the deputy of arcis- 第50部分

〃I　know　all　about　him；〃　replied　Rastignac；　〃do　you　suppose　there　are　no　other　detectives　in　Paris？　I　know　that　since　1830；　when　he　took　Bibi…Lupin's　place　as　chief　of　the　detective　police；　he　has　given　his　life　a　most　respectable　bourgeois　character；　the　only　fault　I　find　is　that　he　overdoes　it。〃

〃And　yet〃　said　the　colonel。

〃He　is　rich；〃　continued　Rastignac；　not　heeding　the　interruption。　〃His　salary　is　twelve　thousand　francs；　and　he　has　the　three　hundred　thousand　Lucien　de　Rubempre　left　him；also　the　proceeds　of　a　manufactory　of　varnished　leather　which　he　started　at　Gentilly；　it　pays　him　a　large　profit。　His　aunt；　Jacqueline　Collin；　who　lives　with　him；　still　does　a　shady　business　secretly；　which　of　course　brings　in　large　fees；　and　I　have　the　best　of　reasons　for　believing　that　they　both　gamble　at　the　Bourse。　He　is　so　anxious　to　keep　out　of　the　mud　that　he　has　gone　to　the　other　extreme。　Every　evening　he　plays　dominoes；　like　any　bourgeois；　in　a　cafe　near　the　Prefecture；　and　Sundays　he　goes　out　to　a　little　box　of　a　place　he　has　bought　near　the　forest　of　Romainville；　in　the　Saint…Gervais　meadows；　there　he　cultivates　blue　dahlias；　and　talked；　last　year；　of　crowning　a　Rosiere。　All　that；　my　dear　colonel；　is　too　bucolic　to　allow　of　my　employing　him　on　any　political　police…work。〃

〃I　think　myself；〃　said　Franchessini；　〃that　in　order　not　to　attract　attention；　he　rolls　himself　too　much　into　a　ball。〃

〃Make　him　unwind；　and　then；　if　he　wants　to　return　to　active　life　and　take　a　hand　in　politics；　he　may　find　some　honest　way　of　doing　so。　He'll　never　make　a　Saint　Vincent　de　Paul；though　the　saint　was　at　the　galleys　once　upon　a　time；　but　there　are　plenty　of　ways　in　which　he　could　get　a　third　or　fourth　class　reputation。　If　Monsieur　de　Saint…　Esteve；　as　he　now　calls　himself；　takes　that　course；　and　I　am　still　in　power；　tell　him　to　come　and　see　me；　I　might　employ　him　then。〃

〃That　is　something；　certainly；〃　said　Franchessini；　aloud；　but　he　thought　to　himself　that　since　the　days　of　the　pension　Vauquer　the　minister　had　taken　long　strides　and　that　roles　had　changed　between　himself　and　Vautrin。

〃You　can　tell　him　what　I　say；〃　continued　Rastignac；　going　up　the　steps　of　the　portico；　〃but　be　cautious　how　you　word　it。〃

〃Don't　be　uneasy；〃　replied　the　colonel。　〃I　will　speak　to　him　judiciously；　for　he's　a　man　who　must　not　be　pushed　too　far；　there　are　some　old　scores　in　life　one　can't　wipe　out。〃

The　minister；　by　making　no　reply　to　this　remark；　seemed　to　admit　the　truth　of　it。

〃You　must　be　in　the　Chamber　when　the　king　opens　it；　we　shall　want　all　the　enthusiasm　we　can　muster；〃　said　Rastignac　to　the　colonel；　as　they　parted。

The　latter；　when　he　took　leave　of　Madame　de　Rastignac；　asked　on　what　day　he　might　have　the　honor　of　presenting　his　wife。

〃Why；　any　day；〃　replied　the　countess；　〃but　particularly　on　Fridays。〃



IV

A　CATECHISM

Rastignac　called　on　Madame　de　l'Estorade　the　next　day　at　the　hour　named　to　him　by　his　wife。　Like　all　those　present　at　the　scene　produced　by　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles；　the　minister　had　been　struck　by　the　emotion　shown　by　the　countess；　and；　without　stopping　to　analyze　the　nature　of　the　sentiment　she　might　feel　for　the　man　who　had　saved　her　child；　he　was　convinced　of　her　serious　interest　in　him。

