the deputy of arcis-第54章

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〃I　regret　to　inform　you；〃　began　Maitre　Achille　Pigoult；　varying　his　formula　for　the　third　time；　〃that；　attacked　by　an　indisposition　happily　not　serious；　which　may　confine　him　to　his　chamber〃

〃Throat　trouble；〃　suggested　a　voice。

〃our　venerable　and　excellent　mayor；〃　continued　Achille　Pigoult；　taking　no　notice　of　the　interruption；　〃is　unable　to　be　present　at　this　meeting。　Madame　Beauvisage；　with　whom　I　have　just　had　the　honor　of　an　interview；　requests　me　to　inform　you　that；　/for　the　present/；　Monsieur　Beauvisage　renounces　the　honor　of　receiving　your　suffrages；　and　requests　those　of　you　who　have　given　him　your　intelligent　sympathy　to　transfer　your　votes　to　Monsieur　Simon　Giguet。〃

This　Achille　Pigoult　is　a　malicious　fellow；　who　intentionally　brought　in　the　name　of　Madame　Beauvisage　to　exhibit　her　conjugal　sovereignty。　But　the　assembly　was　really　too　provincial　to　catch　the　meaning　of　that　little　bit　of　treachery。　Besides；　in　the　provinces；　women　take　part　in　the　most　virile　affairs　of　the　men。　The　well…known　saying　of　the　vicar's　old　housekeeper；　〃We　don't　say　masses　at　that　price；〃　would　pass　without　comment　in　Champagne。

At　last　came　Sallenauve。　I　was　struck　with　the　ease　and　quiet　dignity　of　his　manner。　That　is　a　very　reassuring　pledge；　madame；　of　his　conduct　under　more　trying　circumstances；　for　when　a　man　rises　to　speak　it　makes　but　little　difference　who　and　what　his　audience　are。　To　an　orator　goaded　by　fear；　great　lords　and　porters　are　precisely　the　same　thing。　They　are　eyes　that　look　at　you；　ears　that　hear　you。　Individuals　are　not　there；　only　one　huge　being；an　assembly；　felt　as　a　mass；　without　analyzing　the　elements。

After　enumerating　briefly　the　ties　which　connected　him　with　this　region；　slipping　in　as　he　did　so　an　adroit　and　dignified　allusion　to　his　birth　which　〃was　not　like　that　of　others；〃　Sallenauve　stated　clearly　his　political　ideas。　A　Republic　he　thought　the　finest　of　all　governments；　but　he　did　not　believe　it　possible　to　establish　one　in　France；　consequently；　he　did　not　desire　it。　He　thought　that　a　truly　parliamentary　government；　in　which　court　influence　should　be　so　vigorously　muzzled　that　nothing　need　be　feared　from　its　tendency　to　interference　and　caballing　would　best　conduce　to　the　dignity　and　the　welfare　of　the　nation。　Liberty　and　equality；　the　two　great　principles　that　triumphed　in　'89；　would　obtain　from　such　a　government　the　strongest　guarantees。　As　to　the　manoeuvring　of　the　royal　power　against　those　principles；　it　was　not　for　institutions　to　check　it；　but　for　men；customs；　public　opinion；　rather　than　laws；　and　for　himself；　Sallenauve；　he　should　ever　stand　in　the　breach　as　a　living　obstacle。　He　declared　himself　a　warm　partisan　of　free　education；　believed　that　greater　economy　might　be　exercised　in　the　budget；　that　too　many　functionaries　were　attached　to　the　government；　and；　above　all；　that　the　court　was　too　largely　represented　in　the　Chamber。　To　maintain　his　independence　he　was　firmly　resolved　to　accept　no　post　and　no　favors　from　the　government。　Neither　ought　those　who　might　elect　him　to　expect　that　he　would　ever　take　steps　on　their　behalf　which　were　not　warranted　by　reason　and　by　justice。　It　was　said　that　the　word　/impossible/　was　not　French。　Yet　there　was　an　impossibility　by　which　he　took　pride　in　being　stoppedthat　of　injustice；　and　that　of　disloyalty；　even　the　faintest；　to　the　Right。　＇Loud　applause。＇

Silence　being　once　more　restored；

〃Monsieur；〃　said　one　of　the　electors；　after　obtaining　the　floor　from　the　chairman；　〃you　say　that　you　will　accept　no　post　under　government。　Does　not　that　imply　reproach　to　public　functionaries？　My　name　is　Godivet；　I　am　registrar　of　the　archives；　but　I　do　not　consider　that　a　reason　why　I　should　incur　the　contempt　of　my　fellow…citizens。〃

Sallenauve　replied；

〃I　am　happy；　monsieur；　to　learn　that　the　government　has　invested　a　man　like　you　with　functions　which　you　fulfil；　I　am　sure；　with　perfect　uprightness　and　great　ability；　but　I　venture　to　ask　if　you　rose　to　your　present　position　at　one　jump？〃

〃Certainly　not；　monsieur；　I　began　by　being　a　supernumerary　for　three　years；　after　that　I　passed　through　all　the　grades；　and　I　can　show　that　favor　had　nothing　to　do　with　my　promotion。〃

