the deputy of arcis-第42章

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er　of　spoiling　children：　a　subject　which　was　not　at　all　agreeable　to　me；　as　he　must　have　perceived　from　the　rather　stiff　manner　with　which　I　listened　to　him。　Come；　thought　I；　I　must　and　will　get　to　the　bottom　of　this　history；　it　is　like　the　tale　of　Sancho's　herdsman；　which　had　the　faculty　of　never　getting　told。　So；　cutting　short　my　companion's　theories　of　education；　I　said　distinctly：

〃This　is　a　very　good　time；　I　think；　to　continue　the　confidence　you　were　about　to　make　to　me。　Here　we　are　sure　of　no　interruption。〃

〃I　am　afraid　I　shall　prove　a　poor　story…teller；〃　replied　Monsieur　Dorlange。　〃I　have　spent　all　my　fire　this　very　day　in　telling　that　tale　to　Marie…Gaston。〃

〃That；〃　I　answered　laughing；　〃is　against　your　own　theory　of　secrecy；　in　which　a　third　party　is　one　too　many。〃

〃Oh；　Marie…Gaston　and　I　count　for　one　only。　Besides；　I　had　to　reply　to　his　odd　ideas　about　you　and　me。〃

〃What　about　me？〃

〃Well；　he　imagined　that　in　looking　at　the　sun　I　should　be　dazzled　by　its　rays。〃

〃Which　means；　speaking　less　metaphorically？〃

〃That；　in　view　of　the　singularities　which　accompanied　my　first　knowledge　of　you　and　led　me　to　the　honor　of　your　acquaintance；　I　might　expose　myself　to　the　danger；　madame；　of　not　retaining　my　reason　and　self…possession。〃

〃And　your　history　refutes　this　fear　in　the　mind　of　Monsieur　Marie…　Gaston？〃

〃You　shall　judge。〃

And　then；　without　further　preamble；　he　told　me　a　long　tale　which　I　need　not　repeat　here；　the　gist　of　it　is；　however；　that　Monsieur　Dorlange　is　in　love　with　a　woman　who　posed　in　his　imagination　for　Saint…Ursula；　but　as　this　woman　appears　to　be　forever　lost　to　him　it　did　not　seem　to　me　impossible　that　in　the　long　run　he　might　transfer　his　sentiments　for　her　memory　to　me。　When　he　had　finished　his　tale　he　asked　if　I　did　not　think　it　a　victorious　answer　to　the　ridiculous　fears　of　our　friend。

〃Modesty；〃　I　replied；　〃obliges　me　to　share　your　security；　but　they　say　that　in　the　army　shots　frequently　ricochet　and　kill　their　victims。〃

〃Then　you　think　me　capable　of　the　impertinence　Marie…Gaston　is　good　enough　to　suspect　in　me？〃

〃I　don't　know　about　its　being　an　impertinence；〃　I　said　stiffly；　〃but　if　such　a　fancy　came　into　your　mind；　I　should　think　you　very　much　to　be　pitied。〃

His　answer　was　vehement。

〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　not　have　to　pity　me。　In　my　opinion；　first　love　is　a　vaccination　which　protects　us　from　a　second。〃

The　conversation　stopped　there。　We　had　now　reached　my　own　door；　and　I　invited　Monsieur　Dorlange　to　come　in。　He　accepted　my　politeness；　remarking　that　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　had　probably　returned　and　he　could　thus　take　leave　of　him。

My　husband　was　at　home。　I　don't　know　whether　Lucas；　forestalling　the　rebuke　I　intended　to　give　him；　had　made　out　a　story　to　excuse　himself；　or　whether　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　felt；　in　view　of　my　maternal　escapade；　a　movement　of　jealousy。　It　is　certain；　however；　that　his　manner　of　receiving　me　was　curt；　he　called　it　an　unheard…of　thing　to　go　out　at　such　an　hour；　in　such　weather；　to　see　a　boy　who　proved；　by　announcing　his　own　illness；　that　it　was　nothing　serious。　After　letting　him　talk　in　this　discourteous　way　for　some　little　time；　I　thought　it　was　time　to　put　an　end　to　the　scene；　so　I　said　in　a　rather　peremptory　tone：

〃As　I　wanted　to　sleep　at　night；　I　went　to　the　school　in　a　pelting　rain；　I　came　back　by　moonlight；　and　I　beg　you　to　remark　that　monsieur；　who　was　so　good　as　to　escort　me；　has　come　upstairs　to　bid　you　good…　bye；　because　he　leaves　Paris　to…morrow　morning。〃

I　have　habitually　enough　power　over　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　to　make　this　call　to　order　effective；　but　I　saw　that　my　husband　was　displeased；　and　that　instead　of　having　made　Monsieur　Dorlange　an　easy　diversion；　I　had　called　down　upon　his　head　the　ill…humor　of　my　ogre；　who　instantly　turned　upon　him。

