albert savarus-第17章

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〃The　devil！〃　thought　Amedee；　as　he　left　the　house。　〃The　heiress　is　not
such　a　fool　as　her　mother　thinks　her。〃

Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt　is　a　Royalist；　of　the　famous　221。　Hence；　from
the　day　after　the　revolution　of　July；　he　always　preached　the　salutary
doctrine　of　taking　the　oaths　and　resisting　the　present　order　of
things；　after　the　pattern　of　the　Tories　against　the　Whigs　in　England。
This　doctrine　was　not　acceptable　to　the　Legitimists；　who；　in　their
defeat；　had　the　wit　to　divide　in　their　opinions；　and　to　trust　to　the
force　of　inertia　and　to　Providence。　Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt　was　not
wholly　trusted　by　his　own　party；　but　seemed　to　the　Moderates　the　best
man　to　choose；　they　preferred　the　triumph　of　his　half…hearted　opinions
to　the　acclamation　of　a　Republican　who　should　combine　the　votes　of　the
enthusiasts　and　the　patriots。　Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt；　highly
respected　in　Besancon；　was　the　representative　of　an　old　parliamentary
family；　his　fortune；　of　about　fifteen　thousand　francs　a　year；　was　not
an　offence　to　anybody；　especially　as　he　had　a　son　and　three　daughters。
With　such　a　family；　fifteen　thousand　francs　a　year　are　a　mere　nothing。
Now　when；　under　these　circumstances；　the　father　of　the　family　is　above
bribery；　it　would　be　hard　if　the　electors　did　not　esteem　him。　Electors
wax　enthusiastic　over　a　/beau　ideal/　of　parliamentary　virtue；　just　as
the　audience　in　the　pit　do　at　the　representation　of　the　generous
sentiments　they　so　little　practise。

Madame　de　Chavoncourt；　at　this　time　a　woman　of　forty；　was　one　of　the
beauties　of　Besancon。　While　the　Chamber　was　sitting；　she　lived
meagrely　in　one　of　their　country　places　to　recoup　herself　by　economy
for　Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt's　expenses　in　Paris。　In　the　winter　she
received　very　creditably　once　a　week；　on　Tuesdays；　understanding　her
business　as　mistress　of　the　house。　Young　Chavoncourt；　a　youth　of　two…
and…twenty；　and　another　young　gentleman；　named　Monsieur　de　Vauchelles；
no　richer　than　Amedee　and　his　school…friend；　were　his　intimate　allies。
They　made　excursions　together　to　Granvelle；　and　sometimes　went　out
shooting；　they　were　so　well　known　to　be　inseparable　that　they　were
invited　to　the　country　together。

Rosalie；　who　was　intimate　with　the　Chavoncourt　girls；　knew　that　the
three　young　men　had　no　secrets　from　each　other。　She　reflected　that　if
Monsieur　de　Soulas　should　repeat　her　words；　it　would　be　to　his　two
companions。　Now；　Monsieur　de　Vauchelles　had　his　matrimonial　plans；　as
Amedee　had　his；　he　wished　to　marry　Victoire；　the　eldest　of　the
Chavoncourts；　on　whom　an　old　aunt　was　to　settle　an　estate　worth　seven
thousand　francs　a　year；　and　a　hundred　thousand　francs　in　hard　cash；
when　the　contract　was　to　be　signed。　Victoire　was　this　aunt's　god…
daughter　and　favorite　niece。　Consequently；　young　Chavoncourt　and　his
friend　Vauchelles　would　be　sure　to　warn　Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt　of　the
danger　he　was　in　from　Albert's　candidature。

But　this　did　not　satisfy　Rosalie。　She　sent　the　Prefet　of　the
department　a　letter　written　with　her　left　hand；　signed　〃/A　friend　to
Louis　Philippe/；〃　in　which　she　informed　him　of　the　secret　intentions
of　Monsieur　Albert　de　Savarus；　pointing　out　the　serious　support　a
Royalist　orator　might　give　to　Berryer；　and　revealing　to　him　the　deeply
artful　course　pursued　by　the　lawyer　during　his　two　years'　residence　at
Besancon。　The　Prefet　was　a　capable　man；　a　personal　enemy　of　the
Royalist　party；　devoted　by　conviction　to　the　Government　of　Julyin
short；　one　of　those　men　of　whom；　in　the　Rue　de　Grenelle；　the　Minister
of　the　Interior　could　say；　〃We　have　a　capital　Prefet　at　Besancon。〃
The　Prefet　read　the　letter；　and；　in　obedience　to　its　instructions；　he
burnt　it。

