；〃 they say。
This； madame； is how the electoral kitchen is carried on and the way in which a deputy is cooked。
XVI
MARIE…GASTON TO THE COMTESSE DE L'ESTORADE
Arcis…sur…Aube； May 15； 1839。
Madame；You do me the honor to say that my letters amuse you； and you tell me not to fear that I send too many。
We are no longer at the Hotel de la Poste； having left it for the chateau； but thanks to the rivalry existing between the two inns； the Poste and the Mulet； in the latter of which Monsieur de Trailles has established his headquarters； we are kept informed of what is going on in the town and among our enemies。 Since our departure； as our late landlord informs us； a Parisian journalist has arrived at his hotel。 This individual； whose name I do not know； at once announced himself as Jack…the…giant…killer； sent down to reinforce with his Parisian vim and vigor the polemic which the local press； subsidized by the 〃bureau of public spirit；〃 has directed against us。
In that there is nothing very grave or very gay； since the world was a world； governments have always found pens for sale； and never have they failed to buy them； but the comedy of this affair begins with the co…arrival and the co…presence in the hotel of a young lady of very problematical virtue。 The name of this young lady as it appears on her passport is Mademoiselle Chocardelle； but the journalist in speaking of her calls her Antonia； or； when he wants to treat her with more respect； Mademoiselle Antonia。
Now； what can bring Mademoiselle Chocardelle to Arcis？ A pleasure trip； you will say； offered to her by the journalist； who combines with that object our daily defamation and his consequent earnings from the secret…service fund of the government。 Not at all； Mademoiselle Chocardelle has come to Arcis on business of her own；namely； to enforce a claim。
It seems that Charles Keller before his departure for Africa； where he met a glorious death； drew a note of hand； payable to Mademoiselle Antonia on order； for ten thousand francs； 〃value received in furniture；〃 a charming ambiguity； the furniture having been received by； and not from； Mademoiselle Chocardelle； who estimated at ten thousand francs the sacrifice she made in accepting it。
A few days after Charles Keller's death； the note being almost due； Mademoiselle Antonia went to the counting…room of the Keller Brothers to inquire about its payment。 The cashier； who is crabbed； like all cashiers； replied that he did not see how Mademoiselle Antonia had the face to present such a note； at any rate； the heads of the house were at Gondreville； where the whole family had met after receiving the fatal news； and he should pay no such note without referring the matter to them。
〃Very good； then I'll refer it to them myself；〃 replied Mademoiselle Antonia。 Thereupon she was meditating a departure alone to Arcis； when the government felt the need of insulting us with more wit and point than provincial journalism can muster； and so confided that employment to a middle…aged journalist to whom Mademoiselle Antonia had； during the absence of Charles Keller； shown some kindness。 〃I am going to Arcis；〃 seems to have been said at the same instant by writer and lady。 The most commonplace lives encounter similar coincidences。
Now； madame； admire the manner in which things link together。 Setting forth on a purely selfish financial enterprise； behold Mademoiselle Chocardelle suddenly brought to the point of wielding an immense electoral influence！ And observe also that her influence is of a nature to compensate for all the witty pin…pricks of her gallant companion。
Mademoiselle's affair； it appears； hung fire。 Twice she went to Gondreville； and was not admitted。 The journalist was busy；partly with his articles； and partly with certain commissions given to him by Monsieur de Trailles； under whose orders he was told to place himself。 Mademoiselle Antonia was therefore much alone； and in the ennui of such solitude； she was led to create for herself a really desperate amusement。
A few steps from the Hotel de la Poste is a bridge across the Aube； a path leads down beside it； by a steep incline； to the water's edge； which； being hidden from the roadway above and little frequented； offers peace and solitude to whoever may like to dream there to the sound of the rippling current。 Mademoiselle Antonia at first took a book with her； but books not being； as she says； in her line； she looked about for other ways of killing her time； and bethought herself of fishing； for which amusement the landlord of the inn supplied her with a rod。 Much pleased with her first successes； the pretty exile devoted herself to an occupation which must be attractive；witness the fanatics that it makes； and the few persons who crossed the bridge could admire at all hours a charming naiad in a flounced gown and a broad…brimmed straw hat； engaged in fishing with the conscientious gravity of a /gamin de Paris/。
