the deputy of arcis-第61章

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ble　acquaintances。〃

〃But；　my　dear；　the　King　himself　is　compelled　to　smile　graciously　on　men　he　would　fain　put　in　the　Bastille；if　we　still　had　a　Bastille　and　the　Charter　permitted　him。〃

Madame　de　Rastignac　made　no　reply；　and　without　bidding　her　husband　good…night；　she　went　up　to　her　room。　A　few　moments　later　the　minister　went　to　the　private　door　which　led　into　it；　and　not　finding　the　key　in　the　lock；　he　said；　〃Augusta！〃　in　the　tone　of　voice　a　simple　bourgeois　might　have　used　in　such　a　case。

For　all　answer；　he　heard　a　bolt　run　hastily　on　the　other　side　of　the　door。

〃Ah！〃　he　thought　to　himself　with　a　gesture　of　vexation；　〃there　are　some　pasts　very　different　from　that　door；they　are　always　wide　open　to　the　present。〃

Then；　after　a　moment's　silence；　he　added；　to　cover　his　retreat；　〃Augusta；　I　wanted　to　ask　you　what　hour　Madame　de　l'Estorade　receives。　I　ought　to　call　upon　her　to…morrow；　after　what　happened　here　to…night。〃

〃At　four　o'clock；〃　said　the　young　wife　through　the　door；〃on　her　return　from　the　Tuileries；　where　she　takes　the　children　to　walk　every　day。〃

One　of　the　questions　that　were　frequently　put　by　Parisian　society　after　the　marriage　of　Madame　de　Rastignac　was：　〃Does　she　love　her　husband？〃

The　doubt　was　permissible。　The　marriage　of　Mademoiselle　de　Nucingen　was　the　unpleasant　and　scarcely　moral　product　of　one　of　those　immoral　unions　which　find　their　issue　in　the　life　of　a　daughter；　after　years　and　satiety　have　brought　them　to　a　condition　of　dry…rot　and　paralysis。　In　such　marriages　of　/convenience/　the　husband　is　satisfied；　for　he　escapes　a　happiness　which　has　turned　rancid　to　him；　and　he　profits　by　a　speculation　like　that　of　the　magician　in　the　〃Arabian　Nights〃　who　exchanges　old　lamps　for　new。　But　the　wife；　on　the　contrary；　must　ever　feel　a　living　memory　between　herself　and　her　husband；　a　memory　which　may　revive；　and　while　wholly　outside　of　the　empire　of　the　senses；　has　the　force　of　an　old　authority　antagonistic　to　her　young　influence。　In　such　a　position　the　wife　is　a　victim。

During　the　short　time　we　have　taken　to　give　this　brief　analysis　of　a　situation　too　frequently　existing；　Rastignac　lingered　at　the　door。

〃Well；〃　he　said　at　last；　deciding　to　retire；　〃good…night；　Augusta。〃

As　he　said　the　words；　rather　piteously；　the　door　opened　suddenly；　and　his　wife；　throwing　herself　into　his　arms；　laid　her　head　upon　his　shoulder　sobbing。

The　question　was　answered：　Madame　de　Rastignac　loved　her　husband；　but　for　all　that；　the　distant　muttering　of　a　subterranean　fire　might　be　heard　beneath　the　flowers　of　their　garden。



III

A　MINISTER'S　MORNING

The　next　day；　when　Rastignac　entered　his　office；　the　adjoining　waiting…room　was　already　occupied　by　eleven　persons　waiting　with　letters　of　introduction　to　solicit　favors；　also　two　peers　of　France　and　several　deputies。

Presently　a　bell　rang。　The　usher；　with　an　eagerness　which　communicated　itself　to　all　present；　entered　the　sanctum；　an　instant　later　he　came　out；　bearing　this　stereotyped　message：

〃The　minister　is　obliged　to　attend　a　Council。　He　will；　however；　have　the　honor　to　receive　the　gentlemen　of　the　two　Chambers。　As　for　the　others；　they　can　call　again　at　another　time。〃

〃What　other　time？〃　asked　one　of　the　postponed；　〃this　is　the　third　time　in　three　days　that　I　have　come　here　uselessly。〃

The　usher　made　a　gesture　which　meant；　〃It　is　not　my　affair；　I　follow　my　orders。〃　But　hearing　certain　murmurs　as　to　the　/privilege/　granted　to　honorable　members；　he　said；　with　a　certain　solemnity；

〃The　honorable　gentlemen　came　to　discuss　affairs　of　public　interest　with　his　Excellency。〃

The　office…seekers；　being　compelled　to　accept　this　fib；　departed。　After　which　the　bell　rang　again。　The　usher　then　assumed　his　most　gracious　expression　of　face。　By　natural　affinity；　the　lucky　ones　had　gathered　in　a　group　at　one　end　of　the　room。　Though　they　had　never　seen　one　another　before；　most　of　them　being　the　offspring　of　the　late　national　lying…in；　they　seemed　to　recognize　a　certain　representative　air　which　is　very　difficult　to　define；　though　it　can　never　be　mistaken。　The　usher；　not　venturing　to　choose　among　so　many　eminent　personages；　turned　a　mute；　caressing　glance　on　all；　as　if　to　say；

