the deputy of arcis-第5章

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〃We　shall　fight；　but　we　shall　not　be　the　less　good　friends；〃　he　said。　〃That　is　the　essence　of　constitutional　morals；　he！　he！　he！　That　is　how　/I/　understand　the　alliance　of　monarchy　with　liberty；　ha！　ha！　ha！〃

Whereupon　the　mayor　took　Simon's　hand；　saying：

〃How　are　you；　my　good　friend？　Your　dear　aunt　and　our　worthy　colonel　are　no　doubt　as　well　to…day　as　they　were　yesterday；that　is；　I　presume　so；he！　he！　he！〃　adding；　with　an　air　of　perfect　beatitude；　〃perhaps　a　little　agitated　by　the　ceremony　now　about　to　take　place。　Ha！　ha！　young　man；　so　we　intend　to　enter　a　political　career？　Ha！　ha！　ha！　This　is　our　first　stepmustn't　step　backit　is　a　great　career。　I'd　rather　it　were　you　than　I　to　rush　into　the　storms　and　tempests　of　the　legislative　body；　hi！　hi！however　agreeable　it　may　be　to　see　that　body　in　our　own　person；　hi！　hi！　hi！the　sovereign　power　of　France　in　one　four　hundred　and　fifty…third！　Hi！　hi！　hi！〃

The　vocal　organ　of　Phileas　Beauvisage　had　an　agreeable　sonority　altogether　in　harmony　with　the　leguminous　curves　of　his　face　（of　the　color　of　a　light　yellow　pumpkin）；　his　solid　back；　and　his　broadly　expanded　chest。　That　voice；　bass　in　volume；　could　soften　to　a　baritone　and　utter；　in　the　giggle　with　which　Phileas　ended　his　phrases；　a　silvery　note。　When　God　desired；　in　order　to　place　all　species　of　mankind　in　this　his　terrestrial　paradise；　to　create　within　it　a　provincial　bourgeois；　his　hands　never　made　a　more　perfect　and　complete　type　than　Phileas　Beauvisage。

〃I　admire；〃　said　that　great　work；　〃the　devotion　of　those　who　fling　themselves　into　the　tumult　of　political　life；　he！　he！　he！　It　takes　more　nerve　than　I　possess。　Who　could　have　told　us　in　1812　or　1813　that　we　should　come　to　this？　As　for　me；　nothing　can　surprise　me　in　these　days；　when　asphalt；　India…rubber；　railroads；　and　steam　have　changed　the　ground　we　tread　on；　and　overcoats；　and　distances；　he；　he！〃

These　last　words　were　seasoned　with　a　prolonged　laugh；　and　accompanied　by　a　gesture　which　he　had　made　more　especially　his　own：　he　closed　his　right　fist；　struck　it　into　the　rounded　palm　of　his　left　hand；　and　rubbed　it　there　with　joyous　satisfaction。　This　performance　coincided　with　his　laughs　on　the　frequent　occasions　when　he　thought　he　had　said　a　witty　thing。　Perhaps　it　is　superfluous　to　add　that　Phileas　Beauvisage　was　regarded　in　Arcis　as　an　amiable　and　charming　man。

〃I　shall　endeavor；〃　replied　Simon　Giguet；　〃to　worthily　represent〃

〃The　sheep　of　Champagne；〃　interpolated　Achille　Pigoult；　interrupting　him。

The　candidate　swallowed　that　shaft　without　reply；　for　he　was　forced　at　that　moment　to　go　forward　and　receive　two　more　influential　electors。

One　was　the　landlord　of　the　Mulet；　the　best　inn　in　Arcis；　standing　on　the　Grande…Place　at　the　corner　of　the　rue　de　Brienne。　This　worthy　landlord；　named　Poupart；　had　married　the　sister　of　a　man…servant　attached　to　the　Comtesse　de　Cinq…Cygne；　the　well…known　Gothard；　one　of　the　actors　and　witnesses　in　the　Simeuse　affair。

Poupart；　though　a　most　devoted　adherent　of　the　Cinq…Cygne　family；　had　been　sounded　during　the　last　day　or　two；　by　Colonel　Giguet's　valet；　with　so　much　cleverness　and　perseverance　that　he　thought　he　was　doing　an　ill…turn　to　the　Comte　de　Gondreville；　the　enemy　of　the　Cinq…Cygnes；　by　giving　his　influence　to　the　election　of　Simon　Giguet；　and　he　was　now　conversing　on　that　point　with　the　man　who　accompanied　him；　an　apothecary　named　Fromaget；　who；　as　he　did　not　furnish　his　wares　to　the　chateau　de　Gondreville；　desired　nothing　better　than　to　cabal　against　the　Kellers。

These　two　individuals　of　the　lesser　bourgeoisie　could；　in　consequence　of　their　connections；　determine　a　certain　number　of　floating　votes；　for　they　influenced　and　advised　a　number　of　persons　to　whom　the　political　opinions　of　the　candidate　were　a　matter　of　indifference。　Consequently；　Simon　took　possession　of　Poupart；　and　delivered　the　apothecary　Fromaget　to　his　father；　who　had　just　come　in　to　make　his　bow　to　the　electors。

