bureaucracy-第9节

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The　rooms　were　thus　spacious　enough　to　contain　a　select　company；

without　the　absurdity　which　attends　many　middle…class　entertainments；

where　unusual　preparations　are　made　at　the　expense　of　the　daily

comfort；　and　consequently　give　the　effect　of　exceptional　effort。　The

salon　had　lately　been　rehung　in　gold…colored　silk　with　carmelite

touches。　Madame's　bedroom　was　draped　in　a　fabric　of　true　blue　and

furnished　in　a　rococo　manner。　Rabourdin's　study　had　inherited　the　late

hangings　of　the　salon；　carefully　cleaned；　and　was　adorned　by　the　fine

pictures　once　belonging　to　Monsieur　Leprince。　The　daughter　of　the　late

auctioneer　had　utilized　in　her　dining…room　certain　exquisite　Turkish

rugs　which　her　father　had　bought　at　a　bargain；　panelling　them　on　the

walls　in　ebony；　the　cost　of　which　has　since　become　exorbitant。　Elegant

buffets　made　by　Boulle；　also　purchased　by　the　auctioneer；　furnished

the　sides　of　the　room；　at　the　end　of　which　sparkled　the　brass

arabesques　inlaid　in　tortoise…shell　of　the　first　tall　clock　that

reappeared　in　the　nineteenth　century　to　claim　honor　for　the

masterpieces　of　the　seventeenth。　Flowers　perfumed　these　rooms　so　full

of　good　taste　and　of　exquisite　things；　where　each　detail　was　a　work　of

art　well　placed　and　well　surrounded；　and　where　Madame　Rabourdin；

dressed　with　that　natural　simplicity　which　artists　alone　attain；　gave

the　impression　of　a　woman　accustomed　to　such　elegancies；　though　she

never　spoke　of　them；　but　allowed　the　charms　of　her　mind　to　complete

the　effect　produced　upon　her　guests　by　these　delightful　surroundings。

Thanks　to　her　father；　Celestine　was　able　to　make　society　talk　of　her

as　soon　as　the　rococo　became　fashionable。



Accustomed　as　des　Lupeaulx　was　to　false　as　well　as　real　magnificence

in　all　their　stages；　he　was；　nevertheless；　surprised　at　Madame

Rabourdin's　home。　The　charm　it　exercised　over　this　Parisian　Asmodeus

can　be　explained　by　a　comparison。　A　traveller　wearied　with　the　rich

aspects　of　Italy；　Brazil；　or　India；　returns　to　his　own　land　and　finds

on　his　way　a　delightful　little　lake；　like　the　Lac　d'Orta　at　the　foot

of　Monte　Rosa；　with　an　island　resting　on　the　calm　waters；　bewitchingly

simple；　a　scene　of　nature　and　yet　adorned；　solitary；　but　well

surrounded　with　choice　plantations　and　foliage　and　statues　of　fine

effect。　Beyond　lies　a　vista　of　shores　both　wild　and　cultivated；

tumultuous　grandeur　towers　above；　but　in　itself　all　proportions　are

human。　The　world　that　the　traveller　has　lately　viewed　is　here　in

miniature；　modest　and　pure；　his　soul；　refreshed；　bids　him　remain　where

a　charm　of　melody　and　poesy　surrounds　him　with　harmony　and　awakens

ideas　within　his　mind。　Such　a　scene　represents　both　life　and　a

monastery。



A　few　days　earlier　the　beautiful　Madame　Firmiani；　one　of　the　charming

women　of　the　faubourg　Saint…Germain　who　visited　and　liked　Madame

Rabourdin；　had　said　to　des　Lupeaulx　（invited　expressly　to　hear　this

remark）；　〃Why　do　you　not　call　on　Madame　？〃　with　a　motion　towards

Celestine；　〃she　gives　delightful　parties；　and　her　dinners；　above　all；

arebetter　than　mine。〃



Des　Lupeaulx　allowed　himself　to　be　drawn　into　an　engagement　by　the

handsome　Madame　Rabourdin；　who；　for　the　first　time；　turned　her　eyes　on

him　as　she　spoke。　He　had；　accordingly；　gone　to　the　rue　Duphot；　and

that　tells　the　tale。　Woman　has　but　one　trick；　cries　Figaro；　but　that's

infallible。　After　dining　once　at　the　house　of　this　unimportant

official；　des　Lupeaulx　made　up　his　mind　to　dine　there　often。　Thanks　to

the　perfectly　proper　and　becoming　advances　of　the　beautiful　woman；

whom　her　rival；　Madame　Colleville；　called　the　Celimene　of　the　rue

Duphot；　he　had　dined　there　every　Friday　for　the　last　month；　and

returned　of　his　own　accord　for　a　cup　of　tea　on　Wednesdays。



Within　a　few　days　Madame　Rabourdin；　having　watched　him　narrowly　and

knowingly；　believed　she　had　found　on　the　secretarial　plank　a　spot

where　she　might　safely　set　her　foot。　She　was　no　longer　doubtful　of

success。　Her　inward　joy　can　be　realized　only　in　the　families　of

government　officials　where　for　three　or　four　years　prosperity　has　been

counted　on　through　some　appointment；　long　expected　and　long　sought。

How　many　troubles　are　to　be　allayed！　how　many　entreaties　and　pledges

given　to　the　ministerial　divinities！　how　many　visits　of　self…interest

paid！　At　last；　thanks　to　her　boldness；　Madame　Rabourdin　heard　the　hour

strike　when　she　was　to　have　twenty　thousand　francs　a　year　instead　of

