bureaucracy-第31节
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Du Bruel。 〃So it is！ Goodness！ I'm off to the secretary； he wants to
read the obituary。〃
Poiret。 〃What was I saying？〃
Thuillier。 〃Dominoes；perhaps the devil plays dominoes。〃 ＇Sebastien
enters to gather up the different papers and circulars for signature。＇
Vimeux。 〃Ah！ there you are； my fine young man。 Your days of hardship
are nearly over； you'll get a post。 Monsieur Rabourdin will be
appointed。 Weren't you at Madame Rabourdin's last night？ Lucky fellow！
they say that really superb women go there。〃
Sebastien。 〃Do they？ I didn't know。〃
Fleury。 〃Are you blind？〃
Sebastien。 〃I don't like to look at what I ought not to see。〃
Phellion ＇delighted＇。 〃Well said； young man！〃
Vimeux。 〃The devil！ well； you looked at Madame Rabourdin enough； any
how； a charming woman。〃
Fleury。 〃Pooh！ thin as a rail。 I saw her in the Tuileries； and I much
prefer Percilliee； the ballet…mistress； Castaing's victim。〃
Phellion。 〃What has an actress to do with the wife of a government
official？〃
Dutocq。 〃They both play comedy。〃
Fleury ＇looking askance at Dutocq＇。 〃The physical has nothing to do
with the moral； and if you mean〃
Dutocq。 〃I mean nothing。〃
Fleury。 〃Do you all want to know which of us will really be made head
of this bureau？〃
All。 〃Yes； tell us。〃
Fleury。 〃Colleville。〃
Thuillier。 〃Why？〃
Fleury。 〃Because Madame Colleville has taken the shortest way to it
through the sacristy。〃
Thuillier。 〃I am too much Colleville's friend not to beg you； Monsieur
Fleury； to speak respectfully of his wife。〃
Phellion。 〃A defenceless woman should never be made the subject of
conversation here〃
Vimeux。 〃All the more because the charming Madame Colleville won't
invite Fleury to her house。 He backbites her in revenge。〃
Fleury。 〃She may not receive me on the same footing that she does
Thuillier； but I go there〃
Thuillier。 〃When？ how？under her windows？〃
Though Fleury was dreaded as a bully in all the offices； he received
Thuillier's speech in silence。 This meekness； which surprised the
other clerks； was owing to a certain note for two hundred francs； of
doubtful value； which Thuillier agreed to pass over to his sister。
After this skirmish dead silence prevailed。 They all wrote steadily
from one to three o'clock。 Du Bruel did not return。
About half…past three the usual preparations for departure； the
brushing of hats； the changing of coats； went on in all the
ministerial offices。 That precious thirty minutes thus employed served
to shorten by just so much the day's labor。 At this hour the over…
heated rooms cool off； the peculiar odor that hangs about the bureaus
evaporates； silence is restored。 By four o'clock none but a few clerks
who do their duty conscientiously remain。 A minister may know who are
the real workers under him if he will take the trouble to walk through
the divisions after four o'clock；a species of prying； however； that
no one of his dignity would condescend to。
The various heads of divisions and bureaus usually encountered each
other in the courtyards at this hour and exchanged opinions on the
events of the day。 On this occasion they departed by twos and threes；
most of them agreeing in favor of Rabourdin； while the old stagers；
like Monsieur Clergeot； shook their heads and said； 〃Habent sua sidera
lites。〃 Saillard and Baudoyer were politely avoided； for nobody knew
what to say to them about La Billardiere's death； it being fully
understood that Baudoyer wanted the place； though it was certainly not
due to him。
When Saillard and his son…in…law had gone a certain distance from the
ministry the former broke silence and said： 〃Things look badly for
you； my poor Baudoyer。〃
〃I can't understand；〃 replied the other； 〃what Elisabeth was dreaming
of when she sent Godard in such a hurry to get a passport for Falleix；
Godard tells me she hired a post…chaise by the advice of my uncle
Mitral； and that Falleix has already started for his own part of the
country。〃
〃Some matter connected with our business；〃 suggested Saillard。
〃Our most pressing business just now is to look after Monsieur La
Billardiere's place；〃 returned Baudoyer； crossly。
They were just then near the entrance of the Palais…Royal on the rue
Saint…Honore。 Dutocq came up； bowing； and joined them。
〃Monsieur；〃 he said to Baudoyer； 〃if I can be useful to you in any way
