bureaucracy- 第42部分

Monsieur　Mitral；　and　to　my　great…uncle　through　my　wife；　Monsieur

Bidault。〃



Gigonnet　and　Mitral　gave　a　glance　at　the　three　clerks　so　penetrating；

so　glittering　with　gleams　of　gold；　that　the　two　scoffers　were　sobered

at　once。



〃Hein？〃　said　Bixiou；　when　they　were　safely　under　the　arcades　in　the

place　Royale；　〃did　you　examine　those　uncles？two　copies　of　Shylock。

I'll　bet　their　money　is　lent　in　the　market　at　a　hundred　per　cent　per

week。　They　lend　on　pawn；　and　sell　most　that　they　lay　hold　of；　coats；

gold　lace；　cheese；　men；　women；　and　children；　they　are　a　conglomeration

of　Arabs；　Jews；　Genoese；　Genevese；　Greeks；　Lombards；　and　Parisians；

suckled　by　a　wolf　and　born　of　a　Turkish　woman。〃



〃I　believe　you；〃　said　Godard。　〃Uncle　Mitral　used　to　be　a　sheriff's

officer。〃



〃That　settles　it；〃　said　du　Bruel。



〃I'm　off　to　see　the　proof　of　my　caricature；〃　said　Bixiou；　〃but　I

should　like　to　study　the　state　of　things　in　Rabourdin's　salon　to…

night。　You　are　lucky　to　be　able　to　go　there；　du　Bruel。〃



〃I！〃　said　the　vaudevillist；　〃what　should　I　do　there？　My　face　doesn't

lend　itself　to　condolences。　And　it　is　very　vulgar　in　these　days　to　go

and　see　people　who　are　down。〃







CHAPTER　IX



THE　RESIGNATION



By　midnight　Madame　Rabourdin's　salon　was　deserted；　only　two　or　three

guests　remained　with　des　Lupeaulx　and　the　master　and　mistress　of　the

house。　When　Schinner　and　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Camps　had　likewise

