the deputy of arcis-第33章

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〃Excellent；〃　said　the　Marquis；　taking　up　from　the　table　a　gold　snuff…　box　which　he　twirled　in　his　fingers。

Then；　after　a　short　silence；　he　added：

〃Now　I　owe　you　certain　explanations。　Our　good　friend　Jacques　Bricheteau；　if　he　will　have　the　kindness；　will　lay　them　before　you。〃

This　was　equivalent　to　the　royal　formula　of　the　old　regime：　〃My　chamberlain　will　tell　you　the　rest。〃

〃To　go　back　to　the　origin　of　everything；〃　said　Jacques　Bricheteau；　accepting　the　duty　thus　put　upon　him；　〃I　must　first　tell　you　that　you　are　not　a　legitimate　Sallenauve。　When　Monsieur　le　marquis；　here　present；　returned　after　the　emigration；　in　the　year　1808；　he　made　the　acquaintance　of　your　mother；　and　in　1809　you　were　born　as　the　fruit　of　their　intercourse。　Your　birth；　as　you　already　know；　cost　your　mother　her　life；　and　as　misfortunes　never　come　singly；　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　was　compromised　in　a　conspiracy　against　the　imperial　power　and　compelled　to　fly　the　country。　Brought　up　in　Arcis　with　me；　the　marquis；　wishing　to　give　me　a　proof　of　his　friendship；　confided　to　me；　on　his　departure　to　this　new　expatriation；　the　care　of　your　childhood。　I　accepted　that　charge；　I　will　not　say　with　alacrity；　but　certainly　with　gratitude。〃

At　these　words　the　marquis　held　out　his　hand　to　Jacques　Bricheteau；　who　was　seated　near　him；　and　after　a　silent　pressure；　which　did　not　seem　to　me　remarkably　warm；　Jacques　Bricheteau　continued：

〃The　mysterious　precautions　I　was　forced　to　take　in　carrying　out　my　trust　are　explained　by　Monsieur　le　marquis's　position　towards　the　various　governments　which　have　succeeded　each　other　in　France　since　the　period　of　your　birth。　Under　the　Empire；　I　feared　that　a　government　little　indulgent　to　attacks　upon　itself　might　send　you　to　share　your　father's　exile；　it　was　then　that　the　idea　of　giving　you　a　sort　of　anonymous　existence　first　occurred　to　me。　Under　the　Restoration　I　feared　for　you　another　class　of　enemies；　the　Sallenauve　family；　which　has　no　other　representatives　at　the　present　day　than　Monsieur　le　marquis；　was　then　powerful。　In　some　way　it　got　wind　of　your　existence；　and　also　of　the　fact　that　the　marquis　had　taken　the　precaution　not　to　recognize　you；　in　order　to　retain　the　right　to　leave　you　his　whole　fortune；　which；　as　a　natural　child；　the　law　would　in　part　have　deprived　you。　The　obscurity　in　which　I　kept　you　seemed　to　me　the　best　security；　against　the　schemes　of　greedy　relations；　and　certain　mysterious　steps　taken　by　them　from　time　to　time　proved　the　wisdom　of　these　precautions。　Under　the　government　of　July；　on　the　other　hand；　it　was　I　myself　who　I　feared　might　endanger　you。　I　had　seen　the　establishment　of　the　new　order　of　things　with　the　deepest　regret；　and　not　believing　in　its　duration；　I　took　part　in　certain　active　hostilities　against　it；　which　brought　me　under　the　ban　of　the　police。〃

Here　the　recollection　that　Jacques　Bricheteau　had　been　pointed　out　by　the　waiter　of　the　Cafe　des　Arts　as　a　member　of　the　police　made　me　smile；　whereupon　the　speaker　stopped　and　said　with　a　very　serious　air：

〃Do　these　explanations　which　I　have　the　honor　to　give　you　seem　improbable？〃

I　explained　the　meaning　of　my　smile。

〃That　waiter；〃　said　Jacques　Bricheteau；　〃was　not　altogether　mistaken；　for　I　have　long　been　employed　at　the　prefecture　of　police　in　the　health　department；　but　I　have　nothing　to　do　with　police　espial；　on　the　contrary；　I　have　more　than　once　come　near　being　the　victim　of　it。〃

Here　a　rather　ridiculous　noise　struck　our　ears；　nothing　less　than　a　loud　snore　from　my　father；　who　thus　gave　us　to　know　that　he　did　not　take　a　very　keen　interest　in　the　explanations　furnished　in　his　name　with　a　certain　prolixity。　I　don't　know　whether　Jacques　Bricheteau's　vanity　being　touched　put　him　slightly　out　of　temper；　but　he　rose　impatiently　and　shook　the　arm　of　the　sleeper；　crying　out：

