the deputy of arcis-第8节

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he　influence　of　his　father。　The　latter；　always　elected　deputy　by　the　town　of　Provins；　is　one　of　the　buttresses　of　the　Centre　in　the　Chamber。　Therefore　the　son；　whose　mother　was　a　Demoiselle　de　Chargeboeuf　＇see　〃Pierrette〃＇；　had　a　certain　air　of　assurance；　both　in　his　functions　and　in　his　personal　behavior；　that　plainly　showed　the　backing　of　his　father。　He　expressed　his　opinion　on　men　and　things　without　reserve；　for　he　confidently　expected　not　to　stay　very　long　at　Arcis；　but　to　receive　his　appointment　as　/procureur…du…roi/　at　Versailles；　a　sure　step　to　a　post　in　Paris。

The　confident　air　of　this　little　Vinet；　and　the　sort　of　assumption　which　the　certainty　of　making　his　way　gave　to　him；　was　all　the　more　irritating　to　Frederic　Marest；　his　superior；　because　a　biting　wit　accompanied　the　rather　undisciplined　habits　and　manners　of　his　young　subordinate。　Frederic　Marest；　/procureur…du…roi/；　a　man　about　forty　years　of　age；　who　had　spent　six　years　of　his　life　under　the　Restoration　in　becoming　a　substitute　only　to　be　neglected　and　left　in　Arcis　by　the　government　of　July；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　he　had　some　eighteen　thousand　francs　a　year　of　his　own；　was　perpetually　kept　on　the　rack　between　the　necessity　of　winning　the　good　graces　of　young　Vinet's　fathera　touchy　attorney…general　who　might　become　Keeper　of　the　Sealsand　of　keeping　his　own　dignity。

Olivier　Vinet；　slender　in　figure；　with　a　pallid　face；　lighted　by　a　pair　of　malicious　green　eyes；　was　one　of　those　sarcastic　young　gentlemen；　inclined　to　dissipation；　who　nevertheless　know　how　to　assume　the　pompous；　haughty；　and　pedantic　air　with　which　magistrates　arm　themselves　when　they　once　reach　the　bench。　The　tall；　stout；　heavy；　and　grave　/procureur…du…roi/　had　lately　invented　a　system　by　which　he　hoped　to　keep　out　of　trouble　with　the　exasperating　Olivier；　he　treated　him　as　a　father　would　treat　a　spoilt　child。

〃Olivier；〃　he　replied　to　his　substitute；　slapping　him　on　the　shoulder；　〃a　man　of　your　capacity　ought　to　reflect　that　Maitre　Giguet　is　very　likely　to　become　deputy。　You'd　have　made　that　remark　just　as　readily　before　the　people　of　Arcis　as　before　us；　who　are　safe　friends。〃

〃There　is　one　thing　against　Giguet；〃　observed　Monsieur　Martener。

This　good　young　man；　rather　heavy　but　full　of　capacity；　the　son　of　a　physician　in　Provins；　owed　his　place　to　Vinet's　father；　who　was　long　a　lawyer　in　Provins　and　still　continued　to　be　the　patron　of　his　people　as　the　Comte　de　Gondreville　was　the　patron　of　the　people　of　Arcis。

〃What　is　that？〃　asked　the　sub…prefect。

〃Local　patriotism　is　always　bitterly　against　a　man　who　is　imposed　upon　the　electors；〃　replied　the　examining…judge；　〃but　when　it　happens　that　the　good　people　of　Arcis　have　to　elevate　one　of　their　own　equals　to　the　Chamber；　envy　and　jealousy　are　stronger　than　patriotism。〃

〃That　is　very　simple；〃　said　the　/procureur…du…roi/；　〃and　very　true。　If　you　can　manage　to　collect　fifty　ministerial　votes　you　will　find　yourself　master　of　the　coming　election；〃　he　added；　addressing　the　sub…　prefect。

〃It　will　do　if　you　produce　a　candidate　of　the　same　calibre　as　Simon　Giguet；〃　said　Olivier　Vinet。

