the muse of the department-第2章

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distinguished　/emigres/　enclosed　in　a　pocketbook　full　of　verses；　with
this　inscription　on　the　wrapper；　/Vanitas　vanitatum　et　omnia　vanitas/。

Young　La　Baudraye　did　not　die；　but　he　owed　his　life　to　habits　of
monastic　strictness；　to　the　economy　of　action　which　Fontenelle
preached　as　the　religion　of　the　invalid；　and；　above　all；　to　the　air　of
Sancerre　and　the　influence　of　its　fine　elevation；　whence　a　panorama
over　the　valley　of　the　Loire　may　be　seen　extending　for　forty　leagues。

From　1802　to　1815　young　La　Baudraye　added　several　plots　to　his
vineyards；　and　devoted　himself　to　the　culture　of　the　vine。　The
Restoration　seemed　to　him　at　first　so　insecure　that　he　dared　not　go　to
Paris　to　claim　his　debts；　but　after　Napoleon's　death　he　tried　to　turn
his　father's　collection　of　autographs　into　money；　though　not
understanding　the　deep　philosophy　which　had　thus　mixed　up　I　O　U's　and
copies　of　verses。　But　the　winegrower　lost　so　much　time　in　impressing
his　identity　on　the　Duke　of　Navarreins　〃and　others；〃　as　he　phrased　it；
that　he　came　back　to　Sancerre；　to　his　beloved　vintage；　without　having
obtained　anything　but　offers　of　service。

The　Restoration　had　raised　the　nobility　to　such　a　degree　of　lustre　as
made　La　Baudraye　wish　to　justify　his　ambitions　by　having　an　heir。　This
happy　result　of　matrimony　he　considered　doubtful；　or　he　would　not　so
long　have　postponed　the　step；　however；　finding　himself　still　above
ground　in　1823；　at　the　age　of　forty…three；　a　length　of　years　which　no
doctor；　astrologer；　or　midwife　would　have　dared　to　promise　him；　he
hoped　to　earn　the　reward　of　his　sober　life。　And　yet　his　choice　showed
such　a　lack　of　prudence　in　regard　to　his　frail　constitution；　that　the
malicious　wit　of　a　country　town　could　not　help　thinking　it　must　be　the
result　of　some　deep　calculation。

Just　at　this　time　His　Eminence；　Monseigneur　the　Archbishop　of　Bourges；
had　converted　to　the　Catholic　faith　a　young　person；　the　daughter　of
one　of　the　citizen　families；　who　were　the　first　upholders　of
Calvinism；　and　who；　thanks　to　their　obscurity　or　to　some　compromise
with　Heaven；　had　escaped　from　the　persecutions　under　Louis　XIV。　The
Piedefersa　name　that　was　obviously　one　of　the　quaint　nicknames
assumed　by　the　champions　of　the　Reformationhad　set　up　as　highly
respectable　cloth　merchants。　But　in　the　reign　of　Louis　XVI。；　Abraham
Piedefer　fell　into　difficulties；　and　at　his　death　in　1786　left　his　two
children　in　extreme　poverty。　One　of　them；　Tobie　Piedefer；　went　out　to
the　Indies；　leaving　the　pittance　they　had　inherited　to　his　elder
brother。　During　the　Revolution　Moise　Piedefer　bought　up　the
nationalized　land；　pulled　down　abbeys　and　churches　with　all　the　zeal
of　his　ancestors；　oddly　enough；　and　married　a　Catholic；　the　only
daughter　of　a　member　of　the　Convention　who　had　perished　on　the
scaffold。　This　ambitious　Piedefer　died　in　1819；　leaving　a　little　girl
of　remarkable　beauty。　This　child；　brought　up　in　the　Calvinist　faith；
was　named　Dinah；　in　accordance　with　the　custom　in　use　among　the　sect；
of　taking　their　Christian　names　from　the　Bible；　so　as　to　have　nothing
in　common　with　the　Saints　of　the　Roman　Church。

Mademoiselle　Dinah　Piedefer　was　placed　by　her　mother　in　one　of　the
best　schools　in　Bourges；　that　kept　by　the　Demoiselles　Chamarolles；　and
was　soon　as　highly　distinguished　for　the　qualities　of　her　mind　as　for
her　beauty；　but　she　found　herself　snubbed　by　girls　of　birth　and
fortune；　destined　by…and…by　to　play　a　greater　part　in　the　world　than　a
mere　plebeian；　the　daughter　of　a　mother　who　was　dependent　on　the
settlement　of　Piedefer's　estate。　Dinah；　having　raised　herself　for　the
moment　above　her　companions；　now　aimed　at　remaining　on　a　level　with
them　for　the　rest　of　her　life。　She　determined；　therefore；　to　renounce
Calvinism；　in　the　hope　that　the　Cardinal　would　extend　his　favor　to　his
proselyte　and　interest　himself　in　her　prospects。　You　may　from　this
judge　of　Mademoiselle　Dinah's　superiority；　since　at　the　age　of
seventeen　she　was　a　convert　solely　from　ambition。

