the deputy of arcis-第21章

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

〃You　have　been　talking　prose　without　knowing　it；〃　said　the　Unknown；　taking　back　the　letter。

Antonin　Goulard；　already　struck　with　the　aristocratic　tone　and　manners　of　this　personage；　became　respectful。

〃How　was　that；　monsieur？〃　he　asked。

〃By　endeavoring　to　entice　Anicette。　She　told　us　of　the　attempts　of　your　man　Julien　to　corrupt　her。　But　my　little　tiger；　Paradise；　got　the　better　of　him；　and　he　ended　by　admitting　that　you　wanted　to　put　Anicette　into　the　service　of　one　of　the　richest　families　in　Arcis。　Now；　as　the　richest　family　in　Arcis　is　the　Beauvisage　family　I　make　no　doubt　it　is　Mademoiselle　Cecile　who　covets　this　treasure。〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。〃

〃Very　good；　then　Anicette　shall　enter　the　Beauvisage　household　at　once。〃

He　whistled。　Paradise　presented　himself　so　rapidly　that　his　master　said：　〃You　were　listening！〃

〃In　spite　of　myself；　Monsieur　le　comte；　these　partitions　are　nothing　but　paper。　But　if　Monsieur　le　comte　prefers；　I　will　move　upstairs。〃

〃No；　you　can　listen；　it　is　your　perquisite。　It　is　for　me　to　speak　low　when　I　don't　want　you　to　know　my　affairs。　Go　back　to　Cinq…Cygne；　and　give　this　gold　piece　to　that　little　Anicette　from　me。　Julien　shall　have　the　credit　of　enticing　her　away；〃　he　continued；　addressing　Goulard。　〃That　bit　of　gold　will　inform　her　that　she　is　to　follow　him。　Anicette　may　be　useful　to　the　success　of　our　candidate。〃

〃Anicette？〃

〃Monsieur；　it　is　now　thirty…two　years　since　lady's…maids　have　served　my　purposes。　I　had　my　first　adventure　at　the　age　of　thirteen；　like　the　regent；　the　great…great…grandfather　of　our　present　King。　Do　you　know　the　fortune　of　this　Mademoiselle　Beauvisage？〃

〃I　can't　help　knowing　it；　monsieur；　for　yesterday　at　Madame　Marion's；　Madame　Beauvisage　said　openly　that　Monsieur　Grevin；　Cecile's　grandfather；　would　give　his　granddaughter　the　hotel　de　Beauseant　in　Paris　and　two　hundred　thousand　francs　for　a　wedding　present。〃

The　stranger's　eyes　expressed　no　surprise。　He　seemed　to　consider　the　fortune　rather　paltry。

〃Do　you　know　Arcis　well？〃　he　asked　of　Goulard。

〃I　am　the　sub…prefect　and　I　was　born　here。〃

〃What　is　the　best　way　to　balk　curiosity？〃

〃By　satisfying　it。　For　instance；　Monsieur　le　Comte　has　a　baptismal　name；　let　him　register　that　with　the　title　of　count。〃

〃Very　good；　Comte　Maxime。〃

〃And　if　monsieur　will　assume　the　position　of　a　railway　official；　Arcis　will　be　content；　it　will　amuse　itself　by　floating　that　stick　at　least　for　a　fortnight。〃

〃No；　I　prefer　to　be　concerned　in　irrigation；　it　is　less　common。　I　have　come　down　to　survey　the　wastelands　of　Champagne　in　order　to　reclaim　them。　That　will　be；　my　good　Monsieur　Goulard；　a　reason　for　inviting　me　to　dine　with　you　to…morrow　to　meet　the　mayor　and　his　family；　I　wish　to　see　them；　and　study　them。〃

〃I　shall　be　only　to　happy　to　receive　you；〃　said　the　sub…prefect；　〃but　I　must　ask　your　indulgence　for　the　deficiencies　of　my　little　household。〃

〃If　I　succeed　in　managing　the　election　of　Arcis　according　to　the　wishes　of　those　who　have　sent　me　here；　you；　my　dear　friend；　will　be　made　a　prefect。　Here；　read　these〃；　and　he　held　out　two　letters　to　his　visitor。

〃Very　good；　Monsieur　le　comte；〃　said　Antonin；　returning　them。

〃Make　a　list　of　all　the　votes　on　which　the　ministry　may　count。　Above　all；　let　no　one　suspect　that　you　and　I　understand　each　other。　I　am　a　speculator　in　land；　and　I　don't　care　a　fig　for　elections。〃

〃I　will　send　the　commissary　of　police　to　force　you　to　inscribe　your　name　on　Poupart's　register。〃

〃So　do。　Adieu；　monsieur。　Heavens！　what　a　region　this　is；〃　said　the　count；　in　a　loud　voice；　〃one　can't　take　a　step　without　having　the　community；　sub…prefect　and　all；　on　one's　back。〃

〃You　will　have　to　answer　to　the　commissary　of　police；　monsieur；〃　said　Antonin；　in　an　equally　loud　tone。

And　for　the　next　twenty　minutes　Madame　Mollot　talked　of　the　altercation　that　took　place　between　the　sub…prefect　and　the　stranger。

〃Well；　what　wood　is　the　beam　that　has　plumped　into　our　bog　made　of？〃　said　Olivier　Vinet　when　Antonin　Goulard　rejoined　them　on　leaving　the　Mulet。