The　sub…prefect　allowed　an　expression　of　satisfaction　to　appear　upon　his　features；　which　did　not　escape　the　notice　of　his　three　companions；　with　whom；　moreover；　he　had　a　full　understanding。　All　four　being　bachelors；　and　tolerably　rich；　they　had　formed；　without　premeditation；　an　alliance　against　the　dulness　of　the　provinces。　The　three　functionaries　had　already　remarked　the　sort　of　jealousy　that　Goulard　felt　for　Giguet；　which　a　few　words　on　their　antecedents　will　explain。

Antonin　Goulard；　the　son　of　a　former　huntsman　to　the　house　of　Simeuse；　enriched　by　the　purchase　of　the　confiscated　property　of　/emigres/　was；　like　Simon　Giguet；　a　son　of　Arcis。　Old　Goulard；　his　father；　left　the　abbey　of　Valpreux　（corruption　of　Val…des…Preux）　to　live　in　Arcis　after　the　death　of　his　wife；　and　he　sent　his　son　to　the　imperial　lyceum；　where　Colonel　Giguet　had　already　placed　his　son　Simon。　The　two　schoolmates　subsequently　went　through　their　legal　studies　in　Paris　together；　and　their　intimacy　was　continued　in　the　amusements　of　youth。　They　promised　to　help　each　other　to　success　in　life　whenever　they　entered　upon　their　different　careers。　But　fate　willed　that　they　should　end　by　being　rivals。

In　spite　of　Goulard's　manifest　advantages；　in　spite　of　the　cross　of　the　Legion　of　honor　which　the　Comte　de　Gondreville　had　obtained　for　him　in　default　of　promotion；　the　offer　of　his　heart　and　position　had　been　frankly　declined　when；　about　six　months　before　this　history　begins；　he　had　privately　presented　himself　to　Madame　Beauvisage　as　a　suitor　for　her　daughter's　hand。　No　step　of　that　nature　is　ever　taken　secretly　in　the　provinces。　The　/procureur…du…roi/；　Frederic　Marest；　whose　fortune；　buttonhole；　and　position　were　about　on　a　par　with　those　of　Antonin　Goulard；　had　received　a　like　refusal；　three　years　earlier；　based　on　the　difference　of　ages。　Consequently；　the　two　officials　were　on　terms　of　strict　politeness　with　the　Beauvisage　family；　and　laughed　at　them　severally　in　private。　Both　had　divined　and　communicated　to　each　other　the　real　motive　of　the　candidacy　of　Simon　Giguet；　for　they　fully　understood　the　hopes　of　Madame　Marion；　and　they　were　bent　on　preventing　her　nephew　from　marrying　the　heiress　whose　hand　had　been　refused　to　them。

〃God　grant　that　I　may　be　master　of　this　election；〃　said　Goulard；　〃and　that　the　Comte　de　Gondreville　may　get　me　made　a　prefect；　for　I　have　no　more　desire　than　you　to　spend　the　rest　of　my　days　here；　though　I　was　born　in　Arcis。〃

〃You　have　a　fine　opportunity　to　be　elected　deputy　yourself；　my　chief；〃　said　Olivier　Vinet　to　Marest。　〃Come　and　see　my　father；　who　will；　I　think；　arrive　here　from　Provins　in　a　few　hours。　Let　us　propose　to　him　to　have　you　chosen　as　ministerial　candidate。〃

〃Halt！〃　said　Antonin；　〃the　ministry　has　its　own　views　about　the　deputy　of　Arcis。〃

〃Ah；　bah！〃　exclaimed　Vinet；　〃there　are　two　ministries：　the　one　that　thinks　it　makes　elections；　and　another　that　thinks　it　profits　by　them。〃

〃Don't　let　us　complicate　Antonin's　difficulties；〃　said　Frederic　Marest；　winking　at　his　substitute。

