ferragus-第8章

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knew　it。　Already　he　felt　himself　a　sultan；　and　thought　of　demanding
from　Madame　Jules；　imperiously；　all　her　secrets。

In　those　days　Paris　was　seized　with　a　building…fever。　If　Paris　is　a
monster；　it　is　certainly　a　most　mania…ridden　monster。　It　becomes
enamored　of　a　thousand　fancies：　sometimes　it　has　a　mania　for　building；
like　a　great　seigneur　who　loves　a　trowel；　soon　it　abandons　the　trowel
and　becomes　all　military；　it　arrays　itself　from　head　to　foot　as　a
national　guard；　and　drills　and　smokes；　suddenly；　it　abandons　military
manoeuvres　and　flings　away　cigars；　it　is　commercial；　care…worn；　falls
into　bankruptcy；　sells　its　furniture　on　the　place　de　Chatelet；　files
its　schedule；　but　a　few　days　later；　lo！　it　has　arranged　its　affairs
and　is　giving　fetes　and　dances。　One　day　it　eats　barley…sugar　by　the
mouthful；　by　the　handful；　yesterday　it　bought　〃papier　Weymen〃；　to…day
the　monster's　teeth　ache；　and　it　applies　to　its　walls　an
alexipharmatic　to　mitigate　their　dampness；　to…morrow　it　will　lay　in　a
provision　of　pectoral　paste。　It　has　its　manias　for　the　month；　for　the
season；　for　the　year；　like　its　manias　of　a　day。

So；　at　the　moment　of　which　we　speak；　all　the　world　was　building　or
pulling　down　something；people　hardly　knew　what　as　yet。　There　were
very　few　streets　in　which　high　scaffoldings　on　long　poles　could　not　be
seen；　fastened　from　floor　to　floor　with　transverse　blocks　inserted
into　holes　in　the　walls　on　which　the　planks　were　laid；a　frail
construction；　shaken　by　the　brick…layers；　but　held　together　by　ropes；
white　with　plaster；　and　insecurely　protected　from　the　wheels　of
carriages　by　the　breastwork　of　planks　which　the　law　requires　round　all
such　buildings。　There　is　something　maritime　in　these　masts；　and
ladders；　and　cordage；　even　in　the　shouts　of　the　masons。　About　a　dozen
yards　from　the　hotel　Maulincour；　one　of　these　ephemeral　barriers　was
erected　before　a　house　which　was　then　being　built　of　blocks　of　free…
stone。　The　day　after　the　event　we　have　just　related；　at　the　moment
when　the　Baron　de　Maulincour　was　passing　this　scaffolding　in　his
cabriolet　on　his　way　to　see　Madame　Jules；　a　stone；　two　feet　square；
which　was　being　raised　to　the　upper　storey　of　this　building；　got　loose
from　the　ropes　and　fell；　crushing　the　baron's　servant　who　was　behind
the　cabriolet。　A　cry　of　horror　shook　both　the　scaffold　and　the　masons；
one　of　them；　apparently　unable　to　keep　his　grasp　on　a　pole；　was　in
danger　of　death；　and　seemed　to　have　been　touched　by　the　stone　as　it
passed　him。

A　crowd　collected　rapidly；　the　masons　came　down　the　ladders　swearing
and　insisting　that　Monsieur　de　Maulincour's　cabriolet　had　been　driven
against　the　boarding　and　so　had　shaken　their　crane。　Two　inches　more
and　the　stone　would　have　fallen　on　the　baron's　head。　The　groom　was
dead；　the　carriage　shattered。　'Twas　an　event　for　the　whole
neighborhood；　the　newspapers　told　of　it。　Monsieur　de　Maulincour；
certain　that　he　had　not　touched　the　boarding；　complained；　the　case
went　to　court。　Inquiry　being　made；　it　was　shown　that　a　small　boy；
armed　with　a　lath；　had　mounted　guard　and　called　to　all　foot…passengers
to　keep　away。　The　affair　ended　there。　Monsieur　de　Maulincour　obtained
no　redress。　He　had　lost　his　servant；　and　was　confined　to　his　bed　for
some　days；　for　the　back　of　the　carriage　when　shattered　had　bruised　him
severely；　and　the　nervous　shock　of　the　sudden　surprise　gave　him　a
fever。　He　did　not；　therefore；　go　to　see　Madame　Jules。

