsieur；　belong　to　the　government；　that　is　how　times　differ。〃

〃You　have　a　servant　named　Julien；　who　has　tried　to　entice　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan's　maid　away　from　her？〃

〃Monsieur；　I　do　not　allow　any　one　to　speak　to　me　in　this　manner；〃　said　Goulard；　〃you　misunderstand　my　character。〃

〃And　you　want　to　know　about　mine！〃　returned　the　Unknown。　〃Well；　I　will　now　make　myself　known。　You　can　write　in　the　landlord's　book：　'Impertinent　fellow。　Direct　from　Paris。　Age　doubtful。　Travelling　for　pleasure。'　It　would　be　rather　a　novelty　in　France　to　imitate　England　and　let　people　come　and　go　as　they　please；　without　tormenting　them　at　every　turn　for　'papers。'　I　have　no　passport；　now；　what　will　you　do　to　me？〃

〃The　/procureur…du…roi/　is　walking　up　and　down　there　under　the　lindens；〃　said　the　sub…prefect。

〃Monsieur　Marest！　Wish　him　good…morning　from　me。〃

〃But　who　are　you？〃

〃Whatever　you　wish　me　to　be；　my　dear　Monsieur　Goulard；〃　said　the　stranger。　〃You　alone　shall　decide　/what/　I　am　to　be　in　this　department。　Give　me　some　advice　on　that　head。　Here；　read　that。〃

And　the　stranger　handed　the　sub…prefect　the　following　letter：

　　（Confidential。）　　　　　　　Prefecture　of　the　Aube。

　　Monsieur　the　Sub…prefect；You　will　consult　with　the　bearer　of　　　this　letter　as　to　the　election　at　Arcis；　and　you　will　conform　to　　　all　the　suggestions　and　requests　he　may　make　to　you。　I　request　you　　　to　conduct　this　matter　with　the　utmost　discretion；　and　to　treat　　　the　bearer　with　all　the　respect　that　is　due　to　his　station。

The　letter　was　written　and　signed　by　the　prefect　of　the　Aube。

〃You　have