the deputy of arcis- 第30部分

The　letter　was　long。　I　had　no　patience　to　read　it　until　I　knew　the　name　I　bore。　I　turned　to　the　signature；　again　my　disappointment　was　completethere　was　no　name！

　　Monsieur　my　Son；

said　my　anonymous　father；

　　I　do　not　regret　that　by　your　passionate　insistence　on　knowing　the　　　secret　of　your　birth；　you　have　forced　the　person　who　has　watched　　　over　you　from　childhood　to　come　here　to　confer　with　me　as　to　the　　　course　your　vehement　and　dangerous　curiosity　requires　us　to　　　pursue。

　　For　some　time　past；　I　have　entertained　a　thought　which　I　bring　to　　　maturity　to…day；　the　execution　of　which　could　have　been　more　　　satisfactorily　settled　by　word　of　mouth　than　it　can　now　be　by　　　correspondence。

　　Immediately　after　your　birth；　which　cost　your　mother's　life；　being　　　forced　to　expatriate　myself；　I　made　in　a　foreign　country　a　noble　　　fortune；　and　I　occupy　in　the　ministry　of　that　country　an　eminent　　　position。　I　foresee　the　moment　when；　free　to　restore　to　you　my　　　name；　I　shall　also　be　able　to　secure　to　you　the　inheritance　of　my　　　titles　and　the　position　to　which　I　have　attained。

　　But；　to　reach　that　height；　the　reputation　you　have；　I　am　told；　　　acquired　in　art　is　not　a　sufficient　recommendation。　It　is　my　wish　　　that　you　should　enter　political　life；　and　in　that　career；　under　　　the　present　institutions　of　France；　there　are　not　two　ways　of　　　becoming　a　man　of　distinction：　you　must　begin　by　being　made　a　　　deputy。　I　know　that　you　are　not　yet　of　the　legal　age；　and　also　　　that　you　do　not　possess　the　property　qualification。　But；　in　　　another　year　you　will　be　thirty　years　old；　and　that　is　just　the　　　necessary　time　required　by　law　to　be　a　land…owner　before　becoming　　　a　candidate　for　election。

　　To…morrow；　therefore；　you　can　present　yourself　to　Mongenod　Bros。；　　　bankers；　rue　de　la　Victoire。　A　sum　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　　　thousand　francs　will　be　paid　to　you；　this　you　must　immediately　　　employ　in　the　purchase　of　real　estate；　applying　part　of　the　　　surplus　to　obtain　an　interest　in　some　newspaper　which；　when　the　　　right　time　comes；　will　support　your　candidacy；　and　the　rest　in　　　another　expense　I　shall　presently　explain　to　you。

　　Your　political　aptitude　is　guaranteed　to　me　by　the　person　who；　　　with　a　disinterested　zeal　for　which　I　shall　ever　be　grateful；　has　　　watched　over　you　since　you　were　abandoned。　For　some　time　past　he　　　has　secretly　followed　you　and　listened　to　you；　and　he　is　certain　　　that　you　will　make　yourself　a　dignified　position　in　the　Chamber。　　　Your　opinions　of　ardent　yet　moderate　liberalism　please　me；　without　　　being　aware　of　it；　you　have　very　cleverly　played　into　my　game。　I　　　cannot　as　yet　tell　you　the　place　of　your　probable　election。　The　　　secret　power　which　is　preparing　for　that　event　is　all　the　more　　　certain　to　succeed　because　its　plans　are　pursued　quietly　and　for　　　the　present　in　the　shade。　But　success　will　be　greatly　assisted　by　　　the　execution　of　a　work　which　I　shall　now　propose　to　you；　　　requesting　you　to　accept　its　apparent　strangeness　without　surprise　　　or　comment。

　　For　the　time　being　you　must　continue　to　be　a　sculptor；　and　with　　　the　talents　of　which　you　have　already　given　proofs；　I　wish　you　to　　　make　a　statue　of　Saint…Ursula。　That　is　a　subject　which　does　not　　　lack　either　interest　or　poesy。　Saint…Ursula；　virgin　and　martyr；　　　was；　as　is　generally　believed；　a　daughter　of　prince　of　Great　　　Britain。　Becoming　the　abbess　of　a　convent　of　unmarried　women；　who　　　were　called　with　popular　naivete　the　Eleven　Thousand　Virgins；　she　　　was　martyred　by　the　Huns　in　the　fifth　century；　later；　she　was　　　patroness　of　the　order　of　the　Ursulines；　to　which　she　gave　its　　　name；　and　she　was　also　patroness　of　the　famous　house　of　Sorbonne。　　　An　able　artist　like　yourself　could；　it　seems　to　me；　make　much　of　　　these　details。

