the deputy of arcis-第5章

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〃That　is　what　I　was　about　to　explain；〃　resumed　Simon；　〃I　thank　Monsieur　Achille　Pigoult　for　having　insisted　on　the　strictness　of　parliamentary　forms。　This　is　the　first　time　that　the　arrondissement　of　Arcis　has　been　at　liberty　to　use〃

〃At　liberty！〃　said　Pigoult；　interrupting　the　orator。

〃At　liberty！〃　cried　the　assembly。

〃At　liberty；〃　continued　Simon　Giguet；　〃to　use　its　rights　in　the　great　battle　of　a　general　election　to　the　Chamber　of　Deputies；　and　as；　in　a　few　days；　we　shall　have　a　meeting；　at　which　all　electors　will　be　present；　to　judge　of　the　merits　of　the　candidates；　we　ought　to　feel　ourselves　most　fortunate　in　becoming　accustomed　here；　in　this　limited　meeting；　to　the　usages　of　great　assemblies。　We　shall　be　all　the　more　able　to　decide　the　political　future　of　the　town　of　Arcis；　for　the　question　now　is　to　substitute　a　town's　interests　for　family　interests；　a　whole　region　for　a　man。〃

Simon　then　reviewed　the　history　of　the　Arcis　elections　for　the　last　twenty　years。　While　approving　the　constant　election　of　Francois　Keller；　he　said　the　moment　had　now　come　to　shake　off　the　yoke　of　the　house　of　Gondreville。　Arcis　ought　to　be　no　more　a　fief　of　the　liberals　than　a　fief　of　the　Cinq…Cygnes。　Advanced　opinions　were　arising　in　France　of　which　the　Kellers　were　not　the　exponents。　Charles　Keller；　having　become　a　viscount；　belonged　to　the　court；　he　could　have　no　independence；　because；　in　presenting　him　as　candidate；　his　family　thought　much　more　of　making　him　succeed　to　his　father's　peerage　than　of　benefiting　his　constituency　as　deputy；　etc。；　etc。　And；　finally；　Simon　presented　himself　to　the　choice　of　his　fellow…citizens；　pledging　his　word　to　sit　on　the　same　bench　with　the　illustrious　Odilon　Barrot；　and　never　to　desert　the　glorious　flag　of　Progress。

/Progress/！　one　of　those　words　behind　which　more　flimsy　ambitions　than　ideas　were　trying　to　group　themselves；　for；　after　1830；　it　represented　only　the　pretensions　of　a　few　hungry　democrats。　Nevertheless；　this　word　had　still　a　great　effect　upon　Arcis；　and　gave　stability　to　whosoever　might　inscribe　it　on　his　banner。　To　call　himself　a　man　of　progress　was　to　declare　himself　a　philosopher　in　all　things　and　a　puritan　in　politics；　it　declared　him　in　favor　of　railroads；　mackintoshes；　penitentiaries；　wooden　pavements；　Negro　freedom；　savings…banks；　seamless　shoes；　lighting　by　gas；　asphalt　pavements；　universal　suffrage；　and　reduction　of　the　civil　list。　In　short；　it　meant　pronouncing　himself　against　the　treaties　of　1815；　against　the　Eldest　Branch；　against　the　colossus　of　the　North；　perfidious　Albion；　against　all　enterprises；　good　or　bad；　of　the　government。　Thus　we　see　that　the　word　/progress/　might　signify　〃No；〃　as　well　as　〃Yes。〃　It　was　gilding　put　upon　the　word　/liberalism/；　a　new　pass…word　for　new　ambitions。

〃If　I　have　rightly　understood　what　this　meeting　is　for；〃　said　Jean　Violette；　a　stocking…maker；　who　had　recently　bought　the　Beauvisage　house；　〃it　is　to　pledge　ourselves　to　support；　by　employing　every　means　in　our　power；　Monsieur　Simon　Giguet　at　the　elections　as　deputy　in　place　of　Comte　Francois　Keller。　If　each　of　us　intends　to　coalesce　in　this　manner　we　have　only　to　say　plainly　Yes　or　No　on　that　point。〃

〃That　is　going　too　quickly　to　the　point！　Political　affairs　do　not　advance　in　that　way；　or　there　would　be　no　politics　at　all！〃　cried　Pigoult；　whose　old　grandfather；　eighty…six　years　old；　had　just　entered　the　room。　〃The　last　speaker　undertakes　to　decide　what　seems　to　me；　according　to　my　feeble　lights；　the　very　object　we　are　met　to　discuss。　I　demand　permission　to　speak。〃

〃Monsieur　Achille　Pigoult　has　the　floor；〃　said　Beauvisage；　at　last　able　to　pronounce　that　phrase　with　all　his　municipal　and　constitutional　dignity。

