the deputy of arcis-第84章

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〃



IX

IN　THE　CHAMBER

The　king　had　opened　the　Chamber；　but　Sallenauve　was　not　present；　and　his　absence　was　causing　a　certain　sensation　in　the　democratic　ranks。　The　〃National〃　was　particularly　disturbed。　As　a　stockholder　of　the　paper；　coming　frequently　to　its　office　before　the　election；　and　even　consenting　to　write　articles　for　it；　how　strange　that　on　the　eve　of　the　opening　of　the　session　the　newly　elected　deputy　should　not　come　near　it！

〃Now　that　he　is　elected；〃　said　some　of　the　editorial　staff；　remarking　on　the　total　disappearance　of　the　man　whom　they　considered　they　had　done　their　part　to　elect；　〃does　monsieur　think　he　can　treat　us　scurvily？　It　is　getting　too　much　the　habit　of　these　lordly　deputies　to　be　very　obsequious　as　long　as　they　are　candidates；　and　throw　us　away；　after　they　have　climbed　the　tree；　like　an　old　coat。〃

Less　excitable；　the　editor…in…chief　calmed　this　first　ebullition；　but　Sallenauve's　absence　from　the　royal　session　seemed　to　him　very　strange。

The　next　day；　when　the　bureaus　are　constituted；　presidents　and　secretaries　appointed；　and　committees　named；　Sallenauve's　absence　was　still　more　marked。　In　the　bureau　for　which　his　name　was　drawn；　it　happened　that　the　election　of　its　president　depended　on　one　vote；　through　the　absence　of　the　deputy　of　Arcis；　the　ministry　gained　that　advantage　and　the　Opposition　lost　it。　Much　discontent　was　expressed　by　the　newspapers　of　the　latter　party；　they　did　not；　as　yet；　openly　attack　the　conduct　of　the　defaulter；　but　they　declared　that　they　could　not　account　for　it。

Maxime　de　Trailles；　on　the　other　hand；　fully　prepared　and　on　the　watch；　was　waiting　only　until　the　routine　business　of　the　bureaus　and　the　appointment　of　the　committees　was　disposed　of　to　send　in　the　petition　of　the　Romilly　peasant…woman；　which　had　been　carefully　drawn　up　by　Massol；　under　whose　clever　pen　the　facts　he　was　employed　to　make　the　most　of　assumed　that　degree　of　probability　which　barristers　contrive　to　communicate　to　their　sayings　and　affirmations。　But　when　Maxime　had　the　joy　of　seeing　that　Sallenauve's　absence　in　itself　was　creating　a　prejudice　against　him；　he　went　again　to　Rastignac　and　asked　him　if　he　did　not　think　it　better　to　hasten　the　moment　of　attack；　since　everything　seemed　so　favorable。

This　time　Rastignac　was　much　more　explicit：　Sallenauve's　absence　abroad　seemed　to　him　the　conduct　of　a　man　who　feared　exposure　and　had　lost　his　head。　He　therefore　advised　de　Trailles　to　have　the　petition　sent　in　at　once；　and　he　made　no　difficulty　about　promising　his　assistance　to　a　conspiracy　which　appeared　to　be　taking　color；　the　result　of　which　must　be；　in　any　case；　a　very　pretty　scandal。　The　next　day　the　first　trace　of　his　subterranean　influence　was　visible。　The　order　of　the　day　in　the　Chamber　was　the　verification　of　powers；that　is；　the　admission　of　newly　elected　members。　The　deputy　appointed　to　report　on　the　elections　in　the　department　of　the　Aube　was　a　strong　partisan　of　the　ministry；　and；　in　consequence　of　a　confidential　communication　made　to　him　that　morning；　the　following　paragraph　appeared　in　his　report：

　　The　action　of　the　electoral　college　of　Arcis　was　regular。　Monsieur　　　de　Sallenauve　produced　in　proper　time　all　the　necessary　papers　　　proving　his　eligibility；　his　admission　therefore　would　seem　to　　　present　no　difficulty。　But　rumors　of　a　singular　nature　have　been　　　current　since　the　election　as　to　the　name　and　identity　of　the　new　　　deputy；　and；　in　support　of　these　rumors；　a　petition　to　authorize　a　　　criminal　prosecution　has　been　laid　before　the　president　of　the　　　Chamber。　This　petition　states　an　extremely　serious　fact；　namely：　　　that　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　has　usurped　the　name　he　bears；　and　　　this　usurpation；　being　made　by　means　of　an　official　document；　　　assumes　the　character　of　forgery　committed　by　substitution　of　　　person。　A　most　regrettable　circumstance；

continued　the　report；

　　is　the　absence　of　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve；　who　instead　of　instantly　　　contradicting　the　accusation　made　against　him；　has　not　appeared　　　since　the　opening　of　the　Chamber　at　any　of　its　sessions；　and　it　is　　　not　even　known　where　he　is。　Under　these　circumstances；　his　　　admission；　the　committee　think；　cannot　be　granted；　and　they　feel　　　it　therefore　their　duty　to　refer　the　matter　to　the　Chamber。

