the deputy of arcis-第47章

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〃You　may　congratulate　yourselves；〃　said　Achille　Pigoult；　〃that　you　have　got　that　estate　for　a　song。〃

〃Come；　come！〃　said　Jacques　Bricheteau；　〃how　long　have　you　had　it　on　your　hands　to　sell？　Your　client　would　have　let　it　go　for　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　to　others；　but；　as　family　property；　you　thought　you　could　get　more　from　us。　We　shall　have　to　spend　twenty　thousand　to　make　the　house　habitable；　the　land　doesn't　return　a　rental　of　more　than　four　thousand；　so　that　our　money；　all　expenses　deducted；　won't　return　us　more　than　two　and　a　half　per　cent。〃

〃What　are　you　complaining　about？〃　returned　Achille　Pigoult。　〃You　have　employment　to　give　and　money　to　pay　in　the　neighborhood；　and　what　can　be　better　for　a　candidate？〃

〃Ah！　that　electoral　business；〃　said　Jacques　Bricheteau；　〃we　will　talk　about　that　to…morrow　when　we　bring　you　the　purchase…money　and　your　fees。〃

Thereupon　we　took　leave；　and　returned　to　the　Hotel　de　la　Poste；　where　I　bade　good…night　to　my　father　and　came　to　my　room　to　write　to　you。

Now　I　must　tell　you　the　terrible　idea　that　drove　sleep　from　my　brain　and　put　the　pen　once　more　in　my　hand；although　I　am　somewhat　distracted　from　it　by　writing　the　foregoing　two　pages；　and　I　do　not　see　quite　as　much　evidence　for　my　notion　as　I　did　before　I　renewed　this　letter。

One　thing　is　certain：　during　the　last　year　many　romantic　incidents　have　happened　to　me。　You　may　say　that　adventure　seems　to　be　the　logical　way　of　life　for　one　in　my　position；　that　my　birth；　the　chances　that　brought　you　（whose　fate　is　so　like　mine）　and　me　together；　my　relations　with　Marianina　and　my　handsome　housekeeper；　and　perhaps　I　might　say　with　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　all　point　to　the　possession　of　a　fickle　star；　and　that　my　present　affair　is　only　one　of　its　caprices。

True；　but　what　if；　at　the　present　moment　under　the　influence　of　that　star；　I　were　implicated　without　my　knowledge　in　some　infernal　plot　of　which　I　was　made　the　passive　instrument？

To　put　some　order　into　my　ideas；　I　begin　by　this　half…million　spent　for　an　interest　which　you　must　agree　is　very　nebulous；that　of　fitting　me　to　succeed　my　father　in　the　ministry　of　some　imaginary　country；　the　name　of　which　is　carefully　concealed　from　me。

Next：　who　is　spending　these　fabulous　sums　on　me？　Is　it　a　father　tenderly　attached　to　a　child　of　love？　No；　it　is　a　father　who　shows　me　the　utmost　coldness；　who　goes　to　sleep　when　deeds　which　concern　our　mutual　existence　are　being　drawn；　and　for　whom　I；　on　my　side；　am　conscious　of　no　feeling；　in　fact；　not　to　mince　my　words；　I　should　think　him　a　great　booby　of　an　/emigre/　if　it　were　not　for　the　filial　respect　and　duty　I　force　myself　to　feel　for　him。

/But/suppose　this　man　were　not　my　father；　not　even　the　Marquis　de　Sallenauve；　as　he　asserts　himself　to　be；　suppose；　like　that　unfortunate　Lucien　de　Rubempre；　whose　history　has　made　so　much　noise；　I　were　caught　in　the　toils　of　a　serpent　like　that　false　abbe　Don　Carlos　Herrera；　and　had　made　myself　liable　to　the　same　awful　awakening。　You　may　say　to　me　that　you　see　no　such　likelihood；　that　Carlos　Herrera　had　an　object　in　fascinating　Lucien　and　making　him　his　double；　but　that　I；　an　older　man　with　solid　principles　and　no　love　of　luxury；　who　have　lived　a　life　of　thought　and　toil；　should　fear　such　influence；　is　nonsense。

So　be　it。　But　why　should　the　man　who　recognizes　me　as　his　son　conceal　the　very　country　in　which　he　lives；　and　the　name　by　which　he　is　known　in　that　equally　nameless　Northern　land　which　it　is　intimated　that　he　governs？　Why　make　such　sacrifices　for　my　benefit　and　show　so　little　confidence？　And　see　the　mystery　with　which　Jacques　Bricheteau　has　surrounded　my　life！　Do　you　think　that　that　long…winded　explanation　of　his　explained　it？

All　this；　my　dear　friend；　rolling　in　my　head　and　clashing　with　that　half…million　already　paid　to　me；　has　given　substance　to　a　strange　idea；　at　which　you　may　perhaps　laugh；　but　which；　nevertheless；　is　not　without　precedent　in　criminal　annals。