〃Messieurs；〃　said　the　notary；　〃if　there　is　a　house　in　Arcis　in　which　no　voice　should　be　raised　against　the　influence　of　the　Comte　de　Gondreville；　it　is　surely　the　one　we　are　now　in。　The　worthy　Colonel　Giguet　is　the　only　person　in　it　who　has　not　sought　the　benefits　of　the　senatorial　power；　he；　at　least；　has　never　asked　anything　of　the　Comte　de　Gondreville；　who　took　his　name　off　the　list　of　exiles　in　1815　and　caused　him　to　receive　the　pension　which　the　colonel　now　enjoys　without　lifting　a　finger　to　obtain　it。〃

A　murmur；　flattering　to　the　old　soldier；　greeted　this　observation。

〃But；〃　continued　the　orator；　〃the　Marions　are　covered　with　the　count's　benefits。　Without　that　influence；　the　late　Colonel　Giguet　would　not　have　commanded　the　gendarmerie　of　the　Aube。　The　late　Monsieur　Marion　would　not　have　been　chief…justice　of　the　Imperial　court　without　the　protection　of　the　count；　to　whom　I　myself　have　every　reason　to　be　thankful。　You　will　therefore　think　it　natural　that　I　should　be　his　advocate　within　these　walls。　There　are；　indeed；　few　persons　in　this　arrondissement　who　have　not　received　benefits　from　that　family。〃

＇Murmurs。＇

〃A　candidate　puts　himself　in　the　stocks；〃　continued　Achille　Pigoult；　warming　up。　〃I　have　the　right　to　scrutinize　his　life　before　I　invest　him　with　my　powers。　I　do　not　desire　ingratitude　in　the　delegate　I　may　help　to　send　to　the　Chamber；　for　ingratitude　is　like　misfortuneone　ingratitude　leads　to　others。　We　have　been；　he　tells　us；　the　stepping…　stone　of　the　Kellers；　well；　from　what　I　have　heard　here；　I　am　afraid　we　may　become　the　stepping…stone　of　the　Giguets。　We　live　in　a　practical　age；　do　we　not？　Well；　then；　let　us　examine　into　what　will　be　the　results　to　the　arrondissement　of　Arcis　if　Simon　Giguet　is　elected。　They　talk　to　you　of　independence！　Simon；　whom　I　thus　maltreat　as　candidate；　is　my　personal　friend；　as　he　is　that　of　all　who　hear　me；　and　I　should　myself　be　charmed　to　see　him　the　orator　of　the　Left；　seated　between　Garnier…Pages　and　Lafitte；　but　how　would　that　benefit　the　arrondissement？　The　arrondissement　would　lose　the　support　of　the　Comte　de　Gondreville　and　the　Kellers。　We　all；　in　the　course　of　five　years；　have　had　and　shall　have　need　of　the　one　and　of　the　others。　Some　have　gone　to　the　Marechale　de　Carigliano　to　obtain　the　release　of　a　young　fellow　who　had　drawn　a　bad　number。　Others　have　had　recourse　to　the　influence　of　the　Kellers　in　many　matters　which　are　decided　according　to　their　recommendation。　We　have　always　found　the　old　Comte　de　Gondreville　ready　to　do　us　service。　It　is　enough　to　belong　to　Arcis　to　obtain　admission　to　him　without　being　forced　to　kick　our　heels　in　his　antechamber。　Those　two　families　know　every　one　in　Arcis。　Where　is　the　financial　influence　of　the　Giguets；　and　what　power　have　they　with　the　ministry？　Have　they　any　standing　at　the　Bourse？　When　we　want　to　replace　our　wretched　wooden　bridge　with　one　of　stone　can　they　obtain　from　the　department　and　the　State　the　necessary　funds？　By　electing　Charles　Keller　we　shall　cement　a　bond　of　friendship　which　has　never；　to　this　day；　failed　to　do　us　service。　By　electing　my　good；　my　excellent　schoolmate；　my　worthy　friend　Simon　Giguet；　we　shall　realize　nothing　but　losses　until　the　far…distant　time　when　he　becomes　a　minister。　I　know　his　modesty　well　enough　to　be　certain　he　will　not　contradict　me　when　I　say　that　I　doubt　his　election　to　the　post　of　deputy。〃　＇Laughter。＇　〃I　have　come　to　this　meeting　to　oppose　a　course　which　I　regard　as　fatal　to　our　arrondissement。　Charles　Keller　belongs　to　the　court；　they　say　to　me。　Well；　so　much　the　better！　we　shall　not　have　to　pay　the　costs　of　his　political　apprenticeship；　he　knows　the　affairs　of　the　country；　he　knows　parliamentary　necessities；　he　is　much　nearer　being　a　statesman　than　my　friend　Simon；　who　will　not　pretend　to　have　made　himself　a　Pitt　or　a　Talleyrand　in　a　little　town　like　Arcis〃