The　Archbishop；　possessed　with　the　idea　that　Dinah　Piedefer　would
adorn　society；　was　anxious　to　see　her　married。　But　every　family　to
whom　the　prelate　made　advances　took　fright　at　a　damsel　gifted　with　the
looks　of　a　princess；　who　was　reputed　to　be　the　cleverest　of
Mademoiselle　Chamarolles'　pupils　and　who；　at　the　somewhat　theatrical
ceremonial　of　prize…giving；　always　took　a　leading　part。　A　thousand
crowns　a　year；　which　was　as　much　as　she　could　hope　for　from　the　estate
of　La　Hautoy　when　divided　between　the　mother　and　daughter；　would　be　a
mere　trifle　in　comparison　with　the　expenses　into　which　a　husband　would
be　led　by　the　personal　advantages　of　so　brilliant　a　creature。

As　soon　as　all　these　facts　came　to　the　ears　of　little　Polydore　de　la
Baudrayefor　they　were　the　talk　of　every　circle　in　the　Department　of
the　Cherhe　went　to　Bourges　just　when　Madame　Piedefer；　a　devotee　at
high　services；　had　almost　made　up　her　own　mind　and　her　daughter's　to
take　the　first　comer　with　well…lined　pocketsthe　first　/chien
coiffe/；　as　they　say　in　Le　Berry。　And　if　the　Cardinal　was　delighted　to
receive　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye；　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye　was　even
better　pleased　to　receive　a　wife　from　the　hands　of　the　Cardinal。　The
little　gentleman　only　demanded　of　His　Eminence　a　formal　promise　to
support　his　claims　with　the　President　of　the　Council　to　enable　him　to
recover　his　debts　from　the　Duc　de　Navarreins　〃and　others〃　by　a　lien　on
their　indemnities。　This　method；　however；　seemed　to　the　able　Minister
then　occupying　the　Pavillon　Marsan　rather　too　sharp　practice；　and　he
gave　the　vine…owner　to　understand　that　his　business　should　be　attended
to　all　in　good　time。

It　is　easy　to　imagine　the　excitement　produced　in　the　Sancerre　district
by　the　news　of　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye's　imprudent　marriage。

〃It　is　quite　intelligible；〃　said　President　Boirouge；　〃the　little　man
was　very　much　startled；　as　I　am　told；　at　hearing　that　handsome　young
Milaud；　the　Attorney…General's　deputy　at　Nevers；　say　to　Monsieur　de
Clagny　as　they　were　looking　at　the　turrets　of　La　Baudraye；　'That　will
be　mine　some　day。''But；'　says　Clagny；　'he　may　marry　and　have
children。''Impossible！'So　you　may　imagine　how　such　a　changeling　as
little　La　Baudraye　must　hate　that　colossal　Milaud。〃

There　was　at　Nevers　a　plebeian　branch　of　the　Milauds；　which　had　grown
so　rich　in　the　cutlery　trade　that　the　present　representative　of　that
branch　had　been　brought　up　to　the　civil　service；　in　which　he　had
enjoyed　the　patronage　of　Marchangy；　now　dead。

It　will　be　as　well　to　eliminate　from　this　story；　in　which　moral
developments　play　the　principal　part；　the　baser　material　interests
which　alone　occupied　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye；　by　briefly　relating　the
results　of　his　negotiations　in　Paris。　This　will　also　throw　light　on
certain　mysterious　phenomena　of　contemporary　history；　and　the
underground　difficulties　in　matters　of　politics　which　hampered　the
Ministry　at　the　time　of　the　Restoration。



The　promises　of　Ministers　were　so　illusory　that　Monsieur　de　la
Baudraye　determined　on　going　to　Paris　at　the　time　when　the　Cardinal's
presence　was　required　there　by　the　sitting　of　the　Chambers。

This　is　how　the　Duc　de　Navarreins；　the　principal　debtor　threatened　by
Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye；　got　out　of　the　scrape。

The　country　gentleman；　lodging　at　the　Hotel　de　Mayence；　Rue　Saint…
Honore；　near　the　Place　Vendome；　one　morning　received　a　visit　from　a
confidential　agent　of　the　Ministry；　who　was　an　expert　in　〃winding　up〃
business。　This　elegant　personage；　who　stepped　out　of　an　elegant　cab；
and　was　dressed　in　the　most　elegant　style；　was　requested　to　walk　up　to
No。　3that　is　to　say；　to　the　third　floor；　to　a　small　room　where　he
found　his　provincial　concocting　a　cup　of　coffee　over　his　bedroom　fire。

