the deputy of arcis-第50章
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nd as its leader the Comte de Gondreville； your husband's colleague in the Chamber of peers。 Closely allied to the count is a very influential man； his old friend Grevin； formerly mayor and notary of Arcis； who； in turn； draws after him another elector of considerable influence； Maitre Achille Pigoult； to whom； on retiring from active life； he sold his practice as notary。
But Mother Marie…des…Anges has a powerful means of access to the Comte de Gondreville through his daughter； the Marechale de Carigliano。 That great lady； who； as you know； has taken to devotion； goes into retreat every year at the Ursuline convent。 More than that； the good Mother； without giving any explanation； intimates that she has a lever of some kind on the Comte de Gondreville known to herself only； in fact； the life of that old regicideturned senator； then count of the Empire； then peer of France under two dynastieshas wormed itself through too many tortuous underground ways not to allow us to suppose the existence of secrets he might not care to have unmasked。
Now Gondreville is Grevin；his confidant； and； as they say； his tool； his catspaw for the last fifty years。 But even supposing that by an utter impossibility their close union should； under present circumstances； be sundered； we are certainly sure of Achille Pigoult； Grevin's successor； on whom； when the purchase of the chateau d'Arcis was made in his office by the Marquis de Sallenauve； a fee was bestowed of such an unusual amount that to accept it was virtually to pledge himself。
As for the ruck of the electors； our friend cannot fail to make recruits there； by the work he is about to give in repairing the chateau； which； fortunately for him； is falling into ruin in several places。 We must also count on the manifesto which Charles de Sallenauve has just issued； in which he openly declares that he will accept neither favors nor employment from the government。 So that； really； taking into consideration his own oratorical talent； the support of the Opposition journals both here and in Paris； the insults and calumnies which the ministerial journals are already beginning to fire upon him； I feel great hopes of his success。
Forgive me for presenting to you in glowing colors the parliamentary future of a man of whom； you said to me the other day； you felt you could not safely make a friend； because of the lofty and rather impertinent assumption of his personality。 To tell the truth； madame； whatever political success may be in store for Charles de Sallenauve； I fear he may one day regret the calmer fame of which he was already assured in the world of art。 But neither he nor I was born under an easy and accommodating star。 Birth has been a costly thing to us； it is therefore doubly cruel not to like us。 You have been kind to me because you fancy that a lingering fragrance of our dear Louise still clings to me； give something； I beseech you； of the same kindness to him whom I have not hesitated in this letter to call our friend。
XV
MARIE…GASTON TO THE COMTESSE DE L'ESTORADE
Arcis…sur…Aube； May 13； 1839。
Madame；I see that the electoral fever is upon you； as you are good enough to send me from Monsieur de l'Estorade so many /discouragements/ which certainly deserve consideration。
We knew already of the mission given to Comte Maxime de Trailles；a mission he endeavored at first to conceal under some irrigating project。 We even know what you； madame； seem not to know；that this able ministerial agent has found means to combine with the cares of electoral politics those of his own private policy。 Monsieur Maxime de Trailles； if we are rightly informed； was on the point of succumbing to the chronic malady with which he has been so long afflicted； I mean /debt/。 Not debts； for we say 〃the debt of Monsieur de Trailles；〃 as we say 〃the debt of England。〃 In this extremity the patient； resolved on heroic remedies； adopted that of marriage； which might perhaps be called marriage /in extremis/。
To cut a long story short； Monsieur de Trailles was sent to Arcis to put an end to the candidacy of an upstart of the Left centre； a certain Simon Giguet； and having brought forward the mayor of the town as the ministerial candidate； he finds the said mayor； named Beauvisage； possessed of an only daughter； rather pretty； and able to bring her husband five hundred thousand francs amassed in the honorable manufacture of cotton night…caps。 Now you see； I am sure； the mechanism of the affair。
As for our own claims； we certainly do not make cotton night…caps； but we make statues；statues for which we are decorated with the Legion of honor； religious statues； inaugurated with great pomp by Monseigneur the bishop of the diocese and all the constituted authorities； statues； or rather /a/ statue； which the whole population of the town has flocked to the Ursuline convent to behold； where Mesdames the nuns； not a little puffed up with this magnificent addition to their bijou of a chapel； have kept their house and their oratory open to all comers for this whole day。 Is not that likely to popularize our candidacy？
This evening； to crown the ceremony of inaugurating our Saint…Ursula； we give in our chateau of Arcis a banquet to fifty guests； among whom we have had the malice to invite （with the chief inhabitants of the place） all the ministerial functionaries and； above all； the ministerial candidate。 But； in view of our own declared candidacy； we feel pretty well assured that the latter will not respond to the invitation。 So much the better！ more room for others； and the missing guests； whose names will be made known on the morrow； will be convicted of a /servilism/ which will； we think； injure their influence with the population。
Yesterday we paid a visit at the chateau de Cinq…Cygne； where d'Arthez presented us； in the first place； to the Princesse de Cadignan； who is wonderfully well preserved。 Both she and the old Marquise de Cinq… Cygne received DorlangeI should say； Sallenauvein the warmest manner。 It was from them that we learned the history of Monsieur Maxime de Trailles' mission and its present results。 It seems that on his arrival the ministerial agent received some attentions at Cinq… Cygne；mere floating sticks； to discover the set of his current。 He evidently flattered himself that he should find support at Cinq…Cygne for his electioneering intrigue； which is so far from being the case that Duc Georges de Maufrigneuse； to whom； as a Jockey Club comrade； he told all his projects； gave us the information about them which I have now given to you； and which； if you will be so kind； I should like you to make over to Monsieur de l'Estorade。
May 12th。
The dinner has taken place； madame； it was magnificently served； and Arcis will talk about it for some time to come。 Sallenauve has in that great organist （who； by the bye； showed his talent on the organ admirably during the ceremony of inauguration） a sort of steward and factotum who leaves all the Vatels of the world far behind him； he would never have fallen on his sword for lack of a fish！ Colored lamps； garlands； draperies； decorated the dining…room； even fireworks were provided； nothing was wanting to the fete； which lasted to a late hour in the gardens of the chateau； where the populace danced and drank to its heart's content。
Nearly all the invited guests came except those we desired to compromise。 The invitations having been sent at short notice； it was amusing to read the notes and letters of excuse； which Sallenauve ordered to be brought to him in the salon as they arrived。 As he opened each he took care to say： 〃This is from Monsieur the sub… prefect； this from the /procureur…du…roi/； this from Monsieur Vinet the substitute； expressing regret that they cannot accept the invitation。〃 All these concerted refusals were received with smiles and whispers by the company； but when a letter arrived from Beauvisage； and Sallenauve read aloud the 〃impossibility in which he found himself to /correspond/ to his politeness；〃 the hilarity grew noisy and general； and was only stopped by the entrance of Monsieur Martener； examining judge； who performed an act of courage in coming to the dinner which his colleagues declined。 We must remark； however；