By　the　suddenness　and　the　masterly　stroke　of　his　election；　Sallenauve　had　become　an　object　of　strong　interest　to　the　minister；all　the　more　because　up　to　the　last　moment　his　candidacy　was　not　seriously　considered。　It　was　now　known　that　in　the　preparatory　meeting　he　had　given　proofs　of　talent。　To　his　active　and　dangerous　party；　which　had　but　few　representatives　in　the　Chamber；　he　might　become　an　organ　that　would　echo　far。　By　his　peculiar　position　of　birth　and　fortune；　whatever　might　be　the　truth　of　it；　he　was　one　who　could　do　without　the　favors　of　government；　and　all　information　obtained　about　him　went　to　show　that　he　was　a　man　of　grave　character　and　opinions；　who　could　not　be　turned　from　his　chosen　way。

On　the　other　hand；　the　cloud　upon　his　life　might　at　a　given　moment　serve　to　neutralize　his　honor；　and　Rastignac；　while　rejecting　the　proposal　of　de　Trailles　and　Franchessini　to　put　the　mystery　into　the　hands　of　the　police；　did　not　himself　renounce　a　means　which；　dangerous　as　it　seemed　to　him；　he　might　use　if　occasion　warranted。

In　this　situation　Madame　de　l'Estorade　could　be　useful　to　him　in　two　ways。　Through　her　he　could　meet　the　new　deputy　accidentally；　without　appearing　to　seek　him；　and　thus　study　him　at　his　ease；　in　order　to　know　if　he　had　a　vulnerable　point　accessible　to　persuasion。　And；　secondly；　if　he　found　him　unpersuadable；　he　could　let　Madame　de　l'Estorade　know　in　confidence　of　the　secret　inquiry　about　to　be　carried　on　into　Sallenauve's　antecedents；　which；　conveyed　by　her　to　the　deputy；　would　have　the　effect　of　making　him　cautious　and；　consequently；　less　aggressive。

However；　his　immediate　plan　suffered　some　modification；　for　Madame　de　l'Estorade　was　not　at　home；　and　he　was　just　leaving　the　house　when　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　returned　on　foot。

〃My　wife　will　be　here　soon；〃　he　said；　〃she　has　gone　to　Ville　d'Avray　with　her　daughter；　and　Monsieur　and　Madame　Octave　de　Camps。　Monsieur　Marie…Gaston；　one　of　our　good　friends；you　know；　the　charming　poet　who　married　Louise　de　Chaulieu；has　a　country…house　in　that　neighborhood；　where　his　wife　died。　He　returned　there　to…day　for　the　first　time　since　his　misfortune；　and　these　ladies　have　had　the　charity　to　meet　him　there；　and　so　lessen　the　first　shock　of　his　recollections。〃

〃I　can　therefore　hardly　hope　to　see　her　to…day；　and　it　was　to　her；　and　not　to　you；　my　dear　count；　that　I　came　to　offer　my　excuses　for　the　scene　of　last　night　which　seemed　to　annoy　her　much。　Say　to　her；　if　you　please；　that　I　will　take　another　opportunity　of　doing　so；By　the　bye；〃　he　added；　〃the　election　of　your　friend　Sallenauve　is　making　a　devilish　talk；　the　king　spoke　to　me　about　it　this　morning；　and　I　did　not　please　him　by　repeating　the　favorable　opinion　you　expressed　of　the　new　deputy　last　night。〃

〃Well；　but　you　know　the　tribune　is　a　reef　on　which　reputations　are　often　wrecked。　I　am　sorry　you　represented　Sallenauve　to　the　king　as　being　on　intimate　terms　with　us。　I　have　nothing　to　do　with　elections；　but　I　may　say　that　I　did　all　I　could　to　dissuade　this　objectionable　candidate　from　presenting　himself。〃

〃Of　course　the　king　cannot　blame　you　for　merely　knowing　an　Opposition　deputy。〃

〃No；　but　last　night；　in　your　salon；　you　seemed　to　imply　that　my　wife　was　much　interested　in　him。　I　did　not　wish　to　contradict　you　before　witnesses；　besides；　really；　one　can't　repudiate　a　man　to　whom　we　are　under　a　great　obligation。　But　my　wife；　ever　since　the　day　he　was　nominated；　feels　that　our　gratitude　has　become　a　burden。　She　was　saying　to　me　the　other　day　that　we　had　better　let　the　acquaintance　die　out。〃