〃Is　it　to　Monsieur　Milaud　de　la　Baudraye　that　I　have　the　honor〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　little　man；　draping　himself　in　his　dressing…gown。

After　examining　this　garment；　the　illicit　offspring　of　an　old　chine
wrapper　of　Madame　Piedefer's　and　a　gown　of　the　late　lamented　Madame　de
la　Baudraye；　the　emissary　considered　the　man；　the　dressing…gown；　and
the　little　stove　on　which　the　milk　was　boiling　in　a　tin　saucepan；　as
so　homogeneous　and　characteristic；　that　he　deemed　it　needless　to　beat
about　the　bush。

〃I　will　lay　a　wager；　monsieur；〃　said　he；　audaciously；　〃that　you　dine
for　forty　sous　at　Hurbain's　in　the　Palais　Royal。〃

〃Pray；　why？〃

〃Oh；　I　know　you；　having　seen　you　there；〃　replied　the　Parisian　with
perfect　gravity。　〃All　the　princes'　creditors　dine　there。　You　know　that
you　recover　scarcely　ten　per　cent　on　debts　from　these　fine　gentlemen。
I　would　not　give　you　five　per　cent　on　a　debt　to　be　recovered　from　the
estate　of　the　late　Duc　d'Orleansnor　even；〃　he　added　in　a　low　voice
〃from　MONSIEUR。〃

〃So　you　have　come　to　buy　up　the　bills？〃　said　La　Baudraye；　thinking
himself　very　clever。

〃Buy　them！〃　said　his　visitor。　〃Why；　what　do　you　take　me　for？　I　am
Monsieur　des　Lupeaulx；　Master　of　Appeals；　Secretary…General　to　the
Ministry；　and　I　have　come　to　propose　an　arrangement。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃Of　course；　monsieur；　you　know　the　position　of　your　debtor〃

〃Of　my　debtors〃

〃Well；　monsieur；　you　understand　the　position　of　your　debtors；　they
stand　high　in　the　King's　good　graces；　but　they　have　no　money；　and　are
obliged　to　make　a　good　show。Again；　you　know　the　difficulties　of　the
political　situation。　The　aristocracy　has　to　be　rehabilitated　in　the
face　of　a　very　strong　force　of　the　third　estate。　The　King's　ideaand
France　does　him　scant　justiceis　to　create　a　peerage　as　a　national
institution　analogous　to　the　English　peerage。　To　realize　this　grand
idea　we　need　yearsand　millions。/Noblesse　oblige/。　The　Duc　de
Navarreins；　who　is；　as　you　know；　first　gentleman　of　the　Bedchamber　to
the　King；　does　not　repudiate　his　debt；　but　he　cannotNow；　be
reasonable。Consider　the　state　of　politics。　We　are　emerging　from　the
pit　of　the　Revolution。and　you　yourself　are　nobleHe　simply　cannot
pay〃

〃Monsieur〃

〃You　are　hasty；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx。　〃Listen。　He　cannot　pay　in　money。
Well；　then；　you；　a　clever　man；　can　take　payment　in　favorsRoyal　or
Ministerial。〃

〃What！　When　in　1793　my　father　put　down　one　hundred　thousand〃

〃My　dear　sir；　recrimination　is　useless。　Listen　to　a　simple　statement
in　political　arithmetic：　The　collectorship　at　Sancerre　is　vacant；　a
certain　paymaster…general　of　the　forces　has　a　claim　on　it；　but　he　has
no　chance　of　getting　it；　you　have　the　chanceand　no　claim。　You　will
get　the　place。　You　will　hold　it　for　three　months；　you　will　then
resign；　and　Monsieur　Gravier　will　give　twenty　thousand　francs　for　it。
In　addition；　the　Order　of　the　Legion　of　Honor　will　be　conferred　on
you。〃

〃Well；　that　is　something；〃　said　the　wine…grower；　tempted　by　the　money
rather　than　by　the　red　ribbon。

〃But　then；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　〃you　must　show　your　gratitude　to　His
Excellency　by　restoring　to　Monseigneur　the　Duc　de　Navarreins　all　your
claims　on　him。〃

La　Baudraye　returned　to　Sancerre　as　Collector　of　Taxes。　Six　months
later　he　was　superseded　by　Monsieur　Gravier；　regarded　as　one　of　the
most　agreeable　financiers　who　had　served　under　the　Empire；　and　who　was
of　course　presented　by　Monsieur　de　la　Baudraye　to　his　wife。

As　soon　as　he　was　released　from　his　fun