departed；　des　Lupeaulx　rose　with　a　mysterious　air；　stood　with　his　back

to　the　fireplace　and　looked　alternately　at　the　husband　and　wife。



〃My　friends；〃　he　said；　〃nothing　is　really　lost；　for　the　minister　and　I

are　faithful　to　you。　Dutocq　simply　chose　between　two　powers　the　one　he

thought　strongest。　He　has　served　the　court　and　the　Grand　Almoner；　he

has　betrayed　me。　But　that　is　in　the　order　of　things；　a　politician

never　complains　of　treachery。　Nevertheless；　Baudoyer　will　be　dismissed

as　incapable　in　a　few　months；　no　doubt　his　protectors　will　find　him　a

place；in　the　prefecture　of　police；　perhaps；for　the　clergy　will　not

desert　him。〃



From　this　point　des　Lupeaulx　went　on　with　a　long　tirade　about　the

Grand　Almoner　and　the　dangers　the　government　ran　in　relying　upon　the

church　and　upon　the　Jesuits。　We　need　not；　we　think；　point　out　to　the

intelligent　reader　that　the　court　and　the　Grand　Almoner；　to　whom　the

liberal　journals　attributed　an　enormous　influence　under　the

administration；　had　little　really　to　do　with　Monsieur　Baudoyer's

appointment。　Such　petty　intrigues　die　in　the　upper　sphere　of　great

self…interests。　If　a　few　words　in　favor　of　Baudoyer　were　obtained　by

the　importunity　of　the　curate　of　Saint…Paul's　and　the　Abbe　Gaudron；

they　would　have　been　withdrawn　immediately　at　a　suggestion　from　the

minister。　The　occult　power　of　the　Congregation　of　Jesus　（admissible

certainly　as　confronting　the　bold　society　of　the　〃Doctrine；〃　entitled

〃Help　yourself　and　heaven　will　help　you；〃）　was　formidable　only　through

the　imaginary　force　conferred　on　it　by　subordinate　powers　who

perpetually　threatened　each　other　with　its　evils。　The　liberal　scandal…

mongers　delighted　in　representing　the　Grand　Almoner　and　the　whole

Jesuitical　Chapter　as　political；　administrative；　civil；　and　military

giants。　Fear　creates　bugbears。　At　this　crisis　Baudoyer　firmly　believed

in　the　said　Chapter；　little　aware　that　the　only　Jesuits　who　had　put

him　where　he　now　was　sat　by　his　own　fireside；　and　in　the　Cafe　Themis

playing　dominoes。



At　certain　epochs　in　history　certain　powers　appear；　to　whom　all　evils

are　attributed；　though　at　the　same　time　their　genius　is　denied；　they

form　an　efficient　argument　in　the　mouth　of　fools。　Just　as　Monsieur　de

Talleyrand　was　supposed　to　hail　all　events　of　whatever　kind　with　a　bon

mot；　so　in　these　days　of　the　Restoration　the　clerical　party　had　the

credit　of　doing　and　undoing　everything。　Unfortunately；　it　did　and

undid　nothing。　Its　influence　was　not　wielded　by　a　Cardinal　Richelieu

or　a　Cardinal　Mazarin；　it　was　in　the　hands　of　a　species　of　Cardinal　de

Fleury；　who；　timid　for　over　five　years；　turned　bold　for　one　day；

injudiciously　bold。　Later　on；　the　〃Doctrine〃　did　more；　with　impunity；

at　Saint…Merri；　than　Charles　X。　pretended　to　do　in　July；　1830。　If　the

section　on　the　censorship　so　foolishly　introduced　into　the　new　charter

had　been　omitted；　journalism　also　would　have　had　its　Saint…Merri。　The

younger　Branch　could　have　legally　carried　out　Charles　X。's　plan。



〃Remain　where　you　are；　head　of　a　bureau　under　Baudoyer；〃　went　on　des

Lupeaulx。　〃Have　the　nerve　to　do　this；　make　yourself　a　true　politician；

put　ideas　and　generous　impulses　aside；　attend　only　to　your　functions；

don't　say　a　word　to　your　new　director；　don't　help　him　with　a

suggestion；　and　do　nothing　yourself　without　his　order。　In　three　months

Baudoyer　will　be　out　of　the　ministry；　either　dismissed；　or　stranded　on

some　other　administrative　shore。　They　may　attach　him　to　the　king's

household。　Twice　in　my　life　I　have　been　set　aside　as　you　are；　and

overwhelmed　by　an　avalanche　of　folly；　I　have　quietly　waited　and　let　it

pass。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Rabourdin；　〃but　you　were　not　calumniated；　your　honor　was

