the collection of antiquities-第28节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


an　Easter　pippin；　looked　after　the　house；　and　they　lived　according　to　the　established　customs　of　the　strictest　parsimony。　Mlle。　Cadot　always　carried　the　keys　of　her　cupboards　and　fruit…loft　about　with　her。　She　was　indefatigable。　She　went　to　market　herself；　she　cooked　and　dusted　and　swept；　and　never　missed　mass　of　a　morning。　To　give　some　idea　of　the　domestic　life　of　the　household；　it　will　be　enough　to　remark　that　the　father　and　son　never　ate　fruit　till　it　was　beginning　to　spoil；　because　Mlle。　Cadot　always　brought　out　anything　that　would　not　keep。　No　one　in　the　house　ever　tasted　the　luxury　of　new　bread；　and　all　the　fast　days　in　the　calendar　were　punctually　observed。　The　gardener　was　put　on　rations　like　a　soldier；　the　elderly　Valideh　always　kept　an　eye　upon　him。　And　she；　for　her　part；　was　so　deferentially　treated；　that　she　took　her　meals　with　the　family；　and　in　consequence　was　continually　trotting　to　and　fro　between　the　kitchen　and　the　parlor　at　breakfast　and　dinner　time。

Mlle。　Blandureau's　parents　had　consented　to　her　marriage　with　Joseph　Blondet　upon　one　conditionthe　penniless　and　briefless　barrister　must　be　an　assistant　judge。　So；　with　the　desire　of　fitting　his　son　to　fill　the　position；　old　M。　Blondet　racked　his　brains　to　hammer　the　law　into　his　son's　head　by　dint　of　lessons；　so　as　to　make　a　cut…and…dried　lawyer　of　him。　As　for　Blondet　junior；　he　spent　almost　every　evening　at　the　Blandureaus'　house；　to　which　also　young　Fabien　du　Ronceret　had　been　admitted　since　his　return；　without　raising　the　slightest　suspicion　in　the　minds　of　father　or　son。

Everything　in　this　life　of　theirs　was　measured　with　an　accuracy　worthy　of　Gerard　Dow's　Money　Changer；　not　a　grain　of　salt　too　much；　not　a　single　profit　foregone；　but　the　economical　principles　by　which　it　was　regulated　were　relaxed　in　favor　of　the　greenhouse　and　garden。　〃The　garden　was　the　master's　craze；〃　Mlle。　Cadot　used　to　say。　The　master's　blind　fondness　for　Joseph　was　not　a　craze　in　her　eyes；　she　shared　the　father's　predilection；　she　pampered　Joseph；　she　darned　his　stockings；　and　would　have　been　better　pleased　if　the　money　spent　on　the　garden　had　been　put　by　for　Joseph's　benefit。

That　garden　was　kept　in　marvelous　order　by　a　single　man；　the　paths；　covered　with　river…sand；　continually　turned　over　with　the　rake；　meandered　among　the　borders　full　of　the　rarest　flowers。　Here　were　all　kinds　of　color　and　scent；　here　were　lizards　on　the　walls；　legions　of　little　flower…pots　standing　out　in　the　sun；　regiments　of　forks　and　hoes；　and　a　host　of　innocent　things；　a　combination　of　pleasant　results　to　justify　the　gardener's　charming　hobby。

At　the　end　of　the　greenhouse　the　judge　had　set　up　a　grandstand；　an　amphitheatre　of　benches　to　hold　some　five　or　six　thousand　pelargoniums　in　potsa　splendid　and　famous　show。　People　came　to　see　his　geraniums　in　flower；　not　only　from　the　neighborhood；　but　even　from　the　departments　round　about。　The　Empress　Marie　Louise；　passing　through　the　town；　had　honored　the　curiously　kept　greenhouse　with　a　visit；　so　much　was　she　impressed　with　the　sight；　that　she　spoke　of　it　to　Napoleon；　and　the　old　judge　received　the　Cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。　But　as　the　learned　gardener　never　mingled　in　society　at　all；　and　went　nowhere　except　to　the　Blandureaus；　he　had　no　suspicion　of　the　President's　underhand　manoeuvres；　and　others　who　could　see　the　President's　intentions　were　far　too　much　afraid　of　him　to　interfere　or　to　warn　the　inoffensive　Blondets。

As　for　Michu；　that　young　man　with　his　powerful　connections　gave　much　more　thought　to　making　himself　agreeable　to　the　women　in　the　upper　social　circles　to　which　he　was　introduced　by　the　Cinq…Cygnes；　than　to　the　extremely　simple　business　of　a　provincial　Tribunal。　With　his　independent　means　（he　had　an　income　of　twelve　thousand　livres）；　he　was　courted　by　mothers　of　daughters；　and　led　a　frivolous　life。　He　did　just　enough　at　the　Tribunal　to　satisfy　his　conscience；　much　as　a　schoolboy　does　his　exercises；　saying　ditto　on　all　occasions；　with　a　〃Yes；　dear　President。〃　But　underneath　the　appearance　of　indifference　lurked　the　unusual　powers　of　the　Paris　law　student　who　had　distinguished　himself　as　one　of　the　staff　of　prosecuting　counsel　before　he　came　to　the　provinces。　He　was　accustomed　to　taking　broad　views　of　things；　he　could　do　rapidly　what　the　President　and　Blondet　could　only　do　after　much　thinking；　and　very　often　solved　knotty　points　for　them。　In　delicate　conjunctures　the　President　and　Vice…President　took　counsel　with　their　junior；　confided　thorny　questions　to　him；　and　never　failed　to　wonder　at　the　readiness　with　which　he　brought　back　a　task　in　which　old　Blondet　found　nothing　to　criticise。　Michu　was　sure　of　the　influence　of　the　most　crabbed　aristocrats；　and　he　was　young　and　rich；　he　lived；　therefore；　above　the　level　of　departmental　intrigues　and　pettinesses。　He　was　an　indispensable　man　at　picnics；　he　frisked　with　young　ladies　and　paid　court　to　their　mothers；　he　danced　at　balls；　he　gambled　like　a　capitalist。　In　short；　he　played　his　part　of　young　lawyer　of　fashion　to　admiration；　without；　at　the　same　time；　compromising　his　dignity；　which　he　knew　how　to　assert　at　the　right　moment　like　a　man　of　spirit。　He　won　golden　opinions　by　the　manner　in　which　he　threw　himself　into　provincial　ways；　without　criticising　them；　and　for　these　reasons；　every　one　endeavored　to　make　his　time　of　exile　endurable。

