bureaucracy- 第30部分

practice；　and　full　of　expedients　and　judicial　precautions；　believed

the　honor　of　his　family　to　be　involved　in　the　appointment　of　his

nephew。　His　avarice　had　long　led　him　to　estimate　the　contents　of　old

Gigonnet's　strong…box；　for　he　knew　very　well　they　would　go　in　the　end

to　benefit　his　nephew　Baudoyer；　and　it　was　therefore　important　that

the　latter　should　obtain　a　position　which　would　be　in　keeping　with　the

combined　fortunes　of　the　Saillards　and　the　old　Gigonnet；　which　would

finally　devolve　on　the　Baudoyer's　little　daughter；　and　what　an　heiress

she　would　be　with　an　income　of　a　hundred　thousand　francs！　to　what

social　position　might　she　not　aspire　with　that　fortune？　He　adopted　all

the　ideas　of　his　niece　Elisabeth　and　thoroughly　understood　them。　He

had　helped　in　sending　off　Falleix　expeditiously；　explaining　to　him　the

advantage　of　taking　post　horses。　After　which；　while　eating　his　dinner；

he　reflected　that　it　be　as　well　to　give　a　twist　of　his　own　to　the

clever　plan　invented　by　Elisabeth。



When　they　reached　the　Cafe　Themis　he　told　his　niece　that　he　alone

could　manage　Gigonnet　in　the　matter　they　both　had　in　view；　and　he　made

her　wait　in　the　hackney…coach　and　bide　her　time　to　come　forward　at　the

right　moment。　Elisabeth　saw　through　the　window…panes　the　two　faces　of

Gobseck　and　Gigonnet　（her　uncle　Bidault）；　which　stood　out　in　relief

against　the　yellow　wood…work　of　the　old　cafe；　like　two　cameo　heads；

cold　and　impassible；　in　the　rigid　attitude　that　their　gravity　gave

them。　The　two　Parisian　misers　were　surrounded　by　a　number　of　other　old

faces；　on　which　〃thirty　per　cent　discount〃　was　written　in　circular

wrinkles　that　started　from　the　nose　and　turned　round　the　glacial

cheek…bones。　These　remarkable　physiognomies　brightened　up　on　seeing

Mitral；　and　their　eyes　gleamed　with　tigerish　curiosity。



〃Hey；　hey！　it　is　papa　Mitral！〃　cried　one　of　them；　named　Chaboisseau；　a

little　old　man　who　discounted　for　a　publisher。



〃Bless　me；　so　it　is！〃　said　another；　a　broker　named　Metivier；　〃ha；

that's　an　old　monkey　well　up　in　his　tricks。〃



〃And　you；〃　retorted　Mitral；　〃you　are　an　old　crow　who　knows　all　about

carcasses。〃



〃True；〃　said　the　stern　Gobseck。



〃What　are　you　here　for？　Have　you　come　to　seize　friend　Metivier？〃　asked

Gigonnet；　pointing　to　the　broker；　who　had　the　bluff　face　of　a　porter。



〃Your　great…niece　Elisabeth　is　out　there；　papa　Gigonnet；〃　whispered

Mitral。



〃What！　some　misfortune？〃　said　Bidault。　The　old　man　drew　his　eyebrows

together　and　assumed　a　tender　look　like　that　of　an　executioner　when

about　to　go　to　work　officially。　In　spite　of　his　Roman　virtue　he　must

have　been　touched；　for　his　red　nose　lost　somewhat　of　its　color。



〃Well；　suppose　it　is　misfortune；　won't　you　help　Saillard's　daughter？

a　girl　who　has　knitted　your　stockings　for　the　last　thirty　years！〃

cried　Mitral。



〃If　there's　good　security　I　don't　say　I　won't；〃　replied　Gigonnet。

〃Falleix　is　in　with　them。　Falleix　has　just　set　up　his　brother　as　a

broker；　and　he　is　doing　as　much　business　as　the　Brezacs；　and　what

with？　his　mind；　perhaps！　Saillard　is　no　simpleton。〃