〃He　is　a　Comte　Maxime　who　is　here　to　study　the　geological　system　of　Champagne；　with　a　view　to　finding　mineral　waters；〃　replied　the　sub…　prefect；　with　an　easy　manner。

〃Say　a　speculator；〃　said　Oliver。

〃Does　he　expect　to　get　the　natives　to　lay　out　capital？〃　asked　Monsieur　Martener。

〃I　doubt　if　our　royalists　will　go　into　that　kind　of　mining；〃　remarked　Vinet；　laughing。

〃What　should　you　think　from　the　air　and　gestures　of　Madame　Marion？〃　said　the　sub…prefect　turning　off　the　subject　by　pointing　to　Madame　Marion　and　Simon；　who　were　deep　in　conversation。

Simon　had　gone　toward　the　bridge　to　meet　his　aunt；　and　was　now　walking　with　her　up　the　square。

〃If　he　was　accepted　one　word　would　suffice；〃　said　the　shrewd　Olivier。

〃Well？〃　said　all　the　officials　when　Simon　came　to　them　under　the　lindens。

〃My　aunt　thinks　the　matter　very　hopeful；〃　replied　Simon。　〃Madame　Beauvisage　and　old　Grevin；　who　has　just　gone　to　Gondreville；　were　not　at　all　surprised　at　my　proposals；　they　talked　of　our　respective　fortunes；　and　said　they　wished　to　leave　Cecile　perfectly　free　to　make　her　choice。　Besides　which；　Madame　Beauvisage　said　that；　as　for　herself；　she　saw　no　objection　to　an　alliance　by　which　she　should　feel　herself　honored；　although　she　postponed　all　answer　until　after　my　election；　and　possibly　my　first　appearance　in　the　Chamber。　Old　Grevin　said　he　should　consult　the　Comte　de　Gondreville；　without　whose　advice　he　never　took　any　important　step。〃

〃All　of　which　means；〃　said　Goulard；　point…blank；　〃that　you　will　never　marry　Cecile；　my　old　fellow。〃

〃Why　not？〃　said　Giguet；　ironically。

〃My　dear　friend；　Madame　Beauvisage　and　her　daughter　spend　four　evenings　every　week　in　the　salon　of　your　aunt；　your　aunt　is　the　most　distinguished　woman　in　Arcis；　and　she　is；　though　twenty　years　the　elder；　an　object　of　envy　to　Madame　Beauvisage；　don't　you　see；　therefore；　that　they　wished　to　wrap　up　their　refusal　in　certain　civilities？〃

〃Not　to　say　entire　yes　or　no　in　such　cases；〃　said　Vinet；　〃is　to　say　/no/；　with　due　regard　to　the　intimacy　of　the　two　families。　Though　Madame　Beauvisage　has　the　largest　fortune　in　Arcis；　Madame　Marion　is　the　most　esteemed　woman　in　the　place；　for；　with　the　exception　of　our　chief…justice's　wife；　who　sees　no　one　now；　she　is　the　only　woman　who　knows　how　to　hold　a　salon；　she　is　the　queen　of　Arcis。　Madame　Beauvisage　has　tried　to　make　her　refusal　polite；　that's　all。〃

〃I　think　that　old　Grevin　was　fooling　your　mother；〃　said　Frederic　Marest。

〃Yesterday　you　attacked　the　Comte　de　Gondreville；　you　insulted　and　grievously　affronted　him；　and　he　is　to　be　consulted　about　your　marriage　to　Cecile！〃

〃Pere　Grevin　is　a　sly　old　dog；〃　said　Vinet。

〃Madame　Beauvisage　is　very　ambitious；〃　pursued　Antonin　Goulard。　〃She　knows　very　well　her　daughter　is　to　have　two　millions；　she　means　to　be　mother…in…law　of　a　minister；　or　an　ambassador；　in　order　to　play　the　great　lady　in　Paris。〃

〃Well；　why　not？〃　said　Simon　Giguet。

〃I　wish　you　may　get　it！〃　replied　the　sub…prefect　looking　at　Vinet；　with　whom　he　went　off　into　a　hearty　laugh　as　soon　as　they　were　out　of　hearing。　〃He　won't　even　be　deputy；〃　added　Antonin；　addressing　Vinet；　〃the　ministry　have　other　views。　You　will　find　a　letter　from　your　father　when　you　get　home；　enjoining　you　to　make　sure　of　the　votes　of　all　the　persons　in　your　department；　and　see　that　they　go　for　the　ministerial　candidate。　Your　own　promotion　depends　on　this；　and　he　requests　you　to　be　very　discreet。〃

〃But　who　is　the　candidate　for　whom　our　ushers　and　sheriffs　and　clerks；　and　solicitors　and　notaries　are　to　vote？〃　asked　Vinet。

〃The　one　I　shall　name　to　you。〃

〃How　do　you　know　my　father　has　written　to　me；　and　what　he　wrote？〃

〃The　stranger　told　me〃

〃The　man　after　water？〃

〃My　dear　Vinet；　you　and　I　are　not　to　know；　we　must　treat　him　as　a　stranger。　He　saw　your　father　at　Provins　as　he　came　through。　Just　now　this　same　man　gave　me　a　note　from　the　prefect　instructing　me　to　follow　in　every　particular　the　instructions　of　Comte　Maxime　about　this　election。　I　knew　very　well　I　should　have　a　battle　to　fight！　Come　and　dine　somewhere　and　we　will　get　out　our　batteries。　You　a