the deputy of arcis-第44章

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　of　the　house　around　his　wife　and　their　hostess。　At　this　moment　the　minister　himself　slipped　an　arm　through　his；　and；　leading　him　up　to　the　group　surrounding　their　two　wives；　Rastignac　said　to　Madame　de　l'Estorade；

〃I　bring　you　back　your　husband；　I　have　just　found　him　in　criminal　conversation　with　a　member　of　the　Zollverin；　who　would　probably　have　clung　to　him　all　night　if　it　had　not　been　for　me。〃

〃I　was　myself　on　the　point　of　asking　Madame　de　Rastignac　for　a　bed；　that　I　might　release　her　from　the　burden　of　my　company；　which　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade's　interminable　conversations　have　put　upon　her。〃

Madame　de　Rastignac　protested　that；　on　the　contrary；　she　desired　to　enjoy　as　long　as　possible　Madame　de　l'Estorade's　company；　only　regretting　that　she　had　been　so　often　obliged　to　interrupt　their　conversation　to　receive　those　strange　objects；　the　newly　fledged　deputies；　who　had　come　in　relays　to　make　their　bow　to　her。

〃Oh！　my　dear；〃　cried　Rastignac；　〃here's　the　session　about　to　open；　and　we　really　must　not　take　these　disdainful　airs　toward　the　elect　of　the　nation。　Besides　which；　you　will　get　into　difficulties　with　madame；　who；　I　am　told；　is　the　protectress　of　one　of　these　sovereigns　of　late　date。〃

〃I？〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　rather　surprised；　and　blushing　a　little。　She　had　one　of　those　complexions；　still　fresh　and　dazzling；　which　are　predisposed　to　these　flushes　of　color。

〃Ah！　true；〃　said　Madame　de　Rastignac；　〃I　had　forgotten　that　artist　who　cut　out　the　pretty　figures　for　your　children　the　last　time　I　had　the　pleasure　of　paying　you　a　visit。　I　own　I　was　far　from　thinking　then　that　he　would　be　one　of　our　masters。〃

〃And　yet；　ever　since　then；〃　replied　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃his　election　has　been　talked　about；　though　it　must　be　owned　that　until　now　no　one　thought　seriously　of　it。〃

〃I　did；〃　said　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　rather　eagerly；　seizing　the　occasion　to　put　another　star　to　his　reputation　for　prophecy；　〃from　the　first　political　conversation　that　I　had　with　him　I　saidand　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles　is　here　to　bear　me　outthat　I　was　surprised　at　the　ability　and　the　breadth　of　aim　he　manifested。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　the　personage　thus　interpellated；　〃he　is　not　an　ordinary　fellow；　but　I　do　not　believe　in　his　future。　He　is　a　man　who　goes　by　the　first　impulsion；　and；　as　Monsieur　de　Talleyrand　has　wisely　remarked；　the　first　impulse　is　the　good　impulse。〃

〃Well；　monsieur？〃　inquired　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　ingenuously。

〃Well；　madame；〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles；　who　was　vain　of　his　scepticism；　〃heroism　is　not　of　our　day；　it　is　heavy　baggage；　horribly　embarrassing；　which　gets　us　into　mud…holes　continually。〃

〃Nevertheless；　I　believe　that　great　qualities　of　heart　and　mind　have　some　share　in　the　composition　of　a　distinguished　man。〃

〃Qualities　of　mind？　Yes；　you　are　right　there；　provided　always　they　work　in　a　certain　direction。　But　as　for　qualities　of　the　heart　in　political　life；　what　good　are　they？to　hoist　you　on　stilts　with　which　you　can't　walk　as　well　as　you　can　on　the　ground；　and　from　which　you　are　liable　to　fall　and　break　your　neck　at　the　first　push。〃

〃At　that　rate；〃　said　Madame　de　Rastignac；　laughing；　while　Madame　de　l'Estorade　was　silent；　disdaining　to　reply；　〃the　political　world　must　be　peopled　by　none　but　scoundrels。〃

〃That　is　so；　madame；ask　Lazarille〃；　and　as　he　made　this　allusion　to　a　famous　stage　joke；　he　laid　his　hand　on　the　minister's　shoulder。

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　said　Rastignac；　〃I　think　your　generalities　are　a　little　too　particular。〃