Up to this time Mademoiselle Antonia and her fishing have had nothing to do with our election； but if you will recall； madame； in the history of Don Quixote （which I have heard you admire for its common… sense and jovial reasoning） the rather disagreeable adventures of Rosinante and the muleteers； you will have a foretaste of the good luck which the development of Mademoiselle Antonia's new passion brought to us。
Our rival； Beauvisage； is not only a successful stocking…maker and an exemplary mayor； but he is also a model husband； having never tripped in loyalty to his wife； whom he respects and admires。 Every evening； by her orders； he goes to bed before ten o'clock； while Madame Beauvisage and her daughter go into what Arcis is pleased to call society。 But there is no more treacherous water； they say； than still water； just as there was nothing less proper and well…behaved than the calm and peaceable Rosinante on the occasion referred to。
At any rate； while making the tour of his town according to his laudable official habit； Beauvisage from the top of the bridge chanced to catch sight of the fair Parisian who with outstretched arms and gracefully bent body was pursuing her favorite pastime。 A slight movement； the charming impatience with which the pretty fisher twitched her line from the water when the fish had not bitten； was perhaps the electric shock which struck upon the heart of the magistrate； hitherto irreproachable。 No one can say； perhaps； how the thing really came about。 But I ought to remark that during the interregnum that occurred between the making of socks and night…caps and the assumption of municipal duties； Beauvisage himself had practised the art of fishing with a line with distinguished success。 Probably it occurred to him that the poor young lady； having more ardor than science； was not going the right way to work； and the thought of improving her method may have been the real cause of his apparent degeneracy。 However that may be； it is certain that； crossing the bridge in company with her mother； Mademoiselle Beauvisage suddenly cried out； like a true /enfant terrible/；
〃Goodness！ there's papa talking with that Parisian woman！〃
To assure herself at a glance of the monstrous fact； to rush down the bank and reach her husband （whom she found with laughing lips and the happy air of a browsing sheep）； to blast him with a stern 〃What are you doing here？〃 to order his retreat to Arcis with the air of a queen； while Mademoiselle Chocardelle； first astonished and then enlightened as to what it all meant； went off into fits of laughter； took scarcely the time I have taken to tell it。 Such； madame； was the proceeding by which Madame Beauvisage； /nee/ Grevin； rescued her husband； and though that proceeding may be called justifiable； it was certainly injudicious； for before night the whole town had heard of the catastrophe； and Beauvisage； arraigned and convicted by common consent of deplorable immorality； saw fresh desertions taking place in the already winnowed phalanx of his partisans。
However； the Gondreville and Grevin side still held firm； andwould you believe it； madame？it was again Mademoiselle Antonia to whom we owe the overthrow of their last rampart。
Here is the tale of that phenomenon： Mother Marie…des…Anges wanted an interview with the Comte de Gondreville； but how to get it she did not know； because to ask for it was not； as she thought； proper。 Having； it appears； unpleasant things to say to him； she did not wish to bring the old man to the convent expressly to hear them； such a proceeding seemed to her uncharitable。 Besides； things comminatory delivered point…blank will often provoke their recipient instead of alarming him； whereas the same things slipped in sweetly never fail of their effect。 Still； time was passing； the election； as you know； takes place to…morrow； Sunday； and the preparatory meeting of all the candidates and the electors； to…night。 The poor dear saintly woman did not know what course to take； when a little matter occurred； most flattering to her vanity； which solved her doubts。 A pretty sinner； she was told； who had come to Arcis to 〃do〃 Monsieur Keller the financier； then at Gondreville； out of some money； had heard of the virtues and the inexhaustible kindness of Mother Marie