bureaucracy-第36节

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escaped　into　her　bedroom；　where　chaos　reigned；　a　jumble　of　furniture

to　be　put　out　of　sight；　with　other　heterogeneous　articles　of　more　or

rather　less　elegance；a　domestic　carnival；　in　short。　The　bold　des

Lupeaulx　followed　the　handsome　figure；　so　piquant　did　she　seem　to　him

in　her　dishabille。　There　is　something　indescribably　alluring　to　the

eye　in　a　portion　of　flesh　seen　through　an　hiatus　in　the　undergarment；

more　attractive　far　than　when　it　rises　gracefully　above　the　circular

curve　of　the　velvet　bodice；　to　the　vanishing　line　of　the　prettiest

swan's…neck　that　ever　lover　kissed　before　a　ball。　When　the　eye　dwells

on　a　woman　in　full　dress　making　exhibition　of　her　magnificent　white

shoulders；　do　we　not　fancy　that　we　see　the　elegant　dessert　of　a　grand

dinner？　But　the　glance　that　glides　through　the　disarray　of　muslins

rumpled　in　sleep　enjoys；　as　it　were；　a　feast　of　stolen　fruit　glowing

between　the　leaves　on　a　garden　wall。



〃Stop！　wait！〃　cried　the　pretty　Parisian；　bolting　the　door　of　the

disordered　room。



She　rang　for　Therese；　called　for　her　daughter；　the　cook；　and　the　man…

servant；　wishing　she　possessed　the　whistle　of　the　machinist　at　the

Opera。　Her　call；　however；　answered　the　same　purpose。　In　a　moment；

another　phenomenon！　the　salon　assumed　a　piquant　morning　look；　quite　in

keeping　with　the　becoming　toilet　hastily　got　together　by　the　fugitive；

we　say　it　to　her　glory；　for　she　was　evidently　a　clever　woman；　in　this

at　least。



〃You！〃　she　said；　coming　forward；　〃at　this　hour？　What　has　happened？〃



〃Very　serious　things；〃　answered　des　Lupeaulx。　〃You　and　I　must

understand　each　other　now。〃



Celestine　looked　at　the　man　behind　his　glasses；　and　understood　the

matter。



〃My　principle　vice；〃　she　said；　〃is　oddity。　For　instance；　I　do　not　mix

up　affections　with　politics；　let　us　talk　politics；business；　if　you

will；the　rest　can　come　later。　However；　it　is　not　really　oddity　nor　a

whim　that　forbids　me　to　mingle　ill…assorted　colors　and　put　together

things　that　have　no　affinity；　and　compels　me　to　avoid　discords；　it　is

my　natural　instinct　as　an　artist。　We　women　have　politics　of　our　own。〃



Already　the　tones　of　her　voice　and　the　charm　of　her　manners　were

producing　their　effect　on　the　secretary　and　metamorphosing　his

roughness　into　sentimental　courtesy；　she　had　recalled　him　to　his

obligations　as　a　lover。　A　clever　pretty　woman　makes　an　atmosphere

about　her　in　which　the　nerves　relax　and　the　feelings　soften。



〃You　are　ignorant　of　what　is　happening；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx；　harshly；

for　he　still　thought　it　best　to　make　a　show　of　harshness。　〃Read　that。〃



He　gave　the　two　newspapers　to　the　graceful　woman；　having　drawn　a　line

in　red　ink　round　each　of　the　famous　articles。



〃Good　heavens！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃but　this　is　dreadful！　Who　is　this