〃No；　no；　but　come；〃　returned　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles；　〃let　us　talk　seriously。　To　my　knowledge；　this　Monsieur　de　Sallenauvethat　is　the　name　I　think　he　has　taken　in　exchange　for　Dorlange；　which　he　himself　called　theatricalhas　done；　within　a　short　time；　two　fine　actions。　I；　being　present　and　assisting；　saw　him　stand　up　to　be　killed　by　the　Duc　de　Rhetore；　on　account　of　certain　ill…sounding　words　said　about　a　friend。　Those　words；　in　the　first　place；　he　could　not　help　hearing；　and　having　heard　them　it　was；　I　will　not　say　his　duty；　but　his　/right/　to　resent　them。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Madame　de　Rastignac；　〃then　it　was　he　who　fought　that　duel　people　said　so　much　about？〃

〃Yes；　madame；　and　I　ought　to　sayfor　I　understand　such　mattersthat　at　the　meeting　he　behaved　with　consummate　bravery。〃

To　avoid　the　recital　of　the　second　fine　action；　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　at　the　risk　of　impolitely　cutting　short　a　topic　thus　begun；　rose；　and　made　an　almost　imperceptible　sign　to　her　husband　that　she　wished　to　go。　But　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　took　advantage　of　its　faintness　to　stay　where　he　was。

Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles　continued：

〃His　other　fine　action　was　to　throw　himself　in　front　of　some　runaway　horses　to　save　madame's　daughter　from　imminent　death。〃

All　eyes　turned　on　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　who；　this　time；　blushed　deeply；　but　recovering　speech；　if　only　in　order　to　seem　composed；　she　said　with　feeling；

〃According　to　your　theory　of　heroism　you　must　think　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　very　foolish　to　have　thus　risked　his　life　and　his　future；　but　I　assure　you　that　there　is　one　woman　who　will　never　agree　with　you；　and　that　isthe　mother　of　my　child。〃

As　she　said　the　words；　tears　were　in　Madame　de　l'Estorade's　voice；　she　pressed　Madame　de　Rastignac's　hand　affectionately；　and　made　so　decided　a　movement　to　leave　the　room　that　she　finally　put　in　motion　her　immovable　husband。

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Madame　de　Rastignac；　as　she　accompanied　her　to　the　door；　〃for　having　broken　a　lance　with　that　cynic；　Monsieur　de　Rastignac's　past　life　has　left　him　with　odious　acquaintances。〃

As　she　resumed　her　place；　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles　was　saying；

〃Ha！　saved　her　child's　life　indeed！　The　fact　is　that　poor　l'Estorade　is　turning　as　yellow　as　a　lemon。〃

〃Ah；　monsieur；　but　that　is　shocking；〃　cried　Madame　de　Rastignac。　〃A　woman　whom　no　breath　of　slander　has　ever　touched；　who　lives　only　for　her　husband　and　children；　whose　eyes　were　full　of　tears　at　the　mere　thought　of　the　danger　the　child　had　run！〃

〃Heavens！　madame；〃　retorted　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles；　paying　no　heed　to　the　rebuke；　〃all　I　can　say　is　that　newfoundlands　are　always　dangerous。　If　Madame　de　l'Estorade　becomes　too　much　compromised；　she　has　one　resource；she　can　marry　him　to　the　girl　he　saved。〃

Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles　had　no　sooner　said　the　words　than　he　perceived　the　horrible　blunder　he　had　committed　in　making　such　a　speech　before　Mademoiselle　de　Nucingen。　He　colored　high；a　most　unusual　sign　in　him；and　the　solemn　silence　which　seemed　to　wrap　all　present　completed　his　discomfiture。

〃This　clock　must　be　slow；〃　said　the　minister；　catching　at　any　words　that　would　make　a　sound　and　break　up　an　evening　that　was　ending　unfortunately。

〃True；〃　said　de　Ronquerolles；　looking　at　his　watch；　〃it　is　a　quarter　to　twelve。〃

He　bowed　to　Madame　de　Rastignac　ceremoniously；　and　went　away；　followed　by　the　rest　of　the　company。

〃You　saw　his　embarrassment；〃　said　Rastignac　to　his　wife；　〃he　had　no　malicious　intention　in　what　he　said。〃

〃It　is　of　no　consequence。　I　was　saying　just　now　to　Madame　de　l'Estorade's　that　your　past　life　had　given　you　a　number　of　detestable　acquaintances。〃

〃But；　my　dear；　the　King　himself　is　compelled　to　smile　graciously　on　men　he　would　fain　put　in　the　Bastille；if　we　still　had　a　Bastille　and　the　Charter　permitted　him。〃

Madame　de　Rastignac　made　no　reply；　and　without　bidding　her　husband　good…night；　she　went　up　to　her　room。　A　few　moments　later　the　minister　went　to　the　private　door　which　led　into　it；　and　not　finding　the　key　in　the　lock；　he　said；　〃Augusta！〃　in　the　tone　of　voice　a　simple　bourgeois　might　have　used　in　such　a　case。

