bureaucracy-第40节
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assuredly this written name； in which the first and the final letter
approached each other like the voracious jaws of a shark；insatiable；
always open； seeking whom to devour； both strong and weak。 As for the
wording of the note； the spirit of usury alone could have inspired a
sentence so imperative； so insolently curt and cruel； which said all
and revealed nothing。 Those who had never heard of Gobseck would have
felt； on reading words which compelled him to whom they were addressed
to obey； yet gave no order； the presence of the implacable money…
lender of the rue des Gres。 Like a dog called to heel by the huntsman；
des Lupeaulx left his present quest and went immediately to his own
rooms； thinking of his hazardous position。 Imagine a general to whom
an aide…de…camp rides up and says： 〃The enemy with thirty thousand
fresh troops is attacking on our right flank。〃
A very few words will serve to explain this sudden arrival of Gigonnet
and Gobseck on the field of battle；for des Lupeaulx found them both
waiting。 At eight o'clock that evening； Martin Falleix； returning on
the wings of the wind；thanks to three francs to the postboys and a
courier in advance；had brought back with him the deeds of the
property signed the night before。 Taken at once to the Cafe Themis by
Mitral； these securities passed into the hands of the two usurers； who
hastened （though on foot） to the ministry。 It was past eleven o'clock。
Des Lupeaulx trembled when he saw those sinister faces； emitting a
simultaneous look as direct as a pistol shot and as brilliant as the
flash itself。
〃What is it； my masters？〃 he said。
The two extortioners continued cold and motionless。 Gigonnet silently
pointed to the documents in his hand； and then at the servant。
〃Come into my study；〃 said des Lupeaulx； dismissing his valet by a
sign。
〃You understand French very well；〃 remarked Gigonnet； approvingly。
〃Have you come here to torment a man who enabled each of you to make a
couple of hundred thousand francs？〃
〃And who will help us to make more； I hope；〃 said Gigonnet。
〃Some new affair？〃 asked des Lupeaulx。 〃If you want me to help you；
consider that I recollect the past。〃
〃So do we；〃 answered Gigonnet。
〃My debts must be paid；〃 said des Lupeaulx； disdainfully； so as not to
seem worsted at the outset。
〃True；〃 said Gobseck。
〃Let us come to the point； my son；〃 said Gigonnet。 〃Don't stiffen your
chin in your cravat； with us all that is useless。 Take these deeds and
read them。〃
The two usurers took a mental inventory of des Lupeaulx's study while
he read with amazement and stupefaction a deed of purchase which
seemed wafted to him from the clouds by angels。
〃Don't you think you have a pair of intelligent business agents in
Gobseck and me？〃 asked Gigonnet。
〃But tell me； to what do I owe such able co…operation？〃 said des
Lupeaulx； suspicious and uneasy。
〃We knew eight days ago a fact that without us you would not have
known till to…morrow morning。 The president of the chamber of
commerce； a deputy； as you know； feels himself obliged to resign。〃
Des Lupeaulx's eyes dilated； and were as big as daisies。
〃Your minister has been tricking you about this event；〃 said the
concise Gobseck。
〃You master me；〃 said the general…secretary； bowing with an air of
profound respect； bordering however； on sarcasm。
〃True；〃 said Gobseck。
〃Can you mean to strangle me？〃
〃Possibly。〃
〃Well； then； begin your work； executioners；〃 said the secretary；
smiling。
〃You will see；〃 resumed Gigonnet； 〃that the sum total of your debts is
added to the sum loaned by us for the purchase of the property； we
have bought them up。〃
〃Here are the deeds；〃 said Gobseck； taking from the pocket of his
greenish overcoat a number of legal papers。
〃You have three years in which to pay off the whole sum；〃 said
Gigonnet。
〃But；〃 said des Lupeaulx； frightened at such kindness； and also by so
apparently fantastic an arrangement。 〃What do you want of me？〃
〃La Billardiere's place for Baudoyer；〃 said Gigonnet； quickly。
〃That's a small matter； though it will be next to impossible for me to
do it；〃 said des Lupeaulx。 〃I have just tied my hands。〃
〃Bite the cords with your teeth；〃 said Gigonnet。
〃They are sharp；〃 added Gobseck。
〃Is that all？〃 asked des Lupeaulx。