〃Then；　monsieur；　what　would　you　say　if　with　my　rank　as　deputy　（supposing　that　I　obtain　the　suffrages　of　this　arrondissement）　I；　who　have　never　been　a　supernumerary　and　never　passed　through　any　grades；　and　whose　only　claim　upon　the　administration　is　that　of　having　voted　for　it；what　would　you　say　if　I　were　suddenly　appointed　over　your　head　as　the　director…general　of　your　department？〃

〃I　should　sayI　should　say；　monsieur；　that　the　choice　was　a　good　one；　because　the　king　himself　would　have　made　it。〃

〃No；　monsieur；　you　would　not　say　it；　or　if　you　said　it　aloud；　which　I　scarcely　think　possible；　you　would　think　in　your　heart　that　the　choice　was　ridiculous　and　unjust。　'How　the　devil；'　you　would　say　to　yourself；　'could　this　man；　this　sculptor；　know　anything　about　the　intricate　business　of　registering　archives？'　And　you　would　be　right　in　condemning　such　royal　caprice；　for　what　becomes　of　long　and　honorable　services；　justly　acquired　rights；　and　steady　promotion　under　such　a　system　of　arbitrary　choice？　It　is　that　I　may　not　be　the　accomplice　of　this　crying　abuse；　because　I　think　it　neither　just　nor　honest　nor　useful　to　obtain　in　this　way　important　public　functions；　that　I　denounce　the　system　and　bind　myself　to　accept　no　office。　Is　this；　monsieur；　pouring　contempt　on　public　functions？　Is　it　not　rather　lifting　them　to　higher　honor？〃

Monsieur　Godivet　declared　himself　satisfied；　and　said　no　more。

〃/Ah　ca/！　monsieur；〃　cried　another　elector；　after　demanding　the　floor　in　the　rather　tipsy　voice；　〃you　say　you　will　ask　no　favors　for　your　constituents；　then　what　good　will　you　be　to　us？〃

〃My　friend；　I　did　not　say　I　would　ask　nothing　for　my　constituents。　I　said　I　would　ask　nothing　but　what　was　just；　but　that；　I　may　add；　I　shall　ask　with　energy　and　perseverance；　for　that　is　how　justice　should　be　followed　up。〃

〃But；〃　persisted　the　voter；　〃there　are　various　ways　of　doing　justice；　witness　the　suit　I　was　made　to　lose　against　Jean　Remy；　with　whom　I　had　trouble　about　a　boundary〃

Colonel　Giguet；　interrupting；

〃Come；　come；　you　are　not　going；　I　hope　to　talk　about　your　private　affairs；　and　speak　disrespectfully　of　magistrates？〃

The　voter　resumed；

〃Magistrates；　colonel；　I　respect；　for　I　was　one　myself　for　six　months　in　'93；　and　I　know　the　law。　But；　returning　to　my　point；　I　ask　monsieur；　who　is　here　to　answer　questions；　to　me　as　well　as　to　others；　what　he　thinks　about　tobacco　licenses。〃

〃My　opinion　on　tobacco　licenses！　That　is　rather　difficult　to　formulate；　I　can；　however；　say　that；　if　my　information　is　correct；　they　are　usually　very　well　distributed。〃

〃Hey！　hey！　you're　a　man；　you！〃　cried　the　inebriate　elector；　〃and　I'll　vote　for　you；　for　they　can't　fool　you；no！　But　they　do　give　those　licenses　all　wrong！　Look　at　that　daughter　of　Jean　Remy。　Bad　neighbor。　Never　owned　anything　but　his　cart；　and　fights　every　day　with　his　wife〃

〃But；　my　good　fellow；〃　said　the　chairman；　interposing；　〃you　are　abusing　the　patience　of　this　assembly。〃

〃No；　no！　let　him　talk！〃　cried　voices　from　all　parts　of　the　room。

The　voter　was　amusing；　and　Sallenauve　himself　seemed　to　let　the　chairman　know　he　would　like　to　see　what　the　man　was　driving　at。

The　elector；　being　allowed　to　continue；　went　on：

〃I　was　going　to　say；　with　due　respect　to　you；　colonel；　about　that　daughter　of　Jean　Remy's；a　man　I'll　pursue　to　hell；　for　my　bounds　were　in　their　right　place；　and　them　experts　was　all　wrong。　Well！　what　did　that　slut　do？　Left　her　father　and　mother　and　went　to　Paris！　What　did　she　do　there？　I　didn't　go　to　see；　but　I'm　told　she　made　acquaintance　with　a　deputy；　and　has　got　the　tobacco　license　for　the　rue　Mouffetard；　the　longest　street　in　Paris。　But　I'd　like　to　see　my　wife；　widow　of　an　honest　man；　doubled　up　with　rheumatism　for　having　slept　in　the　woods　during　that　terror　in　1815；I'd　like　to　see　my　poor　widow　get　a　license！〃

〃But　you　are　not　dead　yet；〃　they　shouted　to　him　from　all　parts　of　the　room。　The　colonel；　meantime；　to　put　an　end　to　the　burlesque　scene；　nodded　to　a　little　confectioner　who　was　waiting　for　the　floor；　a