the nabob-第67章

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corridor　she　saw　a　little　dark　man　gesticulating　and　crying　to　the　servants：

〃You　will　tell　Moussiou　Jansoulet　that　it　is　I；　that　I　am　the　Mayor　of　Sarlazaccio；　that　I　have　been　condemned　to　five　months'　imprisonment　for　him。　In　God's　name；　surely　that　is　worth　a　card　for　the　sitting。〃

Five　months'　imprisonment　for　her　son！　Why？　Very　much　disturbed；　she　arrived　at　last；　her　ears　singing；　at　the　top　of　the　staircase；　where　different　inscriptions〃Tribune　of　the　Senate；　of　the　Diplomatic　Body；　of　the　Deputies〃stood　above　little　doors　like　boxes　in　a　theatre。　She　entered；　and　without　seeing　anything　at　first　except　four　or　five　rows　of　seats　filled　with　people；　and　opposite；　very　far　off；　separated　from　her　by　a　vast　clear　space；　other　galleries　similarly　filled。　She　leaned　up　against　the　wall；　astonished　to　be　there；　exhausted；　almost　ashamed。　A　current　of　hot　air　which　came　to　her　face；　a　chatter　of　rising　voices；　drew　her　towards　the　slope　of　the　gallery；　towards　the　kind　of　gulf　open　in　the　middle　where　her　son　must　be。　Oh！　how　she　would　like　to　see　him。　So　squeezing　herself　in；　and　using　her　elbows；　pointed　and　hard　as　her　spindle；　she　glided　and　slipped　between　the　wall　and　the　seats；　taking　no　notice　of　the　anger　she　aroused　or　the　contempt　of　the　well…dressed　women　whose　lace　and　fresh　toilettes　she　crushed；　for　the　assembly　was　elegant　and　fashionable。　Mme。　Jansoulet　recognised；　by　his　stiff　shirt…front　and　aristocratic　nose；　the　marquis　who　had　visited　them　at　Saint…Romans；　who　so　well　suited　his　name；　but　he　did　not　look　at　her。　She　was　stopped　farther　progress　by　the　back　of　a　man　sitting　down；　an　enormous　back　which　barred　everything　and　forbade　her　go　farther。　Happily；　she　could　see　nearly　all　the　hall　from　here　by　leaning　forward　a　little；　and　these　semi…circular　benches　filled　with　deputies；　the　green　hanging　of　the　walls；　the　chair　at　the　end；　occupied　by　a　bald　man　with　a　severe　air；　gave　her　the　idea；　under　the　studious　and　gray　light　from　the　roof；　of　a　class　about　to　begin；　with　all　the　chatter　and　movement　of　thoughtless　schoolboys。

One　thing　struck　herthe　way　in　which　all　looks　turned　to　one　side；　to　the　same　point　of　attraction；　and　as　she　followed　this　current　of　curiosity　which　carried　away　the　entire　assembly；　hall　as　well　as　galleries；　she　saw　that　what　they　were　all　looking　atwas　her　son。

In　the　Jansoulet's　country　there　is　still；　in　some　old　churches；　at　the　end　of　the　choir；　half…way　up　the　crypt；　a　stone　cell　where　lepers　were　admitted　to　hear　mass；　showing　their　dark　profiles　to　the　curious　and　fearful　crowd；　like　wild　beasts　crouched　against　the　loopholes　in　the　wall。　Francoise　well　remembered　having　seen　in　the　village　where　she　had　been　brought　up　the　leper；　the　bugbear　of　her　infancy；　hearing　mass　from　his　stone　cage；　lost　in　the　shade　and　in　isolation。　Now；　seeing　her　son　seated；　his　head　in　his　hands；　alone；　up　there　away　from　the　others；　this　memory　came　to　her　mind。　〃One　might　think　it　was　a　leper；〃　murmured　the　peasant。　And；　in　fact；　this　poor　Nabob　was　a　leper；　his　millions　from　the　East　weighing　on　him　like　some　terrible　and　mysterious　disease。　It　happened　that　the　bench　on　which　he　had　chosen　to　sit　had　several　recent　vacancies　on　account　of　holidays　or　deaths；　so　that　while　the　other　deputies　were　talking　to　each　other；　laughing；　making　signs；　he　sat　silent；　alone；　the　object　of　attention　to　all　the　Chamber；　an　attention　which　his　mother　felt　to　be　malevolent；　ironic；　which　burned　into　her　heart。　How　was　she　to　let　him　know　that　she　was　there；　near　him；　that　one　faithful　heart　beat　not　far　from　his？　He　would　not　turn　to　the　gallery。　One　would　have　said　that　he　felt　it　hostile；　that　he　feared　to　look　there。　Suddenly；　at　the　sound　of　the　bell　from　the　presidential　platform；　a　rustle　ran　through　the　assembly；　every　head　leaned　forward　with　that　fixed　attention　which　makes　the　features　unmovable；　and　a　thin　man　in　spectacles；　whose　sudden　rise　among　so　many　seated　figures　gave　him　the　authority　of　attitude　at　once；　said；　opening　the　paper　he　held　in　his　hand：