under the circumstances in which you find yourself； pray command me；
for I am not less devoted to your interests than Monsieur Godard。〃
〃Such an assurance is at least consoling；〃 replied Baudoyer； 〃it makes
me aware that I have the confidence of honest men。〃
〃If you would kindly employ your influence to get me placed in your
division； taking Bixiou as head of the bureau and me as under…head…
clerk； you will secure the future of two men who are ready to do
anything for your advancement。〃
〃Are you making fun of us； monsieur？〃 asked Saillard； staring at him
stupidly。
〃Far be it from me to do that；〃 said Dutocq。 〃I have just come from
the printing…office of the ministerial journal （where I carried from
the general…secretary an obituary notice of Monsieur de la
Billardiere）； and I there read an article which will appear to…night
about you； which has given me the highest opinion of your character
and talents。 If it is necessary to crush Rabourdin； I'm in a position
to give him the final blow； please to remember that。〃
Dutocq disappeared。
〃May I be shot if I understand a single word of it；〃 said Saillard；
looking at Baudoyer； whose little eyes were expressive of stupid
bewilderment。 〃I must buy the newspaper to…night。〃
When the two reached home and entered the salon on the ground…floor；
they found a large fire lighted； and Madame Saillard； Elisabeth；
Monsieur Gaudron and the curate of Saint…Paul's sitting by it。 The
curate turned at once to Monsieur Baudoyer； to whom Elisabeth made a
sign which he failed to understand。
〃Monsieur；〃 said the curate； 〃I have lost no time in coming in person
to thank you for the magnificent gift with which you have adorned my
poor church。 I dared not run in debt to buy that beautiful monstrance；
worthy of a cathedral。 You； who are one of our most pious and faithful
parishioners； must have keenly felt the bareness of the high altar。 I
am on my way to see Monseigneur the coadjutor； and he will； I am sure；
send you his own thanks later。〃
〃I have done nothing as yet〃 began Baudoyer。
〃Monsieur le cure；〃 interposed his wife； cutting him short。 〃I see I
am forced to betray the whole secret。 Monsieur Baudoyer hopes to
complete the gift by sending you a dais for the coming Fete…Dieu。 But
the purchase must depend on the state of our finances； and our
finances depend on my husband's promotion。〃
〃God will reward those who honor him；〃 said Monsieur Gaudron；
preparing； with the curate； to take leave。
〃But will you not；〃 said Saillard to the two ecclesiastics； 〃do us the
honor to take pot luck with us？〃
〃You can stay； my dear vicar；〃 said the curate to Gaudron； 〃you know I
am engaged to dine with the curate of Saint…Roch； who； by the bye； is
to bury Monsieur de la Billardiere to…morrow。〃
〃Monsieur le cure de Saint…Roch might say a word for us；〃 began
Baudoyer。 His wife pulled the skirt of his coat violently。
〃Do hold your tongue； Baudoyer；〃 she said； leading him aside and
whispering in his ear。 〃You have given a monstrance to the church；
that cost five thousand francs。 I'll explain it all later。〃
The miserly Baudoyer make a sulky grimace； and continued gloomy and
cross for the rest of the day。
〃What did you busy yourself about Falleix's passport for？ Why do you
meddle in other people's affairs？〃 he presently asked her。
〃I must say； I think Falleix's affairs are as much ours as his；〃
returned Elisabeth； dryly； glancing at her husband to make him notice
Monsieur Gaudron； before whom he ought to be silent。
〃Certainly； certainly；〃 said old Saillard； thinking of his co…
partnership。
〃I hope you reached the newspaper office in time？〃 remarked Elisabeth
to Monsieur Gaudron； as she helped him to soup。
〃Yes； my dear lady；〃 answered the vicar； 〃when the editor read the
little article I gave him； written by the secretary of the Grand
Almoner； he made no difficulty。 He took pains to insert it in a
conspicuous place。 I should never have thought of that； but this young
journalist has a wide…awake mind。 The defenders of religion can enter
the lists against impiety without disadvantage at the present moment；
for there is a great deal of talent in the royalist press。 I have
every reason to believe that success will crown your hopes。 But you
must remember； my dear Baudoyer； to promote Monsieur Colleville； he is
an object of great interest to his Eminence； in fact； I am desired to
mention him to you。〃
〃If I