not　assailed；　compromised〃



〃Ha；　ha；　ha！〃　cried　des　Lupeaulx；　interrupting　him　with　a　burst　of

Homeric　laughter。　〃Why；　that's　the　daily　bread　of　every　remarkable　man

in　this　glorious　kingdom　of　France！　And　there　are　but　two　ways　to　meet

such　calumny；either　yield　to　it；　pack　up；　and　go　plant　cabbages　in

the　country；　or　else　rise　above　it；　march　on；　fearless；　and　don't　turn

your　head。〃



〃For　me；　there　is　but　one　way　of　untying　the　noose　which　treachery　and

the　work　of　spies　have　fastened　round　my　throat；〃　replied　Rabourdin。

〃I　must　explain　the　matter　at　once　to　his　Excellency；　and　if　you　are

as　sincerely　attached　to　me　as　you　say　you　are；　you　will　put　me　face

to　face　with　him　to…morrow。〃



〃You　mean　that　you　wish　to　explain　to　him　your　plan　for　the　reform　of

the　service？〃



Rabourdin　bowed。



〃Well；　then；　trust　the　papers　with　me；your　memoranda；　all　the

documents。　I　promise　you　that　he　shall　sit　up　all　night　and　examine

them。〃



〃Let　us　go　to　him；　then！〃　cried　Rabourdin；　eagerly；　〃six　years'　toil

certainly　deserves　two　or　three　hours　attention　from　the　king's

minister；　who　will　be　forced　to　recognize；　if　he　does　not　applaud；

such　perseverance。〃



Compelled　by　Rabourdin's　tenacity　to　take　a　straightforward　path；

without　ambush　or　angle　where　his　treachery　could　hide　itself；　des

Lupeaulx　hesitated　for　a　single　instant；　and　looked　at　Madame

Rabourdin；　while　he　inwardly　asked　himself；　〃Which　shall　I　permit　to

triumph；　my　hatred　for　him；　or　my　fancy　for　her？〃



〃You　have　no　confidence　in　my　honor；〃　he　said；　after　a　pause。　〃I　see

that　you　will　always　be　to　me　the　author　of　your　SECRET　ANALYSIS。

Adieu；　madame。〃



Madame　Rabourdin　bowed　coldly。　Celestine　and　Xavier　returned　at　once

to　their　own　rooms　without　a　word；　both　were　overcome　by　their

misfortune。　The　wife　thought　of　the　dreadful　situation　in　which　she

stood　toward　her　husband。　The　husband；　resolving　slowly　not　to　remain

at　the　ministry　but　to　send　in　his　resignation　at　once；　was　lost　in　a

sea　of　reflections；　the　crisis　for　him　meant　a　total　change　of　life

and　the　necessity　of　starting　on　a　new　career。　All　night　he　sat　before

his　fire；　taking　no　notice　of　Celestine；　who　came　in　several　times　on

tiptoe；　in　her　night…dress。



〃I　must　go　once　more　to　the　ministry；　to　bring　away　my　papers；　and

show　Baudoyer　the　routine　of　the　business；〃　he　said　to　himself　at

last。　〃I　had　better　write　my　resignation　now。〃



He　turned　to　his　table　and　began　to　write；　thinking　over　each　clause

of　the　letter；　which　was　as　follows：



　　Monseigneur；I　have　the　honor　to　inclose　to　your　Excellency　my

　　resignation。　I　venture　to　hope　that　you　still　remember　hearing　me

　　say　that　I　left　my　honor　in　your　hands；　and　that　everything；　for

　　me；　depended　on　my　being　able　to　give　you　an　immediate

　　explanation。



　　This　explanation　I　have　vainly　sought　to　give。　To…day　it　would；

　　perhaps；　be　useless；　for　a　fragment　of　my　work　relating　to　the

　　administration；　stolen　and　misused；　has　gone　the　rounds　of　the

　　offices　and　is　misinterpreted　by　hatred；　in　consequence；　I　find

　　myself　compelled　to　resign；　under　the　tacit　condemnation　of　my

　　superiors。



　　Your　Excellency　may　have　thought；　on　the　morning　when　I　first

　　sought　to　speak　with　you；　that　my　purpose　was　to　ask　for　my

　　promotion；　when；　in　fact；　I　was　thinking　only　of　the　glory　and

　　usefulness　of　your　ministry　and　of　the　public　good。　It　is　all…

　　important；　I　think；　to　correct　that　impression。



Then　followed　the　usual　epistolary　formulas。



It　was　half…past　seven　in　the　morning　when　the　man　consummated　the

sacrifice　of　his　ideas；　he　burned　everything；　the　toil　of　years。

Fatigued　by　the　pressure　of　thought；　overcome　by　mental　suffering；　he

fell　asleep　with　his　head　on　the　back　of　his　armchair。　He　was　wakened

by　a　curious　sensation；　and　found　his　hands　covered　with　his　wife's

tears　and　saw　her　kneeling　before　him。　Celestine　had　read　the

resignation。　She　could　measure　the　depth　of　his　fall。　They　were　now　to

be　reduced　to　live　on　four　thousand　francs　a　year；　and　that　day　she

had　counted　up　her　debts；they　amounted　to　something　like　thirty…two

thousand　francs！　The　most　ignoble　of　all　wretchedness　had　come　upon

them。　And　that　noble　man　who　had　trusted　her　was　ignorant　that　she　had

abused　the　fortune　he　had　confided　to　her　care。　She　was　sobbing　at　his

feet；　beautiful　as　the　Magdalen。



〃My　cup　is　full；〃　cried　Xavier；　in　terror。　〃I　am　dishonored　at　the

ministry；　and　dishonored〃



The　light　of　her　pure　honor　flashed　from　Celestine's　eyes；　she　sprang

up　like　a　startled　horse　and　cast　a　fulminating　glance　at　Rabourdin。



〃I！　I！〃　she　said；　on　two　sublime　tones。　〃Am　I　a　base　wife？　If　I　were；

you　would　have　been　appointed。　But；〃　she　added　mournfully；　〃it　is

eas