bureaucracy- 第14部分

noble　undertaking。　Sebastien　had　that　afternoon　committed　the　great

imprudence　of　carrying　into　the　general　office；　for　the　purpose　of

copying；　a　paper　which　contained　the　most　dangerous　facts　to　make

known　prematurely；　namely；　a　memorandum　relating　to　the　officials　in

the　central　offices　of　all　ministries；　with　facts　concerning　their

fortunes；　actual　and　prospective；　together　with　the　individual

enterprises　of　each　outside　of　his　government　employment。



All　government　clerks　in　Paris　who　are　not　endowed；　like　Rabourdin；

with　patriotic　ambition　or　other　marked　capacity；　usually　add　the

profits　of　some　industry　to　the　salary　of　their　office；　in　order　to

eke　out　a　living。　A　number　do　as　Monsieur　Saillard　did；put　their

money　into　a　business　carried　on　by　others；　and　spend　their　evenings

in　keeping　the　books　of　their　associates。　Many　clerks　are　married　to

milliners；　licensed　tobacco　dealers；　women　who　have　charge　of　the

public　lotteries　or　reading…rooms。　Some；　like　the　husband　of　Madame

Colleville；　Celestine's　rival；　play　in　the　orchestra　of　a　theatre；

others　like　du　Bruel；　write　vaudeville；　comic　operas；　melodramas；　or

act　as　prompters　behind　the　scenes。　We　may　mention　among　them　Messrs。

Planard；　Sewrin；　etc。　Pigault…Lebrun；　Piis；　Duvicquet；　in　their　day；

were　in　government　employ。　Monsieur　Scribe's　head…librarian　was　a

clerk　in　the　Treasury。



Besides　such　information　as　this；　Rabourdin's　memorandum　contained　an

inquiry　into　the　moral　and　physical　capacities　and　faculties　necessary

in　those　who　were　to　examine　the　intelligence；　aptitude　for　labor；　and

sound　health　of　the　applicants　for　government　service；three

indispensable　qualities　in　men　who　are　to　bear　the　burden　of　public

affairs　and　should　do　their　business　well　and　quickly。　But　this

careful　study；　the　result　of　ten　years'　observation　and　experience；

and　of　a　long　acquaintance　with　men　and　things　obtained　by　intercourse

with　the　various　functionaries　in　the　different　ministries；　would

assuredly　have；　to　those　who　did　not　see　its　purport　and　connection；

an　air　of　treachery　and　police　espial。　If　a　single　page　of　these

papers　were　to　fall　under　the　eye　of　those　concerned；　Monsieur

Rabourdin　was　lost。　Sebastien；　who　admired　his　chief　without

reservation；　and　who　was；　as　yet；　wholly　ignorant　of　the　evils　of

bureaucracy；　had　the　follies　of　guilelessness　as　well　as　its　grace。

Blamed　on　a　former　occasion　for　carrying　away　these　papers；　he　now

bravely　acknowledged　his　fault　to　its　fullest　extent；　he　related　how

he　had　put　away　both　the　memorandum　and　the　copy　carefully　in　a　box　in

the　office　where　no　one　would　ever　find　them。　Tears　rolled　from　his

eyes　as　he　realized　the　greatness　of　his　offence。



〃Come；　come！〃　said　Rabourdin；　kindly。　〃Don't　be　so　imprudent　again；

but　never　mind　now。　Go　to　the　office　very　early　tomorrow　morning；　here

is　the　key　of　a　small　safe　which　is　in　my　roller　secretary；　it　shuts

with　a　combination　lock。　You　can　open　it　with　the　word　'sky'；　put　the

memorandum　and　your　copy　into　it　and　shut　it　carefully。〃



This　proof　of　confidence　dried　the　poor　fellow's　tears。　Rabourdin

advised　him　to　take　a　cup　of　tea　and　some　cakes。



〃Mamma　forbids　me　to　drink　tea；　on　account　of　my　chest；〃　said

Sebastien。



〃Well；　then；　my　dear　child；〃　said　the　imposing　Madame　Rabourdin；　who

wished　to　appear　gracious；　〃here　are　some　sandwiches　and　cream；　come

and　sit　by　me。〃



She　made　Sebastien　sit　down　beside　her；　and　the　lad's　heart　rose　in