Baudoyer？〃



〃A　donkey；〃　answered　des　Lupeaulx；　〃but；　as　you　see；　he　uses　means；

he　gives　monstrances；　he　succeeds；　thanks　to　some　clever　hand　that

pulls　the　wires。〃



The　thought　of　her　debts　crossed　Madame　Rabourdin's　mind　and　blurred

her　sight；　as　if　two　lightning　flashes　had　blinded　her　eyes　at　the

same　moment；　her　ears　hummed　under　the　pressure　of　the　blood　that

began　to　beat　in　her　arteries；　she　remained　for　a　moment　quite

bewildered；　gazing　at　a　window　which　she　did　not　see。



〃But　are　you　faithful　to　us？〃　she　said　at　last；　with　a　winning　glance

at　des　Lupeaulx；　as　if　to　attach　him　to　her。



〃That　is　as　it　may　be；〃　he　replied；　answering　her　glance　with　an

interrogative　look　which　made　the　poor　woman　blush。



〃If　you　demand　caution…money　you　may　lose　all；〃　she　said；　laughing；　〃I

thought　you　more　magnanimous　than　you　are。　And　you；　you　thought　me

less　a　person　than　I　am；a　sort　of　school…girl。〃



〃You　have　misunderstood　me；〃　he　said；　with　a　covert　smile；　〃I　meant

that　I　could　not　assist　a　man　who　plays　against　me　just　as　l'Etourdi

played　against　Mascarille。〃



〃What　can　you　mean？〃



〃This　will　prove　to　you　whether　I　am　magnanimous　or　not。〃



He　gave　Madame　Rabourdin　the　memorandum　stolen　by　Dutocq；　pointing　out

to　her　the　passage　in　which　her　husband　had　so　ably　analyzed　him。



〃Read　that。〃



Celestine　recognized　the　handwriting；　read　the　paper；　and　turned　pale

under　the　blow。



〃All　the　ministries；　the　whole　service　is　treated　in　the　same　way；〃

said　des　Lupeaulx。



〃Happily；〃　she　said；　〃you　alone　possess　this　document。　I　cannot

explain　it；　even　to　myself。〃



〃The　man　who　stole　it　is　not　such　a　fool　as　to　let　me　have　it　without

keeping　a　copy　for　himself；　he　is　too　great　a　liar　to　admit　it；　and

too　clever　in　his　business　to　give　it　up。　I　did　not　even　ask　him　for

it。〃



〃Who　is　he？〃



〃Your　chief　clerk。〃



〃Dutocq！　People　are　always　punished　through　their　kindnesses！　But；〃

she　added；　〃he　is　only　a　dog　who　wants　a　bone。〃



〃Do　you　know　what　the　other　side　offer　me；　poor　devil　of　a　general…

secretary？〃



〃What？〃



〃I　owe　thirty…thousand　and　odd　miserable　francs；you　will　despise　me

because　it　isn't　more；　but　here；　I　grant　you；　I　am　significant。　Well；

Baudoyer's　uncle　has　bought　up　my　debts；　and　is；　doubtless；　ready　to

give　me　a　receipt　for　them　if　Baudoyer　is　appointed。〃



〃But　all　that　is　monstrous。〃



〃Not　at　all；　it　is　monarchical　and　religious；　for　the　Grand　Almoner　is

concerned　in　it。　Baudoyer　himself　must　appoint　Colleville　in　return

for　ecclesiastical　assistance。〃



〃What　shall　you　do？〃



〃What　will　you　bid　me　do？〃　he　said；　with　charming　grace；　holding　out

his　hand。



Celestine　no　longer　thought　him　ugly；　nor　old；　nor　white　and　chilling

as　a　hoar…frost；　nor　indeed　anything　that　was　odious　and　offensive；

but　she　did　not　give　him　her　hand。　At　night；　in　her　salon；　she　would

have　let　him　take　it　a　hundred　times；　but　here；　alone　and　in　the

morning；　the　action　seemed　too　like　a　promise　that　might　lead　her　far。



〃And　they　say　that　statesmen　have　no　hearts！〃　she　cried

enthusiastically；　trying　to　hide　the　harshness　of　her　refusal　under

the　grace　of　her　words。　〃The　thought　used　to　terrify　me；〃　she　added；

assuming　an　innocent；　ingenuous　air。



〃What　a　calumny！〃　cried　des　Lupeaulx。　〃Only　this　week　one　of　the

stiffest　of　diplomatists；　a　man　who　has　been　in　the　service　ever　since

he　came　to　manhood；　has　married　the　daughter　of　an　actress；　and　has

introduced　her　at　the　most　iron…bound　court　in　Europe　as　to

quarterings　of　nobility。〃



〃You　will　continue　to　support　us？〃



〃I　am　to　draw　up　your　husband's　appointment　But　no　cheating；

remember。〃



She　gave　him　her　hand　to　kiss；　and　tapped　him　on　the　cheek　as　she　did

so。　〃You　are　mine！〃　she　said。



Des　Lupeaulx　admired　the　expression。



＇That　night；　at　the　Opera；　the　old　coxcomb　related　the　incident　as

follows：　〃A　woman　who　did　not　want　to　tell　a　man　she　would　be　his；an

acknowledgment　a　well…bred　woman　never　allows　herself　to　make；

changed　the　words　into　'You　are　mine。'　Don't　you　think　the　evasion

charming？〃＇



〃But　you　must　be　my　ally；〃　he　answered。　〃Now　listen；　your　husband　has

spoken　to　the　minister　of　a　plan　for　the　reform　of　the　administration；

the　paper　I　have　shown　you　is　a　part　of　that　plan。　I　want　to　know　what

it　is。　Find　out；　and　tell　me　to…night。〃



〃I　will；〃　she　answered；　wholly　unaware　of　the　important　nature　of　the

errand　which　brought　des　Lupeaulx　to　the　house　that　morning。



〃Madame；　the　hair…dresser。〃



〃At　last！〃　thought　Celestine。　〃I　don't　see　how　I　should　have　got　out

of　it　if　he　had　delayed　much　longer。〃



〃You　do　not　know　to　what　lengths　my　devotion　can　go；〃　said　des

Lupeaulx；　rising。　〃You　shall　be　invited　to　the　first　select　party

given　by　his　Excellency's　wife。〃



〃Ah；　you　are　an　angel！〃　she　cried。　〃And　I　see　now　how　much　you　love

me；　you　love　me　intelligently。〃



〃To…night；　dear　child；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　find　out　at　the　Opera　what

journalists　are　conspiring　for　Baudoyer；　and　we　will　measure　swords

together。〃



〃Yes；　but　you　must　dine　with　us；　will　you　not？　I　have　taken　pains　to

get　the　things　you　like　best〃



〃All　that　is　so　like　love；〃　said　des　Lupeaulx　to　himself　as　he　went

downstairs；　〃that　I　am　willing　to　be　deceived　in　that　way　for　a　long

time。　Well；　if　she　IS　tricking　me　I　shall　know　it。　I'll　set　the

cleverest　of　all　traps　before　the　appointment　is　fairly　signed；　and

I'll　read　her　heart。　Ah！　my　little　cats；　I　know　you！　for；　after　all；

women　are　just　what　we　men　are。　Twenty…eight　years　old；　virtuous；　and

living　here　in　the　rue　Duphot！a　rare　piece　of　luck　and　worth

cultivating；〃　thought　the　elderly　butterfly　as　he　fluttered　down　the

staircase。



〃Good　heavens！　that　man；　without　his　glasses；　must　look　funny　enough

in　a　dressing…gown！〃　thought　Celestine；　〃but　the　harpoon　is　in　his

back　and　he'll　tow　me　where　I　want　to　go；　I　am　sure　now　of　that

invitation。　He　has　played　his　part　in　my　comedy。〃



When；　at　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　Rabourdin　came　home　to　dress

for　dinner；　his　wife　presided　at　his　toilet　and　presently　laid　be