〃Hey！　marquis；　if　you　sleep　like　this　at　the　Council　of　state；　upon　my　soul；　your　country　must　be　well　governed！〃

Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　opened　his　eyes；　shook　himself；　and　then　said；　turning　to　me：

〃Pardon　me；　Monsieur　le　comte；　but　for　the　last　ten　nights　I　have　travelled；　without　stopping；　to　meet　you　here；　and　though　I　spent　the　last　night　in　a　bed；　I　am　still　much　fatigued。〃

So　saying　he　rose；　took　a　large　pinch　of　snuff；　and　began　to　walk　up　and　down　the　room；　while　Jacques　Bricheteau　continued：

〃It　is　a　little　more　than　a　year　since　I　received　a　letter　from　your　father　explaining　his　long　silence；　the　plans　he　had　made　for　you；　and　the　necessity　he　was　under　of　keeping　his　incognito　for　a　few　years　longer。　It　was　at　that　very　time　that　you　made　your　attempt　to　penetrate　a　secret　the　existence　of　which　had　become　apparent　to　you。〃

〃You　made　haste　to　escape　me；〃　I　said　laughing。　〃It　was　then　you　went　to　Stockholm。〃

〃No；　I　went　to　your　father's　residence；　I　put　the　letter　that　he　gave　me　for　you　into　the　post　at　Stockholm。〃

〃I　do　not　seize　your〃

〃Nothing　is　easier　to　understand；〃　interrupted　the　marquis。　〃I　do　not　reside　in　Sweden；　and　we　wished　to　throw　you　off　the　track。〃

〃Will　you　continue　the　explanation　yourself？〃　asked　Jacques　Bricheteau；　who　spoke；　as　you　may　have　observed；　my　dear　friend；　with　elegance　and　fluency。

〃No；　no；　go　on；〃　said　the　marquis；　〃you　are　giving　it　admirably。〃

〃Feeling　certain　that　your　equivocal　position　as　to　family　would　injure　the　political　career　your　father　desired　you　to　enter；　I　made　that　remark　to　him　in　one　of　my　letters。　He　agreed　with　me；　and　resolved　to　hasten　the　period　of　your　legal　recognition；　which；　indeed；　the　extinction　of　the　family　in　its　other　branch　rendered　desirable。　But　the　recognition　of　a　natural　son　is　a　serious　act　which　the　law　surrounds　with　many　precautions。　Deeds　must　be　signed　before　a　notary；　and　to　do　this　by　power　of　attorney　would　involve　both　in　a　publicity　which　he　is　anxious　for　the　present　to　avoid；　he　being　married；　and；　as　it　were；　naturalized　in　the　country　of　his　adoption。　Hence；　he　decided　to　come　here　himself；　obtaining　leave　of　absence　for　a　few　weeks；　in　order　to　sign　in　person　all　papers　necessary　to　secure　to　you　his　name　and　property　in　this　country。　Now　let　me　put　to　you　a　final　question。　Do　you　consent　to　take　the　name　of　de　Sallenauve　and　be　recognized　as　his　son？〃

〃I　am　not　a　lawyer；〃　I　answered；　〃but　it　seems　to　me　that；　supposing　I　do　not　feel　honored　by　this　recognition；　it　does　not　wholly　depend　on　me　to　decline　it。〃

〃Pardon　me；〃　replied　Jacques　Bricheteau；　〃under　the　circumstances　you　could；　if　you　chose；　legally　contest　the　paternity。　I　will　also　add；　and　in　doing　so　I　am　sure　that　I　express　the　intentions　of　your　father；if　you　think　that　a　man　who　has　already　spent　half　a　million　on　furthering　your　career　is　not　a　desirable　father；　we　leave　you　free　to　follow　your　own　course；　and　shall　not　insist　in　any　way。〃

〃Precisely；　precisely；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve；　uttering　that　affirmation　with　the　curt　intonation　and　shrill　voice　peculiar　to　the　relics　of　the　old　aristocracy。

Politeness；　to　say　the　least；　forced　me　to　accept　the　paternity　thus　offered　to　me。　To　the　few　words　I　uttered　to　that　effect；　Jacques　Bricheteau　replied　gaily：

〃We　certainly　do　not　intend　to　make　you　buy　a　father　in　a　poke。　Monsieur　le　marquis　is　desirous　of　laying　before　you　all　title…deeds　and　documents　of　every　kind　of　which　he　is　the　present　holder。　Moreover；　as　he　has　been　so　long　absent　from　this　country；　he　intends　to　prove　his　identity　by　several　of　his　contemporaries　who　are　still　living。　For　instance；　among　the　honorable　personages　who　have　already　recognized　him　I　may　mention　the　worthy　superior　of　the　Ursuline　convent；　Mother　Marie…des…Anges；　for　whom；　by　the　bye；　you　have　done　a　masterpiece。〃

