the deputy of arcis-第37章

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To　cut　a　long　story　short；　Monsieur　de　Trailles　was　sent　to　Arcis　to　put　an　end　to　the　candidacy　of　an　upstart　of　the　Left　centre；　a　certain　Simon　Giguet；　and　having　brought　forward　the　mayor　of　the　town　as　the　ministerial　candidate；　he　finds　the　said　mayor；　named　Beauvisage；　possessed　of　an　only　daughter；　rather　pretty；　and　able　to　bring　her　husband　five　hundred　thousand　francs　amassed　in　the　honorable　manufacture　of　cotton　night…caps。　Now　you　see；　I　am　sure；　the　mechanism　of　the　affair。

As　for　our　own　claims；　we　certainly　do　not　make　cotton　night…caps；　but　we　make　statues；statues　for　which　we　are　decorated　with　the　Legion　of　honor；　religious　statues；　inaugurated　with　great　pomp　by　Monseigneur　the　bishop　of　the　diocese　and　all　the　constituted　authorities；　statues；　or　rather　/a/　statue；　which　the　whole　population　of　the　town　has　flocked　to　the　Ursuline　convent　to　behold；　where　Mesdames　the　nuns；　not　a　little　puffed　up　with　this　magnificent　addition　to　their　bijou　of　a　chapel；　have　kept　their　house　and　their　oratory　open　to　all　comers　for　this　whole　day。　Is　not　that　likely　to　popularize　our　candidacy？

This　evening；　to　crown　the　ceremony　of　inaugurating　our　Saint…Ursula；　we　give　in　our　chateau　of　Arcis　a　banquet　to　fifty　guests；　among　whom　we　have　had　the　malice　to　invite　（with　the　chief　inhabitants　of　the　place）　all　the　ministerial　functionaries　and；　above　all；　the　ministerial　candidate。　But；　in　view　of　our　own　declared　candidacy；　we　feel　pretty　well　assured　that　the　latter　will　not　respond　to　the　invitation。　So　much　the　better！　more　room　for　others；　and　the　missing　guests；　whose　names　will　be　made　known　on　the　morrow；　will　be　convicted　of　a　/servilism/　which　will；　we　think；　injure　their　influence　with　the　population。

Yesterday　we　paid　a　visit　at　the　chateau　de　Cinq…Cygne；　where　d'Arthez　presented　us；　in　the　first　place；　to　the　Princesse　de　Cadignan；　who　is　wonderfully　well　preserved。　Both　she　and　the　old　Marquise　de　Cinq…　Cygne　received　DorlangeI　should　say；　Sallenauvein　the　warmest　manner。　It　was　from　them　that　we　learned　the　history　of　Monsieur　Maxime　de　Trailles'　mission　and　its　present　results。　It　seems　that　on　his　arrival　the　ministerial　agent　received　some　attentions　at　Cinq…　Cygne；mere　floating　sticks；　to　discover　the　set　of　his　current。　He　evidently　flattered　himself　that　he　should　find　support　at　Cinq…Cygne　for　his　electioneering　intrigue；　which　is　so　far　from　being　the　case　that　Duc　Georges　de　Maufrigneuse；　to　whom；　as　a　Jockey　Club　comrade；　he　told　all　his　projects；　gave　us　the　information　about　them　which　I　have　now　given　to　you；　and　which；　if　you　will　be　so　kind；　I　should　like　you　to　make　over　to　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade。


May　12th。

The　dinner　has　taken　place；　madame；　it　was　magnificently　served；　and　Arcis　will　talk　about　it　for　some　time　to　come。　Sallenauve　has　in　that　great　organist　（who；　by　the　bye；　showed　his　talent　on　the　organ　admirably　during　the　ceremony　of　inauguration）　a　sort　of　steward　and　factotum　who　leaves　all　the　Vatels　of　the　world　far　behind　him；　he　would　never　have　fallen　on　his　sword　for　lack　of　a　fish！　Colored　lamps；　garlands；　draperies；　decorated　the　dining…room；　even　fireworks　were　provided；　nothing　was　wanting　to　the　fete；　which　lasted　to　a　late　hour　in　the　gardens　of　the　chateau；　where　the　populace　danced　and　drank　to　its　heart's　content。

