the collection of antiquities-第26节

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　allows　its　petty　passions　to　obscure　the　wider　interests　of　the　country；　a　class　of　crotchety　politicians；　upholding　the　government　one　day　and　opposing　it　the　next；　compromising　every　cause　and　helping　none；　helpless　after　they　have　done　the　mischief　till　they　set　about　brewing　more；　unwilling　to　face　their　own　incompetence；　thwarting　authority　while　professing　to　serve　it。　With　a　compound　of　arrogance　and　humility　they　demand　of　the　people　more　submission　than　kings　expect；　and　fret　their　souls　because　those　above　them　are　not　brought　down　to　their　level；　as　if　greatness　could　be　little；　as　if　power　existed　without　force。

President　du　Ronceret　was　a　tall；　spare　man　with　a　receding　forehead　and　scanty；　auburn　hair。　He　was　wall…eyed；　his　complexion　was　blotched；　his　lips　thin　and　hard；　his　scarcely　audible　voice　came　out　like　the　husky　wheezings　of　asthma。　He　had　for　a　wife　a　great；　solemn；　clumsy　creature；　tricked　out　in　the　most　ridiculous　fashion；　and　outrageously　overdressed。　Mme。　la　Presidente　gave　herself　the　airs　of　a　queen；　she　wore　vivid　colors；　and　always　appeared　at　balls　adorned　with　the　turban；　dear　to　the　British　female；　and　lovingly　cultivated　in　out…of…the…way　districts　in　France。　Each　of　the　pair　had　an　income　of　four　or　five　thousand　francs；　which　with　the　President's　salary；　reached　a　total　of　some　twelve　thousand。　In　spite　of　a　decided　tendency　to　parsimony；　vanity　required　that　they　should　receive　one　evening　in　the　week。　Du　Croisier　might　import　modern　luxury　into　the　town；　M。　and　Mme。　de　Ronceret　were　faithful　to　the　old　traditions。　They　had　always　lived　in　the　old…fashioned　house　belonging　to　Mme。　du　Ronceret；　and　had　made　no　changes　in　it　since　their　marriage。　The　house　stood　between　a　garden　and　a　courtyard。　The　gray　old　gable　end；　with　one　window　in　each　story；　gave　upon　the　road。　High　walls　enclosed　the　garden　and　the　yard；　but　the　space　taken　up　beneath　them　in　the　garden　by　a　walk　shaded　with　chestnut　trees　was　filled　in　the　yard　by　a　row　of　outbuildings。　An　old　rust…devoured　iron　gate　in　the　garden　wall　balanced　the　yard　gateway；　a　huge；　double…leaved　carriage　entrance　with　a　buttress　on　either　side；　and　a　mighty　shell　on　the　top。　The　same　shell　was　repeated　over　the　house…door。

The　whole　place　was　gloomy；　close；　and　airless。　The　row　of　iron…gated　openings　in　the　opposite　wall；　as　you　entered；　reminded　you　of　prison　windows。　Every　passer…by　could　look　in　through　the　railings　to　see　how　the　garden　grew；　the　flowers　in　the　little　square　borders　never　seemed　to　thrive　there。

The　drawing…room　on　the　ground　floor　was　lighted　by　a　single　window　on　the　side　of　the　street；　and　a　French　window　above　a　flight　of　steps；　which　gave　upon　the　garden。　The　dining…room　on　the　other　side　of　the　great　ante…chamber；　with　its　windows　also　looking　out　into　the　garden；　was　exactly　the　same　size　as　the　drawing…room；　and　all　three　apartments　were　in　harmony　with　the　general　air　of　gloom。　It　wearied　your　eyes　to　look　at　the　ceilings　all　divided　up　by　huge　painted　crossbeams　and　adorned　with　a　feeble　lozenge　pattern　or　a　rosette　in　the　middle。　The　paint　was　old；　startling　in　tint；　and　begrimed　with　smoke。　The　sun　had　faded　the　heavy　silk　curtains　in　the　drawing…room；　the　old…fashioned　Beauvais　tapestry　which　covered　the　white…painted　furniture　had　lost　all　its　color　with　wear。　A　Louis　Quinze　clock　on　the　chimney…piece　stood　between　two　extravagant；　branched　sconces　filled　with　yellow　wax　candles；　which　the　Presidente　only　lighted　on　occasions　when　the　old…fashioned　rock…crystal　chandelier　emerged　from　its　green　wrapper。　Three　card…tables；　covered　with　threadbare　baize；　and　a　backgammon　box；　sufficed　for　the　recreations　of　the　company；　and　Mme。　du　Ronceret　treated　them　to　such　refreshments　as　cider；　chestnuts；　pastry　puffs；　glasses　of　eau　sucree；　and　home…made　orgeat。　For　some　time　past　she　had　made　a　practice　of　giving　a　party　once　a　fortnight；　when　tea　and　some　pitiable　attempts　at　pastry　appeared　to　grace　the　occasion。

Once　a　quarter　the　du　Roncerets　gave　a　grand　three…course　dinner；　which　made　a　great　sensation　in　the　town；　a　dinner　served　up　in　execrable　ware；　but　prepared　with　the　science　for　which　the　provincial　cook　is　remarkable。　It　was　a　Gargantuan　repast；　which　lasted　for　six　whole　hours；　and　by　abundance　the　President　tried　to　vie　with　du　Croisier's　elegance。

