albert savarus-第23节

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because　her　old　aunt　is　to　settle　something　on　her；　what　is　to　become
of　the　two　others？　Sidonie　is　sixteen；　and　your　ambition　is　as　good　as
a　gold　mine。　Some　one　has　told　Madame　de　Chavoncourt　that　she　will　do
better　by　getting　her　daughter　married　than　by　sending　her　husband　to
waste　his　money　in　Paris。　That　some　one　manages　Madame　de　Chavoncourt；
and　Madame　de　Chavoncourt　manages　her　husband。〃

〃That　is　enough；　my　dear　Abbe。　I　understand。　When　once　I　am　returned
as　deputy；　I　have　somebody's　fortune　to　make；　and　by　making　it　large
enough　I　shall　be　released　from　my　promise。　In　me　you　have　a　son；　a
man　who　will　owe　his　happiness　to　you。　Great　heavens！　what　have　I　done
to　deserve　so　true　a　friend？〃

〃You　won　a　triumph　for　the　Chapter；〃　said　the　Vicar…General；　smiling。
〃Now；　as　to　all　this；　be　as　secret　as　the　tomb。　We　are　nothing；　we
have　done　nothing。　If　we　were　known　to　have　meddled　in　election
matters；　we　should　be　eaten　up　alive　by　the　Puritans　of　the　Leftwho
do　worseand　blamed　by　some　of　our　own　party；　who　want　everything。
Madame　de　Chavoncourt　has　no　suspicion　of　my　share　in　all　this。　I　have
confided　in　no　one　but　Madame　de　Watteville；　whom　we　may　trust　as　we
trust　ourselves。〃

〃I　will　bring　the　Duchess　to　you　to　be　blessed！〃　cried　Savarus。

After　seeing　out　the　old　priest；　Albert　went　to　bed　in　the　swaddling
clothes　of　power。



Next　evening；　as　may　well　be　supposed；　by　nine　o'clock　Madame　la
Baronne　de　Watteville's　rooms　were　crowded　by　the　aristocracy　of
Besancon　in　convocation　extraordinary。　They　were　discussing　the
exceptional　step　of　going　to　the　poll；　to　oblige　the　daughter　of　the
Rupts。　It　was　known　that　the　former　Master　of　Appeals；　the　secretary
of　one　of　the　most　faithful　ministers　under　the　Elder　Branch；　was　to
be　presented　that　evening。　Madame　de　Chavoncourt　was　there　with　her
second　daughter　Sidonie；　exquisitely　dressed；　while　her　elder　sister；
secure　of　her　lover；　had　not　indulged　in　any　of　the　arts　of　the
toilet。　In　country　towns　these　little　things　are　remarked。　The　Abbe　de
Grancey's　fine　and　clever　head　was　to　be　seen　moving　from　group　to
group；　listening　to　everything；　seeming　to　be　apart　from　it　all；　but
uttering　those　incisive　phrases　which　sum　up　a　question　and　direct　the
issue。

〃If　the　Elder　Branch　were　to　return；〃　said　he　to　an　old　statesman　of
seventy；　〃what　politicians　would　they　find？〃〃Berryer；　alone　on　his
bench；　does　not　know　which　way　to　turn；　if　he　had　sixty　votes；　he
would　often　scotch　the　wheels　of　the　Government　and　upset　Ministries！〃
〃The　Duc　de　Fitz…James　is　to　be　nominated　at　Toulouse。〃〃You　will
enable　Monsieur　de　Watteville　to　win　his　lawsuit。〃〃If　you　vote　for
Monsieur　Savarus；　the　Republicans　will　vote　with　you　rather　than　with
the　Moderates！〃　etc。；　etc。

At　nine　o'clock　Albert　had　not　arrived。　Madame　de　Watteville　was
disposed　to　regard　such　delay　as　an　impertinence。

〃My　dear　Baroness；〃　said　Madame　de　Chavoncourt；　〃do　not　let　such
serious　issues　turn　on　such　a　trifle。　The　varnish　on　his　boots　is　not
dryor　a　consultation；　perhaps；　detains　Monsieur　de　Savarus。〃

