the deputy of arcis-第87章
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th the minister of Public Works； here demanded the floor。
/The President/。M。 de Canalis has already asked for it。
/M。 de Canalis/。Gentlemen； M。 de Sallenauve is one of those bold men who； like myself； are convinced that politics are not forbidden fruit to any form of intellect； and that in the poet； in the artist； as well as in the magistrate； the administrator； the lawyer； the physician； and the property…holder； may be found the stuff that makes a statesman。 In virtue of this community of opinion； M。 de Sallenauve has my entire sympathy； and no one can be surprised to see me mount this tribune to support the proposal of the majority of your committee。 I cannot； however； agree to their final conclusion； and the idea of our colleague being declared； without discussion； dismissed from this Chamber through the single fact of his absence； prolonged without leave； is repugnant to my reason and also to my conscience。 You are told： 〃The absence of M。 de Sallenauve is all the more reprehensible because he is under the odium of a serious accusation。〃 But suppose this accusation is the very cause of his absence＇〃Ha！ ha！〃 from the Centre； and laughter。＇ Allow me to say； gentlemen； that I am not； perhaps； quite so artless as Messieurs the laughers imagine。 I have one blessing； at any rate： ignoble interpretations do not come into my mind； and that M。 de Sallenauve； with the eminent position he has filled in the world of art； should seek to enter the world of politics by means of a crime； is a supposition which I cannot admit /a priori/。 Around a birth like his two hideous spiders called slander and intrigue have every facility to spread their toils； and far from admitting that he has fled before the accusation that now attacks him； I ask myself whether his absence does not mean that he is now engaged in collecting the elements of his defence。 ＇Left： 〃Very good！〃 〃That's right。〃 Ironical laughter in the Centre。＇ Under that suppositionin my opinion most probableso far from arraigning him in consequence of this absence； ought we not rather to consider it as an act of deference to the Chamber whose deliberations he did not feel worthy to share until he found himself in a position to confound his calumniators？
/A Voice/。He wants leave of absence for ten years； like Telemachus； to search for his father。 ＇General laughter。＇
/M。 de Canalis/。I did not expect so poetical an interruption； but since the memory of the Odyssey has been thus evoked； I shall ask the Chamber to kindly remember that Ulysses； though disguised as a beggar and loaded with insults； was yet able to string his bow and easily get the better of his enemies。 ＇Violet murmurs from the Centre。＇ I vote for leave of absence for fifteen days； and that the Chamber be again consulted at the expiration of that time。
/M。 le Colonel Franchessini/。I do not know if the last speaker intended to intimidate the Chamber； but； for my part； such arguments have very little power upon me； and I am always ready to send them back whence they came。 ＇Left： 〃Come！ come！〃＇
/The President/。Colonel； no provocations！
/M。 le Colonel Franchessini/。I am； however； of the opinion of the speaker who preceded me； I do not think that the delinquent has fled to escape the accusation against him。 Neither that accusation； nor the effect it will produce upon your minds； nor even the quashing of his election would be able at this moment to occupy his mind。 Do you wish to know what M。 de Sallenauve is doing in England？ Then read the English papers。 For the last week they have rung with the praises of a new prima donna who has just made her first appearance at the London opera…house。 ＇Violet murmurs； interruption。＇
/A Voice/。Such gossip is unworthy of this Chamber！
/M。 le Colonel Franchessini/。Gentlemen； being more accustomed to the frankness of camps than to the reticence of these precincts； I may perhaps have committed the impropriety of thinking aloud。 The preceding speaker said to you that he believed M。 de Sallenauve was employed in collecting his means of defence； well； I do not say to you 〃I believe；〃 I tell you I /know/ that a rich stranger succeed in substituting his protection for what which Phidias； our colleague； was bestowing on his handsome model； an Italian woman ＇Fresh interruption。 〃Order！ order！〃 〃This is intolerable！〃＇
/A Voice/。M。 le president； silence the speaker！
Colonel Franchessini crosses his arms and waits till the tumult subsides。
/The President/。I request the speaker to keep to the question。
/M。 le Colonel Franchessini/。The question！ I have not left it。 But； inasmuch as the Chamber refuses to hear me； I declare that I side with the minority of the committee。 It seems to me very proper to send M。 de Sallenauve back to his electors in order to know whether they intended to send a deputy or a lover to this Chamber＇〃Order！ order！〃 Loud disturbance on the Left。 The tumult increases。＇
M。 de Canalis hurries to the tribune。
/The President/。M。 le ministre of Public Works has asked for the floor； as minister of the king he has the first right to be heard。
/M。 de Rastignac/。It has not been without remonstrance on my part； gentlemen； that this scandal has been brought to your notice。 I endeavored； in the name of the long friendship which unites me to Colonel Franchessini； to persuade him not to speak on this delicate subject； lest his parliamentary inexperience； aggravated in a measure by his witty facility of speech； should lead him to some very regrettable indiscretion。 Such； gentleman； was the subject of the little conversation you may have seen that he held with me on my bench before he asked for the floor； and I myself have asked for the same privilege only in order to remove from your minds all idea of my complicity in the great mistake he has just； as I think； committed by condescending to the private details he has thought fit to relate to this assembly。 But as； against my intention； and I may add against my will； I have entered the tribune； the Chamber will permit me； perhaps； although no ministerial interest is here concerned；to say a few words。 ＇Cries from the Centre： 〃Go on！〃 〃Speak！〃＇
M。 le ministre then went on to say that the conduct of the absent deputy showed contempt for the Chamber； he was treating it lightly and cavalierly。 M。 de Sallenauve had asked for leave of absence； but how or where had he asked for it？ From a foreign country！ That is to say； he began by taking it； and then asked for it！ Did he trouble himself； as is usual in such cases； to give a reason for the request？ No； he merely says； in his letter to your president； that he is forced to absent himself on 〃urgent business；〃a very convenient excuse； on which the Chamber might be depopulated of half its members。 But； supposing that M。 de Sallenauve's business was really urgent； and that he thought it of a nature not to be explained in a letter that would necessarily be made public； why had he not written confidentially to the president； or even requested a friend in some responsible position； whose simple word would have sufficed； to assure the Chamber of the necessity of the deputy's absence without requiring any statement of private reasons？
At this point M。 de Rastignac's remarks were interrupted by a commotion in the corridor to the right。 Several deputies left their seats； others jumped upon the benches； apparently endeavoring to see something。 The minister； after turning to the president； from whom he seemed to be asking an explanation； went back to the ministerial bench； where he was immediately surrounded by a number of the deputies of the Centre； among whom； noticeable for the vehemence of his gestures； was M。 le procureur…general Vinet。 Groups formed in the audience chamber； the sitting was； in fact； informally suspended。
After a few moments' delay M。 le president rings his bell。
/The Ushers/。Take your seats； gentlemen。
The deputies hasten on all sides to do so。
/The President/。M。 de Sallenauve has t