his　throat　as　he　felt　the　robe　of　this　divinity　brush　the　sleeve　of

his　coat。　Just　then　the　beautiful　woman　caught　sight　of　Monsieur　des

Lupeaulx　standing　in　the　doorway。　She　smiled；　and　not　waiting　till　he

came　to　her；　she　went　to　him。



〃Why　do　you　stay　there　as　if　you　were　sulking？〃　she　asked。



〃I　am　not　sulking；〃　he　returned；　〃I　came　to　announce　some　good　news；

but　the　thought　has　overtaken　me　that　it　will　only　add　to　your

severity　towards　me。　I　fancy　myself　six　months　hence　almost　a　stranger

to　you。　Yes；　you　are　too　clever；　and　I　too　experienced；too　blase；　if

you　like；for　either　of　us　to　deceive　the　other。　Your　end　is　attained

without　its　costing　you　more　than　a　few　smiles　and　gracious　words。〃



〃Deceive　each　other！　what　can　you　mean？〃　she　cried；　in　a　hurt　tone。



〃Yes；　Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere　is　dying；　and　from　what　the　minister

told　me　this　evening　I　judge　that　your　husband　will　be　appointed　in

his　place。〃



He　thereupon　related　what　he　called　his　scene　at　the　ministry　and　the

jealousy　of　the　countess；　repeating　her　remarks　about　the　invitation

he　had　asked　her　to　send　to　Madame　Rabourdin。



〃Monsieur　des　Lupeaulx；〃　said　Madame　Rabourdin；　with　dignity；　〃permit

me　to　tell　you　that　my　husband　is　the　oldest　head…clerk　as　well　as　the

most　capable　man　in　the　division；　also　that　the　appointment　of　La

Billardiere　over　his　head　made　much　talk　in　the　service；　and　that　my

husband　has　stayed　on　for　the　last　year　expecting　this　promotion；　for

which　he　has　really　no　competitor　and　no　rival。〃



〃That　is　true。〃



〃Well；　then；〃　she　resumed；　smiling　and　showing　her　handsome　teeth；

〃how　can　you　suppose　that　the　friendship　I　feel　for　you　is　marred　by　a

thought　of　self…interest？　Why　should　you　think　me　capable　of　that？〃



Des　Lupeaulx　made　a　gesture　of　admiring　denial。



〃Ah！〃　she　continued；　〃the　heart　of　woman　will　always　remain　a　secret

for　even　the　cleverest　of　men。　Yes；　I　welcomed　you　to　my　house　with

the　greatest　pleasure；　and　there　was；　I　admit；　a　motive　of　self…

interest　behind　my　pleasure〃



〃Ah！〃



〃You　have　a　career　before　you；〃　she　whispered　in　his　ear；　〃a　future

without　limit；　you　will　be　deputy；　minister！〃　（What　happiness　for　an

ambitious　man　when　such　things　as　these　are　warbled　in　his　ear　by　the

sweet　voice　of　a　pretty　woman！）　〃Oh；　yes！　I　know　you　better　than　you

know　yourself。　Rabourdin　is　a　man　who　could　be　of　immense　service　to

you　in　such　a　career；　he　could　do　the　steady　work　while　you　were　in

the　Chamber。　Just　as　you　dream　of　the　ministry；　so　I　dream　of　seeing

Rabourdin　in　the　Council　of　State；　and　general　director。　It　is

therefore　my　object　to　draw　together　two　men　who　can　never　injure；

but；　on　the　contrary；　must　greatly　help　each　other。　Isn't　that　a

woman's　mission？　If　you　are　friends；　you　will　both　rise　the　faster；

and　it　is　surely　high　time　that　each　of　you　made　hay。　I　have　burned　my

ships；〃　she　added；　smiling。　〃But　you　are　not　as　frank　with　me　as　I

have　been　with　you。〃



〃You　would　not　listen　to　me　if　I　were；〃　he　replied；　with　a　melancholy

air；　in　spite　of　the　deep　inward　satisfaction　her　remarks　gave　him。

〃What　would　such　future　promotions　avail　me；　if　you　dismiss　me　now？〃



〃Before　I　listen　to　you；〃　she　replied；　with　naive　Parisian　liveliness；

〃we　must　be　able　to　understand　each　other。〃



And　she　left　the　old　fop　to　go　and　speak　with　Madame　de　Chessel；　a

countess　from　the　provinces；　who　seemed　about　to　take　leave。



〃That　is　a　very　extraordinary　woman；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx　to　himself。　〃I

