the deputy of arcis-第85章

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　　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　revelation　of　that　woman；　we　should　have　missed　our　　　best　weapon。　I　must　tell　you　though　you　may　think　this　vanity；　　　that　neither　Rastignac　nor　the　attorney…general；　in　spite　of　their　　　great　political　acumen；　perceived　the　true　value　of　your　　　discovery；　and　I　myself；　if　I　had　not　had　the　good　fortune　of　your　　　acquaintance；　and　thus　been　enabled　to　judge　of　the　great　value　of　　　all　ideas　emanating　from　you；　even　I　might　have　shared　the　　　indifference　of　the　two　statesmen　to　the　admirable　weapon　which　　　you　have　placed　in　our　hands。　I　have　now　succeeded　in　proving　to　　　Rastignac　the　shrewdness　and　perspicacity　you　have　shown　in　this　　　matter；　and　he　sincerely　admires　you　for　them。　Therefore；　madame；　　　when　I　have　the　happiness　of　belonging　to　you　by　the　tie　we　　　proposed；　I　shall　not　have　to　initiate　you　into　politics；　for　you　　　have　already　found　your　way　there。

　　Nothing　further　can　take　place　for　a　week；　which　is　the　period　of　　　delay　granted　by　the　Chamber。　If　the　defaulter　does　not　then　　　appear；　I　am　confident　his　election　will　be　annulled。　You　can　　　easily　believe　that　between　now　and　then　all　my　efforts　will　be　　　given　to　increase　the　feeling　in　the　Chamber　against　him；　both　by　　　arguments　in　the　press　and　by　private　conversations。　Rastignac　has　　　also　given　orders　among　the　ministerial　adherents　to　that　effect。　　　We　may　feel　confident；　therefore；　that　by　the　end　of　another　week　　　our　enemy　will　find　public　opinion　solidly　against　him。

　　Will　you　permit　me；　madame；　to　recall　myself　to　the　memory　of　　　Mademoiselle　Cecile；　and　accept　yourself；　together　with　Monsieur　　　Beauvisage；　the　assurance　of　my　most　respectful　sentiments。

A　hint　from　certain　quarters　given　to　the　ministerial　journals　now　began　to　surround　Sallenauve's　name　with　an　atmosphere　of　disrespect　and　ridicule；　insulting　insinuations　colored　his　absence　with　an　appearance　of　escaping　the　charges。　The　effect　of　these　attacks　was　all　the　greater　because　Sallenauve　was　very　weakly　defended　by　his　political　co…religionists；　which　was　scarcely　surprising。　Not　knowing　how　to　explain　his　conduct；　the　Opposition　papers　were　afraid　to　commit　themselves　in　favor　of　a　man　whose　future　was　daily　becoming　more　nebulous。

On　the　evening　before　the　day　on　which　the　time　granted　for　an　explanation　would　expire；　Sallenauve　being　still　absent；　a　ministerial　paper　published；　under　the　heading　of　〃A　Lost　Deputy；〃　a　very　witty　and　insolent　article；　which　was　read　by　every　one　and　created　a　great　sensation。　During　that　evening　Madame　de　l'Estorade　went　to　see　Madame　de　Camps；　whom　she　found　alone　with　her　husband。　She　was　greatly　agitated；　and　said；　as　soon　as　she　entered　the　room；

〃Have　you　read　that　infamous　article？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Madame　Octave；　〃but　Monsieur　de　Camps　was　just　telling　me　about　it。　It　is　really　shameful　that　the　ministry　should　not　only　countenance；　but　instigate　such　villanies。〃

〃I　am　half　crazy；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃the　whole　blame　rests　on　us。〃

〃That　is　saying　too　much；〃　said　Madame　Octave。

〃No；〃　said　her　husband；　〃I　agree　with　madame；　all　the　venom　of　this　affair　could　have　been　destroyed　by　one　action　of　de　l'Estorade's；　and　in　refusing　to　make　it　he　is；　if　not　the　author；　at　least　the　accomplice　of　this　slander。〃

〃Your　wife　has　told　you〃　began　Madame　de　l'Estorade　in　a　reproachful　tone。

〃Yes；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　〃it　was　necessary　to　explain　to　my　husband　the　sort　of　madness　that　seemed　to　have　taken　possession　of　M。　de　l'Estorade；　but　what　I　said　to　him　was　not　unfaithful　to　any　secret　that　concerned　you　personally。〃

〃Ah！　you　are　such　a　united　pair；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　with　a　heavy　sigh。　〃I　don't　regret　that　you　have　told　all　that　to　your　husband；　in　fact；　two　heads　are　better　than　one　to　advise　me　in　the　cruel　position　in　which　I　am　placed。〃