〃We keep the title…deeds of the property till the debts are paid；〃
said Gigonnet； putting one of the papers before des Lupeaulx； 〃and if
the matter of the appointment is not satisfactorily arranged within
six days our names will be substituted in place of yours。〃
〃You are deep；〃 cried the secretary。
〃Exactly；〃 said Gobseck。
〃And this is all？〃 exclaimed des Lupeaulx。
〃All；〃 said Gobseck。
〃You agree？〃 asked Gigonnet。
Des Lupeaulx nodded his head。
〃Well； then； sign this power of attorney。 Within two days Baudoyer is
to be nominated； within six your debts will be cleared off； and〃
〃And what？〃 asked des Lupeaulx。
〃We guarantee〃
〃Guarantee！what？〃 said the secretary； more and more astonished。
〃Your election to the Chamber；〃 said Gigonnet； rising on his heels。
〃We have secured a majority of fifty…two farmers' and mechanics'
votes； which will be thrown precisely as those who lend you this money
dictate。〃
Des Lupeaulx wrung Gigonnet's hand。
〃It is only such as we who never misunderstand each other；〃 he said；
〃this is what I call doing business。 I'll make you a return gift。〃
〃Right；〃 said Gobseck。
〃What is it？〃 asked Gigonnet。
〃The cross of the Legion of honor for your imbecile of a nephew。〃
〃Good；〃 said Gigonnet； 〃I see you know him well。〃
The pair took leave of des Lupeaulx； who conducted them to the
staircase。
〃They must be secret envoys from foreign powers；〃 whispered the
footmen to each other。
Once in the street； the two usurers looked at each other under a
street lamp and laughed。
〃He will owe us nine thousand francs interest a year；〃 said Gigonnet；
〃that property doesn't bring him in five。〃
〃He is under our thumb for a long time；〃 said Gobseck。
〃He'll build； he'll commit extravagancies；〃 continued Gigonnet；
〃Falleix will get his land。〃
〃His interest is only to be made deputy； the old fox laughs at the
rest；〃 said Gobseck。
〃Hey！ hey！〃
〃Hi！ hi！〃
These dry little exclamations served as a laugh to the two old men；
who took their way back （always on foot） to the Cafe Themis。
Des Lupeaulx returned to the salon and found Madame Rabourdin sailing
with the wind of success； and very charming； while his Excellency；
usually so gloomy； showed a smooth and gracious countenance。
〃She performs miracles；〃 thought des Lupeaulx。 〃What a wonderfully
clever woman！ I must get to the bottom of her heart。〃
〃Your little lady is decidedly handsome；〃 said the Marquise to the
secretary； 〃now if she only had your name。〃
〃Yes； her defect is that she is the daughter of an auctioneer。 She
will fail for want of birth；〃 replied des Lupeaulx； with a cold manner
that contrasted strangely with the ardor of his remarks about Madame
Rabourdin not half an hour earlier。
The marquise looked at him fixedly。
〃The glance you gave them did not escape me；〃 she said； motioning
towards the minister and Madame Rabourdin； 〃it pierced the mask of
your spectacles。 How amusing you both are； to quarrel over that bone！〃
As the marquise turned to leave the room the minister joined her and
escorted her to the door。
〃Well；〃 said des Lupeaulx to Madame Rabourdin； 〃what do you think of
his Excellency？〃
〃He is charming。 We must know these poor ministers to appreciate
them；〃 she added； slightly raising her voice so as to be heard by his
Excellency's wife。 〃The newspapers and the opposition calumnies are so
misleading about men in politics that we are all more or less
influenced by them； but such prejudices turn to the advantage of
statesmen when we come to know them personally。〃
〃He is very good…looking；〃 said des Lupeaulx。
〃Yes； and I assure you he is quite lovable；〃 she said； heartily。
〃Dear child；〃 said des Lupeaulx； with a genial； caressing manner； 〃you
have actually done the impossible。〃
〃What is that？〃
〃Resuscitated the dead。 I did not think that man had a heart； ask his
wife。 But he may have just enough for a passing fancy。 Therefore
profit by it。 Come this way； and don't be surprised。〃 He led Madame
Rabourdin into the boudoir； placed her on a sofa； and sat down beside
her。 〃You are very sly；〃 he said； 〃and I like you the better for it。
Between ourselves； you are a clever woman。 Des Lupeaulx served to
bring you into this house； and that is all you wanted of him； isn't
it？ Now when a woman decides to love a man for what she can get out of
him it is better to take a sexagenarian Excellency than a
quadragenari
