the deputy of arcis-第39章

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r　partisans　are　going　about　saying　that　the　money　came　from　him。　But　when　you　are　running　before　the　wind　you　can't　mathematically　measure　each　sail；　and　you　sometimes　get　more　of　a　breeze　than　you　really　want。

Monsieur　Maxime　de　Trailles　makes　no　sign；　but　there　is　every　reason　to　suppose　that　this　failure　of　his　candidate；　which　he　must　see　is　now　inevitable；　will　bury　both　him　and　his　marriage。　But；　at　any　rate；　he　is　a　clever　fellow；　who　will　manage　to　get　his　revenge。

What　a　curious　man；　madame；　this　organist　is！　His　name　is　that　of　one　of　our　greatest　physicians；though　they　are　not　related　to　each　other；Bricheteau。　No　one　ever　showed　more　activity；　more　presence　of　mind；　more　devotion；　more　intelligence；　and　there　are　not　two　men　in　all　Europe　who　can　play　the　organ　as　he　does。　You　say　you　do　not　want　Nais　to　be　a　mere　piano　/strummer/；　then　I　advise　you　to　let　this　Bricheteau　teach　her。　He　is　a　man　who　would　show　her　what　music　really　is；　he　will　not　give　himself　airs；　for　I　assure　you　he　is　as　modest　as　he　is　gifted。　To　Sallenauve　he　is　like　a　little　terrier；　as　watchful；　as　faithful；　and　I　may　add　as　ugly；if　so　good　and　frank　a　countenance　as　his　can　ever　be　thought　anything　but　handsome！



XVII

MARIE…GASTON　TO　MADAME　LA　COMTESSE　DE　L'ESTORADE

Arcis…sur…Aube；　May　16；　1839。

Madame；Last　evening　the　preparatory　meeting　took　place；a　ridiculous　ceremony；　very　annoying　to　the　candidates；　which　cannot；　however；　be　avoided。

Perhaps　it　is　natural　that　before　pledging　themselves　to　a　man　who　is　to　represent　them　for　four　or　five　years；　voters　should　want　to　question　him；　and　discover；　if　possible；　what　he　really　is。　Is　he　a　man　of　intelligence？　Does　he　really　sustain　the　ideas　put　forth　about　him？　Will　he　be　cordial　and　affable　to　the　various　interests　which　may　claim　his　support？　Is　he　firm　in　character？　Can　he　defend　his　ideas　if　he　has　any？　In　a　word；　will　the　constituency　be　worthily；　faithfully；　and　honestly　represented？　That　is　the　serious　and　respectable　aspect　of　this　institution；　which；　not　being　a　part　of　the　law；　must；　in　order　to　be　so　firmly　fixed　in　our　customs；　have　a　sound　reason　for　its　existence。

But　every　medal　has　its　reverse；　as　may　be　seen　in　these　meetings　of　candidates　with　electors　puffed　up　by　their　own　self…importance；　eager　to　exercise　for　a　moment　the　sovereignty　they　are　about　to　delegate　to　their　deputy；　and　selling　it　as　dearly　as　they　can　to　him。　Considering　the　impertinence　of　certain　questions　addressed　to　a　candidate；　it　would　really　seem　as　if　the　latter　were　a　serf　over　whom　each　elector　had　rights　of　life　and　death。　Not　a　corner　of　his　private　life　where　the　unhappy　man　is　safe　from　prying　curiosity。　All　things　are　possible　in　the　line　of　preposterous　questioning；　for　instance：　Why　does　the　candidate　prefer　the　wine　of　Champagne　to　the　wine　of　Bordeaux？　At　Bordeaux；　where　wine　is　a　religion；　this　preference　implies　an　idea　of　non…patriotism　and　may　seriously　affect　the　election。　Many　voters　go　to　these　meetings　solely　to　enjoy　the　embarrassment　of　the　candidates。　Holding　them　as　it　were　in　the　pillory；　they　play　with　them　like　a　child　with　a　beetle；　an　old　judge　with　the　criminal　he　examines；　or　a　young　surgeon　at　an　autopsy。

Others　have　not　such　elevated　tastes；　they　come　merely　to　enjoy　the　racket；　the　confusion　of　tongues　which　is　certain　to　take　place　on　such　occasions。　Some　see　their　opportunity　to　exhibit　a　choice　talent；　for　（as　they　say　in　the　reports　of　the　Chamber）　when　〃the　tumult　is　at　its　height；〃　a　cock　is　heard　to　crow　or　a　dog　to　howl　as　if　his　paw　were　trodden　upon；noises　that　are　imitated　with　marvellous　accuracy。　But　truly；　are　not　fools　and　stupid　beings　a　majority　in　the　world；　and　ought　they　not　to　have　their　representative？