Daniel　d'Arthez；　a　deputy　of　the　legitimist　opposition；　who　had　been　favorable　to　the　election　of　Sallenauve；　hastened；　after　the　reading　of　this　report；　to　ask　for　the　floor；　and　entreated　the　Chamber　to　remark　that　its　adoption　would　be　wholly　unjustifiable。

〃The　point　for　the　committee　to　decide；〃　he　said；　〃was　the　regularity　of　the　election。　The　report　distinctly　states　that　this　is　not　called　in　question。　The　Chamber　can；　therefore；　do　only　one　thing；　namely；　admit　by　an　immediate　vote　the　validity　of　an　election　about　which　no　irregularity　is　alleged。　To　bring　in　the　question　of　authorizing　a　criminal　investigation　would　be　an　abuse　of　power；　because　by　not　allowing　discussion　or　defence；　and　by　dispensing　with　the　usual　forms　of　procedure　which　guarantee　certain　rights　to　a　party　implicated；　the　Chamber　would　be　virtually　rejecting　the　action　of　the　electors　in　the　exercise　of　their　sovereign　functions。　Every　one　can　see；　moreover；〃　added　the　orator；　〃that　to　grant　the　right　of　criminal　investigation　in　this　connection　is　to　prejudge　the　merits　of　the　case；　the　presumption　of　innocence；　which　is　the　right　of　every　man；　is　ignored　whereas　in　this　case　the　person　concerned　is　a　man　whose　integrity　has　never　been　doubted；　and　who　has　just　been　openly　honored　by　the　suffrages　of　his　fellow　citizens。〃

The　discussion　was　prolonged　for　some　time；　the　ministerial　orators；　of　course；　taking　the　other　side；　until　an　unfortunate　event　occurred。　The　senior　deputy；　acting　as　president　（for　the　Chamber　was　not　yet　constituted）；　was　a　worn…out　old　man；　very　absent…minded；　and　wholly　unaccustomed　to　the　functions　which　his　age　devolved　upon　him。　He　had　duly　received　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve's　letter　requesting　leave　of　absence；　and　had　he　recollected　to　communicate　it；　as　in　duty　bound；　to　the　Chamber　at　the　proper　time；　the　discussion　would　probably　have　been　nipped　in　the　bud。　But　parliamentary　matters　are　apt　to　go　haphazard；　when；　reminded　of　the　letter　by　the　discussion；　he　produced　it；　and　when　the　Chamber　learned　that　the　request　for　leave　of　absence　was　made　for　an　indefinite　period　and　for　the　vague　purpose　of　〃urgent　affairs；〃　the　effect　was　lamentable。

〃It　is　plain；〃　said　all　the　ministerial　party；　〃that　he　has　gone　to　England　to　escape　an　investigation；　he　feared　the　result；　he　feels　himself　unmasked。〃

This　view；　setting　aside　political　prejudices；　was　shared　by　the　sterner　minds　of　all　parties；　who　refused　to　conceive　of　a　man　not　hastening　to　defend　himself　from　such　a　blasting　accusation。　In　short；　after　a　very　keen　and　able　argument　from　the　attorney…general；　Vinet；　who　had　taken　heart　on　finding　that　the　accused　was　likely　to　be　condemned　by　default；　the　question　of　adjournment　was　put　to　the　vote　and　passed；　but　by　a　very　small　majority；　eight　days　being　granted　to　the　said　deputy　to　appear　and　defend　himself。

The　day　after　the　vote　was　passed　Maxime　de　Trailles　wrote　to　Madame　Beauvisage　as　follows：

　　Madame；The　enemy　received　a　severe　check　yesterday。　In　the　　　opinion　of　my　friend　Rastignac；　a　very　intelligent　and　experienced　　　judge　in　parliamentary　matters；　Dorlange　can　never　recover　from　　　the　blow；　no　matter　what　may　happen　later。　If　we　cannot　succeed　in　　　producing　positive　proof　to　support　the　statement　of　our　good　　　peasant…woman；　it　is　possible　that　this　rascal；　supposing　always　　　that　he　ventures　to　return　to　France；　may　be　admitted　to　the　　　Chamber。　But　if　he　is；　he　can　only　drag　on　a　despised　and　　　miserable　existence；　he　will　be　driven　to　resign；　and　then　the　　　election　of　Monsieur　Beauvisage　is　beyond　all　doubt；　for　the　　　electors；　ashamed　to　have　forsaken　him　for　such　a　rascal；　will　be　　　only　too　glad　to　reinstate　themselves　in　public　opinion　by　the　　　choice　of　an　honorable　manwho　was；　in　fact；　their　first　choice。

　　It　is　to　your　rare　sagacity；　madame；　that　this　result　is　due；　for　　　without　that　species　of　second　sight　which　showed　you　the　chances　　　hidden　in　the　revela