bureaucracy-第15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！



enough　for　an　office；　he　cabals　in　the　Chamber。　The　wife　of　another

has　a　statesman　at　her　feet。　A　third　is　the　hidden　informant　of　a

powerful　journalist。　Often　the　disgusted　and　hopeless　supernumerary

sends　in　his　resignation。　About　three　fourths　of　his　class　leave　the

government　employ　without　ever　obtaining　an　appointment；　and　their

number　is　winnowed　down　to　either　those　young　men　who　are　foolish　or

obstinate　enough　to　say　to　themselves；　〃I　have　been　here　three　years；

and　I　must　end　sooner　or　later　by　getting　a　place；〃　or　to　those　who

are　conscious　of　a　vocation　for　the　work。　Undoubtedly　the　position　of

supernumerary　in　a　government　office　is　precisely　what　the　novitiate

is　in　a　religious　order；a　trial。　It　is　a　rough　trial。　The　State

discovers　how　many　of　them　can　bear　hunger；　thirst；　and　penury　without

breaking　down；　how　many　can　toil　without　revolting　against　it；　it

learns　which　temperaments　can　bear　up　under　the　horrible　experience

or　if　you　like；　the　diseaseof　government　official　life。　From　this

point　of　view　the　apprenticeship　of　the　supernumerary；　instead　of

being　an　infamous　device　of　the　government　to　obtain　labor　gratis；

becomes　a　useful　institution。



The　young　man　with　whom　Rabourdin　was　talking　was　a　poor　supernumerary

named　Sebastien　de　la　Roche；　who　had　picked　his　way　on　the　points　of

his　toes；　without　incurring　the　least　splash　upon　his　boots；　from　the

rue　du　Roi…Dore　in　the　Marais。　He　talked　of　his　mamma；　and　dared　not

raise　his　eyes　to　Madame　Rabourdin；　whose　house　appeared　to　him　as

gorgeous　as　the　Louvre。　He　was　careful　to　show　his　gloves；　well

cleaned　with　india…rubber；　as　little　as　he　could。　His　poor　mother　had

put　five　francs　in　his　pocket　in　case　it　became　absolutely　necessary

that　he　should　play　cards；　but　she　enjoined　him　to　take　nothing；　to

remain　standing；　and　to　be　very　careful　not　to　knock　over　a　lamp　or

the　bric…a…brac　from　an　etagere。　His　dress　was　all　of　the　strictest

black。　His　fair　face；　his　eyes；　of　a　fine　shade　of　green　with　golden

reflections；　were　in　keeping　with　a　handsome　head　of　auburn　hair。　The

poor　lad　looked　furtively　at　Madame　Rabourdin；　whispering　to　himself；

〃How　beautiful！〃　and　was　likely　to　dream　of　that　fairy　when　he　went　to

bed。



Rabourdin　had　noted　a　vocation　for　his　work　in　the　lad；　and　as　he

himself　took　the　whole　service　seriously；　he　felt　a　lively　interest　in

him。　He　guessed　the　poverty　of　his　mother's　home；　kept　together　on　a

widow's　pension　of　seven　hundred　francs　a　yearfor　the　education　of

the　son；　who　was　just　out　of　college；　had　absorbed　all　her　savings。　He

therefore　treated　the　youth　almost　paternally；　often　endeavoured　to

get　him　some　fee　from　the　Council；　or　paid　it　from　his　own　pocket。　He

overwhelmed　Sebastien　with　work；　trained　him；　and　allowed　him　to　do

the　work　of　du　Bruel's　place；　for　which　that　vaudevillist；　otherwise

known　as　Cursy；　paid　him　three　hundred　francs　out　of　his　salary。　In

the　minds　of　Madame　de　la　Roche　and　her　son；　Rabourdin　was　at　once　a

great　man；　a　tyrant；　and　an　angel。　On　him　all　the　poor　fellow's　hopes

of　getting　an　appointment　depended；　and　the　lad's　devotion　to　his

chief　was　boundless。　He　dined　once　a　fortnight　in　the　rue　Duphot；　but

always　at　a　family　dinner；　invited　by　Rabourdin　himself；　Madame　asked

him　to　evening　parties　only　when　she　wanted　partners。



At　that　moment　Rabourdin　was　scolding　poor　Sebastien；　the　only　human

being　who　was　in　the　secret　of　his　immense　labors。　The　youth　copied

and　recopied　the　famous　〃statement；〃　written　on　a　hundred　and　fifty

folio　sheets；　besides　the　corroborative　documents；　and　the　summing　up

（contained　in　one　page）；　with　the　estimates　bracketed；　the　captions　in

a　running　hand；　and　the　sub…titles　in　a　round　one。　Full　of　enthusiasm；

in　spite　of　his　merely　mechanical　participation　in　the　great　idea；　the

lad　of　twenty　would　rewrite　whole　pages　for　a　single　blot；　and　made　it

his　glory　to　touch　up　the　writing；　regarding　it　as　the　element　of　a

noble　undertaking。　Sebastien　had　that　afternoon　committed　the　great

imprudence　of　carrying　into　the　general　office；　for　the　purpose　of

copying；　a　paper　which　contained　the　most　dangerous　facts　to　make

known　prematurely；　namely；　a　memorandum　relating　to　the　officials　in

the　central　offices　of　all　ministries；　with　facts　concerning　their

fortunes；　actual　and　prospective；　together　with　the　individual

enterprises　of　each　outside　of　his　government　employment。