Rosalie　shot　a　side　glance　at　Madame　de　Chavoncourt。

〃She　is　very　lenient　to　Monsieur　de　Savarus；〃　she　whispered　to　her
mother。

〃You　see；〃　said　the　Baroness　with　a　smile；　〃there　is　a　question　of　a
marriage　between　Sidonie　and　Monsieur　de　Savarus。〃

Mademoiselle　de　Watteville　hastily　went　to　a　window　looking　out　over
the　garden。

At　ten　o'clock　Albert　de　Savarus　had　not　yet　appeared。　The　storm　that
threatened　now　burst。　Some　of　the　gentlemen　sat　down　to　cards；　finding
the　thing　intolerable。　The　Abbe　de　Grancey；　who　did　not　know　what　to
think；　went　to　the　window　where　Rosalie　was　hidden；　and　exclaimed
aloud　in　his　amazement；　〃He　must　be　dead！〃

The　Vicar…General　stepped　out　into　the　garden；　followed　by　Monsieur　de
Watteville　and　his　daughter；　and　they　all　three　went　up　to　the　kiosk。
In　Albert's　rooms　all　was　dark；　not　a　light　was　to　be　seen。

〃Jerome！〃　cried　Rosalie；　seeing　the　servant　in　the　yard　below。　The
Abbe　looked　at　her　with　astonishment。　〃Where　in　the　world　is　your
master？〃　she　asked　the　man；　who　came　to　the　foot　of　the　wall。

〃Gonein　a　post…chaise；　mademoiselle。〃

〃He　is　ruined！〃　exclaimed　the　Abbe　de　Grancey；　〃or　he　is　happy！〃

The　joy　of　triumph　was　not　so　effectually　concealed　on　Rosalie's　face
that　the　Vicar…General　could　not　detect　it。　He　affected　to　see
nothing。

〃What　can　this　girl　have　had　to　do　with　this　business？〃　he　asked
himself。

They　all　three　returned　to　the　drawing…room；　where　Monsieur　de
Watteville　announced　the　strange；　the　extraordinary；　the　prodigious
news　of　the　lawyer's　departure；　without　any　reason　assigned　for　his
evasion。　By　half…past　eleven　only　fifteen　persons　remained；　among　them
Madame　de　Chavoncourt　and　the　Abbe　de　Godenars；　another　Vicar…General；
a　man　of　about　forty；　who　hoped　for　a　bishopric；　the　two　Chavoncourt
girls；　and　Monsieur　de　Vauchelles；　the　Abbe　de　Grancey；　Rosalie；
Amedee　de　Soulas；　and　a　retired　magistrate；　one　of　the　most
influential　members　of　the　upper　circle　of　Besancon；　who　had　been　very
eager　for　Albert's　election。　The　Abbe　de　Grancey　sat　down　by　the
Baroness　in　such　a　position　as　to　watch　Rosalie；　whose　face；　usually
pale；　wore　a　feverish　flush。

〃What　can　have　happened　to　Monsieur　de　Savarus？〃　said　Madame　de
Chavoncourt。

At　this　moment　a　servant　in　livery　brought　in　a　letter　for　the　Abbe　de
Grancey　on　a　silver　tray。

〃Pray　read　it；〃　said　the　Baroness。

The　Vicar…General　read　the　letter；　he　saw　Rosalie　suddenly　turn　as
white　as　her　kerchief。

〃She　recognizes　the　writing；〃　said　he　to　himself；　after　glancing　at
the　girl　over　his　spectacles。　He　folded　up　the　letter；　and　calmly　put
it　in　his　pocket　without　a　word。　In　three　minutes　he　had　met　three
looks　from　Rosalie　which　were　enough　to　make　him　guess　everything。

〃She　is　in　love　with　Albert　Savarus！〃　thought　the　Vicar…General。

He　rose　and　took　leave。　He　was　going　towards　the　door　when；　in　the
next　room；　he　was　overtaken　by　Rosalie；　who　said：

