albert savarus-第22节

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This　calculation　did　Savarus　all　the　more　mischief；　because　the　wives
of　some　of　the　merchants　had　already　made　it。　The　parties　interested
in　the　matter　of　the　bridge　and　that　of　the　water　from　Arcier　could
not　hold　out　against　a　talking…to　from　a　clever　Ministerialist；　who
proved　to　them　that　their　safety　lay　at　the　Prefecture；　and　not　in　the
hands　of　an　ambitious　man。　Each　day　was　a　check　for　Savarus；　though
each　day　the　battle　was　led　by　him　and　fought　by　his　lieutenantsa
battle　of　words；　speeches；　and　proceedings。　He　dared　not　go　to　the
Vicar…General；　and　the　Vicar…General　never　showed　himself。　Albert　rose
and　went　to　bed　in　a　fever；　his　brain　on　fire。

At　last　the　day　dawned　of　the　first　struggle；　practically　the　show　of
hands；　the　votes　are　counted；　the　candidates　estimate　their　chances；
and　clever　men　can　prophesy　their　failure　or　success。　It　is　a　decent
hustings；　without　the　mob；　but　formidable；　agitation；　though　it　is　not
allowed　any　physical　display；　as　it　is　in　England；　is　not　the　less
profound。　The　English　fight　these　battles　with　their　fists；　the　French
with　hard　words。　Our　neighbors　have　a　scrimmage；　the　French　try　their
fate　by　cold　combinations　calmly　worked　out。　This　particular　political
business　is　carried　out　in　opposition　to　the　character　of　the　two
nations。

The　Radical　party　named　their　candidate；　Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt　came
forward；　then　Albert　appeared；　and　was　accused　by　the　Chavoncourt
committee　and　the　Radicals　of　being　an　uncompromising　man　of　the
Right；　a　second　Berryer。　The　Ministry　had　their　candidate；　a　stalking…
horse；　useful　only　to　receive　the　purely　Ministerial　votes。　The　votes；
thus　divided；　gave　no　result。　The　Republican　candidate　had　twenty；　the
Ministry　got　fifty；　Albert　had　seventy；　Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt
obtained　sixty…seven。　But　the　Prefet's　party　had　perfidiously　made
thirty　of　its　most　devoted　adherents　vote　for　Albert；　so　as　to　deceive
the　enemy。　The　votes　for　Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt；　added　to　the　eighty
votesthe　real　numberat　the　disposal　of　the　Prefecture；　would　carry
the　election；　if　only　the　Prefet　could　succeed　in　gaining　over　a　few
of　the　Radicals。　A　hundred　and　sixty　votes　were　not　recorded：　those　of
Monsieur　de　Grancey's　following　and　the　Legitimists。

The　show　of　hands　at　an　election；　like　a　dress　rehearsal　at　a　theatre；
is　the　most　deceptive　thing　in　the　world。　Albert　Savarus　came　home；
putting　a　brave　face　on　the　matter；　but　half　dead。　He　had　had　the　wit；
the　genius；　or　the　good　luck　to　gain；　within　the　last　fortnight；　two
staunch　supportersGirardet's　father…in…law　and　a　very　shrewd　old
merchant　to　whom　Monsieur　de　Grancey　had　sent　him。　These　two　worthy
men；　his　self…appointed　spies；　affected　to　be　Albert's　most　ardent
opponents　in　the　hostile　camp。　Towards　the　end　of　the　show　of　hands
they　informed　Savarus；　through　the　medium　of　Monsieur　Boucher；　that
thirty　voters；　unknown；　were　working　against　him　in　his　party；　playing
the　same　trick　that　they　were　playing　for　his　benefit　on　the　other
side。

