father goriot(高老头)-第37节

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hitherto　unpublished　records　made　by　certain　observers　will　throw　a　light　on　the　particular　species　to　which　Poiret　belonged　in　the　great　family　of　fools。　There　is　a　race　of　quill…drivers；　confined　in　the　columns　of　the　budget　between　the　first　degree　of　latitude　（a　kind　of　administrative　Greenland　where　the　salaries　begin　at　twelve　hundred　francs）　to　the　third　degree；　a　more　temperate　zone；　where　incomes　grow　from　three　to　six　thousand　francs；　a　climate　where　the　BONUS　flourishes　like　a　half…hardy　annual　in　spite　of　some　difficulties　of　culture。　A　characteristic　trait　that　best　reveals　the　feeble　narrow…mindedness　of　these　inhabitants　of　petty　officialdom　is　a　kind　of　involuntary；　mechanical；　and　instinctive　reverence　for　the　Grand　Lama　of　every　Ministry；　known　to　the　rank　and　file　only　by　his　signature　（an　illegible　scrawl）　and　by　his　title〃His　Excellency　Monseigneur　le　Ministre；〃　five　words　which　produce　as　much　effect　as　the　il　Bondo　Cani　of　the　Calife　de　Bagdad；　five　words　which　in　the　eyes　of　this　low　order　of　intelligence　represent　a　sacred　power　from　which　there　is　no　appeal。　The　Minister　is　administratively　infallible　for　the　clerks　in　the　employ　of　the　Government；　as　the　Pope　is　infallible　for　good　Catholics。　Something　of　this　peculiar　radiance　invests　everything　he　does　or　says；　or　that　is　said　or　done　in　his　name；　the　robe　of　office　covers　everything　and　legalizes　everything　done　by　his　orders；　does　not　his　very　titleHis　Excellencyvouch　for　the　purity　of　his　intentions　and　the　righteousness　of　his　will；　and　serve　as　a　sort　of　passport　and　introduction　to　ideas　that　otherwise　would　not　be　entertained　for　a　moment？　Pronounce　the　words　〃His　Excellency；〃　and　these　poor　folk　will　forthwith　proceed　to　do　what　they　would　not　do　for　their　own　interests。　Passive　obedience　is　as　well　known　in　a　Government　department　as　in　the　army　itself；　and　the　administrative　system　silences　consciences；　annihilates　the　individual；　and　ends　（give　it　time　enough）　by　fashioning　a　man　into　a　vise　or　a　thumbscrew；　and　he　becomes　part　of　the　machinery　of　Government。　Wherefore；　M。　Gondureau；　who　seemed　to　know　something　of　human　nature；　recognized　Poiret　at　once　as　one　of　those　dupes　of　officialdom；　and　brought　out　for　his　benefit；　at　the　proper　moment；　the　deus　ex　machina；　the　magical　words　〃His　Excellency；〃　so　as　to　dazzle　Poiret　just　as　he　himself　unmasked　his　batteries；　for　he　took　Poiret　and　the　Michonneau　for　the　male　and　female　of　the　same　species。

〃If　his　Excellency　himself；　his　Excellency　the　Minister　。　。　。　Ah！　that　is　quite　another　thing；〃　said　Poiret。

〃You　seem　to　be　guided　by　this　gentleman's　opinion；　and　you　hear　what　he　says；〃　said　the　man　of　independent　means；　addressing　Mlle。　Michonneau。　〃Very　well；　his　Excellency　is　at　this　moment　absolutely　certain　that　the　so…called　Vautrin；　who　lodges　at　the　Maison　Vauquer；　is　a　convict　who　escaped　from　penal　servitude　at　Toulon；　where　he　is　known　by　the　nickname　Trompe…la…Mort。〃

〃Trompe…la…Mort？〃　said　Pioret。　〃Dear　me；　he　is　very　lucky　if　he　deserves　that　nickname。〃