And　so　du　Ronceret's　life　and　its　accessories　were　just　what　might　have　been　expected　from　his　character　and　his　false　position。　He　felt　dissatisfied　at　home　without　precisely　knowing　what　was　the　matter；　but　he　dared　not　go　to　any　expense　to　change　existing　conditions；　and　was　only　too　glad　to　put　by　seven　or　eight　thousand　francs　every　year；　so　as　to　leave　his　son　Fabien　a　handsome　private　fortune。　Fabien　du　Ronceret　had　no　mind　for　the　magistracy；　the　bar；　or　the　civil　service；　and　his　pronounced　turn　for　doing　nothing　drove　his　parent　to　despair。

On　this　head　there　was　rivalry　between　the　President　and　the　Vice…　President；　old　M。　Blondet。　M。　Blondet；　for　a　long　time　past；　had　been　sedulously　cultivating　an　acquaintance　between　his　son　and　the　Blandureau　family。　The　Blandureaus　were　well…to…do　linen　manufacturers；　with　an　only　daughter；　and　it　was　on　this　daughter　that　the　President　had　fixed　his　choice　of　a　wife　for　Fabien。　Now；　Joseph　Blondet's　marriage　with　Mlle。　Blandureau　depended　on　his　nomination　to　the　post　which　his　father；　old　Blondet；　hoped　to　obtain　for　him　when　he　himself　should　retire。　But　President　du　Ronceret；　in　underhand　ways；　was　thwarting　the　old　man's　plans；　and　working　indirectly　upon　the　Blandureaus。　Indeed；　if　it　had　not　been　for　this　affair　of　young　d'Esgrignon's；　the　astute　President　might　have　cut　them　out；　father　and　son；　for　their　rivals　were　very　much　richer。

M。　Blondet；　the　victim　of　the　machiavelian　President's　intrigues；　was　one　of　the　curious　figures　which　lie　buried　away　in　the　provinces　like　old　coins　in　a　crypt。　He　was　at　that　time　a　man　of　sixty…seven　or　thereabouts；　but　he　carried　his　years　well；　he　was　very　tall；　and　in　build　reminded　you　of　the　canons　of　the　good　old　times。　The　smallpox　had　riddled　his　face　with　numberless　dints；　and　spoilt　the　shape　of　his　nose　by　imparting　to　it　a　gimlet…like　twist；　it　was　a　countenance　by　no　means　lacking　in　character；　very　evenly　tinted　with　a　diffused　red；　lighted　up　by　a　pair　of　bright　little　eyes；　with　a　sardonic　look　in　them；　while　a　certain　sarcastic　twitch　of　the　purpled　lips　gave　expression　to　that　feature。

Before　the　Revolution　broke　out；　Blondet　senior　had　been　a　barrister；　afterwards　he　became　the　public　accuser；　and　one　of　the　mildest　of　those　formidable　functionaries。　Goodman　Blondet；　as　they　used　to　call　him；　deadened　the　force　of　the　new　doctrines　by　acquiescing　in　them　all；　and　putting　none　of　them　in　practice。　He　had　been　obliged　to　send　one　or　two　nobles　to　prison；　but　his　further　proceedings　were　marked　with　such　deliberation；　that　he　brought　them　through　to　the　9th　Thermidor　with　a　dexterity　which　won　respect　for　him　on　all　sides。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　Goodman　Blondet　ought　to　have　been　President　of　the　Tribunal；　but　when　the　courts　of　law　were　reorganized　he　had　been　set　aside；　Napoleon's　aversion　for　Republicans　was　apt　to　reappear　in　the　smallest　appointments　under　his　government。　The　qualification　of　ex…public　accuser；　written　in　the　margin　of　the　list　against　Blondet's　name；　set　the　Emperor　inquiring　of　Cambaceres　whether　there　might　not　be　some　scion　of　an　ancient　parliamentary　stock　to　appoint　instead。　The　consequence　was　that　du　Ronceret；　whose　father　had　been　a　councillor　of　parliament；　was　nominated　to　the　presidency；　but；　the　Emperor's　repugnance　notwithstanding；　Cambaceres　allowed　Blondet　to　remain　on　the　bench；　saying　that　the　old　barrister　was　one　of　the　best　jurisconsults　in　France。

Blondet's　talents；　his　knowledge　of　the　old　law　of　the　land　and　subsequent　legislation；　should　by　rights　have　brought　him　far　in　his　profession；　but　he　had　this　much　in　common　with　some　few　great　spirits：　he　entertained　a　prodigious　contempt　for　his　own　special　knowledge；　and　reserved　all　his　pretentions；　leisure；　and　capacity　for　a　second　pursuit　unconnected　with　the　law。　To　this　pursuit　he　gave　his　almost　exclusive　attention。　The　good　man　was　passionately　fond　of　gardening。　He　was　in　correspondence　with　some　of　the　most　celebrated　amateurs；　it　was　his　ambition　to　create　new　species；　he　took　an　interest　in　botanical　discoveries；　and　lived；　in　short；　in　the　world　of　flowers。　Like　all　florists；　he　had　a　predilection　for　one　particular　plant；　the　pelargonium　was　his　especial　favorite。　The　court；　the　cases　that　came　before　it；　and　his　outward　life　were　as　nothing　to　him　compared　with　the　inward　life　of　fancies　and　abundant　emotions　which　the　old　man　led。　He　fell　more　and　more　in　love　with　his　flower…seraglio；　and　the　pains　which　he　bestowed　on　his　garden；　the　sweet　round　of　the　labors　of　the　months；　held　Goodman　Blondet　fast　in　his　greenhouse。　But　for　that　hobby　he　would　have　been　a　deputy　under　the　Empire；　and　shone　conspicuous　beyond　a　doubt　in　the　Corps　Legislatif。

His　marriage　was　the　second　cause　of　his　obscurity。　As　a　man　of　forty；　he　was　rash　enough　to　marry　a　girl　of　eighteen；　by　whom　he　had　a　son　named　Joseph　in　the　first　year　of　their　marri