Ten　days　after　this　event；　he　left　the　house　for　the　first　time；　in
his　repaired　cabriolet；　when；　as　he　drove　down　the　rue　de　Bourgogne
and　was　close　to　the　sewer　opposite　to　the　Chamber　of　Deputies；　the
axle…tree　broke　in　two；　and　the　baron　was　driving　so　rapidly　that　the
breakage　would　have　caused　the　two　wheels　to　come　together　with　force
enough　to　break　his　head；　had　it　not　been　for　the　resistance　of　the
leather　hood。　Nevertheless；　he　was　badly　wounded　in　the　side。　For　the
second　time　in　ten　days　he　was　carried　home　in　a　fainting　condition　to
his　terrified　grandmother。　This　second　accident　gave　him　a　feeling　of
distrust；　he　thought；　though　vaguely；　of　Ferragus　and　Madame　Jules。　To
throw　light　on　these　suspicions　he　had　the　broken　axle　brought　to　his
room　and　sent　for　his　carriage…maker。　The　man　examined　the　axle　and
the　fracture；　and　proved　two　things：　First；　the　axle　was　not　made　in
his　workshop；　he　furnished　none　that　did　not　bear　the　initials　of　his
name　on　the　iron。　But　he　could　not　explain　by　what　means　this　axle　had
been　substituted　for　the　other。　Secondly；　the　breakage　of　the
suspicious　axle　was　caused　by　a　hollow　space　having　been　blown　in　it
and　a　straw　very　cleverly　inserted。

〃Eh！　Monsieur　le　baron；　whoever　did　that　was　malicious！〃　he　said；　〃any
one　would　swear；　to　look　at　it；　that　the　axle　was　sound。〃

Monsieur　de　Maulincour　begged　the　carriage…maker　to　say　nothing　of　the
affair；　but　he　felt　himself　warned。　These　two　attempts　at　murder　were
planned　with　an　ability　which　denoted　the　enmity　of　intelligent　minds。

〃It　is　war　to　the　death；〃　he　said　to　himself；　as　he　tossed　in　his　bed；
〃a　war　of　savages；　skulking　in　ambush；　of　trickery　and　treachery；
declared　in　the　name　of　Madame　Jules。　What　sort　of　man　is　this　to　whom
she　belongs？　What　species　of　power　does　this　Ferragus　wield？〃

Monsieur　de　Maulincour；　though　a　soldier　and　brave　man；　could　not
repress　a　shudder。　In　the　midst　of　many　thoughts　that　now　assailed
him；　there　was　one　against　which　he　felt　he　had　neither　defence　nor
courage：　might　not　poison　be　employed　ere　long　by　his　secret　enemies？
Under　the　influence　of　fears；　which　his　momentary　weakness　and　fever
and　low　diet　increased；　he　sent　for　an　old　woman　long　attached　to　the
service　of　his　grandmother；　whose　affection　for　himself　was　one　of
those　semi…maternal　sentiments　which　are　the　sublime　of　the
commonplace。　Without　confiding　in　her　wholly；　he　charged　her　to　buy
secretly　and　daily；　in　different　localities；　the　food　he　needed；
telling　her　to　keep　it　under　lock　and　key　and　bring　it　to　him　herself；
not　allowing　any　one；　no　matter　who；　to　approach　her　while　preparing
it。　He　took　the　most　minute　precautions　to　protect　himself　against
that　form　of　death。　He　was　ill　in　his　bed　and　alone；　and　he　had
therefore　the　leisure　to　think　of　his　own　security；the　one　necessity
clear…sighted　enough　to　enable　human　egotism　to　forget　nothing！

But　the　unfortunate　man　had　poisoned　his　own　life　by　this　dread；　and；
in　spite　of　himself；　suspicion　dyed　all　his　hours　with　its　gloomy
tints。　These　two　lessons　of　attempted　assassination　did　teach　him；
however；　the　value　of　one　of　the　virtues　most　necessary　to　a　public
man；　he　saw　the　wise　dissimulation　that　must　be　practised　in　dealing
with　the　great　interests　of　life。　To　be　silent　about　our　own　secret　is
nothing；　but　to　be　silent　from　the　start；　to　forget　a　fact　as　Ali
Pacha　did　for　thirty　years　in　order　to　be　sure　of　a　vengeance　waited
for　for　thirty　years；　is　a　fine　study　in　a　land　where　there　are　few
men　who　can　keep　their　own　counsel　for　thirty　days。　Monsieur　de
Maulincour　literally　lived　only　through　Madame　Jules。　He　was
perpetually　absorbed　in　a　sober　examination　into　the　means　he　ought　to
employ　to　triumph　in　this　mysterious　struggle　with　these　mysterious
persons。　His　secret　passion　for　that　woman　grew　by　reason　of　all　these
obstacles。　Madame　Jules　was　ever　there；　erect；　in　the　midst　of　his
thoughts；　in　the　centre　of　his　heart；　more　seductive　by　her　presumable
vices　than　by　the　positive　virtues　for　which　he　had　made　her　his　idol。