〃Well；　yes；〃　said　the　detective。　〃They　call　him　so　because　he　has　been　so　lucky　as　not　to　lose　his　life　in　the　very　risky　businesses　that　he　has　carried　through。　He　is　a　dangerous　man；　you　see！　He　has　qualities　that　are　out　of　the　common；　the　thing　he　is　wanted　for；　in　fact；　was　a　matter　which　gained　him　no　end　of　credit　with　his　own　set〃

〃Then　is　he　a　man　of　honor？〃　asked　Poiret。

〃Yes；　according　to　his　notions。　He　agreed　to　take　another　man's　crime　upon　himselfa　forgery　committed　by　a　very　handsome　young　fellow　that　he　had　taken　a　great　fancy　to；　a　young　Italian；　a　bit　of　a　gambler；　who　has　since　gone　into　the　army；　where　his　conduct　has　been　unexceptionable。〃

〃But　if　his　Excellency　the　Minister　of　Police　is　certain　that　M。　Vautrin　is　this　Trompe…la…Mort；　why　should　he　want　me？〃　asked　Mlle。　Michonneau。

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Poiret；　〃if　the　Minister；　as　you　have　been　so　obliging　as　to　tell　us；　really　knows　for　a　certainty〃

〃Certainty　is　not　the　word；　he　only　suspects。　You　will　soon　understand　how　things　are。　Jacques　Collin；　nicknamed　Trompe…la…　Mort；　is　in　the　confidence　of　every　convict　in　the　three　prisons；　he　is　their　man　of　business　and　their　banker。　He　makes　a　very　good　thing　out　of　managing　their　affairs；　which　want　a　MAN　OF　MARK　to　see　about　them。〃

〃Ha！　ha！　do　you　see　the　pun；　mademoiselle？〃　asked　Poiret。　〃This　gentleman　calls　himself　a　MAN　OF　MARK　because　he　is　a　MARKED　MAN　branded；　you　know。〃

〃This　so…called　Vautrin；〃　said　the　detective；　〃receives　the　money　belonging　to　my　lords　the　convicts；　invests　it　for　them；　and　holds　it　at　the　disposal　of　those　who　escape；　or　hands　it　over　to　their　families　if　they　leave　a　will；　or　to　their　mistresses　when　they　draw　upon　him　for　their　benefit。〃

〃Their　mistresses！　You　mean　their　wives；〃　remarked　Poiret。

〃No；　sir。　A　convict's　wife　is　usually　an　illegitimate　connection。　We　call　them　concubines。〃

〃Then　they　all　live　in　a　state　of　concubinage？〃

〃Naturally。〃

〃Why；　these　are　abominations　that　his　Excellency　ought　not　to　allow。　Since　you　have　the　honor　of　seeing　his　Excellency；　you；　who　seem　to　have　philanthropic　ideas；　ought　really　to　enlighten　him　as　to　their　immoral　conductthey　are　setting　a　shocking　example　to　the　rest　of　society。〃

〃But　the　Government　does　not　hold　them　up　as　models　of　all　the　virtues；　my　dear　sir〃

〃Of　course　not；　sir；　but　still〃

〃Just　let　the　gentleman　say　what　he　has　to　say；　dearie；〃　said　Mlle。　Michonneau。

〃You　see　how　it　is；　mademoiselle；〃　Gondureau　continued。　〃The　Government　may　have　the　strongest　reasons　for　getting　this　illicit　hoard　into　its　hands；　it　mounts　up　to　something　considerable；　by　all　that　we　can　make　out。　Trompe…la…Mort　not　only　holds　large　sums　for　his　friends　the　convicts；　but　he　has　other　amounts　which　are　paid　over　to　him　by　the　Society　of　the　Ten　Thousand〃

