bureaucracy-第24节
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morning。 The previous evening he had furtively entered the study where
Sebastien was at work； and had seen him copying some papers for
Rabourdin； he concealed himself until he saw Sebastien leave the
premises without taking any papers away with him。 Certain； therefore；
of finding the rather voluminous memorandum which he had seen；
together with its copy； in some corner of the study； he searched
through the boxes one after another until he finally came upon the
fatal list。 He carried it in hot haste to an autograph…printing house；
where he obtained two pressed copies of the memorandum； showing； of
course； Rabourdin's own writing。 Anxious not to arouse suspicion； he
had gone very early to the office and replaced both the memorandum and
Sebastien's copy in the box from which he had taken them。 Sebastien；
who was kept up till after midnight at Madame Rabourdin's party； was；
in spite of his desire to get to the office early； preceded by the
spirit of hatred。 Hatred lived in the rue Saint…Louis…Saint…Honore；
whereas love and devotion lived far…off in the rue du Roi…Dore in the
Marais。 This slight delay was destined to affect Rabourdin's whole
career。
Sebastien opened his box eagerly； found the memorandum and his own
unfinished copy all in order； and locked them at once into the desk as
Rabourdin had directed。 The mornings are dark in these offices towards
the end of December； sometimes indeed the lamps are lit till after ten
o'clock； consequently Sebastien did not happen to notice the pressure
of the copying…machine upon the paper。 But when； about half…past nine
o'clock； Rabourdin looked at his memorandum he saw at once the effects
of the copying process； and all the more readily because he was then
considering whether these autographic presses could not be made to do
the work of copying clerks。
〃Did any one get to the office before you？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 replied Sebastien；〃Monsieur Dutocq。〃
〃Ah！ well； he was punctual。 Send Antoine to me。〃
Too noble to distress Sebastien uselessly by blaming him for a
misfortune now beyond remedy； Rabourdin said no more。 Antoine came。
Rabourdin asked if any clerk had remained at the office after four
o'clock the previous evening。 The man replied that Monsieur Dutocq had
worked there later than Monsieur de la Roche； who was usually the last
to leave。 Rabourdin dismissed him with a nod； and resumed the thread
of his reflections。
〃Twice I have prevented his dismissal；〃 he said to himself； 〃and this
is my reward。〃
This morning was to Rabourdin like the solemn hour in which great
commanders decide upon a battle and weigh all chances。 Knowing the
spirit of official life better than any one； he well knew that it
would never pardon； any more than a school or the galleys or the army
pardon； what looked like espionage or tale…bearing。 A man capable of
informing against his comrades is disgraced； dishonored； despised； the
ministers in such a case would disavow their own agents。 Nothing was
left to an official so placed but to send in his resignation and leave
Paris； his honor is permanently stained； explanations are of no avail；
no one will either ask for them or listen to them。 A minister may well
do the same thing and be thought a great man； able to choose the right
instruments； but a mere subordinate will be judged as a spy； no matter
what may be his motives。 While justly measuring the folly of such
judgment； Rabourdin knew that it was all…powerful； and he knew； too；
that he was crushed。 More surprised than overwhelmed； he now sought
for the best course to follow under the circumstances； and with such
thoughts in his mind he was necessarily aloof from the excitement
caused in the division by the death of Monsieur de la Billardiere； in
fact he did not hear of it until young La Briere； who was able to
appreciate his sterling value； came to tell him。 About ten o'clock； in
the bureau Baudoyer； Bixiou was relating the last moments of the life
of the director to Minard； Desroys； Monsieur Godard； whom he had
called from his private office； and Dutocq； who had rushed in with
private motives of his own。 Colleville and Chazelle were absent。
Bixiou ＇standing with his back to the stove and holding up the sole of
each boot alternately to dry at the open door＇。 〃This morning； at half…
past seven； I went to inquire after our most worthy and respectable
