bureaucracy- 第31部分

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

　　the　bourgeoise　nobility　of　Monsieur　Baudoyerwhich；　certainly；　is

　　a　nobility　as　good　as　any　otherit　was　pointing　out　a　reason　for

　　the　exclusion　of　the　candidate？　A　gratuitous　piece　of　perfidy！　an

　　attempt　to　kill　with　a　caress！　To　appoint　Monsieur　Baudoyer　is　to

　　do　honor　to　the　virtues；　the　talents　of　the　middle　classes；　of

　　whom　we　shall　ever　be　the　supporters；　though　their　cause　seems　at

　　times　a　lost　one。　This　appointment；　we　repeat；　will　be　an　act　of

　　justice　and　good　policy；　consequently　we　may　be　sure　it　will　not

　　be　made。〃



On　the　morrow；　Friday；　the　usual　day　for　the　dinner　given　by　Madame

Rabourdin；　whom　des　Lupeaulx　had　left　at　midnight；　radiant　in　beauty；

on　the　staircase　of　the　Bouffons；　arm　in　arm　with　Madame　de　Camps

（Madame　Firmiani　had　lately　married）；　the　old　roue　awoke　with　his

thoughts　of　vengeance　calmed；　or　rather　refreshed；　and　his　mind　full

of　a　last　glance　exchanged　with　Celestine。



〃I'll　make　sure　of　Rabourdin's　support　by　forgiving　him　now；I'll　get

even　with　him　later。　If　he　hasn't　this　place　for　the　time　being　I

should　have　to　give　up　a　woman　who　is　capable　of　becoming　a　most

precious　instrument　in　the　pursuit　of　high　political　fortune。　She

understands　everything；　shrinks　from　nothing；　from　no　idea　whatever！

and　besides；　I　can't　know　before　his　Excellency　what　new　scheme　of

administration　Rabourdin　has　invented。　No；　my　dear　des　Lupeaulx；　the

thing　in　hand　is　to　win　all　now　for　your　Celestine。　You　may　make　as

many　faces　as　you　please；　Madame　la　comtesse；　but　you　will　invite

Madame　Rabourdin　to　your　next　select　party。〃



Des　Lupeaulx　was　one　of　those　men　who　to　satisfy　a　passion　are　quite

able　to　put　away　revenge　in　some　dark　corner　of　their　minds。　His

course　was　taken；　he　was　resolved　to　get　Rabourdin　appointed。



〃I　will　prove　to　you；　my　dear　fellow；　that　I　deserve　a　good　place　in

your　galley；〃　thought　he　as　he　seated　himself　in　his　study　and　began

to　unfold　a　newspaper。



He　knew　so　well　what　the　ministerial　organ　would　contain　that　he

rarely　took　the　trouble　to　read　it；　but　on　this　occasion　he　did　open

it　to　look　at　the　article　on　La　Billardiere；　recollecting　with

amusement　the　dilemma　in　which　du　Bruel　had　put　him　by　bringing　him

the　night　before　Bixiou's　amendments　to　the　obituary。　He　was　laughing

to　himself　as　he　reread　the　biography　of　the　late　Comte　da　Fontaine；

dead　a　few　months　earlier；　which　he　had　hastily　substituted　for　that

of　La　Billardiere；　when　his　eyes　were　dazzled　by　the　name　of　Baudoyer。

He　read　with　fury　the　article　which　pledged　the　minister；　and　then　he

rang　violently　for　Dutocq；　to　send　him　at　once　to　the　editor。　But　what

was　his　astonishment　on　reading　the　reply　of　the　opposition　paper！　The

situation　was　evidently　serious。　He　knew　the　game；　and　he　saw　that　the

man　who　was　shuffling　his　cards　for　him　was　a　Greek　of　the　first

order。　To　dictate　in　this　way　through　two　opposing　newspapers　in　one

evening；　and　to　begin　the　fight　by　forestalling　the　intentions　of　the

minister　was　a　daring　game！　He　recognized　the　pen　of　a　liberal　editor；

and　resolved　to　question　him　that　night　at　the　opera。　Dutocq　appeared。



〃Read　that；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　handing　him　over　the　two　journals；　and