〃Whom　shall　I　have　the　honor　of　first　announcing？〃

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Colonel　Franchessini；　〃I　believe　I　have　seen　you　all　arrive。〃

And　he　walked　to　the　closed　door；　which　the　usher　threw　open；　announcing　in　a　loud；　clear　voice；

〃Monsieur　le　Colonel　Franchessini！〃

〃Ha！　so　you　are　the　first　this　morning；〃　said　the　minister；　making　a　few　steps　towards　the　colonel；　and　giving　him　his　hand。　〃What　have　you　come　for；　my　dear　fellow？a　railroad；　a　canal；　a　suspension　bridge？〃

〃I　have　come；　my　good…natured　minister；　on　private　business　in　which　you　are　more　interested　than　I。〃

〃That　is　not　a　judicious　way　of　urging　it；　for　I　warn　you　I　pay　little　or　no　attention　to　my　own　business。〃

〃I　had　a　visit　from　Maxime　this　morning；　on　his　return　from　Arcis…sur…　Aube；〃　said　the　colonel；　coming　to　the　point。　〃He　gave　me　all　the　particulars　of　that　election。　He　thinks　a　spoke　might　be　put　in　the　wheel　of　it。　Now；　if　you　have　time　to　let　me　make　a　few　explanations〃

The　minister；　who　was　sitting　before　his　desk　with　his　back　to　the　fireplace；　turned　round　to　look　at　the　clock。

〃Look　here；　my　dear　fellow；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　afraid　you　will　be　long；　and　I　have　a　hungry　pack　outside　there　waiting　for　me。　I　shouldn't　listen　to　you　comfortably。　Do　me　the　favor　to　go　and　take　a　walk　and　come　back　at　twelve　o'clock　to　breakfast。　I'll　present　you　to　Madame　de　Rastignac；　whom　you　don't　know；　I　think；　and　after　breakfast　we　will　take　a　few　turns　in　the　garden；　then　I　can　listen　to　you　in　peace。〃

〃Very　good；　I　accept　that　arrangement；〃　said　the　colonel；　rising。

As　he　crossed　the　waiting…room；　he　said；

〃Messieurs；　I　have　not　delayed　you　long；　I　hope。〃

Then；　after　distributing　a　few　grasps　of　the　hand；　he　departed。

Three　hours　later；　when　the　colonel　entered　the　salon　where　he　was　presented　to　Madame　de　Rastignac；　he　found　there　the　Baron　de　Nucingen；　who　came　nearly　every　day　to　breakfast　with　his　son…in…law　before　the　Bourse　hour；　Emile　Blondet　of　the　〃Debats；〃　Messieurs　Moreau　（de　l'Oise）；　Dionis；　and　Camusot；　three　deputies　madly　loquacious；　and　two　newly　elected　deputies　whose　names　it　is　doubtful　if　Rastignac　knew　himself。　Franchessini　also　recognized　Martial　de　la　Roche…Hugon；　the　minister's　brother…in…law；　and　the　inevitable　des　Lupeaulx；　peer　of　France。　As　for　another　figure；　who　stood　talking　with　the　minister　for　some　time　in　the　recess　of　a　window；　the　colonel　learned；　after　inquiring　of　Emile　Blondet；　that　it　was　that　of　a　former　functionary　of　the　upper　police；　who　continued；　as　an　amateur；　to　do　part　of　his　former　business；　going　daily　to　each　minister　under　all　administrations　with　as　much　zeal　and　regularity　as　if　he　were　still　charged　with　his　official　duties。

Madame　de　Rastignac　seen　at　close　quarters　seemed　to　the　colonel　a　handsome　blonde；　not　at　all　languishing。　She　was　strikingly　like　her　mother；　but　with　that　shade　of　greater　distinction　which　in　the　descendants　of　parvenus　increases　from　generation　to　generation　as　they　advance　from　their　source。　The　last　drop　of　the　primitive　Goriot　blood　had　evaporated　in　this　charming　young　woman；　who　was　particularly　remarkable　for　the　high…bred　delicacy　of　all　her　extremities；　the　absence　of　which　in　Madame　de　Nucingen　had　shown　the　daughter　of　Pere　Goriot。

As　the　colonel　wished　to　retain　a　footing　in　the　house　he　now　entered　for　the　first　time；　he　talked　about　his　wife。

〃She　lived；〃　he　said；　〃in　the　old　English　fashion；　in　her　/home/；　but　he　should　be　most　glad　to　bring　her　out　of　her　retreat　in　order　to　present　her　to　Madame　de　Rastignac　if　the　latter　would　graciously　consent。〃

〃Now；〃　said　the　minister；　dropping　the　arm　of　Emile　Blondet；　with　whom　he　had　been　conversing；　〃let　us　go　into　the　garden；〃adding；　as　soon　as　they　were　alone；　〃We　want　no　ears　about　us　in　this　matter。〃

〃Maxime　came　to　see　me；　as　I　told　you；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃on　his　return　from　Arcis…sur…Aube；　and　he　is　full　of　an　idea　of　discovering　something　about　the　pretended　parentage　of　this　sculptor　by　which　to　oust　him〃

〃I　know；〃　interrupte