〃He　knows　the　value　of　money；〃　put　in　Chaboisseau。



That　remark；　uttered　among　those　old　men；　would　have　made　an　artist

and　thinker　shudder　as　they　all　nodded　their　heads。



〃But　it　is　none　of　my　business；〃　resumed　Bidault…Gigonnet。　〃I'm　not

bound　to　care　for　my　neighbors'　misfortunes。　My　principle　is　never　to

be　off　my　guard　with　friends　or　relatives；　you　can't　perish　except

through　weakness。　Apply　to　Gobseck；　he　is　softer。〃



The　usurers　all　applauded　these　doctrines　with　a　shake　of　their

metallic　heads。　An　onlooker　would　have　fancied　he　heard　the　creaking

of　ill…oiled　machinery。



〃Come；　Gigonnet；　show　a　little　feeling；〃　said　Chaboisseau；　〃they've

knit　your　stockings　for　thirty　years。〃



〃That　counts　for　something；〃　remarked　Gobseck。



〃Are　you　all　alone？　Is　it　safe　to　speak？〃　said　Mitral；　looking

carefully　about　him。　〃I　come　about　a　good　piece　of　business。〃



〃If　it　is　good；　why　do　you　come　to　us？〃　said　Gigonnet；　sharply；

interrupting　Mitral。



〃A　fellow　who　was　a　gentleman　of　the　Bedchamber；〃　went　on　Mitral；　〃a

former　'chouan；'what's　his　name？La　Billardiere　is　dead。〃



〃True；〃　said　Gobseck。



〃And　our　nephew　is　giving　monstrances　to　the　church；〃　snarled

Gigonnet。



〃He　is　not　such　a　fool　as　to　give　them；　he　sells　them；　old　man；〃　said

Mitral；　proudly。　〃He　wants　La　Billardiere's　place；　and　in　order　to　get

it；　we　must　seize〃



〃Seize！　You'll　never　be　anything　but　a　sheriff's　officer；〃　put　in

Metivier；　striking　Mitral　amicably　on　the　shoulder；　〃I　like　that；　I

do！〃



〃Seize　Monsieur　Clement　des　Lupeaulx　in　our　clutches；〃　continued

Mitral；　〃Elisabeth　has　discovered　how　to　do　it；　and　he　is〃



〃Elisabeth〃；　cried　Gigonnet；　interrupting　again；　〃dear　little

creature！　she　takes　after　her　grandfather；　my　poor　brother！　he　never

had　his　equal！　Ah；　you　should　have　seen　him　buying　up　old　furniture；

what　tact！　what　shrewdness！　What　does　Elisabeth　want？〃



〃Hey！　hey！〃　cried　Mitral；　〃you've　got　back　your　bowels　of　compassion；

papa　Gigonnet！　That　phenomenon　has　a　cause。〃



〃Always　a　child；〃　said　Gobseck　to　Gigonnet；　〃you　are　too　quick　on　the

trigger。〃



〃Come；　Gobseck　and　Gigonnet；　listen　to　me；　you　want　to　keep　well　with

des　Lupeaulx；　don't　you？　You've　not　forgotten　how　you　plucked　him　in

that　affair　about　the　king's　debts；　and　you　are　afraid　he'll　ask　you

to　return　some　of　his　feathers；〃　said　Mitral。



〃Shall　we　tell　him　the　whole　thing？〃　asked　Gobseck；　whispering　to

Gigonnet。



〃Mitral　is　one　of　us；　he　wouldn't　play　a　shabby　trick　on　his　former

customers；〃　replied　Gigonnet。　〃You　see；　Mitral；〃　he　went　on；　speaking

to　the　ex…sheriff　in　a　low　voice；　〃we　three　have　just　bought　up　all

those　debts；　the　payment　of　which　depends　on　the　decision　of　the

liquidation　committee。〃



〃How　much　will　you　lose？〃　asked　Mitral。



〃Nothing；〃　said　Gobseck。



〃Nobody　knows　we　are　in　it；〃　added　Gigonnet；　〃Samanon　screens　us。〃



〃Come；　listen　to　me；　Gigonnet；　it　is　cold；　and　your　niece　is　waiting

outside。　You'll　understand　what　I　want　in　two　words。　You　must　at　once；

between　you；　send　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs　（without

