the deputy of arcis-第80章

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　a　fool　of　a　woman　lay…in　with　a　dead　child；　must　toads　be　suppressed　in　nature？　Why　did　God　make　them？〃

〃My　dear　woman；〃　said　the　chief；　〃did　you　never　hear　that　in　1617　a　learned　man　was　put　to　death　for　having　a　toad　in　a　bottle？〃

〃Yes；　I　know　that；　but　we　are　not　in　those　light　ages；〃　replied　Madame　Fontaine；　facetiously。

〃As　for　you；　Madame　Nourrisson；　the　complaint　is　that　you　gather　your　fruit　unripe。　You　ought　to　know　by　this　time　the　laws　and　regulations；　and　I　warn　you　that　everything　under　twenty…one　years　of　age　is　forbidden。　I　wonder　I　have　to　remind　you　of　it。　Now；　aunt；　what　I　have　to　say　to　you　is　confidential。〃

Thus　dismissed；　two　of　the　Fates　departed。

Since　the　days　when　Jacques　Collin　had　abdicated　his　former　kingship　and　had　made　himself；　as　they　say；　a　new　skin　in　the　police　force；　Jacqueline　Collin；　though　she　had　never　put　herself　within　reach　of　the　law；　had　certainly　never　donned　the　robe　of　innocence。　But　having　attained；　like　her　nephew；　to　what　might　fairly　be　called　opulence；　she　kept　at　a　safe　and　respectful　distance　from　the　Penal　Code；　and　under　cover　of　an　agency　that　was　fairly　avowable；　she　sheltered　practices　more　or　less　shady；　on　which　she　continued　to　bestow　an　intelligence　and　an　activity　that　were　really　infernal。

〃Aunt；〃　said　Vautrin；　〃I　have　so　many　things　to　say　to　you　that　I　don't　know　where　to　begin。〃

〃I　should　think　so！　It　is　a　week　since　I've　seen　you。〃

〃In　the　first　place；　I　must　tell　you　that　I　have　just　missed　a　splendid　chance。〃

〃What　sort　of　chance？〃　asked　Jacqueline。

〃In　the　line　of　my　odious　calling。　But　this　time　the　capture　was　worth　making。　Do　you　remember　that　little　Prussian　engraver　about　whom　I　sent　you　to　Berlin？〃

〃The　one　who　forged　those　Vienna　bank　bills　in　that　wonderful　way？〃

〃Yes。　I　just　missed　arresting　him　near　Saint…Sulpice。　But　I　followed　him　into　the　church；　where　I　heard　your　Signora　Luigia。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Jacqueline；　〃she　has　made　up　her　mind　at　last；　and　has　left　that　imbecile　of　a　sculptor。〃

〃It　is　about　her　that　I　have　come　to　talk　to　you；〃　said　Vautrin。　〃Here　are　the　facts。　The　Italian　opera　season　in　London　has　begun　badly；　their　prima　donna　is　taken　ill。　Sir　Francis　Drake；　the　impresario；　arrived　in　Paris　yesterday；　at　the　Hotel　des　Princes；　rue　de　Richelieu；　in　search　of　a　prima　donna；　at　any　rate　/pro　tem/。　I　have　been　to　see　him　in　the　interests　of　the　signora。　Sir　Francis　Drake　is　an　Englishman；　very　bald；　with　a　red　nose；　and　long　yellow　teeth。　He　received　me　with　cold　politeness；　and　asked　in　very　good　French　what　my　business　was。〃

〃Did　you　propose　to　him　Luigia？〃

〃That　was　what　I　went　for；in　the　character；　be　it　understood；　of　a　Swedish　nobleman。　He　asked　if　her　talent　was　known。　'Absolutely　unknown；'　I　replied。　'It　is　risky；'　said　Sir　Francis；　'nevertheless　arrange　to　let　me　hear　her。'　I　told　him　that　she　was　staying　with　her　friend　Madame　de　Saint…Esteve；　at　whose　house　I　could　take　the　liberty　to　invite　him　to　dinner。〃

〃When？〃　asked　Jacqueline。

〃To…day　is　the　19th；　I　said　the　21st。　Order　the　dinner　from　Chevet　for　fifteen　persons；　and　send　for　your　client　Bixiou　to　make　you　out　the　list。　Tell　him　you　want　the　chief　men　of　the　press；　a　lawyer　to　settle　the　terms　of　the　contract；　and　a　pianist　to　accompany　the　signora。　Let　her　know　what　hangs　upon　it。　Sir　Francis　Drake　and　I　will　make　up　the　number。　Useless　to　tell　you　that　I　am　your　friend　Comte　Halphertius；　who；　having　no　house　in　Paris；　gives　this　dinner　at　yours。　Mind　that　everything　is　done　in　the　best　taste。〃

In　designating　Bixiou　to　his　aunt　as　the　recruiting…officer　of　the　dinner；　Vautrin　knew　that　through　the　universality　of　his　relations　with　writing；　singing；　designing；　eating；　living；　and　squirming　Paris；　no　one　was　as　capable　as　he　of　spreading　the　news　of　the　dinner　broadcast。