Rosalie　aimed　at　preventing　Albert's　election；　so　as　to　keep　him　five
years　longer　at　Besancon。

At　that　time　an　election　was　a　fight　between　parties；　and　in　order　to
win；　the　Ministry　chose　its　ground　by　choosing　the　moment　when　it
would　give　battle。　The　elections　were　therefore　not　to　take　place　for
three　months　yet。　When　a　man's　whole　life　depends　on　an　election；　the
period　that　elapses　between　the　issuing　of　the　writs　for　convening　the
electoral　bodies；　and　the　day　fixed　for　their　meetings；　is　an　interval
during　which　ordinary　vitality　is　suspended。　Rosalie　fully　understood
how　much　latitude　Albert's　absorbed　state　would　leave　her　during　these
three　months。　By　promising　Marietteas　she　afterwards　confessedto
take　both　her　and　Jerome　into　her　service；　she　induced　the　maid　to
bring　her　all　the　letters　Albert　might　sent　to　Italy；　and　those
addressed　to　him　from　that　country。　And　all　the　time　she　was　pondering
these　machinations；　the　extraordinary　girl　was　working　slippers　for
her　father　with　the　most　innocent　air　in　the　world。　She　even　made　a
greater　display　than　ever　of　candor　and　simplicity；　quite
understanding　how　valuable　that　candor　and　innocence　would　be　to　her
ends。

〃My　daughter　grows　quite　charming！〃　said　Madame　de　Watteville。

Two　months　before　the　election　a　meeting　was　held　at　the　house　of
Monsieur　Boucher　senior；　composed　of　the　contractor　who　expected　to
get　the　work　for　the　aqueduct　for　the　Arcier　waters；　of　Monsieur
Boucher's　father…in…law；　of　Monsieur　Granet；　the　influential　man　to
whom　Savarus　had　done　a　service；　and　who　was　to　nominate　him　as　a
candidate；　of　Girardet　the　lawyer；　of　the　printer　of　the　/Eastern
Review/；　and　of　the　President　of　the　Chamber　of　Commerce。　In　fact；　the
assembly　consisted　of　twenty…seven　persons　in　all；　men　who　in　the
provinces　are　regarded　as　bigwigs。　Each　man　represented　on　an　average
six　votes；　but　in　estimating　their　values　they　said　ten；　for　men
always　begin　by　exaggerating　their　own　influence。　Among　these　twenty…
seven　was　one　who　was　wholly　devoted　to　the　Prefet；　one　false　brother
who　secretly　looked　for　some　favor　from　the　Ministry；　either　for
himself　or　for　some　one　belonging　to　him。

At　this　preliminary　meeting；　it　was　agreed　that　Savaron　the　lawyer
should　be　named　as　candidate；　a　motion　received　with　such　enthusiasm
as　no　one　looked　for　from　Besancon。　Albert；　waiting　at　home　for　Alfred
Boucher　to　fetch　him；　was　chatting　with　the　Abbe　de　Grancey；　who　was
interested　in　this　absorbing　ambition。　Albert　had　appreciated　the
priest's　vast　political　capacities；　and　the　priest；　touched　by　the
young　man's　entreaties；　had　been　willing　to　become　his　guide　and
adviser　in　this　culminating　struggle。　The　Chapter　did　not　love
Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt；　for　it　was　his　wife's　brother…in…law；　as
President　of　the　Tribunal；　who　had　lost　the　famous　suit　for　them　in
the　lower　Court。

〃You　are　betrayed；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　the　shrewd　and　worthy　Abbe；
in　that　gentle；　calm　voice　which　old　priests　acquire。

〃Betrayed！〃　cried　the　lover；　struck　to　the　heart。

〃By　whom　I　know　not　at　all；〃　the　priest　replied。　〃But　at　the
Prefecture　your　plans　are　known；　and　your　hand　read　like　a　book。　At
this　moment　I　have　no　advice　to　give　you。　Such　affairs　need
consideration。　As　for　this　evening；　take　the　bull　by　the　horns；
anticipate　the　blow。　Tell　them　all　your　previous　life；　and　thus　you
will　mitigate　the　effect　of　the　discovery　on　the　good　folks　of
Besancon。〃

〃Oh；　I　was　prepared　for　it；〃　said　Albert　in　a　broken　voice。

〃You　would　not　benefit　by　my　advice；　you　had　the　opportunity　of　making
an　impression　at　the　Hotel　de　Rupt；　you　do　not　know　the　advantage　you
would　have　gained〃