I　told　you　just　now　that　this　thought　invaded　me　as　it　were　suddenly；　it　came　like　an　instinct　upon　me。　Assuredly；　if　I　had　had　the　faintest　inkling　of　it　last　evening；　I　would　have　cut　off　my　right　hand　sooner　than　sign　that　deed　by　which　I　have　henceforth　bound　my　fate　to　that　of　an　unknown　man　whose　past　and　future　may　be　as　gloomy　as　a　canto　of　Dante's　Hell；　and　who　may　drag　me　down　with　him　into　utter　darkness。

In　short；　this　idearound　which　I　am　making　you　circle　because　I　cannot　bring　myself　to　let　you　enter　ithere　it　is；　in　all　its　crudity；　I　am　afraid　of　being；　without　my　knowledge；　the　agent；　the　tool　of　those　associations　of　false　coiners　who　are　known　in　criminal　records　to　concoct　schemes　as　complicated　and　mysterious　as　the　one　I　am　now　involved　in；　in　order　to　put　into　circulation　the　money　they　coin。　In　all　such　cases　you　will　find　great　coming　and　going　of　accomplices；　cheques　drawn　from　a　distance　on　the　bankers　in　great　commercial　centres　like　Paris；　Stockholm；　Rotterdam。　Often　one　hears　of　poor　dupes　compromised。　In　short；　do　you　not　see　in　the　mysterious　ways　of　this　Bricheteau　something　like　an　imitation；　a　reflection　of　the　manoeuvres　to　which　these　criminal　workers　are　forced　to　have　recourse；　arranging　them　with　a　talent　and　a　richness　of　imagination　to　which　a　novelist　can　scarcely　attain？

One　thing　is　certain：　there　is　about　me　a　thick　unwholesome　atmosphere；　in　which　I　feel　that　air　is　lacking　and　I　cannot　breathe。　However；　assure　me；　if　you　can；　persuade　me；　I　ask　no　better；　that　this　is　all　an　empty　dream。　But　in　any　case　I　am　determined　to　have　a　full　explanation　with　these　two　men　to…morrow；　and　to　obtain；　although　so　late；　more　light　than　they　have　yet　doled　out　to　me。　。　。　。

Another　and　yet　stranger　fact！　As　I　wrote　those　last　words；　a　noise　of　horses'　hoofs　came　from　the　street。　Distrustful　now　of　everything；　I　opened　my　window；　and　in　the　dawning　light　I　saw　a　travelling　carriage　before　the　door　of　the　inn；　the　postilion　in　the　saddle；　and　Jacques　Bricheteau　talking　to　some　one　who　was　seated　in　the　vehicle。　Deciding　quickly　on　my　action；　I　ran　rapidly　downstairs；　but　before　I　reached　the　bottom　I　heard　the　roll　of　wheels　and　the　cracking　of　the　postilion's　whip。　At　the　foot　of　the　staircase　I　came　face　to　face　with　Jacques　Bricheteau。　Without　seeming　embarrassed；　in　fact　with　the　most　natural　air　in　the　world；　he　said　to　me；

〃What！　my　dear　ward　already　up？〃

〃Of　course；　the　least　I　could　do　was　to　say　farewell　to　my　excellent　father。〃

〃He　did　not　wish　it；〃　replied　that　damned　musician；　with　an　imperturbability　and　phlegm　that　deserved　a　thrashing；　〃he　feared　the　emotions　of　parting。〃

〃Is　he　so　dreadfully　hurried　that　he　could　not　even　give　a　day　to　his　new　and　ardent　paternity？〃

〃The　truth　is；　he　is　an　original；　what　he　came　to　do；　he　has　done；　after　that；　to　his　mind；　there　is　nothing　to　stay　for。〃

〃Ah！　I　understand；　he　hastens　to　those　high　functions　he　performs　at　that　Northern　court！〃

Jacques　Bricheteau　could　no　longer　mistake　the　ironical　tone　in　which　these　words　were　said。

〃Until　now；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　shown　more　faith。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　confess　that　faith　begins　to　stagger　under　the　weight　of　the　mysteries　with　which　it　is　loaded　down　without　relief。〃

〃Seeing　you　at　this　decisive　moment　in　your　career　giving　way　to　doubts　which　our　whole　conduct　pursued　to　you　through　many　years　ought　to　refute；　I　should　be　almost　in　despair；〃　replied　Jacques　Bricheteau；　〃if　I　had　none　but　personal　denials　and　asseverations　to　offer　you。　But；　as　you　will　remember；　old　Pigoult　spoke　of　an　aunt　of　mine；　living　in　this　neighborhood；　where　you　will　soon；　I　hope；　find　her　position　a　most　honorable　one。　I　had　arranged　that　you　should　see　her　in　the　course　of　the　day；　but　now；　if　you　will　grant　me　the　time　to　shave；　I　will　take　you　at　once；　early　as　it　is；　to　the　convent　of　the　Ursulines。　There　you　shall　question　Mother　Marie…des…Anges；　who　has　the　reputation　of　a　saint　throughout　this　whole　department；　and　I　think　that　at　the　close　of　your　interview　with　her　no　doubt　can　remain　upon　your　mind。〃

While　that　devil　of　a　man　was　speaking；　his　countenance　had　so　perfect　a　look　of　integrity　and　benevolence；　his　speech；　always　calm；　elegant；　and　self…possessed；　so　impressed　the　mind