At　seven　o'clock　precisely　all　the　guests　named　by　Desroches　to　Maxime；　plus　Desroches　himself；　were　assembled　in　the　salon　of　the　rue　de　Provence；　when　the　Negro　footman　opened　the　door　and　announced　Sir　Francis　Drake　and　his　Excellency　the　Comte　Halphertius。　The　dress　of　the　Swedish　nobleman　was　correct　to　the　last　degree；black　coat；　white　cravat；　and　white　waistcoat；　on　which　glowed　the　ribbon　of　an　order　hanging　from　his　neck；　the　rest　of　his　decorations　were　fastened　to　his　coat　by　chainlets。　At　the　first　glance　which　he　cast　upon　the　company；　Vautrin　had　the　annoyance　of　beholding　that　Jacqueline's　habits　and　instincts　had　been　more　potent　than　his　express　order；for　a　species　of　green　and　yellow　turban　surmounted　her　head　in　a　manner　which　he　felt　to　be　ridiculous；　but　thanks　to　the　admirable　manner　in　which　the　rest　of　his　programme　had　been　carried　out；　the　luckless　coiffure　was　forgiven。

As　for　Signora　Luigia；　dressed　in　black；　which　was　customary　with　her；　and　having　had　the　good　sense　to　reject　the　services　of　a　/coiffeur/；　she　was　royally　beautiful。　An　air　of　melancholy　gravity；　expressed　by　her　whole　person；　inspired　a　sentiment　of　respect　which　surprised　the　men　who　on　Bixiou's　invitation　were　there　to　judge　of　her。　The　only　special　presentation　that　was　made　among　the　guests　was　that　of　Desroches　to　Vautrin；　which　Bixiou　made　in　the　following　lively　formula：

〃Maitre　Desroches；　the　most　intelligent　solicitor　of　modern　times　Comte　Halphertius　of　Sweden。〃

As　for　Sir　Francis　Drake；　he　seemed　at　first　inclined　to　disdain　the　influence　of　the　dramatic　newspapers；　whose　representatives　were　there　assembled；　but　presently　recognizing　Felicien　Vernou　and　Lousteau；　two　noted　men　of　that　secondary　press；　he　greeted　them　heartily　and　shook　them　by　the　hand。

Before　dinner　was　announced；　Comte　Halphertius　judged　it　advisable　to　make　a　little　speech。

〃Dear　madame；〃　he　said　to　his　aunt；　〃you　are　really　a　fairy　godmother。　This　is　the　first　time　I　have　ever　been　in　a　Parisian　salon；　and　here　you　have　assembled　to　meet　me　all　that　literature；　the　arts；　and　the　legal　profession　can　offer　of　their　best。　I；　who　am　only　a　northern　barbarian；though　our　country；　too；　can　boast　of　its　celebrities；　Linnaeus；　Berzelius；　Thorwaldsen；　Tegner；　Franzen；　Geier；　and　the　charming　novelist　Frederika　Bremer；I　find　myself　a　cipher　in　such　company。〃

〃But　in　Bernadotte　France　and　Sweden　clasped　hands；〃　replied　Madame　de　Saint…Esteve；　whose　historical　erudition　went　as　far　as　that。

〃It　is　very　certain；〃　said　Vautrin；　〃that　our　beloved　sovereign；　Charles　XIV。〃

The　announcement　of　dinner　by　a　majordomo；　who　threw　open　the　double　doors　of　the　salon；　put　an　end　to　this　remark。　Jacqueline　took　Vautrin's　arm；　saying　in　a　whisper　as　they　walked　along；

〃Have　I　done　things　all　right？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Vautrin；　〃it　is　all　in　good　style；　except　that　devil　of　a　turban　of　yours；　which　makes　you　look　like　a　poll…parrot。〃

〃Why；　no；〃　said　Jacqueline；　〃not　at　all；　with　my　Javanese　face〃　（she　was　born　on　the　island　of　Java）；　〃oriental　things　set　me　off。〃

Madame　de　Saint…Esteve　placed　Sir　Francis　Drake　upon　her　right；　and　Desroches　on　her　left；　Vautrin　sat　opposite；　flanked　on　either　side　by　Emile　Blondet；　of　the　〃Debats；〃　and　the　Signoria　Luigia；　the　rest　of　the　company　placed　themselves　as　they　pleased。　The　dinner；　on　the　whole；　was　dull；　Bixiou；　at　Madame　de　Saint…Esteve's　request；　had　warned　the　party　to　risk　nothing　that　might　offend　the　chaste　ears　of　the　pious　Italian。　Forced　to　mind　their　morals；　as　a　celebrated　critic　once　observed；　these　men　of　wit　and　audacity　lost　their　spirit；　and；　taking　refuge　in　the　menu；　which　was　excellent；　they　either　talked　together　in　a　low　voice；　or　let　the　conversation　drag　itself　along　in　bourgeois　commonplaces。　They　ate　and　they　drank；　but　they　did　not　dine。　Bixiou；　incapable　of　bearing　this　state　of　things　during　a　whole　dinner；　determined　to　create　a　reaction。　The　appearance　of　this　Swedish　magnate；　evidently　on　intimate　terms　with　the　Saint…Esteve；　puzzled　him。　He　noticed　a　certain　insufficiency　in　Vautrin；　and　thought　to　himself　that　if　he　were　really　a　great　nobleman；　he　would　be　more　equal　to　the　occasion；　and　give　a　tone　to　the　feast。　He　determined；　therefore；　to　test　him；　and　thus　provide　amusement；　at　any　rate；　for　himself。　So；　at　the　end　of　the　second　course；　he　suddenly　said　from　his　end　of　the　table；

〃Monsie