〃Gentlemen；　in　the　name　of　your　third　committee；　I　beg　to　move　that　the　election　of　the　second　division　of　the　department　of　Corsica　be　annulled。〃

In　the　deep　silence　following　this　phrase；　which　Mme。　Jansoulet　did　not　understand；　the　giant　seated　before　her　began　to　puff　vigorously；　and　all　at　once；　in　the　front　row　of　the　gallery；　a　lovely　face　turned　round　to　address　him　a　rapid　sign　of　intelligence　and　approval。　Forehead　pale；　lips　thin；　eyebrows　too　black　for　the　white　framing　of　her　hat；　it　all　produced　in　the　eyes　of　the　good　old　lady；　without　her　knowing　why；　the　effect　of　the　first　flash　of　lightning　in　a　storm　and　the　apprehension　of　the　thunderbolt　following　the　lightning。

Le　Merquier　was　reading　his　report。　The　slow；　dull　monotonous　voice；　the　drawling；　weak　Lyonnese　accent；　while　the　long　form　of　the　lawyer　balanced　itself　in　an　almost　animal　movement　of　the　head　and　shoulders；　made　a　singular　contrast　to　the　ferocious　clearness　of　the　brief。　First；　a　rapid　account　of　the　electoral　irregularities。　Never　had　universal　suffrage　been　treated　with　such　primitive　and　barbarous　contempt。　At　Sarlazaccio；　where　Jansoulet's　rival　seemed　to　have　a　majority；　the　ballot…box　was　destroyed　the　night　before　it　was　counted。　The　same　thing　almost　happened　at　Levia；　at　Saint…Andre；　at　Avabessa。　And　it　was　the　mayors　themselves　who　committed　these　crimes；　who　carried　the　urns　home　with　them；　broke　the　seals；　tore　up　the　voting　papers；　under　cover　of　their　municipal　authority。　There　had　been　no　respect　for　the　law。　Everywhere　fraud；　intrigue；　even　violence。　At　Calcatoggio　an　armed　man　sat　during　the　election　at　the　window　of　a　tavern　in　front　of　the　/mairie/；　holding　a　blunderbuss；　and　whenever　one　of　Sebastiani's　electors　（Sebastiani　was　Jansoulet's　opponent）　showed　himself；　the　man　took　aim：　〃If　you　come　in；　I　will　blow　out　your　brains。〃　And　when　one　saw　the　inspectors　of　police；　justices；　inspectors　of　weights　and　measures；　not　afraid　to　turn　into　canvassing　agents；　to　frighten　or　cajole　a　population　too　submissive　before　all　these　little　tyrannical　local　influences；　was　that　not　proof　of　a　terrible　state　of　things？　Even　priests；　saintly　pastors；　led　astray　by　their　zeal　for　the　poor…box　and　the　restoration　of　an　impoverished　building；　had　preached　a　mission　in　favour　of　Jansoulet's　election。　But　an　influence　still　more　powerful；　though　less　respectable；　had　been　called　into　play　for　the　good　causethe　influence　of　the　banditti。　〃Yes；　banditti；　gentlemen；　I　am　not　joking。〃　And　then　came　a　sketch　in　outline　of　Corsican　banditti　in　general；　and　of　the　Piedigriggio　family　in　particular。

The　Chamber　listened　attentively；　with　a　certain　uneasiness。　For；　after　all；　it　was　an　official　candidate　whose　doings　were　thus　described；　and　these　strange　doings　belonged　to　that　privileged　land；　cradle　of　the　imperial　family；　so　closely　attached　to　the　fortunes　of　the　dynasty；　that　an　attack　on　Corsica　seemed　to　strike　at　the　sovereign。　But　when　people　saw　the　new　minister；　successor　and　enemy　of　Mora；　glad　of　the　blow　to　a　/protege/　of　his　predecessor；　smile　complacently　from　the　Government　bench　at　Le　Merquier's　cruel　banter；　all　constraint　disappeared　at　once；　and　the　ministerial　smile　repeated　on　three　hundred　mouths；　grew　into　a　scarcely　restrained　laughthe　laugh　of　crowds　under　the　rod　which　bursts　out　at　the　least　approbation　of　the　master。　In　the　galleries；　not　usually　treated　to　the　picturesque；　but　amused　by　these　stories　of　brigands；　there　was　general　joy；　a　radiant　animation　on　all　these　faces；　pleased　to　look　pretty　without　insulting　the　solemnity　of　the　spot。　Little　bright　bonnets　shook　with　all　their　flowers　and　plumes；　round　gold…encircled　arms　leaned　forward　the　better　to　hear。　The　grave　Le　Merquier　had　imported　into　the　sitting　the　distraction　of　a　show；　the　little　spice　of　humour　allowed　in　a　charity　concert　to　bribe　the　uninitiated。

