the deputy of arcis-第26章

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critics。　In　presence　of　this　difficulty；　the　author　would　find　himself　greatly　embarrassed；　if　his　lucky　star　had　not　placed　in　his　hands　a　correspondence　in　which；　with　a　vim　and　animation　that　he　himself　could　never　have　imparted　to　them；　all　the　details　that　are　essential　to　a　full　explanation　will　be　found　related。

These　letters　must　be　read　with　attention。　They　bring　upon　the　scene　many　persons　already　well…known　in　the　Comedy　of　Human　Life；　and　they　reveal　a　vast　number　of　facts　necessary　to　the　understanding　and　development　of　the　present　drama。　Their　statements　made；　and　brought　to　the　point　where　we　now　seem　to　abandon　our　narrative；　the　course　of　that　narrative　will；　without　concussion　and　quite　naturally；　resume　its　course；　and　we　like　to　persuade　ourselves　that；　by　thus　introducing　this　series　of　letters；　the　unity　of　our　tale；　which　seemed　for　a　moment　in　danger；　will　be　maintained。




PART　II

LETTERS　EXPLANATORY



I

THE　COMTE　DE　L'ESTORADE　TO　MONSIEUR　MARIE…GASTON　＇See　〃The　Memoirs　of　Two　Young　Married　Women。〃＇

Dear　Monsieur；In　accordance　with　your　desire　I　have　seen　the　prefect　of　police；　in　order　to　ascertain　if　the　pious　intention　of　which　you　wrote　me　in　your　letter；　dated　from　Carrara；　would　meet　with　opposition　from　the　authorities。

The　prefect　informed　me　that　the　imperial　decree　of　the　23rd　Prairial；　year　XII。；　by　which　the　whole　system　of　burials　is　still　regulated；　establishes；　in　the　most　unequivocal　manner；　the　right　of　all　persons　to　be　interred　on　their　own　property。　You　have　only　to　obtain　a　permit　from　the　prefecture　of　the　Seine…et…Oise；　and　then；　without　further　formality；　you　can　remove　the　remains　of　Madame　Marie…Gaston　to　the　mausoleum　you　propose　to　erect　in　your　park　at　Ville　d'Avray。

But　I　shall　venture　myself　to　offer　an　objection。　Are　you　quite　sure　that　you　will　not　expose　yourself　to　certain　difficulties　made　by　the　Chaulieus；　with　whom　you　are　not　on　the　best　of　terms？

Will　they　not；　to　a　certain　extent；　be　justified　in　complaining　that　the　removal　from　a　public　cemetery　to　private　grounds　of　the　body　of　one　who　is　dear　to　them　as　well　as　to　you；　would　make　their　visits　to　her　grave　entirely　dependent　on　your　good　will　and　pleasure？　For　of　course；　and　this　is　evident；　you　will　always　have　the　right　to　forbid　their　entrance　to　your　property。

I　know　that；　legally；　the　body　of　the　wife；　living　or　dead；　belongs　to　the　husband；　to　the　exclusion　of　her　relations；　even　the　nearest；　but；　under　the　influence　of　the　ill…will　of　which　they　have　already　given　you　proof；　the　relations　of　Madame　Marie…Gaston　might　have　the　distressing　idea　of　carrying　the　matter　into　court；　and　if　so；　how　painful　to　you！　You　would　gain　the　suit；　no　doubt；　for　the　Duc　de　Chaulieu's　influence　is　not　what　it　was　under　the　Restoration；　but　have　you　reflected　on　the　venom　which　the　speech　of　a　lawyer　might　shed　upon　such　a　question？　and　remember　that　he　will　speak　as　the　echo　of　honorable　affectionsthose　of　a　father；　mother；　and　two　brothers　asking　not　to　be　deprived　of　the　sad　happiness　of　praying　at　the　grave　of　their　lost　one。

If　you　will　let　me　express　my　thought；　it　is　not　without　keen　regret　that　I　see　you　engaged　in　creating　fresh　nourishment　for　your　grief；　already　so　long　inconsolable。　We　had　hoped　that；　after　passing　two　years　in　Italy；　you　would　return　to　us　more　resigned；　and　able　to　take　up　an　active　life　which　might　distract　your　mind。　Evidently；　this　species　of　temple　which　you　propose；　in　the　fervor　of　your　recollections；　to　erect　in　a　spot　where　they　are；　alas！　already　too　numerous；　can　only　serve　to　perpetuate　their　bitterness；　and　I　cannot　approve　the　revival　you　are　proposing　to　make　of　them。