director； knight of the order of Christ； et caetera； et caetera。 Yes；
gentlemen； last night he was a being with twenty et caeteras； to…day
he is nothing； not even a government clerk。 I asked all particulars of
his nurse。 She told me that this morning at five o'clock he became
uneasy about the royal family。 He asked for the names of all the
clerks who had called to inquire after him； and then he said： 'Fill my
snuff…box； give me the newspaper； bring my spectacles； and change my
ribbon of the Legion of honor；it is very dirty。' I suppose you know
he always wore his orders in bed。 He was fully conscious； retained his
senses and all his usual ideas。 But； presto！ ten minutes later the
water rose； rose； rose and flooded his chest； he knew he was dying for
he felt the cysts break。 At that fatal moment he gave evident proof of
his powerful mind and vast intellect。 Ah； we never rightly appreciated
him！ We used to laugh at him and call him a boobydidn't you；
Monsieur Godard？〃
Godard。 〃I？ I always rated Monsieur de la Billardiere's talents higher
than the rest of you。〃
Bixiou。 〃You and he could understand each other！〃
Godard。 〃He wasn't a bad man； he never harmed any one。〃
Bixiou。 〃To do harm you must do something； and he never did anything。
If it wasn't you who said he was a dolt； it must have been Minard。〃
Minard ＇shrugging his shoulders＇。 〃I！〃
Bixiou。 〃Well； then it was you； Dutocq！〃 ＇Dutocq made a vehement
gesture of denial。＇ 〃Oh！ very good； then it was nobody。 Every one in
this office knew his intellect was herculean。 Well； you were right。 He
ended； as I have said； like the great man that he was。〃
Desroys ＇impatiently＇。 〃Pray what did he do that was so great？ he had
the weakness to confess himself。〃
Bixiou。 〃Yes； monsieur； he received the holy sacraments。 But do you
know what he did in order to receive them？ He put on his uniform as
gentleman…in…ordinary of the Bedchamber； with all his orders； and had
himself powdered； they tied his queue （that poor queue！） with a fresh
ribbon。 Now I say that none but a man of remarkable character would
have his queue tied with a fresh ribbon just as he was dying。 There
are eight of us here； and I don't believe one among us is capable of
such an act。 But that's not all； he said；for you know all celebrated
men make a dying speech； he said；stop now； what did he say？ Ah！ he
said； 'I must attire myself to meet the King of Heaven；I； who have
so often dressed in my best for audience with the kings of earth。'
That's how Monsieur de la Billardiere departed this life。 He took upon
himself to justify the saying of Pythagoras； 'No man is known until he
dies。'〃
Colleville ＇rushing in＇。 〃Gentlemen； great news！〃
All。 〃We know it。〃
Colleville。 〃I defy you to know it！ I have been hunting for it ever
since the accession of His Majesty to the thrones of France and of
Navarre。 Last night I succeeded！ but with what labor！ Madame
Colleville asked me what was the matter。〃
Dutocq。 〃Do you think we have time to bother ourselves with your
intolerable anagrams when the worthy Monsieur de la Billardiere has
just expired？〃
Colleville。 〃That's Bixiou's nonsense！ I have just come from Monsieur
de la Billardiere's； he is still living； though they expect him to die
soon。〃 ＇Godard； indignant at the hoax； goes off grumbling。＇
〃Gentlemen！ you would never guess what extraordinary events are
revealed by the anagram of this sacramental sentence〃 ＇he pulls out a
piece of paper and reads＇； 〃Charles dix； par la grace de Dieu； roi de
France et de Navarre。〃
Godard ＇re…entering＇。 〃Tell what it is at once； and don't keep people
waiting。〃
Colleville ＇triumphantly unfolding the rest of the paper＇。 〃Listen！
〃A H。 V。 il cedera；
De S。 C。 l。 d。 partira；
Eh nauf errera；
Decide a Gorix。
〃Every letter is there！〃 ＇He repeats it。＇ 〃A Henry cinq cedera （his
crown of course）； de Saint…Cloud partira； en nauf （that's an old
French word for skiff； vessel； felucca； corvette； anything you like）
errera〃
Dutocq。 〃What a tissue of absurdities！ How can the King cede his crown
to Henry V。； who； according to your nonsense； must be his grandson；
when Monseigneur le Dauphin is living。 Are you prophesying the
Dauphin's death？〃
Bixiou。 〃What's Gorix； pray？the name of a cat？〃
Colleville ＇provoked＇。 〃It is the archaeological and lapidarial
abbreviation of the name of a town； my good friend； I looked it out in
Malte…Brun： Goritz； in Latin Gorixia； situated in Bohemia or Hungary；
or it may b