〃Ten　Thousand　Thieves！〃　cried　Pioret　in　alarm。

〃No。　The　Society　of　the　Ten　Thousand　is　not　an　association　of　petty　offenders；　but　of　people　who　set　about　their　work　on　a　large　scalethey　won't　touch　a　matter　unless　there　are　ten　thousand　francs　in　it。　It　is　composed　of　the　most　distinguished　of　the　men　who　are　sent　straight　to　the　Assize　Courts　when　they　come　up　for　trial。　They　know　the　Code　too　well　to　risk　their　necks　when　they　are　nabbed。　Collin　is　their　confidential　agent　and　legal　adviser。　By　means　of　the　large　sums　of　money　at　his　disposal　he　has　established　a　sort　of　detective　system　of　his　own；　it　is　widespread　and　mysterious　in　its　workings。　We　have　had　spies　all　about　him　for　a　twelvemonth；　and　yet　we　could　not　manage　to　fathom　his　games。　His　capital　and　his　cleverness　are　at　the　service　of　vice　and　crime；　this　money　furnishes　the　necessary　funds　for　a　regular　army　of　blackguards　in　his　pay　who　wage　incessant　war　against　society。　If　we　can　catch　Trompe…la…Mort；　and　take　possession　of　his　funds；　we　should　strike　at　the　root　of　this　evil。　So　this　job　is　a　kind　of　Government　affaira　State　secretand　likely　to　redound　to　the　honor　of　those　who　bring　the　thing　to　a　successful　conclusion。　You；　sir；　for　instance；　might　very　well　be　taken　into　a　Government　department　again；　they　might　make　you　secretary　to　a　Commissary　of　Police；　you　could　accept　that　post　without　prejudice　to　your　retiring　pension。〃

Mlle。　Michonneau　interposed　at　this　point　with；　〃What　is　there　to　hinder　Trompe…la…Mort　from　making　off　with　the　money？〃

〃Oh！〃　said　the　detective；　〃a　man　is　told　off　to　follow　him　everywhere　he　goes；　with　orders　to　kill　him　if　he　were　to　rob　the　convicts。　Then　it　is　not　quite　as　easy　to　make　off　with　a　lot　of　money　as　it　is　to　run　away　with　a　young　lady　of　family。　Besides；　Collin　is　not　the　sort　of　fellow　to　play　such　a　trick；　he　would　be　disgraced；　according　to　his　notions。〃

〃You　are　quite　right；　sir；〃　said　Poiret；　〃utterly　disgraced　he　would　be。〃

〃But　none　of　all　this　explains　why　you　do　not　come　and　take　him　without　more　ado；〃　remarked　Mlle。　Michonneau。

〃Very　well；　mademoiselle；　I　will　explainbut；〃　he　added　in　her　ear；　〃keep　your　companion　quiet；　or　I　shall　never　have　done。　The　old　boy　ought　to　pay　people　handsomely　for　listening　to　him。　Trompe…la…Mort；　when　he　came　back　here；〃　he　went　on　aloud　〃slipped　into　the　skin　of　an　honest　man；　he　turned　up　disguised　as　a　decent　Parisian　citizen；　and　took　up　his　quarters　in　an　unpretending　lodging…house。　He　is　cunning；　that　he　is！　You　don't　catch　him　napping。　Then　M。　Vautrin　is　a　man　of　consequence；　who　transacts　a　good　deal　of　business。〃

〃Naturally；〃　said　Poiret　to　himself。

〃And　suppose　that　the　Minister　were　to　make　a　mistake　and　get　hold　of　the　real　Vautrin；　he　would　put　every　one's　back　up　among　the　business　men　in　Paris；　and　public　opinion　would　be　against　him。　M。　le　Prefet　de　Police　is　on　slippery　ground；　he　has　enemies。　They　would　take　advantage　of　any　mistake。　There　would　be　a　fine　outcry　and　fuss　made　by　the　Opposition；　and　he　would　be　sent　packing。　We　must　set　about　this　just　as　we　did　about　the　Coignard　affair；　the　sham　Comte　de　Sainte…Helene；　if　he　had　been　the　real　Comte　de　Sainte…Helene；　we　should　have　been　in　the　wrong　box。　We　want　to　be　quite　sure　what　we　are　about。〃

〃Yes；　but　what　you　want　is　a　pretty　woman；〃　said　Mlle。　Michonneau　briskly。

〃Trompe…la…Mort　would　not