continuing　to　run　his　eye　over　others　to　see　if　Baudoyer　had　pulled

any　further　wires。　〃Go　to　the　office　and　ask　who　has　dared　to　thus

compromise　the　minister。〃



〃It　was　not　Monsieur　Baudoyer　himself；〃　answered　Dutocq；　〃for　he　never

left　the　ministry　yesterday。　I　need　not　go　and　inquire；　for　when　I

took　your　article　to　the　newspaper　office　I　met　a　young　abbe　who

brought　in　a　letter　from　the　Grand　Almoner；　before　which　you　yourself

would　have　had　to　bow。〃



〃Dutocq；　you　have　a　grudge　against　Monsieur　Rabourdin；　and　it　isn't

right；　for　he　has　twice　saved　you　from　being　turned　out。　However；　we

are　not　masters　of　our　own　feelings；　we　sometimes　hate　our

benefactors。　Only；　remember　this；　if　you　show　the　slightest　treachery

to　Rabourdin；　without　my　permission；　it　will　be　your　ruin。　As　to　that

newspaper；　let　the　Grand　Almoner　subscribe　as　largely　as　we　do；　if　he

wants　its　services。　Here　we　are　at　the　end　of　the　year；　the　matter　of

subscriptions　will　come　up　for　discussion；　and　I　shall　have　something

to　say　on　that　head。　As　to　La　Billardiere's　place；　there　is　only　one

way　to　settle　the　matter；　and　that　is　to　appoint　Rabourdin　this　very

day。〃



〃Gentlemen；〃　said　Dutocq；　returning　to　the　clerks'　office　and

addressing　his　colleagues。　〃I　don't　know　if　Bixiou　has　the　art　of

looking　into　futurity；　but　if　you　have　not　read　the　ministerial

journal　I　advise　you　to　study　the　article　about　Baudoyer；　then；　as

Monsieur　Fleury　takes　the　opposition　sheet；　you　can　see　the　reply。

Monsieur　Rabourdin　certainly　has　talent；　but　a　man　who　in　these　days

gives　a　six…thousand…franc　monstrance　to　the　Church　has　a　devilish

deal　more　talent　than　he。〃



Bixiou　＇entering＇。　〃What　say　you；　gentlemen；　to　the　First　Epistle　to

the　Corinthians　in　our　pious　ministerial　journal；　and　the　reply

Epistle　to　the　Ministers　in　the　opposition　sheet？　How　does　Monsieur

Rabourdin　feel　now；　du　Bruel？〃



Du　Bruel　＇rushing　in＇。　〃I　don't　know。〃　＇He　drags　Bixiou　back　into　his

cabinet；　and　says　in　a　low　voice＇　〃My　good　fellow；　your　way　of　helping

people　is　like　that　of　the　hangman　who　jumps　upon　a　victim's　shoulders

to　break　his　neck。　You　got　me　into　a　scrape　with　des　Lupeaulx；　which

my　folly　in　ever　trusting　you　richly　deserved。　A　fine　thing　indeed；

that　article　on　La　Billardiere。　I　sha'n't　forget　the　trick！　Why；　the

very　first　sentence　was　as　good　as　telling　the　King　he　was

superannuated　and　it　was　time　for　him　to　die。　And　as　to　that　Quiberon

bit；　it　said　plainly　that　the　King　was　a　What　a　fool　I　was！〃



Bixiou　＇laughing＇。　〃Bless　my　heart！　are　you　getting　angry？　Can't　a

fellow　joke　any　more？〃



Du　Bruel。　〃Joke！　joke　indeed。　When　you　want　to　be　made　head…clerk

somebody　shall　joke　with　you；　my　dear　fellow。〃



Bixiou　＇in　a　bullying　tone＇。　〃Angry；　are　we？〃



Du　Bruel。　〃Yes！〃



Bixiou　＇dryly＇。　〃So　much　the　worse　for　you。〃



Du　Bruel　＇uneasy＇。　〃You　wouldn't　pardon　such　a　thing　yourself；　I

know。〃



Bixiou　＇in　a　wheedling　tone＇。　〃To　a　friend？　indeed　I　would。〃　＇They

hear　Fleury's　voice。＇　〃There's　Fleury　cursing　Baudoyer。　Hey；　how　well

the　thing　has　been　managed！　Baudoyer　will　get　the　appointment。〃

＇Confidentially＇　〃After　all；　so　much　the　better。　Du　Bruel；　just　keep

your　eye　on　the　consequences。　Rabourdin　would　be　a　mean…spirited

creature　to　stay　under　Baudoyer；　he　will　send　in　his　registration；　and

