the deputy of arcis-第44章

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h　eminent　faculties；　they　will　agree　to　that；　the　profession　of　such　men　presupposes　it；　but　statesmen　they　cannot　be。　Chateaubriand　himself；　though　better　placed　than　the　rest　of　us　to　make　himself　a　niche　in　the　Governmental　Olympus；　was　turned　out　of　doors　one　morning　by　a　concise　little　note；　signed　Joseph　de　Villele；　dismissing　him；　as　was　proper；　to　Rene；　Atala；　and　other　futilities。

I　know　that　time　and　that　tall　posthumous　daughter　of　ours　whom　we　call　Posterity　will　some　day　do　good　justice　and　plead　the　right　thing　in　the　right　place。　Towards　the　end　of　2039；　the　world；　if　it　deigns　to　last　till　then；　will　know　what　Canalis；　Joseph　Bridau；　Daniel　d'Arthez；　Stidmann；　and　Leon　de　Lora　were　in　1839；　whereas　an　infinitely　small　number　of　persons　will　know　that　during　the　same　period　Monsieur　le　Comte　de　l'Estorade　was　peer　of　France；　and　president　of　the　Cour　des　comptes；　Monsieur　le　Comte　de　Rastignac　minister　of　Public　Works；　and　his　brother…in…law；　Monsieur　le　Baron　Martial　de　la　Roche…Hugon　was　a　diplomat　and　Councillor　of　State　employed　on　more　or　less　extraordinary　services。

But　while　awaiting　this　tardy　classification　and　distant　reform；　I　think　it　well　to　let　our　great　governing　class　know　from　time　to　time　that　unless　their　names　are　Richelieu　or　Colbert　they　are　liable　to　competition　and　are　forced　to　accept　it。　So；　with　this　aggravating　intention　I　begin　to　take　pleasure　in　my　enterprise；　and　if　I　am　elected；　I　shall；　unless　you　assure　me　that　I　have　mistaken　de　l'Estorade's　meaning；　find　occasion　to　let　him　and　others　of　his　kind　know　that　one　can；　if　so　disposed；　climb　over　the　walls　of　their　little　parks　and　strut　as　their　equals。

But　how　is　it；　my　dear　friend；　that　I　rattle　on　about　myself　and　say　no　word　about　the　sad　emotions　which　must　attend　your　return　to　France？　How　can　you　bear　them？　And　instead　of　endeavoring　to　lay　them　aside；　I　fear　you　are　willingly　nursing　them　and　taking　a　melancholy　pleasure　in　their　revival。　Dear　friend；　I　say　to　you　of　these　great　sorrows　what　I　said　just　now　of　our　governing　classwe　should　consider　them　from　the　point　of　view　of　time　and　space；　by　the　action　of　which　they　become　after　a　while　imperceptible。

Do　me　a　favor！　On　arriving　in　Paris　without　having　a　house　prepared　to　receive　you；　it　would　be　very　friendlyyou　would　seem　like　the　man　of　old　timesif　you　would　take　up　your　quarters　with　me；　instead　of　going　to　Ville　d'Avray；　which；　indeed；　I　think　dangerous　and　even　bad　for　you。　Stay　with　me；　and　you　can　thus　judge　of　my　handsome　housekeeper；　and　you　will　see　how　much　she　has　been　calumniated　and　misunderstood。　You　will　also　be　near　to　the　l'Estorades　in　whom　I　expect　you　to　find　consolations；　and　besides；　this　act　would　be　a　charming　expiation　for　all　the　involuntary　wrongs　you　have　done　me。　At　any　rate；　I　have　given　my　orders；　and　your　room　is　ready　for　you。

P。S。　You　have　not　yet　arrived；　dear　friend；　and　I　must　close　this　letter；　which　will　be　given　to　you　by　my　housekeeper　when　you　come　by　my　house；　for　I　am　certain　that　your　first　visit　will　be　to　me。

I　went　this　morning　to　the　Mongenods'；　the　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　were　there；　but　with　the　accompaniment　of　a　most　extraordinary　circumstance；　the　money　was　in　the　name　of　the　Comte　de　Sallenauve；　otherwise　Dorlange；　sculptor；　42　rue　de　l'Ouest。　In　spite　of　an　appellation　which　has　never　been　mine；　the　money　was　mine；　and　was　paid　to　me　without　the　slightest　hesitation。　I　had　enough　presence　of　mind　not　to　seem　stupefied　by　my　new　name　and　title　before　the　cashier；　but　I　saw　Monsieur　Mongenod　the　elder　in　private；　a　man　who　enjoys　the　highest　reputation　at　the　Bank；　and　to　him　I　expressed　my　astonishment；　asking　for　whatever　explanations　he　was　able　to　give　me。　He　could　give　none；　the　money　came　to　him　through　a　Dutch　banker；　his　correspondent　at　Rotterdam；　and　he　knew　nothing　beyond　that。　/Ah　ca/！　what　does　it　all　mean？　Am　I　to　be　a　noble？　Has　the　moment　come　for　my　father　to　acknowledge　me？　I　start　in　a　state　of　agitation　and　of　anxiety　which　you　can　well　understand。　Until　I　hear　from　you；　I　shall　address　my　letters　to　you　here。　If　you　decide　not　to　stay　in　my　house；　let　me　know　your　address　at　once。　Say　nothing　of　what　I　have　now　told　you　to　the　l'Estorades；　let　it　remain　secret　between　us。