don't　know　my　own　self　when　I　am　with　her。〃



Accordingly；　this　man　of　no　principle；　who　six　years　earlier　had　kept

a　ballet…girl；　and　who　now；　thanks　to　his　position；　made　himself　a

seraglio　with　the　pretty　wives　of　the　under…clerks；　and　lived　in　the

world　of　journalists　and　actresses；　became　devotedly　attentive　all　the

evening　to　Celestine；　and　was　the　last　to　leave　the　house。



〃At　last！〃　thought　Madame　Rabourdin；　as　she　undressed　that　night；　〃we

have　the　place！　Twelve　thousand　francs　a　year　and　perquisites；　beside

the　rents　of　our　farms　at　Grajeux；nearly　twenty　thousand　francs　a

year。　It　is　not　affluence；　but　at　least　it　isn't　poverty。〃







CHAPTER　IV



THREE…QUARTER　LENGTH　PORTRAITS　OF　CERTAIN　GOVERNMENT　OFFICIALS



If　it　were　possible　for　literature　to　use　the　microscope　of　the

Leuwenhoeks；　the　Malpighis；　and　the　Raspails　（an　attempt　once　made　by

Hoffman；　of　Berlin）；　and　if　we　could　magnify　and　then　picture　the

teredos　navalis；　in　other　words；　those　ship…worms　which　brought

Holland　within　an　inch　of　collapsing　by　honey…combing　her　dykes；　we

might　have　been　able　to　give　a　more　distinct　idea　of　Messieurs

Gigonnet；　Baudoyer；　Saillard；　Gaudron；　Falleix；　Transon；　Godard　and

company；　borers　and　burrowers；　who　proved　their　undermining　power　in

the　thirtieth　year　of　this　century。



But　now　it　is　time　to　show　another　set　of　teredos；　who　burrowed　and

swarmed　in　the　government　offices　where　the　principal　scenes　of　our

present　study　took　place。



In　Paris　nearly　all　these　government　bureaus　resemble　each　other。　Into

whatever　ministry　you　penetrate　to　ask　some　slight　favor；　or　to　get

redress　for　a　trifling　wrong；　you　will　find　the　same　dark　corridors；

ill…lighted　stairways；　doors　with　oval　panes　of　glass　like　eyes；　as　at

the　theatre。　In　the　first　room　as　you　enter　you　will　find　the　office

servant；　in　the　second；　the　under…clerks；　the　private　office　of　the

second　head…clerk　is　to　the　right　or　left；　and　further　on　is　that　of

the　head　of　the　bureau。　As　to　the　important　personage　called；　under

the　Empire；　head　of　division；　then；　under　the　Restoration；　director；

and　now　by　the　former　name；　head　or　chief　of　division；　he　lives　either

above　or　below　the　offices　of　his　three　or　four　different　bureaus。



Speaking　in　the　administrative　sense；　a　bureau　consists　of　a　man…

servant；　several　supernumeraries　（who　do　the　work　gratis　for　a　certain

number　of　years）；　various　copying　clerks；　writers　of　bills　and　deeds；

order　clerks；　principal　clerks；　second　or　under　head…clerk；　and　head…

clerk；　otherwise　called　head　or　chief　of　the　bureau。　These

denominational　titles　vary　under　some　administrations；　for　instance；

the　order…clerks　are　sometimes　called　auditors；　or　again；　book…

keepers。



Paved　like　the　corridor；　and　hung　with　a　shabby　paper；　the　first　room；

where　the　servant　is　stationed；　is　furnished　with　a　stove；　a　large

black　table　with　inkstand；　pens；　and　paper；　a