that　will　give　us　two　places。　You　can　be　head　of　the　bureau　and　take

me　for　under…head…clerk。　We　will　make　vaudevilles　together；　and　I'll

fag　at　your　work　in　the　office。〃



Du　Bruel　＇smiling＇。　〃Dear　me；　I　never　thought　of　that。　Poor　Rabourdin！

I　shall　be　sorry　for　him；　though。〃



Bixiou。　〃That　shows　how　much　you　love　him！〃　＇Changing　his　tone＇　〃Ah；

well；　I　don't　pity　him　any　longer。　He's　rich；　his　wife　gives　parties

and　doesn't　ask　me；me；　who　go　everywhere！　Well；　good…bye；　my　dear

fellow；　good…bye；　and　don't　owe　me　a　grudge！〃　＇He　goes　out　through　the

clerks'　office。＇　〃Adieu；　gentlemen；　didn't　I　tell　you　yesterday　that　a

man　who　has　nothing　but　virtues　and　talents　will　always　be　poor；　even

though　he　has　a　pretty　wife？〃



Henry。　〃You　are　so　rich；　you！〃



Bixiou。　〃Not　bad；　my　Cincinnatus！　But　you'll　give　me　that　dinner　at

the　Rocher　de　Cancale。〃



Poiret。　〃It　is　absolutely　impossible　for　me　to　understand　Monsieur

Bixiou。〃



Phellion　＇with　an　elegaic　air＇。　〃Monsieur　Rabourdin　so　seldom　reads

the　newspapers　that　it　might　perhaps　be　serviceable　to　deprive

ourselves　momentarily　by　taking　them　in　to　him。〃　＇Fleury　hands　over

his　paper；　Vimeux　the　office　sheet；　and　Phellion　departs　with　them。＇



At　that　moment　des　Lupeaulx；　coming　leisurely　downstairs　to　breakfast

with　the　minister；　was　asking　himself　whether；　before　playing　a　trump

card　for　the　husband；　it　might　not　be　prudent　to　probe　the　wife's

heart　and　make　sure　of　a　reward　for　his　devotion。　He　was　feeling　about

for　the　small　amount　of　heart　that　he　possessed；　when；　at　a　turn　of

the　staircase；　he　encountered　his　lawyer；　who　said　to　him；　smiling；

〃Just　a　word；　Monseigneur；〃　in　the　tone　of　familiarity　assumed　by　men

who　know　they　are　indispensable。



〃What　is　it；　my　dear　Desroches？〃　exclaimed　the　politician。　〃Has

anything　happened？〃



〃I　have　come　to　tell　you　that　all　your　notes　and　debts　have　been

brought　up　by　Gobseck　and　Gigonnet；　under　the　name　of　a　certain

Samanon。〃



〃Men　whom　I　helped　to　make　their　millions！〃



〃Listen；〃　whispered　the　lawyer。　〃Gigonnet　（really　named　Bidault）　is

the　uncle　of　Saillard；　your　cashier；　and　Saillard　is　father…in…law　to

a　certain　Baudoyer；　who　thinks　he　has　a　right　to　the　vacant　place　in

your　ministry。　Don't　you　think　I　have　done　right　to　come　and　tell

you？〃



〃Thank　you；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　nodding　to　the　lawyer　with　a　shrewd

look。



〃One　stroke　of　your　pen　will　buy　them　off；〃　said　Desroches；　leaving

him。



〃What　an　immense　sacrifice！〃　muttered　des　Lupeaulx。　〃It　would　be

impossible　to　explain　it　to　a　woman；〃　thought　he。　〃Is　Celestine　worth

more　than　the　clearing　off　of　my　debts？that　is　the　question。　I'll　go

and　see　her　this　morning。〃



So　the　beautiful　Madame　Rabourdin　was　to　be；　within　an　hour；　the

arbiter　of　her　husband's　fate；　and　no　power　on　earth　could　warn　her　of

the　importance　of　her　replies；　or　give　her　the　least　hint　to　guard　her

conduct　and　compose　her　voice。　Moreover；　in　addition　to　her

mischances；　she　believed　herself　certain　of　success；　never　dreaming

that　Rabourdin　was　undermined　in　all　directions　by　the　secret　sapping

of　the　mollusks。



〃Well；　Monseigneur；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　entering　the　little　salon

where　they　breakfasted；　〃have　you　seen　the　articles　on　Baudoyer？〃



〃For　God's　s