the deputy of arcis-第73章

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uttoned　to　the　throat；　surmounted　by　a　black　cravat　worn　without　a　collar　and　twisted　round　the　neck；　yellowish　trousers；　gray　stockings；　and　laced　shoes；such　was　the　more　than　negligent　costume　in　which　the　organist　allowed　himself　to　appear　in　a　countess's　salon。

Requested　briefly　to　sit　down；　he　said；

〃Madame；　I　hope　I　am　not　indiscreet　in　thus　presenting　myself　without　having　the　honor　of　being　known　to　you；　but　Monsieur　Marie…Gaston　told　me　of　your　desire　that　I　should　give　music…lessons　to　your　daughter。　At　first　I　replied　that　it　was　impossible；　for　all　my　time　was　occupied；　but　the　prefect　of　police　has　just　afforded　me　some　leisure　by　dismissing　me　from　a　place　I　filled　in　his　department；　therefore　I　am　now　happy　to　place　myself　at　your　disposal。〃

〃Your　dismissal；　monsieur；　was　caused　by　your　activity　in　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve's　election；　was　it　not？〃　asked　Madame　de　Camps。

〃As　no　reason　was　assigned　for　it；　I　think　your　conjecture　is　probably　correct；　especially　as　in　twenty　years　I　have　had　no　trouble　whatever　with　my　chiefs。〃

〃It　can't　be　denied；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　sharply；　〃that　you　have　opposed　the　views　of　the　government　by　this　proceeding。〃

〃Consequently；　madame；　I　have　accepted　this　dismissal　as　an　expected　evil。　What　interest；　after　all；　had　I　in　retaining　my　paltry　post；　compared　to　that　of　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve's　election？〃

〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　resumed　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃to　be　unable　to　accept　the　offer　you　are　good　enough　to　make　me。　But　I　have　not　yet　considered　the　question　of　a　music…master　for　my　daughter；　and；　in　any　case；　I　fear　that；　in　view　of　your　great　and　recognized　talent；　your　instruction　would　be　too　advanced　for　a　little　girl　of　fourteen。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Jacques　Bricheteau；　smiling；　〃no　one　has　recognized　my　talent；　madame。　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　and　Monsieur　Marie…Gaston　have　only　heard　me　once　or　twice。　Apart　from　that　I　am　the　most　obscure　of　professors；　and　perhaps　the　dullest。　But　setting　aside　the　question　of　your　daughter's　master；　I　wish　to　speak　of　a　far　more　important　interest；　which　has；　in　fact；　brought　me　here。　I　mean　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve。〃

〃Has　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　with　marked　coldness　of　manner；　〃sent　you　here　with　a　message　to　my　husband？〃

〃No；　madame；〃　replied　Jacques　Bricheteau；　〃he　has　unfortunately　given　me　no　message。　I　cannot　find　him。　I　went　to　Ville　d'Avray　this　morning；　and　was　told　that　he　had　started　on　a　journey　with　Monsieur　Marie…Gaston。　The　servant　having　told　me　that　the　object　and　direction　of　this　journey　were　probably　known　to　you〃

〃Not　in　any　way；〃　interrupted　Madame　de　l'Estorade。

Not　as　yet　perceiving　that　his　visit　was　unacceptable　and　that　no　explanation　was　desired；　Jacques　Bricheteau　persisted　in　his　statement：

〃This　morning；　I　received　a　letter　from　the　notary　at　Arcis…sur…Aube；　who　informs　me　that　my　aunt；　Mother　Marie…des…Anges；　desires　me　to　be　told　of　a　scandalous　intrigue　now　being　organized　for　the　purpose　of　ousting　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　from　his　post　as　deputy。　The　absence　of　our　friend　will　seriously　complicate　the　matter。　We　can　take　no　steps　without　him；　and　I　cannot　understand　why　he　should　disappear　without　informing　those　who　take　the　deepest　interest　in　him。〃

〃That　he　has　not　informed　you　is　certainly　singular；〃　replied　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　in　the　same　freezing　tone；　〃but　as　for　my　husband　or　me；　there　is　nothing　to　be　surprised　about。〃

The　meaning　of　this　discourteous　answer　was　too　plain　for　Jacques　Bricheteau　not　to　perceive　it。　He　looked　straight　at　the　countess；　who　lowered　her　eyes；　but　the　whole　expression　of　her　countenance；　due　north；　confirmed　the　meaning　he　could　no　longer　mistake　in　her　words。

〃Pardon　me；　madame；〃　he　said；　rising。　〃I　was　not　aware　that　the　future　and　the　reputation　of　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　had　become　indifferent　to　you。　Only　a　moment　ago；　in　your　antechamber；　when　your　servant　hesitated　to　take　in　my　name；　Mademoiselle；　your　daughter；　as　soon　as　she　heard　I　was　the　friend　of　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve；　took　my　part　warmly；　and　I　had　the　stupidity　to　suppose　that　such　friendliness　was　the　tone　of　the　family。〃

After　this　remark；　which　gave　Madame　de　l'Estorade　the　full　change　for　her　coin；　Jacques　Bricheteau　bowed　ceremoniously　and　was　about　to　leave　the　room；　when　a　sudden　contradiction　of　the　countess's　comedy　of　indifference　appeared　in　the　person　of　Nais；　who　rushed　in　exclaiming　triumphantly；