For　all　answer；　he　heard　a　bolt　run　hastily　on　the　other　side　of　the　door。

〃Ah！〃　he　thought　to　himself　with　a　gesture　of　vexation；　〃there　are　some　pasts　very　different　from　that　door；they　are　always　wide　open　to　the　present。〃

Then；　after　a　moment's　silence；　he　added；　to　cover　his　retreat；　〃Augusta；　I　wanted　to　ask　you　what　hour　Madame　de　l'Estorade　receives。　I　ought　to　call　upon　her　to…morrow；　after　what　happened　here　to…night。〃

〃At　four　o'clock；〃　said　the　young　wife　through　the　door；〃on　her　return　from　the　Tuileries；　where　she　takes　the　children　to　walk　every　day。〃

One　of　the　questions　that　were　frequently　put　by　Parisian　society　after　the　marriage　of　Madame　de　Rastignac　was：　〃Does　she　love　her　husband？〃

The　doubt　was　permissible。　The　marriage　of　Mademoiselle　de　Nucingen　was　the　unpleasant　and　scarcely　moral　product　of　one　of　those　immoral　unions　which　find　their　issue　in　the　life　of　a　daughter；　after　years　and　satiety　have　brought　them　to　a　condition　of　dry…rot　and　paralysis。　In　such　marriages　of　/convenience/　the　husband　is　satisfied；　for　he　escapes　a　happiness　which　has　turned　rancid　to　him；　and　he　profits　by　a　speculation　like　that　of　the　magician　in　the　〃Arabian　Nights〃　who　exchanges　old　lamps　for　new。　But　the　wife；　on　the　contrary；　must　ever　feel　a　living　memory　between　herself　and　her　husband；　a　memory　which　may　revive；　and　while　wholly　outside　of　the　empire　of　the　senses；　has　the　force　of　an　old　authority　antagonistic　to　her　young　influence。　In　such　a　position　the　wife　is　a　victim。

During　the　short　time　we　have　taken　to　give　this　brief　analysis　of　a　situation　too　frequently　existing；　Rastignac　lingered　at　the　door。

〃Well；〃　he　said　at　last；　deciding　to　retire；　〃good…night；　Augusta。〃

As　he　said　the　words；　rather　piteously；　the　door　opened　suddenly；　and　his　wife；　throwing　herself　into　his　arms；　laid　her　head　upon　his　shoulder　sobbing。

The　question　was　answered：　Madame　de　Rastignac　loved　her　husband；　but　for　all　that；　the　distant　muttering　of　a　subterranean　fire　might　be　heard　beneath　the　flowers　of　their　garden。



III

A　MINISTER'S　MORNING

The　next　day；　when　Rastignac　entered　his　office；　the　adjoining　waiting…room　was　already　occupied　by　eleven　persons　waiting　with　letters　of　introduction　to　solicit　favors；　also　two　peers　of　France　and　several　deputies。

Presently　a　bell　rang。　The　usher；　with　an　eagerness　which　communicated　itself　to　all　present；　entered　the　sanctum；　an　instant　later　he　came　out；　bearing　this　stereotyped　message：

〃The　minister　is　obliged　to　attend　a　Council。　He　will；　however；　have　the　honor　to　receive　the　gentlemen　of　the　two　Chambers。　As　for　the　others；　they　can　call　again　at　another　time。〃

〃What　other　time？〃　asked　one　of　the　postponed；　〃this　is　the　third　time　in　three　days　that　I　have　come　here　uselessly。〃

The　usher　made　a　gesture　which　meant；　〃It　is　not　my　affair；　I　follow　my　orders。〃　But　hearing　certain　murmurs　as　to　the　/privilege/　granted　to　honorable　members；　he　said；　with　a　certain　solemnity；

〃The　honorable　gentlemen　came　to　discuss　affairs　of　public　interest　with　his　Excellency。〃

The　office…seekers；　being　compelled　to　accept　this　fib；　departed。　After　which　the　bell　rang　again。　The　usher　then　assumed　his　most　gracious　expression　of　face。　By　natural　affinity；　the　lucky　ones　had　gathered　in　a　group　at　one　end　of　the　room。　Though　they　had　never　seen　one　another　before；　most　of　them　being　the　offspring　of　the　late　national　lying…in；　they　seemed　to　recognize　a　certain　representative　air　which　is　very　difficult　to　define；　though　it　can　never　be　mistaken。　The　usher；　not　venturing　to　choose　among　so　many　eminent　personages；　turned　a　mute；　caressing