The　meeting　took　place　in　a　large　dance…hall；　the　loft　for　the　orchestra　forming　a　sort　of　private　box　to　which　non…voters　were　admitted；　I　among　the　number。　Some　ladies　had　already　taken　the　front　seats；　Madame　Marion；　aunt　of　Simon　Giguet；　the　Left　centre　candidate；　Madame　and　Mademoiselle　Mollot；　wife　and　daughter　of　the　clerk　of　the　court；　and　some　others　whose　names　and　position　I　did　not　catch。　Madame　and　Mademoiselle　Beauvisage　shone　conspicuously；　like　Brutus　and　Cassius；　by　their　absence。

Before　the　candidacy　of　Monsieur　Beauvisage　was　brought　forward　on　the　ministerial　side　after　the　death　of　Charles　Keller；　that　of　Monsieur　Simon　Giguet　was　thought　to　be　certain　of　success。　Now；　in　consequence　of　that　of　our　friend　Sallenauve；　who　has　in　turn　distanced　Beauvisage；　Giguet　has　fallen　a　step　lower　still。　His　father；　a　former　colonel　of　the　Empire；　is　greatly　respected　throughout　this　region。　As　an　expression　of　regret　for　not　electing　his　son　（according　to　all　probabilities）；　the　electors　made　him；　by　acclamation；　chairman　of　the　meeting。

The　first　candidate　who　was　called　upon　to　speak　was　Simon　Giguet；　he　made　a　long…winded　address；　full　of　commonplaces。　Few　questions　were　asked　him　which　deserve　a　place　in　the　present　report。　The　audience　felt　that　the　tug　of　war　was　elsewhere。

Monsieur　Beauvisage　was　then　summoned；　whereupon　Maitre　Achille　Pigoult　the　notary　rose；　and　asked　leave　to　make　a　statement。

〃Monsieur　le　maire；〃　he　said；　〃has；　since　yesterday；　been　attacked　by〃

〃Ha！　ha！〃　derisive　laughter　on　the　part　of　the　electors。

Colonel　Giguet　rang　his　bell　repeatedly；　without　being　able　to　enforce　silence。　At　the　first　lull　Maitre　Pigoult　resumed；

〃I　have　the　honor　to　inform　you；　gentlemen；　that；　attacked　by　an　indisposition　which；　not　serious　in　itself〃

Fresh　interruption；　noisier　than　the　first。

Like　all　military　men；　Colonel　Giguet　is　not　patient　nor　parliamentary；　he　therefore　rose　and　called　out　vehemently；

〃Messieurs；　we　are　not　at　a　circus。　I　request　you　to　behave　in　a　more　seemly　manner；　if　not；　I　leave　the　chair。〃

It　is　to　be　supposed　that　men　in　masses　like　to　be　handled　roughly；　for　this　lesson　was　greeted　with　merry　applause；　after　which　silence　appeared　to　be　firmly　re…established。

〃I　regret　to　inform　you；〃　began　Maitre　Achille　Pigoult；　varying　his　formula　for　the　third　time；　〃that；　attacked　by　an　indisposition　happily　not　serious；　which　may　confine　him　to　his　chamber〃

〃Throat　trouble；〃　suggested　a　voice。

〃our　venerable　and　excellent　mayor；〃　continued　Achille　Pigoult；　taking　no　notice　of　the　interruption；　〃is　unable　to　be　present　at　this　meeting。　Madame　Beauvisage；　with　whom　I　have　just　had　the　honor　of　an　interview；　requests　me　to　inform　you　that；　/for　the　present/；　Monsieur　Beauvisage　renounces　the　honor　of　receiving　your　suffrages；　and　requests　those　of　you　who　have　given　him　your　intelligent　sympathy　to　transfer　your　votes　to　Monsieur　Simon　Giguet。〃

This　Achille　Pigoult　is　a　malicious　fellow；　who　intentionally　brought　in　the　name　of　Madame　Beauvisage　to　exhibit　her　conjugal　sovereignty。　But　the　assembly　was　really　too　provincial　to　catch　the　meaning　of　that　little　bit　of　treachery。　Besides；　in　the　provinces；　women　take　part　in　the　most　virile　affairs　of　the　men。　The　well…known　saying　of　the　vicar's　old　housekeeper；　〃We　don't　say　masses　at　that　price；〃　would　pass　without　comment　in　Champagne。