　　Without　knowing　the　locality　of　which　you　will　be　made　the　　　representative；　it　is　expedient　that　you　should　from　the　present　　　moment；　make　known　your　political　opinions　and　your　intention　of　　　becoming　a　candidate　for　election。　But　I　cannot　too　strongly　　　insist　on　your　keeping　secret　the　communication　now　made　to　you；　　　at　any　rate　as　much　as　your　patience　will　allow。　Leave　my　agent　in　　　peace；　and　await　the　slow　and　quiet　development　of　the　brilliant　　　future　to　which　you　are　destined；　without　yielding　to　a　curiosity　　　which　might；　I　warn　you；　lead　to　great　disasters。

　　If　you　refuse　to　enter　my　plans；　you　will　take　from　yourself　all　　　chance　of　ever　penetrating　a　mystery　which　you　have　shown　yourself　　　so　eager　to　understand。　But　I　do　not　admit　even　the　supposition　of　　　your　resistance；　and　I　prefer　to　believe　in　your　deference　to　the　　　wishes　of　a　father　who　will　regard　it　as　the　finest　day　of　his　　　life　when　at　last　it　be　granted　to　him　to　reveal　himself　to　his　　　son。

　　P。S。　Your　statue；　which　is　intended　for　a　convent　of　Ursuline　　　nuns；　must　be　in　white　marble。　Height：　one　metre　seven　hundred　and　　　six　millimetres；　in　other　words；　five　feet　three　inches。　As　it　　　will　not　be　placed　in　a　niche；　you　must　carefully　finish　all　sides　　　of　it。　The　costs　of　the　work　are　to　be　taken　out　of　the　two　　　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　mentioned　above。

This　letter　chilled　and　pained　me。　In　the　first　place；　it　took　from　me　a　hope　long　cherished；that　of　recovering　a　mother　as　loving　as　yours；　of　whose　adorable　tenderness；　dear　friend；　you　have　so　often　told　me。　After　all；　it　was　a　half…light　thrown　upon　the　fogs　of　my　life　without　even　allowing　me　to　know　whether　I　was　or　was　not　the　child　of　a　legitimate　marriage。　It　also　seemed　to　me　that　such　paternal　intimations　addressed　to　a　man　of　my　age　were　much　too　despotic　and　imperious。　Was　it　not　a　strange　proceeding　to　change　my　whole　life　as　if　I　were　a　boy　just　leaving　school！　At　first　I　employed　to　myself　all　the　arguments　against　this　political　vocation　which　you　and　my　other　friends　have　since　addressed　to　me。　Nevertheless　curiosity　impelled　me　to　go　the　Mongenods'；　and　finding　there；　sure　enough；　in　actual；　living　money；　the　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　announced　to　me；　I　was　led　to　reason　in　another　way。

I　reflected　that　a　will　which　began　by　making　such　an　outlay　must　have　something　serious　in　it。　And　inasmuch　as　this　mysterious　father　knew　all　and　I　nothing；　it　seemed　to　me　that　to　enter　on　a　struggle　with　him　was　neither　reasonable　nor　opportune。　In　fact；　had　I　any　real　repugnance　to　the　career　suggested　to　me？　No。　Political　interests　have　always　roused　me　to　a　certain　degree；　and　if　my　electoral　attempt　should　come　to　nothing；　I　could　always　return　to　my　art　without　being　more　ridiculous　than　the　other　still…born　ambitions　which　each　new　legislature　produces。

Accordingly；　I　have　bought　the　necessary　piece　of　property；　and　made　myself　a　shareholder　in　the　〃National。〃　I　have　also　made　the　Saint…　Ursula；　and　am　now　awaiting　instructions；　which　seem　to　me　rather　long　in　coming；　as　to　her　actual　destination。　Moreover；　I　have　made　known　my　parliamentary　ambition；　and　the　fact　that　I　intend　to　stand　in　the　coming　elections。