Nearly　all　the　invited　guests　came　except　those　we　desired　to　compromise。　The　invitations　having　been　sent　at　short　notice；　it　was　amusing　to　read　the　notes　and　letters　of　excuse；　which　Sallenauve　ordered　to　be　brought　to　him　in　the　salon　as　they　arrived。　As　he　opened　each　he　took　care　to　say：　〃This　is　from　Monsieur　the　sub…　prefect；　this　from　the　/procureur…du…roi/；　this　from　Monsieur　Vinet　the　substitute；　expressing　regret　that　they　cannot　accept　the　invitation。〃　All　these　concerted　refusals　were　received　with　smiles　and　whispers　by　the　company；　but　when　a　letter　arrived　from　Beauvisage；　and　Sallenauve　read　aloud　the　〃impossibility　in　which　he　found　himself　to　/correspond/　to　his　politeness；〃　the　hilarity　grew　noisy　and　general；　and　was　only　stopped　by　the　entrance　of　Monsieur　Martener；　examining　judge；　who　performed　an　act　of　courage　in　coming　to　the　dinner　which　his　colleagues　declined。　We　must　remark；　however；　than　an　examining…judge　has　two　sides　to　him。　On　that　of　the　judge　he　is　irremovable；　he　can　only　be　deprived　of　the　slight　increase　of　salary　he　receives　as　an　examiner　and　of　the　privilege　of　signing　warrants　and　questioning　thieves；splendid　rights　of　which　the　chancellor　can　mulct　him　by　a　stroke　of　his　pen。　But　allowing　that　Monsieur　Martener　was　only　semi…brave；　he　was　greeted　on　this　occasion　as　a　full　moon。

The　Duc　de　Maufrigneuse；　d'Arthez；　and　Monseigneur　the　bishop；　who　was　staying　at　Cinq…Cygne　for　a　few　days；　were　all　present；　and　this　made　more　noticeable　the　absence　of　one　man；　namely；　Grevin；　whose　excuse；　sent　earlier　in　the　day；　was　not　read　to　the　company。　The　non…　appearance　of　the　Comte　de　Gondreville　was　explained　by　the　recent　death　of　his　grandson；　Charles　Keller；　and　in　sending　the　invitation　Sallenauve　had　been　careful　to　let　him　know　he　should　understand　a　refusal。　But　that　Grevin；　the　count's　right　arm；　should　absent　himself；　seemed　to　show　that　he　and　his　patron　were　convinced　of　the　probable　election　of　Beauvisage；　and　would　have　no　intercourse　with　the　new　candidate。

The　dinner　being　given　in　honor　of　Saint…Ursula's　installation；　which　could　not　be　celebrated　by　a　banquet　in　the　convent；　Sallenauve　had　a　fine　opportunity　for　the　following　toast：

〃To　the　Mother　of　the　poor；　the　noble　and　saintly　spirit　which；　for　fifty　years；　has　shone　on　Champagne；　and　to　which　we　owe　the　vast　number　of　distinguished　and　accomplished　women　who　adorn　this　beautiful　region　of　our　country。〃

If　you　know；　as　I　do；　madame；　what　a　forlorn；　beggarly　region　Champagne　is；　you　would　say；　or　something　like　it；　that　Sallenauve　is　a　rascally　fellow；　and　that　the　passion　to　enter　the　legislature　makes　a　man　capable　of　shocking　deceit。　Was　it　worth　while；　in　fact；　for　a　man　who　usually　respects　himself　to　boldly　tell　a　lie　of　criminal　dimensions；　when　a　moment　later　a　little　unforeseen　circumstance　occurred　which　did　more　than　all　the　speeches　ever　uttered　to　commend　him　to　the　sympathy　of　the　electors？

You　told　me；　madame；　that　your　son　Armand　found　a　strong　likeness　to　the　portraits　of　Danton　in　our　friend　Sallenauve；　and　it　seems　that　the　boy's　remark　was　true；　for　several　persons　present　who　had　known　the　great　revolutionist　during　his　lifetime　made　the　same　observation。　Laurent　Goussard；　who；　as　I　told　you　in　a　former　letter；　was　Danton's　friend；　was　also；　in　a　way；　his　brother…in…law；　for　Danton；　who　was　something　of　a　gallant；　had　been　on　close　terms　for　several　years　with　the　miller's　sister。　Well；　the　likeness　must　be　striking；　for　after　dinner；　while　we　were　taking　our　coffee；　the　worthy　Goussard；　whose　head　was　a　little　warmed　by　the　fumes　of　wine；　came　up　to　Sallenauve　and　asked　him　whether　he　was　certain　he　had　made　no　mistake　about　his　father；　and　could　honestly　declare　that　Danton　had　nothing　to　do　with　his　making。

Sallenauve　took　the　matter　gaily；　and　answered　arithmetically；

〃Danton　died　April　5；　1794。　To　be　his　son；　I　must　have　been　born　no　later　than　January；　1795；　which　would　make　me　forty…four　years　old　to…day。　But　the　register　of　my　birth；　and　I　somewhat　hope　my　face；　make　me　out　exactly　thirty。〃

〃Yes；　you　are　right；〃　said　Laurent　Goussard；　〃figures　demolish　my　idea；　but　no　matter；we'll　vote　for　you　all　the　same。〃