At　last　came　Sallenauve。　I　was　struck　with　the　ease　and　quiet　dignity　of　his　manner。　That　is　a　very　reassuring　pledge；　madame；　of　his　conduct　under　more　trying　circumstances；　for　when　a　man　rises　to　speak　it　makes　but　little　difference　who　and　what　his　audience　are。　To　an　orator　goaded　by　fear；　great　lords　and　porters　are　precisely　the　same　thing。　They　are　eyes　that　look　at　you；　ears　that　hear　you。　Individuals　are　not　there；　only　one　huge　being；an　assembly；　felt　as　a　mass；　without　analyzing　the　elements。

After　enumerating　briefly　the　ties　which　connected　him　with　this　region；　slipping　in　as　he　did　so　an　adroit　and　dignified　allusion　to　his　birth　which　〃was　not　like　that　of　others；〃　Sallenauve　stated　clearly　his　political　ideas。　A　Republic　he　thought　the　finest　of　all　governments；　but　he　did　not　believe　it　possible　to　establish　one　in　France；　consequently；　he　did　not　desire　it。　He　thought　that　a　truly　parliamentary　government；　in　which　court　influence　should　be　so　vigorously　muzzled　that　nothing　need　be　feared　from　its　tendency　to　interference　and　caballing　would　best　conduce　to　the　dignity　and　the　welfare　of　the　nation。　Liberty　and　equality；　the　two　great　principles　that　triumphed　in　'89；　would　obtain　from　such　a　government　the　strongest　guarantees。　As　to　the　manoeuvring　of　the　royal　power　against　those　principles；　it　was　not　for　institutions　to　check　it；　but　for　men；customs；　public　opinion；　rather　than　laws；　and　for　himself；　Sallenauve；　he　should　ever　stand　in　the　breach　as　a　living　obstacle。　He　declared　himself　a　warm　partisan　of　free　education；　believed　that　greater　economy　might　be　exercised　in　the　budget；　that　too　many　functionaries　were　attached　to　the　government；　and；　above　all；　that　the　court　was　too　largely　represented　in　the　Chamber。　To　maintain　his　independence　he　was　firmly　resolved　to　accept　no　post　and　no　favors　from　the　government。　Neither　ought　those　who　might　elect　him　to　expect　that　he　would　ever　take　steps　on　their　behalf　which　were　not　warranted　by　reason　and　by　justice。　It　was　said　that　the　word　/impossible/　was　not　French。　Yet　there　was　an　impossibility　by　which　he　took　pride　in　being　stoppedthat　of　injustice；　and　that　of　disloyalty；　even　the　faintest；　to　the　Right。　＇Loud　applause。＇

Silence　being　once　more　restored；

〃Monsieur；〃　said　one　of　the　electors；　after　obtaining　the　floor　from　the　chairman；　〃you　say　that　you　will　accept　no　post　under　government。　Does　not　that　imply　reproach　to　public　functionaries？　My　name　is　Godivet；　I　am　registrar　of　the　archives；　but　I　do　not　consider　that　a　reason　why　I　should　incur　the　contempt　of　my　fellow…citizens。〃

Sallenauve　replied；

〃I　am　happy；　monsieur；　to　learn　that　the　government　has　invested　a　man　like　you　with　functions　which　you　fulfil；　I　am　sure；　with　perfect　uprightness　and　great　ability；　but　I　venture　to　ask　if　you　rose　to　your　present　position　at　one　jump？〃

〃Certainly　not；　monsieur；　I　began　by　being　a　supernumerary　for　three　years；　after　that　I　passed　through　all　the　grades；　and　I　can　show　that　favor　had　nothing　to　do　with　my　promotion。〃

〃Then；　monsieur；　what　would　you　say　if　with　my　rank　as　deputy　（supposing　that　I　obtain　the　suffrages　of　this　arrondissement）　I；　who　have　never　been　a　supernumerary　and　never　passed　through　any　grades；　and　whose　only　claim　upon　the　administration　is　that　of　having　voted　for　it；what　would　you　say　if　I　were　suddenly　appointed　over　your　head　as　the　director…general　of　your　department？〃

〃I　should　sayI　should　say；　monsieur；　that　the　choice　was　a　good　one；　because　the　king　himself　would　have　made　it。〃

〃No；　monsieur；　you　would　not　say　it；　or　if　you　said　it　aloud；　which　I　scarcely　think　possible；　you　would　think　in　your　heart　that　the　choice　was　ridiculous　and　unjust。　'How　the　devil；'　you　would　say　to　yourself；　'could　this　man；　this　sculptor；　know　anything　about　the　intricate　business　of　registering　archives？'　And　you　would　be　right　in　condemning　such　royal　caprice；　for　what　becomes　of　long　and　honorable　services；　justly　acquired　rights；　and　steady　promotion　under　such　a　system　of　arbitrary　choice？　It　is　that　I　may　not　be　the　accomplice　of　this　crying　abuse；