XIII

DORLANGE　TO　MARIE…GASTON

Arcis…sur…Aube；　May　3；　1839。

Dear　friend；Last　evening；　before　Maitre　Achille　Pigoult；　notary　of　this　place；　the　burial　of　Charles　Dorlange　took　place；that　individual　issuing　to　the　world；　like　a　butterfly　from　a　grub；　under　the　name　and　estate　of　Charles　de　Sallenauve；　son　of　Francois…Henri…　Pantaleon　Dumirail；　Marquis　de　Sallenauve。　Here　follows　the　tale　of　certain　facts　which　preceded　this　brilliant　transformation。

Leaving　Paris　on　the　evening　of　May　1st；　I　arrived　at　Arcis；　according　to　my　father's　directions；　on　the　following　day。　You　can　believe　my　surprise　when　I　saw　in　the　street　where　the　diligence　stopped　the　elusive　Jacques　Bricheteau；　whom　I　had　not　seen　since　our　singular　meeting　on　the　Ile　Saint…Louis。　This　time　I　beheld　him；　instead　of　behaving　like　the　dog　of　Jean　de　Nivelle；　come　towards　me　with　a　smile　upon　his　lips；　holding　out　his　hand　and　saying：

〃At　last；　my　dear　monsieur；　we　are　almost　at　the　end　of　all　our　mysteries；　and　soon；　I　hope；　you　will　see　that　you　have　no　cause　to　complain　of　me。　Have　you　brought　the　money？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　replied；　〃neither　lost　nor　stolen。〃　And　I　drew　from　my　pocket　a　wallet　containing　the　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　in　bank　notes。

〃Very　good！〃　said　Jacques　Bricheteau。　〃Now　let　us　go　to　the　Hotel　de　la　Poste；　no　doubt　you　know　who　awaits　you　there。〃

〃No；　indeed　I　do　not；〃　I　replied。

〃You　must　have　remarked　the　name　and　title　under　which　that　money　was　paid　to　you？〃

〃Certainly；　that　strange　circumstance　struck　me　forcibly；　and　has；　I　must　own；　stirred　my　imagination。〃

〃Well；　we　shall　now　completely　lift　the　veil；　one　corner　of　which　we　were　careful　to　raise　at　first；　so　that　you　might　not　come　too　abruptly　to　the　great　and　fortunate　event　that　is　now　before　you。〃

〃Am　I　to　see　my　father？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Jacques　Bricheteau；　〃your　father　is　awaiting　you；　but　I　must　warn　you　against　a　probable　cloud　on　his　manner　of　receiving　you。　The　marquis　has　suffered　much；　the　court　life　which　he　has　always　led　has　trained　him　to　show　no　outward　emotions；　besides；　he　has　a　horror　of　everything　bourgeois。　You　must　not　be　surprised；　therefore；　at　the　cold　and　dignified　reception　he　will　probably　give　you；　at　heart；　he　is　good　and　kind；　and　you　will　appreciate　him　better　when　you　know　him。〃

〃Here；〃　thought　I；　〃are　very　comforting　assurances；　and　as　I　myself　am　not　very　ardently　disposed；　I　foresee　that　this　interview　will　be　at　some　degrees　below　zero。〃

On　going　into　the　room　where　the　Marquis　awaited　me；　I　saw　a　very　tall；　very　thin；　very　bald　man；　seated　at　a　table　on　which　he　was　arranging　papers。　On　hearing　the　door　open；　he　pushed　his　spectacles　up　on　his　forehead；　rested　his　hands　on　the　arms　of　his　chair；　and　looking　round　at　us　he　waited。

〃Monsieur　le　Comte　de　Sallenauve；〃　said　Jacques　Bricheteau；　announcing　me　with　the　solemnity　of　an　usher　of　ambassadors　or　a　groom　of　the　Chambers。

But　in　the　presence　of　the　man　to　whom　I　owed　my　life　the　ice　in　me　was　instantly　melted；　I　stepped　forward　with　an　eager　impulse；　feeling　the　tears　rise　to　my　eyes。　He　did　not　move。　There　was　not　the　faintest　trace　of　agitation　in　his　face；　which　had　that　peculiar　look　of　high　dignity　that　used　to　be　called　〃the　grand　air〃；　he　merely　held　out　his　hand；　limply　grasped　mine；　and　then　said：

〃Be　seated；　monsieurfor　I　have　not　yet　the　right　to　call　you　my　son。〃

When　Jacques　Bricheteau　and　I　had　taken　chairs

〃Then　you　have　no　objection；〃　said　this　strange　kind　of　father；　〃to　assuming　the　political　position　we　are　trying　to　secure　for　you？〃

〃None　at　all；〃　said　I。　〃The　notion　startled　me　at　first；　but　I　soon　grew　accustomed　to　it；　and　to　ensure　success；　I　have　punctually　carried　out　all　the　instructions　that　were　conveyed　to　me。〃

〃Excellent；〃　said　the　Marquis；　taking　up　from　the　table　a　gold　snuff…　box　which　he　twirled　in　his　fingers。

Then；　after　a　short　silence；　he　added：

〃Now　I