〃Danton　went　from　it！〃　cried　Colonel　Giguet；　furious　at　Achille's　speech　and　the　justice　of　it。

〃Bravo！〃

This　was　an　acclamation；　and　sixty　persons　clapped　their　hands。

〃My　father　has　a　ready　wit；〃　whispered　Simon　Giguet　to　Beauvisage。

〃I　do　not　understand　why；　apropos　of　an　election；〃　continued　the　old　colonel；　rising　suddenly；　with　the　blood　boiling　in　his　face；　〃we　should　be　hauled　up　for　the　ties　which　connect　us　with　the　Comte　de　Gondreville。　My　son's　fortune　comes　from　his　mother；　he　has　asked　nothing　of　the　Comte　de　Gondreville。　The　comte　might　never　have　existed　and　Simon　would　have　been　what　he　now　is；the　son　of　a　colonel　of　artillery　who　owes　his　rank　to　his　services；　a　man　whose　opinions　have　never　varied。　I　should　say　openly　to　the　Comte　de　Gondreville　if　he　were　present：　'We　have　elected　your　son…in…law　for　twenty　years；　to…day　we　wish　to　prove　that　in　so　doing　we　acted　of　our　own　free…will；　and　we　now　elect　a　man　of　Arcis；　in　order　to　show　that　the　old　spirit　of　1789；　to　which　you　owe　your　fortune；　still　lives　in　the　land　of　Danton；　Malin；　Grevin；　Pigoult；　MarionThat　is　all！〃

And　the　old　man　sat　down。　Whereupon　a　great　hubbub　arose。　Achille　opened　his　mouth　to　reply。　Beauvisage；　who　would　not　have　thought　himself　chairman　unless　he　had　rung　his　bell；　increased　the　racket；　and　called　for　silence。　It　was　then　two　o'clock。

〃I　shall　take　the　liberty　to　observe　to　the　honorable　Colonel　Giguet；　whose　feelings　are　easily　understood；　that　he　took　upon　himself　to　speak；　which　is　against　parliamentary　usage；〃　said　Achille　Pigoult。

〃I　think　it　is　not　necessary　to　call　the　colonel　to　order；〃　said　the　chairman。　〃He　is　a　father〃

Silence　was　re…established。

〃We　did　not　come　here；〃　cried　Fromaget；　〃to　say　Amen　to　everything　the　Messieurs　Giguet；　father　and　son；　may　wish〃

〃No！　no！〃　cried　the　assembly。

〃Things　are　going　badly；〃　said　Madame　Marion　to　her　cook　in　the　garden。

〃Messieurs；〃　resumed　Achille；　〃I　confine　myself　to　asking　my　friend　Simon　Giguet；　categorically；　what　he　expects　to　do　for　our　interests。〃

〃Yes！　yes！〃　cried　the　assembly。

〃Since　when；〃　demanded　Simon　Giguet；　〃have　good　citizens　like　those　of　Arcis　made　trade　and　barter　of　the　sacred　mission　of　deputy？〃

It　is　impossible　to　represent　the　effect　produced　by　noble　sentiments　on　a　body　of　men。　They　will　applaud　fine　maxims；　while　they　none　the　less　vote　for　the　degradation　of　their　country；　like　the　galley…slave　who　shouted　for　the　punishment　of　Robert　Macaire　when　he　saw　the　thing　played；　and　then　went　off　and　killed　his　own　Monsieur　Germeuil。

〃Bravo！〃　cried　several　true…blood　Giguet　electors。

〃You　will　send　me　to　the　Chamber；〃　went　on　Simon；　〃if　you　do　send　me；　to　represent　principles；　the　principles　of　1789；　to　be　one　of　the　ciphers；　if　you　choose；　of　the　Opposition；　but　a　cipher　that　votes　with　it　to　enlighten　the　government；　make　war　against　abuses；　and　promote　progress　in　all　things〃

〃What　do　you　call　progress？〃　asked　Fromaget。　〃For　us；　progress　means　getting　the　waste　lands　of　la　Champagne　under　cultivation。〃

〃Progress！　I　will　explain　to　you　what　I　mean　by　that；〃　cried　Giguet；　exasperated　by　the　interruption。

〃It　is　the　frontier　of　the　Rhine　for　France；〃　put　in　the　colonel；　〃and　the　destruction　of　the　treaties　of　1815。〃

〃It　is　selling　wheat　dear　and　keeping　bread　cheap；〃　cried　Achille　Pigoult　sarcastically；　thinking　that　he　made　a　joke；　but　actually　expressing　one　of　the　delusions　that　reign　in　France。

〃It　is　the　happiness　of　all；　obtained　by　the　triumph　of　humanitarian　doctrines；〃　continued　Simon。

〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　said　Achille　to　his　neighbors。

〃Hush！　silence！　let　us　listen！〃　said　various　voices。

〃Messieurs；〃　said　the　stout　Mollot；　sm