〃What？〃

〃The　unanimous　support　of　the　Royalists；　an　immediate　readiness　to　go
to　the　electionin　short；　above　a　hundred　votes。　Adding　to　these
what；　among　ourselves；　we　call　the　ecclesiastical　vote；　though　you
were　not　yet　nominated；　you　were　master　of　the　votes　by　ballot。　Under
such　circumstances；　a　man　may　temporize；　may　make　his　way〃

Alfred　Boucher　when　he　came　in；　full　of　enthusiasm；　to　announce　the
decision　of　the　preliminary　meeting；　found　the　Vicar…General　and　the
lawyer　cold；　calm；　and　grave。

〃Good…night；　Monsieur　l'Abbe；〃　said　Albert。　〃We　will　talk　of　your
business　at　greater　length　when　the　elections　are　over。〃

And　he　took　Alfred's　arm；　after　pressing　Monsieur　de　Grancey's　hand
with　meaning。　The　priest　looked　at　the　ambitious　man；　whose　face　at
that　moment　wore　the　lofty　expression　which　a　general　may　have　when　he
hears　the　first　gun　fired　for　a　battle。　He　raised　his　eyes　to　heaven；
and　left　the　room；　saying　to　himself；　〃What　a　priest　he　would　make！〃

Eloquence　is　not　at　the　Bar。　The　pleader　rarely　puts　forth　the　real
powers　of　his　soul；　if　he　did；　he　would　die　of　it　in　a　few　years。
Eloquence　is；　nowadays；　rarely　in　the　pulpit；　but　it　is　found　on
certain　occasions　in　the　Chamber　of　Deputies；　when　an　ambitious　man
stakes　all　to　win　all；　or；　stung　by　a　myriad　darts；　at　a　given　moment
bursts　into　speech。　But　it　is　still　more　certainly　found　in　some
privileged　beings；　at　the　inevitable　hour　when　their　claims　must
either　triumph　or　be　wrecked；　and　when　they　are　forced　to　speak。　Thus
at　this　meeting；　Albert　Savarus；　feeling　the　necessity　of　winning
himself　some　supporters；　displayed　all　the　faculties　of　his　soul　and
the　resources　of　his　intellect。　He　entered　the　room　well；　without
awkwardness　or　arrogance；　without　weakness；　without　cowardice；　quite
gravely；　and　was　not　dismayed　at　finding　himself　among　twenty　or
thirty　men。　The　news　of　the　meeting　and　of　its　determination　had
already　brought　a　few　docile　sheep　to　follow　the　bell。

Before　listening　to　Monsieur　Boucher；　who　was　about　to　deluge　him　with
a　speech　announcing　the　decision　of　the　Boucher　Committee；　Albert
begged　for　silence；　and；　as　he　shook　hands　with　Monsieur　Boucher；
tried　to　warn　him；　by　a　sign；　of　an　unexpected　danger。

〃My　young　friend；　Alfred　Boucher；　has　just　announced　to　me　the　honor
you　have　done　me。　But　before　that　decision　is　irrevocable；〃　said　the
lawyer；　〃I　think　that　I　ought　to　explain　to　you　who　and　what　your
candidate　is；　so　as　to　leave　you　free　to　take　back　your　word　if　my
declaration　should　disturb　your　conscience！〃

This　exordium　was　followed　by　profound　silence。　Some　of　the　men
thought　it　showed　a　noble　impulse。

Albert　gave　a　sketch　of　his　previous　career；　telling　them　his　real
name；　his　action　under　the　Restoration；　and　revealing　himself　as　a　new
man　since　his　arrival　at　Besancon；　while　pledging　himself　for　the
future。　This　address　held　his　hearers　breathless；　it　was　said。　These
men；　all　with　different　interests；　were　spellbound　by　the　brilliant
eloquence　that　flowed　at　boiling　heat　from　the　heart　and　soul　of　this
ambitious　spirit。　Admiration　silenced　reflection。　Only　one　thing　was
clearthe　thing　which　Albert　wished　to　get　into　their　heads：

Was　it　not　far　better　for　the　town　to　have　one　of　those　men　who　are
born　to　govern　society　at　large　than　a　mere　voting…machine？　A
statesman　carries　power　with　him。　A　commonplace　deputy；　however
incorruptible；　is　but　a　conscience。　What　a　glory　for　Provence　to　have
found　a　Mirabeau；　to　return　the　only　statesman　since　1830　that　the
revolution　of　July　had　produced！

Under　the　pressure　of　this　eloquence；　all　the　audience　believed　it
great　enough　to　become　a　splendid　political　instrument　in　the　hands　of
their　representative。　They　all　saw　in　Albert　Savaron；　Savarus　the
great　Minister。　And；　reading　the　secret　calculations　of　his
constituents；　the　clever　ca