A　criminal　marching　to　execution　could　not　suffer　as　Albert　suffered
as　he　went　home　from　the　hall　where　his　fate　was　at　stake。　The
despairing　lover　could　endure　no　companionship。　He　walked　through　the
streets　alone；　between　eleven　o'clock　and　midnight。　At　one　in　the
morning；　Albert；　to　whom　sleep　had　been　unknown　for　the　past　three
days；　was　sitting　in　his　library　in　a　deep　armchair；　his　face　as　pale
as　if　he　were　dying；　his　hands　hanging　limp；　in　a　forlorn　attitude
worthy　of　the　Magdalen。　Tears　hung　on　his　long　lashes；　tears　that　dim
the　eyes；　but　do　not　fall；　fierce　thought　drinks　them　up；　the　fire　of
the　soul　consumes　them。　Alone；　he　might　weep。　And　then；　under　the
kiosk；　he　saw　a　white　figure；　which　reminded　him　of　Francesca。

〃And　for　three　months　I　have　had　no　letter　from　her！　What　has　become
of　her？　I　have　not　written　for　two　months；　but　I　warned　her。　Is　she
ill？　Oh；　my　love！　My　life！　Will　you　ever　know　what　I　have　gone
through？　What　a　wretched　constitution　is　mine！　Have　I　an　aneurism？〃　he
asked　himself；　feeling　his　heart　beat　so　violently　that　its　pulses
seemed　audible　in　the　silence　like　little　grains　of　sand　dropping　on　a
big　drum。

At　this　moment　three　distinct　taps　sounded　on　his　door；　Albert
hastened　to　open　it；　and　almost　fainted　with　joy　at　seeing　the　Vicar…
General's　cheerful　and　triumphant　mien。　Without　a　word；　he　threw　his
arms　round　the　Abbe　de　Grancey；　held　him　fast；　and　clasped　him
closely；　letting　his　head　fall　on　the　old　man's　shoulder。　He　was　a
child　again；　he　cried　as　he　had　cried　on　hearing　that　Francesca
Soderini　was　a　married　woman。　He　betrayed　his　weakness　to　no　one　but
to　this　priest；　on　whose　face　shone　the　light　of　hope。　The　priest　had
been　sublime；　and　as　shrewd　as　he　was　sublime。

〃Forgive　me；　dear　Abbe；　but　you　come　at　one　of　those　moments　when　the
man　vanishes；　for　you　are　not　to　think　me　vulgarly　ambitious。〃

〃Oh！　I　know；〃　replied　the　Abbe。　〃You　wrote　'/Ambition　for　love's
sake/！'Ah！　my　son；　it　was　love　in　despair　that　made　me　a　priest　in
1786；　at　the　age　of　two…and…twenty。　In　1788　I　was　in　charge　of　a
parish。　I　know　life。I　have　refused　three　bishoprics　already；　I　mean
to　die　at　Besancon。〃

〃Come　and　see　her！〃　cried　Savarus；　seizing　a　candle；　and　leading　the
Abbe　into　the　handsome　room　where　hung　the　portrait　of　the　Duchesse
d'Argaiolo；　which　he　lighted　up。

〃She　is　one　of　those　women　who　are　born　to　reign！〃　said　the　Vicar…
General；　understanding　how　great　an　affection　Albert　showed　him　by
this　mark　of　confidence。　〃But　there　is　pride　on　that　brow；　it　is
implacable；　she　would　never　forgive　an　insult！　It　is　the　Archangel
Michael；　the　angel　of　Execution；　the　inexorable　angel'All　or
nothing'　is　the　motto　of　this　type　of　angel。　There　is　something
divinely　pitiless　in　that　head。〃

〃You　have　guessed　well；〃　cried　Savarus。　〃But；　my　dear　Abbe；　for　more
than　twelve　years　now　she　had　reigned　over　my　life；　and　I　have　not　a
thought　for　which　to　blame　myself〃

