the deputy of arcis- 第69部分

〃I　did　not　dare　ask　it　of　you；〃　replied　Madame　de　l'Estorade。　〃We　don't　usually　invite　friends　to　see　us　commit　bad　actions；　but　since　you　are　so　kind　as　to　offer；　I　can　truly　say　I　shall　be　less　wretched　if　you　are　with　me。　Now　good…bye；　I　don't　want　my　husband　to　find　me　out　when　he　comes　home。　He　is　dining　with　Monsieur　de　Rastignac；　where；　no　doubt；　they　are　plotting　for　to…morrow。〃

〃Yes；　go；　and　I　will　write　you　a　note　in　the　course　of　an　hour；　as　if　I　had　not　seen　you；　asking　you　to　get　me　a　permit　for　to…morrow's　session；　which　I　am　told　will　be　very　interesting。〃

〃To　be　reduced　to　conspiracy！〃　cried　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　kissing　her　friend。

〃My　dear　love；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　〃they　say　the　life　of　a　Christian　is　a　struggle；　but　that　of　a　woman　married　in　a　certain　way　is　a　pitched　battle。　Have　patience　and　courage。〃

So　saying；　the　two　friends　separated。

The　next　day；　about　two　o'clock；　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　accompanied　by　her　husband　and　Madame　Octave　de　Camps；　took　their　places　in　the　gallery　reserved　for　the　members　of　the　peerage。　She　seemed　ill；　and　answered　languidly　the　bows　and　salutations　that　were　addressed　to　her　from　all　parts　of　the　Chamber。　Madame　de　Camps；　who　was　present　for　the　first　time　in　the　parliamentary　precincts；　made　two　observations：　first；　she　objected　strongly　to　the　slovenly　costume　of　a　great　many　of　the　〃honorable　gentlemen〃；　and　she　was　also　amazed　at　the　number　of　bald　heads　she　looked　down　upon　from　the　gallery。　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　took　pains　to　point　out　to　her　all　the　notabilities　present：　first；　the　great　men　whom　we　need　not　mention；　because　their　names　are　in　everybody's　memory；　next；　the　poet　Canalis；　whose　air　she　thought　Olympian；　d'Arthez；　who　pleased　her　by　his　modesty　and　absence　of　assumption；　Vinet；　of　whom　she　remarked　that　he　was　like　a　viper　in　spectacles；　Victorin　Hulot；　a　noted　orator　of　the　Left　Centre。　It　was　some　time　before　she　could　accustom　herself　to　the　hum　of　the　various　conversations；　which　seemed　to　her　like　the　buzzing　of　bees　around　their　hive；　but　the　thing　that　most　amazed　her　was　the　general　aspect　of　this　assemblage　of　legislators；　where　a　singular　/laisser…aller/　and　a　total　absence　of　dignity　would　never　have　led　her　to　suppose　she　was　in　the　hall　of　the　representatives　of　a　great　people。

It　was　written　that　on　this　day　no　pain　or　unpleasantness　should　be　spared　to　Madame　de　l'Estorade。　Just　before　the　sitting　began；　the　Marquise　d'Espard；　accompanied　by　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles；　entered　the　peers'　gallery　and　took　her　seat　beside　the　countess。　Though　meeting　constantly　in　society；　the　two　women　could　not　endure　each　other。　Madame　de　l'Estorade　despised　the　spirit　of　intrigue；　the　total　lack　of　principle；　and　the　sour；　malevolent　nature　which　the　marquise　covered　with　an　elegant　exterior；　and　the　marquise　despised；　to　a　still　greater　degree；　what　she　called　the　/pot…au…feu/　virtues　of　Madame　de　l'Estorade。　It　must　also　be　mentioned　that　Madame　de　l'Estorade　was　thirty…two　years　old　and　her　beauty　was　still　undimmed；　whereas　Madame　d'Espard　was　forty…four；　and；　in　spite　of　the　careful　dissimulations　of　the　toilet；　her　beauty　was　fairly　at　an　end。

〃You　do　not　often　come　here；　I　think；〃　said　Madame　d'Espard；　after　the　usual　conventional　phrases　about　the　/pleasure/　of　their　meeting　had　passed。