〃Faith；　yes；〃　said　the　marquis；　〃a　pretty　thing；　and　if　you　turn　out　as　well　in　politics〃

〃Well；　marquis；〃　interrupted　Jacques　Bricheteau；　who　seemed　to　me　inclined　to　manage　the　affair；　〃are　you　ready　to　proceed　with　our　young　friend　to　the　verification　of　the　documents？〃

〃That　is　unnecessary；〃　I　remarked；　and　did　not　think　that　by　this　refusal　I　pledged　my　faith　too　much；　for；　after　all；　what　signify　papers　in　the　hands　of　a　man　who　might　have　forged　them　or　stolen　them？　But　my　father　would　not　consent；　and　for　more　than　two　hours　they　spread　before　me　parchments；　genealogical　trees；　contracts；　patents；　documents　of　all　kinds；　from　which　it　appeared　that　the　family　of　Sallenauve　is；　after　that　of　Cinq…Cygne；　the　most　ancient　family　in　the　department　of　the　Aube。　I　ought　to　add　that　the　exhibition　of　these　archives　was　accompanied　by　an　infinite　number　of　spoken　details　which　seemed　to　make　the　identity　of　the　Marquis　de　Sallenauve　indisputable。　On　all　other　subjects　my　father　is　laconic；　his　mental　capacity　does　not　seem　to　me　remarkable；　and　he　willingly　allowed　his　/mouthpiece/　to　talk　for　him。　But　here；　in　the　matter　of　his　parchments；　he　was　loquaciously　full　of　anecdotes；　recollections；　heraldic　knowledge；　in　short；　he　was　exactly　the　old　noble；　ignorant　and　superficial　in　all　things；　but　possessed　of　Benedictine　erudition　where　the　genealogy　of　his　family　was　concerned。

The　/session/　would；　I　believe；　be　still　going　on；　if　Jacques　Bricheteau　had　not　intervened。　As　the　marquis　was　preparing　to　read　a　voluminous　memorandum　refuting　a　chapter　in　Tallemant　des　Reaux'　〃Historiettes〃　which　did　not　redound　to　the　credit　of　the　great　house　of　Sallenauve；　the　wise　organist　remarked　that　it　was　time　we　dined；　if　we　intended　to　keep　an　appointment　already　made　for　seven　o'clock　at　the　office　of　Maitre　Achille　Pigoult　the　notary。

We　dined；　not　at　the　table…d'hote；　but　in　private；　and　the　dinner　seemed　very　long　on　account　of　the　silent　preoccupation　of　the　marquis；　and　the　slowness　with　which；　owing　to　his　loss　of　teeth；　he　swallowed　his　food。

At　seven　o'clock　we　went　to　the　notary's　office；　but　as　it　is　now　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　I　am　heavy　with　sleep；　I　shall　put　off　till　to…morrow　an　account　of　what　happened　there。


May　4；　5　A。M。

I　reckoned　on　peaceful　slumbers；　embellished　by　dreams。　On　the　contrary；　I　did　not　sleep　an　hour；　and　I　have　waked　up　stung　to　the　heart　by　an　odious　thought。　But　before　I　transmit　that　thought　to　you；　I　must　tell　you　what　happened　at　the　notary's。

Maitre　Achille　Pigoult；　a　puny　little　man；　horribly　pitted　with　the　small…pox；　and　afflicted　with　green　spectacles；　above　which　he　darts　glances　of　vivacious　intelligence；　asked　us　if　we　felt　warm　enough；　the　room　having　no　fire。　Politeness　required　us　to　say　yes；　although　he　had　already　given　signs　of　incendiarism　by　striking　a　match；　when；　from　a　distant　and　dark　corner　of　the　room；　a　broken；　feeble　voice；　the　owner　of　which　we　had　not　as　yet　perceived；　interposed　to　prevent　the　prodigality。

〃No；　Achille；　no；　don't　make　a　fire；〃　said　an　old　man。　〃There　are　five　in　the　room；　and　the　lamp　gives　out　a　good　heat；　before　long　the　room　would　be　too　hot　to　bear。〃

Hearing　these　words；　the　marquis　exclaimed：

〃Ah！　this　is　the　good　Monsieur　Pigoult；　formerly　justice　of　the　peace。〃

Thus　recognized；　the　old　man　rose　and　went　up　to　my　father；　into　whose　face　he　peered。

〃/Parbleu/！〃　he　cried；　〃I　recognize　you　for　a　Champagnard　of　the　/vieille　roche/。　Achille　did　not　deceive　me　in　declaring　that　I　should　see　two　of　my　former　acquaintances。　You；〃　he　sai