I　need　not　ask　you　to　preserve　the　utmost　secrecy　about　my　present　confidence。　Discretion　is　a　virtue　which　you　practise；　to　my　knowledge；　in　too　signal　a　manner　to　need　any　exhorting　thereto　from　me。　But　I　am　wrong；　dear　friend；　in　making　these　unkind　allusions　to　the　past；　for　at　this　moment　I　am；　more　perhaps　than　you　know；　the　obliged　party。　Partly　out　of　interest　in　me；　but　more　because　of　the　general　aversion　your　brother…in…law's　extreme　haughtiness　inspires；　the　democratic　party　has　flocked　to　my　door　to　make　inquiries　about　my　wound；　and　the　talk　and　excitement　about　this　duel　have　served　me　well；　there　is　no　doubt　that　my　candidacy　has　gained　much　ground。　Therefore；　I　say；　a　truce　to　your　gratitude；　do　you　not　see　how　much　I　owe　to　you？



X

DORLANGE　TO　MARIE…GASTON

Paris；　April；　1839。

Dear　Friend；For　better　or　for　worse；　I　continue　my　candidacy　without　a　constituency　to　elect　me。　This　surprises　my　friends　and　worries　me；　for　it　is　only　a　few　weeks　now　to　the　general　election；　and　if　it　happens　that　all　this　mysterious　〃preparation〃　comes　to　nought；　a　pretty　figure　I　shall　cut　in　the　caricatures　of　Monsieur　Bixiou；　of　whose　malicious　remarks　on　the　subject　you　lately　wrote　me。

One　thing　reassures　me：　it　does　not　seem　likely　that　any　one　would　have　sown　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　in　my　electoral　furrow　without　feeling　pretty　sure　of　gathering　a　harvest。　Perhaps；　to　take　a　cheerful　view　of　the　matter；　this　very　slowness　may　be　considered　as　showing　great　confidence　of　success。

However　that　may　be；　I　am　kept　by　this　long　delay　in　a　state　of　inaction　which　weighs　upon　me。　Astride　as　it　were　of　two　existences；　one　in　which　I　have　not　set　foot；　the　other　in　which　my　foot　still　lingers；I　have　no　heart　to　undertake　real　work；　I　am　like　a　traveller　who；　having　arrived　before　the　hour　when　the　diligence　starts；　does　not　know　what　to　do　with　his　person　nor　how　to　spend　his　time。　You　will　not　complain；　I　think；　that　I　turn　this　enforced　/far　niente/　to　the　profit　of　our　correspondence；　and　now　that　I　am　thus　at　leisure；　I　shall　take　up　two　points　in　your　last　letter　which　did　not　seem　to　me　of　sufficient　importance　to　pay　much　attention　to　at　the　time：　I　refer　to　your　warning　that　my　parliamentary　pretensions　did　not　meet　the　approval　of　Monsieur　Bixiou；　and　to　your　suggestion　that　I　might　expose　myself　to　falling　in　love　with　Madame　de　l'Estoradeif　I　were　not　in　love　with　her　already。　Let　us　discuss；　in　the　first　instance；　Monsieur　Bixiou's　grand　disapprobationjust　as　we　used　to　talk　in　the　olden　time　of　the　grand　treachery　of　Monsieur　de　Mirabeau。

I'll　describe　that　man　to　you　in　a　single　word。　Envy。　In　Monsieur　Bixiou　there　is；　unquestionably；　the　makings　of　a　great　artist；　but　in　the　economy　of　his　existence　the　belly　has　annihilated　the　heart　and　the　head；　and　he　is　now　and　forever　under　the　dominion　of　sensual　appetites；　he　is　riveted　to　the　condition　of　a　/caricaturist/；that　is　to　say；　to　the　condition　of　a　man　who　from　day　to　day　discounts　himself　in　petty　products；　regular　galley…slave　pot…boilers；　which；　to　be　sure；　give　him　a　lively　living；　but　in　themselves　are　worthless　and　have　no　future。　With　talents　misused　and　now　impotent；　he　has　in　his　mind；　as　he　has　on　his　face；　that　everlasti