The　four　officials；　who　had　crossed　the　open　square　and　were　close　to　the　Mulet　inn；　now　saw　Poupart　leaving　the　house　of　Madame　Marion　and　coming　towards　them。　A　moment　later；　and　the　/porte　cochere/　of　that　house　vomited　the　sixty…seven　conspirators。

〃So　you　went　to　that　meeting？〃　said　Antonin　Goulard　to　Poupart。

〃I　shall　never　go　again；　monsieur　le　sous…prefet；〃　said　the　innkeeper。　〃The　son　of　Monsieur　Keller　is　dead；　and　I　have　now　no　object　in　going　there。　God　has　taken　upon　himself　to　clear　the　ground。〃

〃Well；　Pigoult；　what　happened？〃　cried　Olivier　Vinet；　catching　sight　of　the　young　notary。

〃Oh！〃　said　Pigoult；　on　whose　forehead　the　perspiration；　which　had　not　dried；　bore　testimony　to　his　efforts；　〃Simon　has　just　told　some　news　that　made　them　all　unanimous。　Except　five　persons；Poupart；　my　grandfather；　Mollot；　Sinot；　and　I；all　present　swore；　as　at　the　Jeu　de　Paume；　to　employ　every　means　to　promote　the　triumph　of　Simon　Giguet；　of　whom　I　have　made　a　mortal　enemy。　Oh！　we　got　warm；　I　can　tell　you！　However；　I　led　the　Giguets　to　fulminate　against　the　Gondrevilles。　That　puts　the　old　count　on　my　side。　No　later　than　to…morrow　he　will　hear　what　the　/soi…disant/　patriots　of　Arcis　have　said　about　him　and　his　corruptions　and　his　infamies；　to　free　their　necks；　as　they　called　it；　of　his　yoke。〃

〃Unanimous；　were　they？〃　said　Olivier　Vinet；　laughing。

〃Unanimous；　/to…day/；〃　remarked　Monsieur　Martener。

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Pigoult；　〃the　general　sentiment　of　the　electors　is　for　one　of　their　own　townsmen。　Whom　can　you　oppose　to　Simon　Giguet；a　man　who　has　just　spent　two　hours　in　explaining　the　word　/progress/。〃

〃Take　old　Grevin！〃　cried　the　sub…prefect。

〃He　has　no　such　ambition；〃　replied　Pigoult。　〃But　we　must　first　of　all　consult　the　Comte　de　Gondreville。　Look；　look！〃　he　added；　〃see　the　attentions　with　which　Simon　is　taking　him　that　gilded　booby；　Beauvisage。〃

And　he　pointed　to　the　candidate；　who　was　holding　the　mayor　by　the　arm　and　whispering　in　his　ear。　Beauvisage　meantime　was　bowing　right　and　left　to　the　inhabitants；　who　gazed　at　him　with　the　deference　which　provincials　always　testify　to　the　richest　man　in　their　locality。

〃But　there's　no　use　cajoling　/him/；〃　continued　Pigoult。　〃Cecile's　hand　does　not　depend　on　either　her　father　or　her　mother。〃

〃On　whom；　then？〃

〃On　my　old　patron；　Monsieur　Grevin。　Even　if　Simon　is　elected　deputy；　the　town　is　not　won。〃

Though　the　sub…prefect　and　Frederic　Marest　tried　to　get　an　explanation　of　these　words；　Pigoult　refused　to　give　the　reason　of　an　exclamation　which　seemed　to　them　big　with　meaning　and　implying　a　certain　knowledge　of　the　plans　of　the　Beauvisage　family。

All　Arcis　was　now　in　a　commotion；　not　only　on　account　of　the　fatal　event　which　had　just　overtaken　the　Gondreville　family；　but　because　of　the　great　resolution　come　to　at　the　Giguet　house；　where　Madame　Marion　and　her　three　servants　were　hurriedly　engaged　in　putting　everything　in　its　usual　order；　ready　to　receive　her　customary　guests；　whose　curiosity　would　probably　bring　them　that　evening　in　large　numbers。



VI

THE　CAMPAIGN　OF　1814　FROM　THE　HOSIERY