〃Mamma；　a　letter　from　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve！〃

The　countess　turned　crimson。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　running　in　here　like　a　crazy　girl？〃　she　said　sternly；　〃and　how　do　you　know　that　this　letter　is　from　the　person　you　mention？〃

〃Oh！〃　replied　Nais；　twisting　the　knife　in　the　wound；　〃when　he　wrote　you　those　letters　from　Arcis…sur…Aube；　I　saw　his　handwriting。〃

〃You　are　a　silly；　inquisitive　little　girl；〃　said　her　mother；　driven　by　these　aggravating　circumstances　quite　outside　of　her　usual　habits　of　indulgence。　〃Go　to　your　room。〃　Then　she　added　to　Jacques　Bricheteau；　who　lingered　after　the　arrival　of　the　letter；

〃Permit　me；　monsieur。〃

〃It　is　for　me；　madame；　to　ask　permission　to　remain　until　you　have　read　that　letter。　If　/by　chance/　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　gives　you　any　particulars　about　his　journey；　you　will；　perhaps；　allow　me　to　profit　by　them。〃

〃Monsieur　de　Sallenauve；〃　said　the　countess；　after　reading　the　letter；　〃requests　me　to　inform　my　husband　that　he　has　gone　to　Hanwell；　county　of　Middlesex；　England。　You　can　address　him　there；　monsieur；　to　the　care　of　Doctor　Ellis。〃

Jacques　Bricheteau　made　a　second　ceremonious　bow　and　left　the　room。

〃Nais　has　just　given　you　a　taste　of　her　quality；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　〃but　you　deserved　it；you　really　treated　that　poor　man　too　harshly。〃

〃I　could　not　help　it；〃　replied　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃the　day　began　wrong；　and　all　the　rest　follows　suit。〃

〃Well；　about　the　letter？〃

〃It　is　dreadful；　read　it　yourself。〃

　　Madame；I　was　able　to　overtake　Lord　Lewin；　the　Englishman　of　whom　　　I　spoke　to　you；　a　few　miles　out　of　Paris。　Providence　sent　him　to　　　Ville　d'Avray　to　save　us　from　an　awful　misfortune。　Possessing　an　　　immense　fortune；　he　is；　like　so　many　of　his　countrymen；　a　victim　　　to　/spleen/；　and　it　is　only　his　natural　force　of　character　which　　　has　saved　him　from　the　worst　results　of　that　malady。　His　　　indifference　to　life　and　the　perfect　coolness　with　which　he　spoke　　　of　suicide　won　him　Marie…Gaston's　friendship　in　Florence。　Lord　　　Lewin；　having　studied　the　subject　of　violent　emotions；　is　very　　　intimate　with　Doctor　Ellis；　a　noted　alienist；　and　it　not　　　infrequently　happens　that　he　spends　two　or　three　weeks　with　him　at　　　Hanwell；　Middlesex　Co。；　one　of　the　best…managed　lunatic　asylums　in　　　England；Doctor　Ellis　being　in　charge　of　it。

　　When　he　arrived　at　Ville　d'Avray；　Lord　Lewin　saw　at　once　that　　　Marie…Gaston　had　all　the　symptoms　of　incipient　mania。　Invisible　to　　　other　eyes；　they　were　apparent　to　those　of　Lord　Lewin。　In　speaking　　　to　me　of　our　poor　friend；　he　used　the　word　/chiffonait/；meaning　　　that　he　picked　up　rubbish　as　he　walked；　bits　of　straw；　scraps　of　　　paper；　rusty　nails；　and　put　them　carefully　into　his　pocket。　That；　　　he　informed　me；　is　a　marked　symptom　well　known　to　those　who　study　　　the　first　stages　of　insanity。　Enticing　him　to　the　subject　of　their　　　conversations　in　Florence；　he　obtained　the　fact　that　the　poor　　　fellow　meditated　suicide；　and　the　reason　for　it。　Every　night；　　　Gaston　told　him；　his　wife　appeared　to　him；　and　he　had　now　resolved　　　to　/rejoin/　her；　to　use　his　own　expression。　Instead　of　opposing　　　this　idea；　Lord　Lewin　took　a　tone　of　approval。　〃But；〃　he　said；　　　〃men　such　as　we　ought　not　to　die　in　a　common　way。　I　myself　have　　　always　had　the　idea　of　going　to　South　America；　where；　not　far　from　　　Paraguay；　there　is　one　of　the　greatest　cataracts　in　the　world；　　　the　Saut　de　Gayra。　The　mists　rising　from　it　can　be　seen　at　a　　　distance　of　many　miles。　An　enormous　volume　of　water　is　suddenly　　　forced　through　a　narrow　channel；　and　rushes　with　terrific　force　　　and　the　noise　of　a　hundred　thunder…claps　into　the　gulf　below。　　　There；　indeed；　one　could　find　a　noble　death。〃

　　〃Let　us　go　there；〃　said　Gaston。

　　〃Yes；〃　said　Lord　Lewin；　〃I　am　ready　to　go　at　once；