〃Monsieur　de　Grancey；　it　was　from　Albert！〃

〃How　do　you　know　that　it　was　his　writing；　to　recognize　it　from　so
far？〃

The　girl's　reply；　caught　as　she　was　in　the　toils　of　her　impatience　and
rage；　seemed　to　the　Abbe　sublime。

〃I　love　him！What　is　the　matter？〃　she　said　after　a　pause。

〃He　gives　up　the　election。〃

Rosalie　put　her　finger　to　her　lip。

〃I　ask　you　to　be　as　secret　as　if　it　were　a　confession；〃　said　she
before　returning　to　the　drawing…room。　〃If　there　is　an　end　of　the
election；　there　is　an　end　of　the　marriage　with　Sidonie。〃



In　the　morning；　on　her　way　to　Mass；　Mademoiselle　de　Watteville　heard
from　Mariette　some　of　the　circumstances　which　had　prompted　Albert's
disappearance　at　the　most　critical　moment　of　his　life。

〃Mademoiselle；　an　old　gentleman　from　Paris　arrived　yesterday　morning
at　the　Hotel　National；　he　came　in　his　own　carriage　with　four　horses；
and　a　courier　in　front；　and　a　servant。　Indeed；　Jerome；　who　saw　the
carriage　returning；　declares　he　could　only　be　a　prince　or　a　/milord/。〃

〃Was　there　a　coronet　on　the　carriage？〃　asked　Rosalie。

〃I　do　not　know；〃　said　Mariette。　〃Just　as　two　was　striking　he　came　to
call　on　Monsieur　Savarus；　and　sent　in　his　card；　and　when　he　saw　it；
Jerome　says　Monsieur　turned　as　pale　as　a　sheet；　and　said　he　was　to　be
shown　in。　As　he　himself　locked　the　door；　it　is　impossible　to　tell　what
the　old　gentleman　and　the　lawyer　said　to　each　other；　but　they　were
together　above　an　hour；　and　then　the　old　gentleman；　with　the　lawyer；
called　up　his　servant。　Jerome　saw　the　servant　go　out　again　with　an
immense　package；　four　feet　long；　which　looked　like　a　great　painting　on
canvas。　The　old　gentleman　had　in　his　hand　a　large　parcel　of　papers。
Monsieur　Savaron　was　paler　than　death；　and　he；　so　proud；　so　dignified；
was　in　a　state　to　be　pitied。　But　he　treated　the　old　gentleman　so
respectfully　that　he　could　not　have　been　politer　to　the　King　himself。
Jerome　and　Monsieur　Albert　Savaron　escorted　the　gentleman　to　his
carriage；　which　was　standing　with　the　horses　in。　The　courier　started
on　the　stroke　of　three。

〃Monsieur　Savaron　went　straight　to　the　Prefecture；　and　from　that　to
Monsieur　Gentillet；　who　sold　him　the　old　traveling　carriage　that　used
to　belong　to　Madame　de　Saint…Vier　before　she　died；　then　he　ordered
post　horses　for　six　o'clock。　He　went　home　to　pack；　no　doubt　he　wrote　a
lot　of　letters；　finally；　he　settled　everything　with　Monsieur　Girardet；
who　went　to　him　and　stayed　till　seven。　Jerome　carried　a　note　to
Monsieur　Boucher；　with　whom　his　master　was　to　have　dined；　and　then；　at
half…past　seven；　the　lawyer　set　out；　leaving　Jerome　with　three　months'
wages；　and　telling　him　to　find　another　place。

〃He　left　his　keys　with　Monsieur　Girardet；　whom　he　took　home；　and　at
his　house；　Jerome　says；　he　took　a　plate　of　soup；　for　at　half…past
seven　Monsieur　Girardet　had　not　yet　dined。　When　Monsieur　Savaron　got
into　the　carriage　he　looked　like　death。　Jerome；　who；　of　course；　saw
his　master　off；　heard　him　tell　the　postilion　'The　Geneva　Road！'　〃

〃Did　Jerome　ask　the　name　of　the　stranger　at　the　Hotel　National？〃

〃As　the　old　gentleman　did　not　mean　to　stay；　he　was　not　asked　for　it。
The　servant；　by　his　orders　no　doub