〃Ah！　if　you　could　only　say　the　same　of　God！〃　said　the　priest　with
simplicity。　〃Now；　to　talk　of　your　affairs。　For　ten　days　I　have　been　at
work　for　you。　If　you　are　a　real　politician；　this　time　you　will　follow
my　advice。　You　would　not　be　where　you　are　now　if　you　would　have　gone
to　the　Wattevilles　when　I　first　told　you。　But　you　must　go　there
to…morrow；　I　will　take　you　in　the　evening。　The　Rouxey　estates　are　in
danger；　the　case　must　be　defended　within　three　days。　The　election　will
not　be　over　in　three　days。　They　will　take　good　care　not　to　appoint
examiners　the　first　day。　There　will　be　several　voting　days；　and　you
will　be　elected　by　ballot〃

〃How　can　that　be？〃　asked　Savarus。

〃By　winning　the　Rouxey　lawsuit　you　will　gain　eighty　Legitimist　votes；
add　them　to　the　thirty　I　can　command；　and　you　have　a　hundred　and　ten。
Then；　as　twenty　remain　to　you　of　the　Boucher　committee；　you　will　have
a　hundred　and　thirty　in　all。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Albert；　〃we　must　get　seventy…five　more。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　priest；　〃since　all　the　rest　are　Ministerial。　But；　my
son；　you　have　two　hundred　votes；　and　the　Prefecture　no　more　than　a
hundred　and　eighty。〃

〃I　have　two　hundred　votes？〃　said　Albert；　standing　stupid　with
amazement；　after　starting　to　his　feet　as　if　shot　up　by　a　spring。

〃You　have　those　of　Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt；〃　said　the　Abbe。

〃How？〃　said　Albert。

〃You　will　marry　Mademoiselle　Sidonie　de　Chavoncourt。〃

〃Never！〃

〃You　will　marry　Mademoiselle　Sidonie　de　Chavoncourt；〃　the　priest
repeated　coldly。

〃But　you　seeshe　is　inexorable；〃　said　Albert；　pointing　to　Francesca。

〃You　will　marry　Mademoiselle　Sidonie　de　Chavoncourt；〃　said　the　Abbe
calmly　for　the　third　time。

This　time　Albert　understood。　The　Vicar…General　would　not　be　implicated
in　a　scheme　which　at　last　smiled　on　the　despairing　politician。　A　word
more　would　have　compromised　the　priest's　dignity　and　honor。

〃To…morrow　evening　at　the　Hotel　de　Rupt　you　will　meet　Madame　de
Chavoncourt　and　her　second　daughter。　You　can　thank　her　beforehand　for
what　she　is　going　to　do　for　you；　and　tell　her　that　your　gratitude　is
unbounded；　that　you　are　hers　body　and　soul；　that　henceforth　your
future　is　that　of　her　family。　You　are　quite　disinterested；　for　you
have　so　much　confidence　in　yourself　that　you　regard　the　nomination　as
deputy　as　a　sufficient　fortune。

〃You　will　have　a　struggle　with　Madame　de　Chavoncourt；　she　will　want
you　to　pledge　your　word。　All　your　future　life；　my　son；　lies　in　that
evening。　But；　understand　clearly；　I　have　nothing　to　do　with　it。　I　am
answerable　only　for　Legitimist　voters；　I　have　secured　Madame　de
Watteville；　and　that　means　all　the　aristocracy　of　Besancon。　Amedee　de
Soulas　and　Vauchelles；　who　will　both　vote　for　you；　have　won　over　the
young　men；　Madame　de　Watteville　will　get　the　old　ones。　As　to　my
electors；　they　are　infallible。〃

〃And　who　on　earth　has　gained　over　Madame　de　Chavoncourt？〃　asked
Savarus。

〃Ask　me　no　questions；〃　replied　the　Abbe。　〃Monsieur　de　Chavoncourt；　who
has　three　daughters　to　marry；　is　not　capable　of　increasing　his　wealth。
Though　Vauchelles　marries　the　eldest　without　anything　from　her　father；
because　her　old　aunt　is　to　settle　something　on　her；　what　is　to　become
of　the　two　others？　Sidonie　is　sixteen；