The　sub…engineer　of　the　arrondissement；　the　secretary　of　the　mayor's　office；　four　sheriffs；　three　solicitors；　the　clerk　of　the　court；　and　the　clerk　of　the　justice　of　the　peace；　the　registry…clerk；　and　the　tax…collector；　all　officials　under　government；　two　doctors；　rivals　of　Varlet；　Grevin's　brother…in…law；　a　miller　named　Laurent　Goussard；　the　head　of　the　republicans　of　Arcis；　the　two　assistant　mayors；　the　printer　and　publisher　of　Arcis；　and　about　a　dozen　other　bourgeois　arrived　in　succession；　and　walked　about　the　garden　until　the　gathering　seemed　numerous　enough　to　admit　of　opening　the　session。

At　length；　about　mid…day；　fifty　men；　all　in　their　best　clothes；most　of　them　having　come　out　of　curiosity　to　see　the　handsome　salons　which　were　much　talked　of　throughout　the　arrondissement；were　seated　on　the　chairs　Madame　Marion　had　provided　for　them。　The　windows　were　left　open；　and　presently　so　deep　a　silence　reigned　that　the　rustle　of　Madame　Marion's　gown　was　heard；that　good　woman　not　being　able　to　resist　the　pleasure　of　descending　to　the　garden　and　placing　herself　in　a　corner　whence　she　could　listen　to　what　went　on　in　the　salon。　The　cook；　the　chamber…maid；　and　the　man…servant　stood　in　the　dining…room　and　shared　the　emotions　of　their　masters。

〃Messieurs；〃　said　Simon　Giguet；　〃some　among　you　desire　to　honor　my　father　by　asking　him　to　preside　at　this　meeting；　but　Colonel　Giguet　requests　me　to　present　his　thanks；　and　express　due　gratitude　for　a　desire　in　which　he　sees　a　reward　for　his　services　to　the　country。　We　are　in　his　house；　he　thinks　he　ought；　therefore；　to　decline　those　functions；　and　he　desires　to　propose　in　his　stead　an　honorable　merchant　on　whom　your　suffrages　have　already　bestowed　the　chief　magistracy　of　this　town；　Monsieur　Phileas　Beauvisage。〃

〃Bravo！　bravo！〃

〃We　are；　I　think；　all　of　one　mind　in　adopting　for　this　meeting　essentially　friendly；　but　entirely　free；　which　will　prejudice　in　no　way　whatever　the　great　preparatory　and　primary　meeting　in　which　you　will　produce　your　candidates　and　weigh　their　meritsin　adopting；　as　I　said；　the　parliamentary　and　constitutionalformsof　theelectoral　Chamber。〃

〃Yes；　yes！〃　cried　the　assembly　with　one　voice。

〃Consequently；〃　continued　Simon；　〃I　have　the　honor　to　request；　according　to　the　wish　of　all　present；　that　his　honor　the　mayor　will　now　take　the　chair。〃

Phileas　rose　and　crossed　the　salon；　conscious　that　he　was　becoming　as　red　as　a　cherry。　Then；　when　he　stood　behind　the　table；　he　saw；　not　a　hundred　eyes；　but　a　hundred　thousand　candles。　The　sun　seemed　to　him　to　be　setting　fire　to　the　salon；　and　he　had；　to　use　his　own　expression；　a　lump　of　salt　in　his　throat。

〃Return　thanks；〃　said　Simon；　in　a　low　voice。

〃Messieurs〃

Such　total　silence　ensued　that　Phileas　had　a　spasm　of　colic。

〃What　must　I　say；　Simon？〃　he　whispered。

〃Well；　well！〃　exclaimed　Achille　Pigoult。

〃Messieurs；〃　said　Simon；　goaded　by　the　sarcastic　interjection　of　the　little　notary；　〃the　honor　which　you　have　done　to　Monsieur　le　Maire　may　take　him　unawares；　but　it　cannot　surprise　him。〃

〃That's　it；〃　said　Beauvisage；　〃I　am　too　sensible　of　this　attention　on　the　part　of　my　fellow…citizens　not　to　be　excessively　flattered　by　it。〃

〃Bravo！〃　cried　the　notary　alone。

〃The　devil　take　me！〃　thought　Beauvisage；　〃if　I　am　ever　caught　haranguing　again。〃

〃Will　Messieurs　Fromaget　and　Marcelin　accept　the　functions　of　inspectors　of　the　ballot？〃

〃It　would　be　more　regular；〃　said　Achille　Pigoult；　rising；　〃if　the　meeting　itself　nominated　those　officers；following；　of　course；　the　parliamentary　forms　of　the　Chamber。〃

〃That　is　best；〃　said　the　huge　Monsieur　Mollot；　clerk　of　the　court；　〃otherwise　what　is　here　taking　place　would　be　a　mere　farce；　we　should　not　be　free　in　our　action；　in　which　case　we　might　as　well　continue　to　do　the　will　of　Monsieur　Simon　Giguet。〃

Simon　said　a　few　words　to　Beauvisage；　who　rose　and　delivered　himself　of　a　〃Messieurs！〃　in　palpitating　tones。

〃Pardon　me；　Monsieur　le　president；〃　said　Achille　Pigoult；　〃the　chairman　presides；　he　does　not　speak。〃

〃Messieurs；〃　continued　Beauvisage；　prompted　by　Simon；　〃if　we　areto　conformto　parliamentary　usageI　shall　begthe　honorable　gentleman　Monsieur　Pigoultto　address　the　meetingfrom　this　tablehere　present〃

Pigoult　sprang　to　the　table；　stood　beside　it　with　his　fi