At　last；　anxious　to　reconnoitre　the　position　of　the　enemy；　he　thought
he　might　without　danger　initiate　the　vidame　into　the　secrets　of　his
situation。　The　old　commander　loved　Auguste　as　a　father　loves　his
wife's　children；　he　was　shrewd；　dexterous；　and　very　diplomatic。　He
listened　to　the　baron；　shook　his　head；　and　they　both　held　counsel。　The
worthy　vidame　did　not　share　his　young　friend's　confidence　when　Auguste
declared　that　in　the　time　in　which　they　now　lived；　the　police　and　the
government　were　able　to　lay　bare　all　mysteries；　and　that　if　it　were
absolutely　necessary　to　have　recourse　to　those　powers；　he　should　find
them　most　powerful　auxiliaries。

The　old　man　replied；　gravely：　〃The　police；　my　dear　boy；　is　the　most
incompetent　thing　on　this　earth；　and　government　the　feeblest　in　all
matters　concerning　individuals。　Neither　the　police　nor　the　government
can　read　hearts。　What　we　might　reasonably　ask　of　them　is　to　search　for
the　causes　of　an　act。　But　the　police　and　the　government　are　both
eminently　unfitted　for　that；　they　lack；　essentially；　the　personal
interest　which　reveals　all　to　him　who　wants　to　know　all。　No　human
power　can　prevent　an　assassin　or　a　poisoner　from　reaching　the　heart　of
a　prince　or　the　stomach　of　an　honest　man。　Passions　are　the　best
police。〃

The　vidame　strongly　advised　the　baron　to　go　to　Italy；　and　from　Italy
to　Greece；　from　Greece　to　Syria；　from　Syria　to　Asia；　and　not　to　return
until　his　secret　enemies　were　convinced　of　his　repentance；　and　would
so　make　tacit　peace　with　him。　But　if　he　did　not　take　that　course；　then
the　vidame　advised　him　to　stay　in　the　house；　and　even　in　his　own　room；
where　he　would　be　safe　from　the　attempts　of　this　man　Ferragus；　and　not
to　leave　it　until　he　could　be　certain　of　crushing　him。

〃We　should　never　touch　an　enemy　until　we　can　be　sure　of　taking　his
head　off；〃　he　said；　gravely。

The　old　man；　however；　promised　his　favorite　to　employ　all　the
astuteness　with　which　Heaven　had　provided　him　（without　compromising
any　one）　in　reconnoitring　the　enemy's　ground；　and　laying　his　plans　for
future　victory。　The　Commander　had　in　his　service　a　retired　Figaro；　the
wiliest　monkey　that　ever　walked　in　human　form；　in　earlier　days　as
clever　as　a　devil；　working　his　body　like　a　galley…slave；　alert　as　a
thief；　sly　as　a　woman；　but　now　fallen　into　the　decadence　of　genius　for
want　of　practice　since　the　new　constitution　of　Parisian　society；　which
has　reformed　even　the　valets　of　comedy。　This　Scapin　emeritus　was
attached　to　his　master　as　to　a　superior　being；　but　the　shrewd　old
vidame　added　a　good　round　sum　yearly　to　the　wages　of　his　former
provost　of　gallantry；　which　strengthened　the　ties　of　natural　affection
by　the　bonds　of　self…interest；　and　obtained　for　the　old　gentleman　as
much　care　as　the　most　loving　mistress　could　bestow　on　a　sick　friend。
It　was　this　pearl　of　the　old…fashioned　comedy…valets；　relic　of　the
last　century；　auxiliary　incorruptible　from　lack　of　passions　to
satisfy；　on　whom　the　old　vidame　and　Monsieur　de　Maulincour　now　relied。

〃Monsieur　le　baron　will　spoil　all；〃　said　the　great　man　in　livery；　when
called　into　counsel。　〃Monsieur　should　eat；　drink；　and　sleep　in　peace。
I　take　the　whole　matter　upon　myself。〃

Accordingly；　eight　days　after　the　conference；　when　Monsieur　de
Maulincour；　perfectly　restored　to　health；　was　breakfasting　with　his
grandmother　and　the　vidame；　Justin　entered　to　make　his　report。　As　soon
as　the　dowager　had　returned　to　her　own　apartments　he　said；　with　that
mock　modesty　which　men　of　talent　are　so　apt　to　affect：

〃Ferragus　is　not　the　name　of　the　enemy　who　is　pursuing　Monsieur　le
baron。　This　manthis　devil；　ratheris　called　Gratien；　Henri；　Victor；
Jean…Joseph　Bourignard。　The　Sieur　Gratien　Bourignard　is　a