interest）　into　the　country　after　Falleix；　who　has　gone　post…haste；

with　a　courier　in　advance　of　him。〃



〃Is　it　possible！〃　said　Gobseck。



〃What　for？〃　cried　Gigonnet；　〃and　where　to？〃



〃To　des　Lupeaulx's　magnificent　country…seat；〃　replied　Mitral。　〃Falleix

knows　the　country；　for　he　was　born　there；　and　he　is　going　to　buy　up

land　all　round　the　secretary's　miserable　hovel；　with　the　two　hundred

and　fifty　thousand　francs　I　speak　of；good　land；　well　worth　the

price。　There　are　only　nine　days　before　us　for　drawing　up　and　recording

the　notarial　deeds　（bear　that　in　mind）。　With　the　addition　of　this

land；　des　Lupeaulx's　present　miserable　property　would　pay　taxes　to　the

amount　of　one　thousand　francs；　the　sum　necessary　to　make　a　man

eligible　to　the　Chamber。　Ergo；　with　it　des　Lupeaulx　goes　into　the

electoral　college；　becomes　eligible；　count；　and　whatever　he　pleases。

You　know　the　deputy　who　has　slipped　out　and　left　a　vacancy；　don't

you？〃



The　two　misers　nodded。



〃Des　Lupeaulx　would　cut　off　a　leg　to　get　elected　in　his　place；〃

continued　Mitral；　〃but　he　must　have　the　title…deeds　of　the　property　in

his　own　name；　and　then　mortgage　them　back　to　us　for　the　amount　of　the

purchase…money。　Ah！　now　you　begin　to　see　what　I　am　after！　First　of

all；　we　must　make　sure　of　Baudoyer's　appointment；　and　des　Lupeaulx

will　get　it　for　us　on　these　terms；　after　that　is　settled　we　will　hand

him　back　to　you。　Falleix　is　now　canvassing　the　electoral　vote。　Don't

you　perceive　that　you　have　Lupeaulx　completely　in　your　power　until

after　the　election？for　Falleix's　friends　are　a　large　majority。　Now

do　you　see　what　I　mean；　papa　Gigonnet？〃



〃It's　a　clever　game；〃　said　Metivier。



〃We'll　do　it；〃　said　Gigonnet；　〃you　agree；　don't　you；　Gobseck？　Falleix

can　give　us　security　and　put　mortgages　on　the　property　in　my　name；

we'll　go　and　see　des　Lupeaulx　when　all　is　ready。〃



〃We're　robbed；〃　said　Gobseck。



〃Ha；　ha！〃　laughed　Mitral；　〃I'd　like　to　know　the　robber！〃



〃Nobody　can　rob　us　but　ourselves；〃　answered　Gigonnet。　〃I　told　you　we

were　doing　a　good　thing　in　buying　up　all　des　Lupeaulx's　paper　from　his

creditors　at　sixty　per　cent　discount。〃



〃Take　this　mortgage　on　his　estate　and　you'll　hold　him　tighter　still

through　the　interest；〃　answered　Mitral。



〃Possibly；〃　said　Gobseck。



After　exchanging　a　shrewd　look　with　Gobseck；　Gigonnet　went　to　the　door

of　the　cafe。



〃Elisabeth！　follow　it　up；　my　dear；〃　he　said　to　his　niece。　〃We　hold

your　man　securely；　but　don't　neglect　accessories。　You　have　begun　well；

clever　woman！　go　on　as　you　began　and　you'll　have　your　uncle's　esteem；〃

and　he　grasped　her　hand；　gayly。



〃But；〃　said　Mitral；　〃Metivier　and　Chaboisseau　heard　it　all；　and　they

may　play　us　a　trick　and　tell　the　matter　to　some　opposition　journal

which　would　catch　the　ball　on　its　way　and　counteract　the　effect　of　the

ministerial　article。　You　must　go　alone；　my　dear；　I　dare　not　let　those

two　cormorants　out　of　my　sight。〃　So　saying　he　re…entered　the　cafe。



The　next　day　the　numerous　subscribers　to　a　certain　liberal　journal

read；　among　the　Paris　items；　the　following　article；　inserted

authoritatively　by　Chaboisseau　and　Metivier；　share…holders　in　the　said

journal；　brokers　for　publishers；　printers；　and　paper…makers；　whose

behests　no　editor　dared　refuse：



　　〃Yesterday　a　ministerial　journal　plainly　indicated　as　the　probable

　　successor　of　Monsieur　le　Baron　de　la　Billardiere；　Monsieur

　　Baudoyer；　one　of　the　worthiest　citizens　of　a　populous　quarter；

　　where　his　benevolence　is　scarcely　less　known　than　the　piety　on

　　which　the　ministerial　organ　laid　so　much　stress。　Why　was　that

　　sheet　silent　as　to　his　talents？　Did　it　reflect　that　in　boasting　of

　　the　bourgeoi