The　public　prosecutor　was　a　lawyer　of　the　highest　ability；　he　had　taken　the　plunge　into　political　life；　and　was　one　of　the　most　distinguished　speakers　on　the　ministerialist　benches。　The　President　stood　in　awe　of　him；　if　he　had　not　been　away　in　Paris　at　the　time；　no　steps　would　have　been　taken　against　Victurnien；　his　dexterity；　his　experience　of　business；　would　have　prevented　the　whole　affair。　At　that　moment；　however；　he　was　in　the　Chamber　of　Deputies；　and　the　President　and　du　Croisier　had　taken　advantage　of　his　absence　to　weave　their　plot；　calculating；　with　a　certain　ingenuity；　that　if　once　the　law　stepped　in；　and　the　matter　was　noised　abroad；　things　would　have　gone　too　far　to　be　remedied。

As　a　matter　of　fact；　no　staff　of　prosecuting　counsel　in　any　Tribunal；　at　that　particular　time；　would　have　taken　up　a　charge　of　forgery　against　the　eldest　son　of　one　of　the　noblest　houses　in　France　without　going　into　the　case　at　great　length；　and　a　special　reference；　in　all　probability；　to　the　Attorney…General。　In　such　a　case　as　this；　the　authorities　and　the　Government　would　have　tried　endless　ways　of　compromising　and　hushing　up　an　affair　which　might　send　an　imprudent　young　man　to　the　hulks。　They　would　very　likely　have　done　the　same　for　a　Liberal　family　in　a　prominent　position；　so　long　as　the　Liberals　were　not　too　openly　hostile　to　the　throne　and　the　altar。　So　du　Croisier's　charge　and　the　young　Count's　arrest　had　not　been　very　easy　to　manage。　The　President　and　du　Croisier　had　compassed　their　ends　in　the　following　manner。

M。　Sauvager；　a　young　Royalist　barrister；　had　reached　the　position　of　deputy　public　prosecutor　by　dint　of　subservience　to　the　Ministry。　In　the　absence　of　his　chief　he　was　head　of　the　staff　of　counsel　for　prosecution；　and；　consequently；　it　fell　to　him　to　take　up　the　charge　made　by　du　Croisier。　Sauvager　was　a　self…made　man；　he　had　nothing　but　his　stipend；　and　for　that　reason　the　authorities　reckoned　upon　some　one　who　had　everything　to　gain　by　devotion。　The　President　now　exploited　the　position。　No　sooner　was　the　document　with　the　alleged　forgery　in　du　Croisier's　hands；　than　Mme。　la　Presidente　du　Ronceret；　prompted　by　her　spouse；　had　a　long　conversation　with　M。　Sauvager。　In　the　course　of　it　she　pointed　out　the　uncertainties　of　a　career　in　the　magistrature　debout　compared　with　the　magistrature　assise；　and　the　advantages　of　the　bench　over　the　bar；　she　showed　how　a　freak　on　the　part　of　some　official；　or　a　single　false　step；　might　ruin　a　man's　career。

〃If　you　are　conscientious　and　give　your　conclusions　against　the　powers　that　be；　you　are　lost；〃　continued　she。　〃Now；　at　this　moment；　you　might　turn　your　position　to　account　to　make　a　fine　match　that　would　put　you　above　unlucky　chances　for　the　rest　of　your　life；　you　may　marry　a　wife　with　fortune　sufficient　to　land　you　on　the　bench；　in　the　magistrature　assise。　There　is　a　fine　chance　for　you。　M。　du　Croisier　will　never　have　any　children；　everybody　knows　why。　His　money；　and　his　wife's　as　well；　will　go　to　his　niece；　Mlle。　Duval。　M。　Duval　is　an　ironmaster；　his　purse　is　tolerably　filled；　to　begin　with；　and　his　father　is　still　alive；　and　has　a　little　property　besides。　The　father　and　son　have　a　million　of　francs　between　them；　they　will　double　it　with　du　Croisier's　help；　for　du　Croisier　has　business　connections　among　great　capitalists　and　manufacturers　in　Paris。　M。　and　Mme。　Duval　the　younger　would　be　certain　to　give　their　daughter　to　a　suitor　brought　forward　by　du　Croisier；　for　he　is　sure　to　leave　two　fortunes　to　his　niece；　and；　in　all　probability；　he　will　settle　the　reversion　of　his　wife's　property　upon　Mlle。　Duval　in　the　marriage　contract；　for　Mme。　du　Croisier　has　no　kin。　You　know　how　du　Croisier　hates　the　d'Esgrignons。　Do　him　a　service；　be　his　man；　take　up　this　charge　of　forgery　which　he　is　going　to　make　against　young　d'Esgrignon；　and　follow　up　the　proceedings　at　once　without　consulting　the　public　prosecutor　at　Paris。　And；　then；