〃What　has　happened？〃　asked　Madame　de　Camps。

〃My　husband　is　losing　his　head；〃　replied　the　countess。　〃I　don't　see　a　trace　of　his　old　moral　sense　left　in　him。　Far　from　understanding　that　he　is；　as　Monsieur　de　Camps　said　just　now；　the　accomplice　of　the　shameful　attack　which　is　going　on；　and　that　he　has　not；　like　those　who　started　it；　the　excuse　of　ignorance；　he　actually　seems　to　take　delight　in　this　wickedness。　Just　now　he　brought　me　that　vile　paper　triumphantly；　and　I　could　scarcely　prevent　his　being　very　angry　with　me　for　not　agreeing　with　his　opinion　that　it　was　infinitely　witty　and　amusing。〃

〃That　letter　of　Monsieur　Gaston's　was　a　terrible　shock　to　him；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；〃a　shock　not　only　to　his　heart　but　to　his　body。〃

〃I　admit　that；〃　said　her　husband；　〃but；　hang　it！　a　man　is　a　man；　and　he　ought　to　take　the　words　of　a　maniac　for　what　they　are　worth。〃

〃It　is　certainly　very　singular　that　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　does　not　return；〃　said　Madame　Octave；　〃for　that　Joseph　Bricheteau；　to　whom　you　gave　his　address；　must　have　written　to　him。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　the　countess；　〃there's　fatality　in　the　whole　thing。　To…morrow　the　question　of　confirming　the　election　or　not　comes　up　in　the　Chamber；　and　if　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　is　not　here　by　that　time；　the　ministry　expects　to　annul　it。〃

〃It　is　infamous；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Camps；　〃and　I　have　a　great　mind　to　go　to　the　president　of　the　Chamber；　and　tell　him　how　matters　are。〃

〃I　would　have　asked　you　to　do　so　at　the　risk　of　my　husband　suspecting　my　interference；　but　one　thing　restrained　me。　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　particularly　desires　that　Monsieur　Gaston's　mental　condition　be　not　made　public。〃

〃It　is　evident；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　〃that　do　defend　him　in　any　way　would　go　against　his　wishes。　After　all；　the　decision　against　him　in　the　Chamber　is　very　doubtful；　whereas　Monsieur　Gaston's　madness；　if　mentioned　publicly；　would　never　be　forgotten。〃

〃But　I　have　not　told　you　the　worst　so　far　as　I　am　concerned；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade。　〃Just　before　dinner　my　husband　imparted　to　me　an　absolutely　Satanic　desire　of　hisorder；　I　might　call　it。〃

〃What　was　it？〃　asked　Madame　de　Camps；　anxiously。

〃He　wishes　me　to　go　with　him　to　the　Chamber　to…morrow；to　the　gallery　reserved　for　the　peers　of　France；and　listen　to　the　discussion。〃

〃He　is　actually；　as　you　say；　losing　his　head；〃　cried　Monsieur　de　Camps；　〃he　is　like　Thomas　Diafoirus；　proposing　to　take　his　fiance　to　enjoy　a　dissection〃

Madame　de　Camps　made　her　husband　a　sign　which　meant；　〃Don't　pour　oil　on　the　fire。〃　Then　she　asked　the　countess　whether　she　had　tried　to　show　M。　de　l'Estorade　the　impropriety　of　that　step。

〃The　moment　I　began　to　object；〃　replied　the　countess；　〃he　was　angry；　and　said　I　must　be　very　anxious　to　keep　up　our　intimacy　with　'that　man'　when　I　rejected　such　a　natural　opportunity　to　show　publicly　that　the　acquaintance　was　at　an　end。〃

〃Well；　my　dear；　you　will　have　to　go；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps。　〃The　peace　of　your　home　before　everything　else！　Besides；　considering　all　things；　your　presence　at　the　discussion　may　be　taken　as　a　proof　of　kindly　interest。〃

〃For　sixteen　years；〃　remarked　Monsieur　de　Camps；　〃you　have　ruled　and　governed　in　your　home；　and　here；　at　last；　is　a　revolution　which　cruelly　overturns　your　power。〃

〃Ah；　monsieur；　I　beg　you　to　believe　that　that　sovereigntywhich　I　always　sought　to　concealI　never　used　arbitrarily。〃

〃As　if　I　did　not　know　that！〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Camps；　taking　Madame　de　l'Estorade's　hand　and　pressing　it　affectionately。　〃I　am；　nevertheless；　of　my　wife's　opinion：　you　will　have　to　drink　this　cup。〃

〃But　I　shall　die　of　shame　in　listening　to　the　ministerial　infamies；　I　shall　feel　that　they　are　cutting　the　throat　of　a　man　whom　two　words　from　me　could　save。〃

〃True；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Camps；　〃and　a　man；　too；　who　has　done　you　a　vast　service。　But　you　must　choose：　do　you　prefer　to　bring　hell　into　your　home；　and　exasperate　the　unhealthy　condition　of　your　husband's　mind？〃

〃Listen　to　me；　dearest；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps。　〃Tell　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　that　I　want　to　go　to　this　session；　and　ask　him　for　a　permit；　don't　yield　the　point　to　any　objections。　I　shall　then　be　there　to　take　care　of　you；　and　perhaps　protect　you　from　yourself。〃

〃I　did　not　dare　ask　it　of　you；〃　replied　Mad