Impassable　and　cold　in　the　midst　of　his　success；　he　continued　to　read　in　his　gloomy　voice；　penetrating　like　the　rain　of　Lyons：

〃Now；　gentlemen；　one　asks　how　a　stranger；　a　Provencial　returned　from　the　East；　ignorant　of　the　interests　and　needs　of　this　island　where　he　had　never　been　seen　before　the　election；　a　true　type　of　what　the　Corsican　disdainfully　calls　a　'continental'how　has　this　man　been　able　to　excite　such　an　enthusiasm；　such　devotion　carried　to　crime；　to　profanity。　His　wealth　will　answer　us；　his　fatal　gold　thrown　in　the　face　of　the　electors；　thrust　by　force　into　their　pockets　with　a　barefaced　cynicism　of　which　we　have　a　thousand　proofs。〃　Then　the　interminable　series　of　denunciations：　〃I；　the　undersigned；　Croce　（Antoine）；　declare　in　the　interests　of　truth；　that　the　Commissary　of　Police　Nardi；　calling　on　us　one　evening；　said：　'Listen；　Croce　（Antoine）；　I　swear　by　the　fire　of　this　lamp　that　if　you　vote　for　Jansoulet　you　will　have　fifty　francs　to…morrow　morning。'　〃　And　this　other：　〃I；　the　undersigned；　Lavezzi　（Jacques…Alphonse）；　declare　that　I　refused　with　contempt　seventeen　francs　offered　me　by　the　Mayor　of　Pozzonegro　to　vote　against　my　cousin　Sebastiani。〃　It　is　probably　that　for　three　francs　more　Lavezzi　（Jacques…Alphonse）　would　have　swallowed　his　contempt　in　silence。　But　the　Chamber　did　not　look　into　things　so　closely。

Indignation　seized　on　this　incorruptible　Chamber。　It　murmured；　it　fidgeted　on　its　padded　seats　of　red　velvet；　it　raised　a　positive　clamour。　There　were　〃Oh's〃　of　amazement；　eyes　lifted　in　astonishment；　brusque　movements　on　the　benches；　as　if　in　disgust　at　this　spectacle　of　human　degradation。　And　remark　that　the　greater　part　of　these　deputies　had　used　the　same　electoral　methods；　that　these　were　the　heroes　of　those　famous　orgies　when　whole　oxen　were　carried　in　triumph；　ribanded　and　decorated　as　at　Gargantuan　feasts。　Just　these　men　cried　louder　than　others；　turned　furiously　towards　the　solitary　seat　where　the　poor　leper　listened；　still　and　downcast。　Yet　in　the　midst　of　the　general　uproar；　one　voice　was　raised　in　his　favour；　but　low；　unpractised；　less　a　voice　than　a　sympathetic　murmur；　through　which　was　distinguished　vaguely：　〃Great　services　to　the　Corsican　population　Considerable　worksTerritorial　Bank。〃

He　who　mumbled　thus　was　a　little　man　in　white　gaiters；　an　albino　head；　and　thin　hair　in　scattered　locks。　But　the　interruption　of　this　unfortunate　friend　only　furnished　Le　Merquier　with　a　rapid　and　natural　transition。　A　hideous　smile　parted　his　flabby　lips。　〃The　honourable　M。　Sarigue　mentions　the　Territorial　Bank。　We　shall　be　able　to　answer　him。〃　He　seemed　in　fact　to　be　very　familiar　with　the　Paganetti　den。　In　a　few　neat　and　lively　phrases　he　threw　the　light　on　to　the　depths　of　the　gloomy　cave；　showed　all　the　traps；　the　gulfs；　the　windings；　the　snares；　like　a　guide　waving　his　torch　above　the　/oubliettes/　of　some　sinister　dungeon。　He　spoke　of　the　fictitious　quarries；　of　the　railways　on　paper；　of　the　chimeric　liners　disappearing　in　their　own　steam。　The　frightful　desert　of　the　Taverna　was　not　forgotten；　nor　the　old　Genoese　castle；　the　office　of　the　steamship　agency。　But　what　amused　the　Chamber　most　was　the　story　of　a　swindling　ceremony　organized　by　the　governor　for　the　piercing　of　a　tunnel　through　Monte　Rotondo；　a　gigantic　undertaking　always　in　project；　put　off　from　year　to　year；　d