eight　thousand。



〃And　I　shall　have　managed　well；〃　she　said　to　herself。　〃I　have　had　to

make　a　little　outlay；　but　these　are　times　when　hidden　merit　is

overlooked；　whereas　if　a　man　keeps　himself　well　in　sight　before　the

world；　cultivates　social　relations　and　extends　them；　he　succeeds。

After　all；　ministers　and　their　friends　interest　themselves　only　in　the

people　they　see；　but　Rabourdin　knows　nothing　of　the　world！　If　I　had

not　cajoled　those　three　deputies　they　might　have　wanted　La

Billardiere's　place　themselves；　whereas；　now　that　I　have　invited　them

here；　they　will　be　ashamed　to　do　so　and　will　become　our　supporters

instead　of　rivals。　I　have　rather　played　the　coquette；　butit　is

delightful　that　the　first　nonsense　with　which　one　fools　a　man

sufficed。〃



The　day　on　which　a　serious　and　unlooked…for　struggle　about　this

appointment　began；　after　a　ministerial　dinner　which　preceded　one　of

those　receptions　which　ministers　regard　as　public；　des　Lupeaulx　was

standing　beside　the　fireplace　near　the　minister's　wife。　While　taking

his　coffee　he　once　more　included　Madame　Rabourdin　among　the　seven　or

eight　really　superior　women　in　Paris。　Several　times　already　he　had

staked　Madame　Rabourdin　very　much　as　Corporal　Trim　staked　his　cap。



〃Don't　say　that　too　often；　my　dear　friend；　or　you　will　injure　her；〃

said　the　minister's　wife；　half…laughing。



Women　never　like　to　hear　the　praise　of　other　women；　they　keep　silence

themselves　to　lessen　its　effect。



〃Poor　La　Billardiere　is　dying；〃　remarked　his　Excellency　the　minister；

〃that　place　falls　to　Rabourdin；　one　of　our　most　able　men；　and　to　whom

our　predecessors　did　not　behave　well；　though　one　of　them　actually　owed

his　position　in　the　prefecture　of　police　under　the　Empire　to　a　certain

great　personage　who　was　interested　in　Rabourdin。　But；　my　dear　friend；

you　are　still　young　enough　to　be　loved　by　a　pretty　woman　for

yourself〃



〃If　La　Billardiere's　place　is　given　to　Rabourdin　I　may　be　believed

when　I　praise　the　superiority　of　his　wife；〃　replied　des　Lupeaulx；

piqued　by　the　minister's　sarcasm；　〃but　if　Madame　la　Comtesse　would　be

willing　to　judge　for　herself〃



〃You　want　me　to　invite　her　to　my　next　ball；　don't　you？　Your　clever

woman　will　meet　a　knot　of　other　women　who　only　come　here　to　laugh　at

us；　and　when　they　hear　'Madame　Rabourdin'　announced〃



〃But　Madame　Firmiani　is　announced　at　the　Foreign　Office　parties？〃



〃Ah；　but　she　was　born　a　Cadignan！〃　said　the　newly　created　count；　with

a　savage　look　at　his　general…secretary；　for　neither　he　nor　his　wife

were　noble。



The　persons　present　thought　important　matters　were　being　talked　over；

and　the　solicitors　for　favors　and　appointments　kept　at　a　little

distance。　When　des　Lupeaulx　left　the　room　the　countess　said　to　her

husband；　〃I　think　des　Lupeaulx　is　in　love。〃



〃For　the　first　time　in　his　life；　then；〃　he　replied；　shrugging　his

shoulders；　as　much　as　to　inform　his　wife　that　des　Lupeaulx　did　not

concern　himself　with　such　nonsense。



Just　then　the　minister　saw　a　deputy　of　the　Right　Centre　enter　the

room；　and　he　left　his　wife　abruptly　to　cajole　an　undecided　vote。　But

the　deputy；　under　the　blow　of　a　sudden　and　unexpected　disaster；　wanted

to　make　sure　of　a　protector　and　he　had　come　to　announce　privately　that

in　a　few　days　he　should　be　compelled　to　resign。　Thus　forewarned；　the

minister　would　be　able　to　open　his　batteries　for　the　new　election

before　those　of　the　opposition。



The　minister；　or　to　speak　correctly；　des　Lupeaulx　had　invited　to

dinner　on　this　occasion　one　of　those　irremovable　officials　who；　as　we

have　said；　are　to　be　found　in　every　ministry；　an　individual　much

embarrassed　by　his　own　person；　who；　in　his　desire　to　maintain　a

dignified　appearance；　was　standing　erect　and　rigid　on　his　two　legs；

held　well　together　like　the　Greek　hermae。　This　functionary　waited　near

the　fireplace　to　thank　the　secretary；　whose　abrupt　and　unexpected

departure　from　the　room　disconcerted　him　at　the　moment　when　he　was

about　to　turn　a　compliment。　This　official　was　the　cashier　of　the

ministry；　the　only　clerk　who　did　not　tremble　when　the　government

changed　hands。



At　the　time　of　which　we　write；　the　Chamber　did　not　meddle　shabbily

with　the　budget；　as　it　does　in　the　deplorable　days　in　which　we　now

live；　it　did　not　contemptibly　reduce　ministerial　emoluments；　nor　save；

as　they　say　in　the　kitchen；　the　candle…ends；　on　the　contrary；　it

granted　to　each　minister　taking　charge　of　a　public　department　an

indemnity；　called　an　〃outfit。〃　It　costs；　alas；　as　much　to　e