Nevertheless；　as　we　should　always　serve　a　friend　according　to　his　wishes；　not　our　own；　I　have　done　your　commission　relating　to　Monsieur　Dorlange；　the　sculptor；　but　I　must　tell　you　frankly　that　he　showed　no　eagerness　to　enter　into　your　wishes。　His　first　remark；　when　I　announced　myself　as　coming　from　you；　was　that　he　did　not　know　you；　and　this　reply；　singular　as　it　may　seem　to　you；　was　made　so　naturally　that　at　first　I　thought　there　must　be　some　mistake；　the　result；　possibly；　of　confusion　of　name。　However；　before　long　your　oblivious　friend　was　willing　to　agree　that　he　studied　with　you　at　the　college　of　Tours　and　also　that　hew　as　the　same　Monsieur　Dorlange　who；　in　1831　and　under　quite　exceptional　circumstances；　carried　off　the　grand　prize　for　sculpture。　No　doubt　remained　in　my　mind　as　to　his　identity。　I　attributed　his　want　of　memory　to　the　long　interruption　（of　which　you　yourself　told　me）　in　your　intercourse。　I　think　that　that　interruption　wounded　him　more　than　you　are　aware；　and　when　he　seemed　to　have　forgotten　your　very　name；　it　was　simply　a　revenge　he　could　not　help　taking　when　the　occasion　offered。

But　that　was　not　the　real　obstacle。　Remembering　the　fraternal　intimacy　that　once　existed　between　Monsieur　Dorlange　and　yourself；　I　could　not　suppose　his　wounded　feelings　inexorable。　So；　after　explaining　to　him　the　nature　of　the　work　you　wanted　him　to　do；　I　was　about　to　say　a　few　words　as　to　the　grievance　he　might　have　against　you；　when　I　suddenly　found　myself　face　to　face　with　an　obstacle　of　a　most　unexpected　nature。

〃Monsieur；〃　he　said　to　me；　〃the　importance　of　the　order　you　wish　to　give　me；　the　assurance　that　no　expense　should　be　spared　for　the　grandeur　and　perfection　of　the　work；　the　invitation　you　convey　to　me　to　go　to　Carrara　and　choose　the　marble　and　see　it　excavated；　all　that　is　truly　a　great　piece　of　good　fortune　for　an　artist；　and　at　any　other　time　I　should　gladly　have　accepted　it。　But　at　the　present　moment；　without　having　actually　decided　to　abandon　the　career　of　Art；　I　am　on　the　point　of　entering　that　of　politics。　My　friends　urge　me　to　present　myself　at　the　coming　elections；　and　you　will　easily　see　that；　if　elected；　my　parliamentary　duties　and　my　initiation　into　an　absolutely　new　life　would；　for　a　long　time　at　least；　preclude　my　entering　with　sufficient　absorption　of　mind　into　the　work　you　propose　to　me。〃　And　then；　after　a　pause；　he　added；　〃I　should　have　to　satisfy　a　great　grief　which　seeks　consolation　from　this　projected　mausoleum。　Such　grief　would；　naturally；　be　impatient；　whereas　I　should　be　slow；　preoccupied　in　mind；　and　probably　hindered。　It　is　therefore　better　that　the　proposal　should　be　made　elsewhere；　but　this　will　not　prevent　me　from　feeling；　as　I　ought；　both　gratified　and　honored　by　the　confidence　shown　in　me。〃

I　thought　for　a　moment　of　asking　him　whether；　in　case　his　election　failed；　I　could　then　renew　the　proposal；　but　on　the　whole　I　contented　myself　with　expressing　regret　and　saying　that　I　would　inform　you　of　the　result　of　my　mission。　It　is　useless　to　add　that　I　shall　know　in　a　few　days　the　upshot　of　this　sudden　parliamentary　ambition　which　has；　so　inopportunely；　started　up　in　your　way。

I　think　myself　that　this　candidacy　may　be　only　a　blind。　Had　you　not　better　write　yourself　to　Monsieur　Dorlange？　for　his　whole　manner；　though　perfectly　polite　and　proper；　seemed　to　show　a　keen　remembrance　of　the　wrong　you　did　him　in　renouncing　his　friendship；　with　that　of　your　other　friends；　at　the　time　of　your　marriage。　I　know　it　may　cost　you　some　pain　to　explain　the　really　exceptional　circumstances　of　your　marriage；　but　after　what　I　have　seen　in　the　mind　of　your　old　friend；　I　think；　if　you　really　wish　for　the　assistance　of　his　great　talent；　you　should　personally　take　some　steps　to　obtain　it。

But　if　you　feel　that　any　such　action　is　more　than　you　have　strength　for；　I　suggest　another　means。　In　all　matters　in　which　my　wife　has　taken　part　I　have　found　her　a　most　able　negotiator；　and　in　this　particular　case　I　should　feel　the　utmost　confidence　in　her　intervention。　She　herself　suffered　from　the　exclusiveness　of　Madame　Marie…Gaston's　love　for　you。　No　one　can　explain　to　him　better　than　she　the　absorbing　conjugal　life　which　drew　its　folds　so　closely　around　you。　And　it　seems　to　me　that　the　magnanimity　and　comprehension　which　she　always　showed　to　her　〃dear　lost　treasure；〃　as　she　calls　her；　might　be　conveyed　by　her　to　your　friend。

You　have　plenty　of　time　to　think　over　this　suggestion；　for　Madame　de　l'Estorade　is；　just　now；　still　suffering　from　a　serious　illness；　brought　on