All　government　clerks　in　Paris　who　are　not　endowed；　like　Rabourdin；

with　patriotic　ambition　or　other　marked　capacity；　usually　add　the

profits　of　some　industry　to　the　salary　of　their　office；　in　order　to

eke　out　a　living。　A　number　do　as　Monsieur　Saillard　did；put　their

money　into　a　business　carried　on　by　others；　and　spend　their　evenings

in　keeping　the　books　of　their　associates。　Many　clerks　are　married　to

milliners；　licensed　tobacco　dealers；　women　who　have　charge　of　the

public　lotteries　or　reading…rooms。　Some；　like　the　husband　of　Madame

Colleville；　Celestine's　rival；　play　in　the　orchestra　of　a　theatre；

others　like　du　Bruel；　write　vaudeville；　comic　operas；　melodramas；　or

act　as　prompters　behind　the　scenes。　We　may　mention　among　them　Messrs。

Planard；　Sewrin；　etc。　Pigault…Lebrun；　Piis；　Duvicquet；　in　their　day；

were　in　government　employ。　Monsieur　Scribe's　head…librarian　was　a

clerk　in　the　Treasury。



Besides　such　information　as　this；　Rabourdin's　memorandum　contained　an

inquiry　into　the　moral　and　physical　capacities　and　faculties　necessary

in　those　who　were　to　examine　the　intelligence；　aptitude　for　labor；　and

sound　health　of　the　applicants　for　government　service；three

indispensable　qualities　in　men　who　are　to　bear　the　burden　of　public

affairs　and　should　do　their　business　well　and　quickly。　But　this

careful　study；　the　result　of　ten　years'　observation　and　experience；

and　of　a　long　acquaintance　with　men　and　things　obtained　by　intercourse

with　the　various　functionaries　in　the　different　ministries；　would

assuredly　have；　to　those　who　did　not　see　its　purport　and　connection；

an　air　of　treachery　and　police　espial。　If　a　single　page　of　these

papers　were　to　fall　under　the　eye　of　those　concerned；　Monsieur

Rabourdin　was　lost。　Sebastien；　who　admired　his　chief　without

reservation；　and　who　was；　as　yet；　wholly　ignorant　of　the　evils　of

bureaucracy；　had　the　follies　of　guilelessness　as　well　as　its　grace。

Blamed　on　a　former　occasion　for　carrying　away　these　papers；　he　now

bravely　acknowledged　his　fault　to　its　fullest　extent；　he　related　how

he　had　put　away　both　the　memorandum　and　the　copy　carefully　in　a　box　in

the　office　where　no　one　would　ever　find　them。　Tears　rolled　from　his

eyes　as　he　realized　the　greatness　of　his　offence。



〃Come；　come！〃　said　Rabourdin；　kindly。　〃Don't　be　so　imprudent　again；

but　never　mind　now。　Go　to　the　office　very　early　tomorrow　morning；　here

is　the　key　of　a　small　safe　which　is　in　my　roller　secretary；　it　shuts

with　a　combination　lock。　You　can　open　it　with　the　word　'sky'；　put　the

memorandum　and　your　copy　into　it　and　shut　it　carefully。〃



This　proof　of　confidence　dried　the　poor　fellow's　tears。　Rabourdin

advised　him　to　take　a　cup　of　tea　and　some　cakes。



〃Mamma　forbids　me　to　drink　tea；　on　account　of　my　chest；〃　said

Sebastien。



〃Well；　then；　my　dear　child；〃　said　the　imposing　Madame　Rabourdin；　who

wished　to　appear　gracious；　〃here　are　some　sandwiches　and　cream；　come

and　sit　by　me。〃



She　made　Sebastien　sit　down　beside　her；　and　the　lad's　heart　rose　in

his　throat　as　he　felt　the　robe　of　this　divinity　brush　the　sleeve　of

his　coat。　Just　then　the　beautiful　woman　caught　sight　of　Monsieur　des

Lupeaulx　standing　in　the　doorway。　She　smiled；　and　not　waiting　till　he

came　to　her；　she　went　to　him。



〃Why　do　you　stay　there　as　if　you　were　sulking？〃　she　asked。



〃I　am　not　sulking；〃　he　returned；　〃I　came　to　announce　some　good　news；

but　the　thought　has　overtaken　me　that　it　will　only　add　to　your

severity　towards　me。　I　fancy　myself　six　months　hence　almost　a　stranger

to　you。　Yes；　you　are　too　clever；　and　I　too　experienced；too　blase；　if

you　like；for　either　of　us　to　deceive　the　other。　Your　end　is　attained

without　its　costing　you　more　than　a　few　smiles　and　gracious　words。〃



〃Deceive　each　other！　what　can　you　mean？〃　she　cried；　in　a　hurt　tone。



〃Yes；　Monsieur　de　la　Billardiere　is　dying；　and　from　what　the　minister

told　me　this　evening　I　judge　that　your　husband　will　be　appointed　in

his　place。〃



He　thereupon　related　what　he　called　his　scene　at　the　ministry　and　the

jealousy　of　the　countess；　repeating　her　remarks　about　the　invitation

he　had　asked　her　to　send　to　Madame　Rabourdin。



〃Monsieur　des　Lupeaulx；〃　said　Madame　Rabourdin；　with　dignity；　〃permit

me　to　tell　you　that　my　husband　is　the　oldest　head…clerk　as　well　as　the

most　capable　man　in　the　division；　also　that　the　appointment　of　La

Billardiere　over　his　head　made　much　talk　in　the　service；　and　that　my

husband　has　stayed　on　for　the　last　year　expecting　this　promotion；　for

which　he　has　really　no