I　think　the　man　is　right；　this　chance　resemblance　is　likely　to　have　great　weight　in　the　election。　You　must　remember；　madame；　that；　in　spite　of　the　fatal　facts　which　cling　about　his　memory；　Danton　is　not　an　object　of　horror　and　execration　in　Arcis；　where　he　was　born　and　brought　up。　In　the　first　place　time　has　purged　him；　his　grand　character　and　powerful　intellect　remain；　and　the　people　are　proud　of　their　compatriot。　In　Arcis　they　talk　of　Danton　as　in　Marseilles　they　talk　of　Cannebiere。　Fortunate；　therefore；　is　our　candidate's　likeness　to　this　demigod；　the　worship　of　whom　is　not　confined　to　the　town；　but　extends　to　the　surrounding　country。

These　voters　/extra　muros/　are　sometimes　curiously　simple…minded；　and　obvious　contradictions　trouble　them　not　at　all。　Some　agents　sent　into　the　adjacent　districts　have　used　this　fancied　resemblance；　and　as　in　a　rural　propaganda　the　object　is　less　to　strike　fair　than　to　strike　hard；　Laurent　Goussard's　version；　apocryphal　as　it　is；　is　hawked　about　the　country　villages　with　a　coolness　that　admits　of　no　contradiction。

While　this　pretended　revolutionary　origin　is　advancing　our　friend's　prospects　in　one　direction；　in　another　the　tale　put　forth　to　the　worthy　voters　whom　it　is　desirable　to　entice　is　different；　but　truer　and　not　less　striking　to　the　minds　of　the　country…people。　This　is　the　gentlemen；　they　are　told；　who　has　bought　the　chateau　of　Arcis；　and　as　the　chateau　of　Arcis　stands　high　above　the　town　and　is　known　to　all　the　country　round；　it　is　to　these　simple　folk　a　species　of　symbol。　They　are　always　ready　to　return　to　memories　of　the　past；　which　is　much　less　dead　and　buried　than　people　suppose；　〃Ah！　he's　the　/seigneur/　of　the　chateau；〃　they　say。

This；　madame；　is　how　the　electoral　kitchen　is　carried　on　and　the　way　in　which　a　deputy　is　cooked。



XVI

MARIE…GASTON　TO　THE　COMTESSE　DE　L'ESTORADE

Arcis…sur…Aube；　May　15；　1839。

Madame；You　do　me　the　honor　to　say　that　my　letters　amuse　you；　and　you　tell　me　not　to　fear　that　I　send　too　many。

We　are　no　longer　at　the　Hotel　de　la　Poste；　having　left　it　for　the　chateau；　but　thanks　to　the　rivalry　existing　between　the　two　inns；　the　Poste　and　the　Mulet；　in　the　latter　of　which　Monsieur　de　Trailles　has　established　his　headquarters；　we　are　kept　informed　of　what　is　going　on　in　the　town　and　among　our　enemies。　Since　our　departure；　as　our　late　landlord　informs　us；　a　Parisian　journalist　has　arrived　at　his　hotel。　This　individual；　whose　name　I　do　not　know；　at　once　announced　himself　as　Jack…the…giant…killer；　sent　down　to　reinforce　with　his　Parisian　vim　and　vigor　the　polemic　which　the　local　press；　subsidized　by　the　〃bureau　of　public　spirit；〃　has　directed　against　us。

In　that　there　is　nothing　very　grave　or　very　gay；　since　the　world　was　a　world；　governments　have　always　found　pens　for　sale；　and　never　have　they　failed　to　buy　them；　but　the　comedy　of　this　affair　begins　with　the　co…arrival　and　the　co…presence　in　the　hotel　of　a　young　lady　of　very　problematical　virtue。　The　name　of　this　young　lady　as　it　appears　on　her　passport　is　Mademoiselle　Chocardelle；　but　the　journalist　in　speaking　of　her　calls　her　Antonia；　or；　when　he　wants　to　treat　her　with　more　respect；　Mademoiselle　Antonia。

Now；　what　can　bring　Mademoiselle　Chocardelle　to　Arcis？　A　pleasure　trip；　you　will　say；　offered　to　her　by　the　journalist；　who　combines　with　that　object　our　daily　defamation　and　his　consequent　earnings　from　the　secret…service　fund　of　the　government。　Not　at　all；　Mademoiselle　Chocardelle　has　come　to　Arcis　on　business　of　her　own；namely；　to　enforce　a　claim。

It　seems　that　Charles　Keller　before　his　departure　for　Africa；　where　he　met　a　glorious　death；　drew　a　note　of　hand；　payable　to　Mademoiselle　Antonia　on　order；　for　ten　thousand　francs；　〃value　receive