After　telling　him　that　much　had　been　said　about　his　candidacy　during　dinner　at　the　ministry；　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　began　to　show　him　all　the　reasons　why　he　might　expect　an　overwhelming　defeat；　namely；　that　Arcis…sur…Aube　was　one　of　the　boroughs　where　the　administration　felt　itself　most　secure；　that　a　man　of　extraordinary　political　ability　had　already　been　sent　there　to　manipulate　the　election；　and　had　made　a　first　report　giving　triumphant　news　of　his　success。　These　were　only　generalities；　to　which　Monsieur　Dorlange　replied　with　modesty；　but　also　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　had　resolved　who　take　his　chances　against　all　risks　to　which　his　election　might　be　exposed。　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　then　produced　a　final　shaft　which；　under　the　circumstances；　was　calculated　to　have　a　marvellous　effect；　because　it　attacked　both　the　candidate　and　his　private　life。

〃Listen　to　me；　my　dear　monsieur；〃　said　my　husband；　〃when　a　man　starts　on　an　electoral　career　he　must　remember　that　he　stakes　everything；　his　public　life　and　also　his　private　life。　Your　adversaries　will　ransack　your　present　and　your　past　with　a　pitiless　hand；　and　sorrow　to　him　who　has　any　dark　spots　to　hide。　Now　I　ought　not　to　conceal　from　you　that　to…night；　at　the　ministers'；　much　was　said　about　a　little　scandal　which；　while　it　may　be　venial　in　the　life　of　an　artist；　takes　proportions　altogether　more　serious　in　that　of　the　people's　representative。　You　understand　me；　of　course。　I　refer　to　that　handsome　Italian　woman　whom　you　have　in　your　house。　Take　care；　some　puritanical　elector　whose　own　morality　may　be　more　or　less　problematical；　is　likely　to　call　you　to　account　for　her　presence。〃

The　reply　made　by　Monsieur　Dorlange　was　very　dignified。

〃To　those；〃　he　said；　〃who　may　arraign　me　on　that　detail　of　my　private　life　I　wish　but　one　thingthat　they　may　have　nothing　worse　upon　their　consciences。　If　I　had　not　already　wearied　madame　on　our　way　from　the　school　with　an　interminable　story；　I　would　tell　you　the　facts　relating　to　my　handsome　Italian；　and　you　would　see；　Monsieur　le　comte；　that　her　presence　in　my　house　reflects　in　no　way　upon　me。

〃But；〃　returned　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　softening　his　tone；　〃you　take　my　observation　rather　too　seriously。　As　I　said　just　now；　an　artist　may　have　a　handsome　model　in　his　housethat　may　be　natural　enoughbut　she　is　not　a　usual　piece　of　furniture　in　that　of　a　legislator。〃

〃No；　what　seems　more　to　their　liking；〃　replied　Monsieur　Dorlange；　with　some　heat；　〃is　the　good　they　can　get　for　themselves　out　of　a　calumny　accepted　eagerly　and　without　examination。　However；　far　from　dreading　inquiry　on　the　subject　you　mention；　I　desire　it；　and　the　ministry　will　do　me　a　great　service　if　it　will　employ　the　extremely　able　political　personage　you　say　they　have　put　upon　my　path　to　bring　that　delicate　question　before　the　electors。〃

〃Do　you　really　start　to…morrow？〃　asked　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　finding　that　he　had　started　a　subject　which　not　only　did　not　confound　Monsieur　Dorlange；　but；　on　the　contrary；　gave　him　the　opportunity　to　reply　with　a　certain　hauteur　of　tone　and　speech。

〃Yes；　and　very　early　too；　so　that　I　must　now　take　leave　of　you；　having　certain　preparations　still　to　make。〃

So　saying；　Monsieur　Dorlange　rose；　and　after　making　me　a　rather　ceremonious　bow　and　not　bestowing　his　hand　on　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　who；　in　turn；　did　not　hold　out　his　own；　he　left　the　room。

〃What　was　the　matter　with　Armand？〃　asked　my　husband；　as　if　to　avoid　any　other　explanation。

〃Never　mind　Armand；〃　I　said；　〃it　is　far　more　interesting　to　know　what　is　the　matter　with　you；　for　never　did　I　see　you　so　out　of　tune；　so　sharp　and　uncivil。〃

〃What！　because　I　told　a　ridiculous　candidate　that　he　would　have　to　go　into　mourning　for　his　reputation？〃

〃In　the　first　place；　that　was　not　complimentary；　and　in　any　case　the　moment　was　ill…chosen　with　a　man　on　whom　my　maternal　anxiety　had　just　imposed　a　disagreeable　service。〃

〃I　don't　like　meddlers；〃　retorted　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　raising　his　voice　more　than　I　had　ever　known　him　do　to　me。　〃And　after　all；　if　he　had　not　been　here　to　give　you　his　arm　you　would　not　have　gone。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　I　should　have　gone　alone；　for　your　servant；　being　master　here；　refused　to　accompany　me。〃

〃But　you　must　certainly　admit　that　if　any　acquaintance　had　met　you　at　half…past　nine　o'clock　walking　arm…in…arm　with　Monsieur　Dorlange　the　thing　would　have　seeme