〃I　never　come；〃　replied　Madame　de　l'Estorade。

〃And　I　am　most　assiduous；〃　said　Madame　d'Espard。

Then；　pretending　to　a　sudden　recollection；　she　added；

〃Ah！　I　forgot；　you　have　a　special　interest；　I　think；　on　this　occasion。　A　friend　of　yours　is　to　be　/judged/；　is　he　not？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　has　been　to　our　house　several　times。〃

〃How　sad　it　is；〃　said　the　marquise；　〃to　see　a　man　who；　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles　tells　me；　had　the　making　of　a　hero　in　many　ways；　come　down　to　the　level　of　the　correctional　police。〃

〃His　crime　so　far；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　dryly；　〃consists　solely　in　his　absence。〃

〃At　any　rate；〃　continued　the　marquise；　〃he　seems　to　be　a　man　eaten　up　by　ambition。　Before　his　parliamentary　attempt；　he　made；　as　you　doubtless　know；　a　matrimonial　attempt　upon　the　Lantys；　which　ended　in　the　beautiful　heiress　of　that　family；　into　whose　good　graces　he　had　insinuated　himself；　being　sent　to　a　convent。〃

Madame　de　l'Estorade　was　not　much　surprised　at　finding　that　this　history；　which　Sallenauve　had　told　her　as　very　secret；　had　reached　the　knowledge　of　Madame　d'Espard。　The　marquise　was　one　of　the　best　informed　women　in　Paris；　her　salon；　as　an　old　academician　had　said　mythologically；　was　the　Temple　of　Fame。

〃I　think　the　sitting　is　about　to　begin；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　fearing　some　blow　from　the　claws　of　the　marquise；　she　was　eager　to　put　an　end　to　the　conversation。

The　president　had　rung　his　bell；　the　deputies　were　taking　their　seats；　the　curtain　was　about　to　rise。　As　a　faithful　narrator　of　the　session　we　desire　our　readers　to　attend；　we　think　it　safer　and　better　in　every　way　to　copy　/verbatim/　the　report　of　the　debate　as　given　in　one　of　the　morning　papers　of　the　following　day。


Chamber　of　Deputies。

　　In　the　chair；　M。　Cointet　（vice…president）。

（Sitting　of　May　28。）

　　At　two　o'clock　the　president　takes　his　seat。

　　M。　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　M。　the　minister　of　the　Interior；　M。　　　the　minister　of　Public　Works；　are　on　the　ministerial　bench。

　　The　minutes　of　the　last　session　are　read；　approved；　and　accepted。

　　The　order　of　the　day　is　the　verification　of　the　powers　and　the　　　admission　of　the　deputy　elected　by　the　arrondissement　of　Arcis…　　　sur…Aube。

　　/The　President/。M。　the　reporter；　from　the　Committee　on　the　　　elections　of　the　department　of　the　Aube；　has　the　floor。

　　/The　Reporter/。Gentlemen；　the　singular　and　regrettable　situation　　　in　which　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　has　placed　himself　has　not　　　terminated　in　the　manner　that　was　hoped　and　expected　last　week。　　　The　period　of　delay　expired　yesterday；　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　　　continues　to　absent　himself　from　your　sittings；　and　no　letter　has　　　reached　M。　le　president　asking　for　further　leave　of　absence。　This　　　indifference　to　the　functions　which　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　　　appeared　to　have　solicited　with　so　much　eagerness　＇slight　　　agitation　on　the　Left＇　would　be；　in　any　case；　a　grave　mistake；　but　　　when　connected　with　an　accusation　that　seriously　compromises　the　　　deputy　elect；　it　must　be　regarded　as　altogether　unfortunate　for　　　his　reputation。　＇Murmurs　on　the　Left。　Approbation　from　the　　　Centre。＇　Compelled　to　search　for　the　solution　of　a　difficulty　　　which　may　be　said　to　be　without　precedent　in　parliamentary　annals；　　　your　committee；　in　the　adoption　of　suitable　measures；　finds　itself　　　divided　into　two　very　distinct　opinions。　The　minority　whom　I　　　representthe　committee　consisting　of　but　three　membersthinks　　　that　it　ought　to　submit　to　you　a　resolution　which　I　shall　call　　　radical；　and　which　has　for　its　object　the　cutting　short　of　the　　　difficulty　by　returning　the　question　to　its　natural　judges。　Annul　　　/hic　et　nunc/　the　election　of　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve；　and　send　him　　　back　to　the　voters　by　whom　he　was　elected　and　of　whom　he　is　so　　　unfaithful　a　representative。　Such　is　one　of　the　solutions　I　have　　　the　honor　to　present　to　you。　＇Agitation　on　the　Left。＇　The　　　majority；　on　the　contrary；　are　of　opinion　that　the　will　of　the　　　electors　cannot　be　too　highly　respected；　and　that　the　faults　of　a　　　man　honored　by　their　confidence　ought　not　to　be　discussed　until　　　the　utmost　limits　of　forbearance　and　indulgence　have　been　passed。　　　Consequently　your　committee　instruct　me　to　suggest　that　you　grant　　　to　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　a　further　delay　of　fifteen　days　＇murmurs　　　from　the　Centre；　〃Very　good！　very　good！〃　from　the　Left＇；　being　　　satisfied　that　if　after　that　delay　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　does　not　　　present　himself　or　give　any　other　sign　of　existence；　it　will　be　　　sufficient　proof　that　he　has　thrown　up　his　election；　and　the　　　Chamber　need　not　be　dragged　on　his　account　into　irritating　and　　　useless　debates。　＇Murmurs　of　various　kinds。＇