〃Not；　I　hope；　until　you　have　done　me　a　service　by　means　of　it；〃　said　Rastignac。

〃At　your　orders；　my　dear　minister；　in　all　things。〃

〃I　want　to　meet　this　man　and　judge　him　for　myself。　To　send　him　an　invitation　to　dinner　would　be　useless；　under　the　eye　of　his　party；　he　would　not　dare　accept　it；　or　if　he　did；　he　would　be　on　his　guard；　and　I　should　not　see　him　as　he　is。　But　if　I　met　him　accidentally；　I　should　find　him　without　armor；　and　I　could　feel　for　his　vulnerable　spots。〃

〃To　invite　you　both　to　dine　with　me　might　be　open　to　the　same　objection；　but　I　could；　one　of　these　evenings；　make　sure　of　a　visit　from　him；　and　let　you　knowStop！〃　cried　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　〃a　bright　idea　has　come　to　me。〃

〃If　it　is　really　bright；〃　thought　Rastignac；　〃it　is　fortunate　I　did　not　meet　the　wife。〃

〃We　are　just　about　to　give　a　children's　ball；a　fancy　of　my　little　girl；　to　which　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　weary　of　refusing；　has　at　last　consented；　the　child　wishes　it　to　be　given　in　celebration　of　her　rescue。　Of　course；　therefore；　the　rescuer　is　a　necessary　and　integral　part　of　the　affair。　Come　to　the　ball；　and　I　promise　you　noise　enough　to　cover　all　investigations　of　your　man；　and　certainly　premeditation　will　never　be　suspected　at　such　a　meeting。〃

〃You　are　too　good；〃　replied　Rastignac；　pressing　the　peer's　hand　affectionately。　〃Perhaps　we　had　better　say　nothing　about　it　to　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　a　mere　hint　given　to　our　man　would　put　him　on　his　guard；　and　I　want　to　spring　upon　him　suddenly；　like　a　tiger　on　his　prey。〃

〃That's　understoodcomplete　surprise　to　everybody。〃

〃Adieu；　then；〃　said　Rastignac；　〃I　shall　make　the　king　laugh　to…morrow　at　the　notion　of　children　plotting　politics。〃

〃Ah！〃　replied　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade；　philosophically；　〃but　isn't　that　how　life　itself　is　carried　on？great　effects　from　little　causes。〃

Rastignac　had　scarcely　departed　before　Madame　de　l'Estorade　returned　with　Nais　and　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Camps。

〃My　dear；〃　said　her　husband；　〃you　have　just　missed　a　charming　visitor。〃

〃Who　was　it？〃　asked　the　countess；　indifferently。

〃The　minister　of　Public　Works；　who　came　to　make　you　his　excuses。　He　noticed　with　regret　the　disagreeable　impression　made　upon　you　by　the　theories　of　that　scamp　de　Ronquerolles。〃

〃He　has　taken　a　good　deal　of　trouble　for　a　very　small　matter；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　not　sharing　her　husband's　enthusiasm。

〃But　all　the　same；〃　he　replied；　〃it　was　very　gracious　of　him　to　think　of　your　feelings。〃　Then；　in　order　to　change　the　conversation；　he　asked　Madame　de　Camps　about　their　visit。

〃Oh！〃　she　replied；　〃the　place　is　enchanting；　you　have　no　idea　of　its　elegance　and　/comfort/。〃

〃How　about　Gaston？〃　asked　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade。

〃He　was；　I　won't　say　very　calm；〃　replied　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃but　at　any　rate　master　of　himself。　His　condition　satisfied　me　all　the　more　because　the　day　had　begun　by　a　serious　annoyance　to　him。〃

〃What　was　it？〃

〃Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　could　not　come　with　him；〃　replied　Nais；　taking　upon　herself　to　reply。

She　was　one　of　those　children　brought　up　in　a　hot…house；　who　put　themselves　forward　much　oftener　than　they　ought　to　do。

〃Nais；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃go　to　Mary　and　tell　her　to　do　up　your　hair。〃

The　child　understood　perfectly　well　that　she　was　sent　away　for　speaking　improperly；　and　she　made　a　face　as　she　left　the　room。

〃This　morning；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade　as　soon　as　Nais　had　shut　the　door；　〃Monsieur　Gaston　and