　　M。　le　Colonel　Franchessini；　who　during　the　foregoing　speech　was　　　sitting　on　the　ministers'　bench　in　earnest　conversation　with　the　　　minister　of　Public　Works；　here　demanded　the　floor。

　　/The　President/。M。　de　Canalis　has　already　asked　for　it。

　　/M。　de　Canalis/。Gentlemen；　M。　de　Sallenauve　is　one　of　those　bold　　　men　who；　like　myself；　are　convinced　that　politics　are　not　　　forbidden　fruit　to　any　form　of　intellect；　and　that　in　the　poet；　in　　　the　artist；　as　well　as　in　the　magistrate；　the　administrator；　the　　　lawyer；　the　physician；　and　the　property…holder；　may　be　found　the　　　stuff　that　makes　a　statesman。　In　virtue　of　this　community　of　　　opinion；　M。　de　Sallenauve　has　my　entire　sympathy；　and　no　one　can　　　be　surprised　to　see　me　mount　this　tribune　to　support　the　proposal　　　of　the　majority　of　your　committee。　I　cannot；　however；　agree　to　　　their　final　conclusion；　and　the　idea　of　our　colleague　being　　　　declared；　without　discussion；　dismissed　from　this　Chamber　through　　　the　single　fact　of　his　absence；　prolonged　without　leave；　is　　　repugnant　to　my　reason　and　also　to　my　conscience。　You　are　told：　　　〃The　absence　of　M。　de　Sallenauve　is　all　the　more　reprehensible　　　because　he　is　under　the　odium　of　a　serious　accusation。〃　But　　　suppose　this　accusation　is　the　very　cause　of　his　absence＇〃Ha！　　　ha！〃　from　the　Centre；　and　laughter。＇　Allow　me　to　say；　gentlemen；　　　that　I　am　not；　perhaps；　quite　so　artless　as　Messieurs　the　laughers　　　imagine。　I　have　one　blessing；　at　any　rate：　ignoble　interpretations　　　do　not　come　into　my　mind；　and　that　M。　de　Sallenauve；　with　the　　　eminent　position　he　has　filled　in　the　world　of　art；　should　seek　to　　　enter　the　world　of　politics　by　means　of　a　crime；　is　a　supposition　　　which　I　cannot　admit　/a　priori/。　Around　a　birth　like　his　two　　　hideous　spiders　called　slander　and　intrigue　have　every　facility　to　　　spread　their　toils；　and　far　from　admitting　that　he　has　fled　before　　　the　accusation　that　now　attacks　him；　I　ask　myself　whether　his　　　absence　does　not　mean　that　he　is　now　engaged　in　collecting　the　　　elements　of　his　defence。　＇Left：　〃Very　good！〃　〃That's　right。〃　　　Ironical　laughter　in　the　Centre。＇　Under　that　suppositionin　my　　　opinion　most　probableso　far　from　arraigning　him　in　consequence　　　of　this　absence；　ought　we　not　rather　to　consid