the deputy of arcis- 第76部分

〃I　am　half　crazy；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　〃the　whole　blame　rests　on　us。〃

〃That　is　saying　too　much；〃　said　Madame　Octave。

〃No；〃　said　her　husband；　〃I　agree　with　madame；　all　the　venom　of　this　affair　could　have　been　destroyed　by　one　action　of　de　l'Estorade's；　and　in　refusing　to　make　it　he　is；　if　not　the　author；　at　least　the　accomplice　of　this　slander。〃

〃Your　wife　has　told　you〃　began　Madame　de　l'Estorade　in　a　reproachful　tone。

〃Yes；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　〃it　was　necessary　to　explain　to　my　husband　the　sort　of　madness　that　seemed　to　have　taken　possession　of　M。　de　l'Estorade；　but　what　I　said　to　him　was　not　unfaithful　to　any　secret　that　concerned　you　personally。〃

〃Ah！　you　are　such　a　united　pair；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　with　a　heavy　sigh。　〃I　don't　regret　that　you　have　told　all　that　to　your　husband；　in　fact；　two　heads　are　better　than　one　to　advise　me　in　the　cruel　position　in　which　I　am　placed。〃

〃What　has　happened？〃　asked　Madame　de　Camps。

〃My　husband　is　losing　his　head；〃　replied　the　countess。　〃I　don't　see　a　trace　of　his　old　moral　sense　left　in　him。　Far　from　understanding　that　he　is；　as　Monsieur　de　Camps　said　just　now；　the　accomplice　of　the　shameful　attack　which　is　going　on；　and　that　he　has　not；　like　those　who　started　it；　the　excuse　of　ignorance；　he　actually　seems　to　take　delight　in　this　wickedness。　Just　now　he　brought　me　that　vile　paper　triumphantly；　and　I　could　scarcely　prevent　his　being　very　angry　with　me　for　not　agreeing　with　his　opinion　that　it　was　infinitely　witty　and　amusing。〃

〃That　letter　of　Monsieur　Gaston's　was　a　terrible　shock　to　him；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；〃a　shock　not　only　to　his　heart　but　to　his　body。〃

〃I　admit　that；〃　said　her　husband；　〃but；　hang　it！　a　man　is　a　man；　and　he　ought　to　take　the　words　of　a　maniac　for　what　they　are　worth。〃

〃It　is　certainly　very　singular　that　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　does　not　return；〃　said　Madame　Octave；　〃for　that　Joseph　Bricheteau；　to　whom　you　gave　his　address；　must　have　written　to　him。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　the　countess；　〃there's　fatality　in　the　whole　thing。　To…morrow　the　question　of　confirming　the　election　or　not　comes　up　in　the　Chamber；　and　if　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　is　not　here　by　that　time；　the　ministry　expects　to　annul　it。〃

〃It　is　infamous；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Camps；　〃and　I　have　a　great　mind　to　go　to　the　president　of　the　Chamber；　and　tell　him　how　matters　are。〃

〃I　would　have　asked　you　to　do　so　at　the　risk　of　my　husband　suspecting　my　interference；　but　one　thing　restrained　me。　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　particularly　desires　that　Monsieur　Gaston's　mental　condition　be　not　made　public。〃

〃It　is　evident；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　〃that　do　defend　him　in　any　way　would　go　against　his　wishes。　After　all；　the　decision　against　him　in　the　Chamber　is　very　doubtful；　whereas　Monsieur　Gaston's　madness；　if　mentioned　publicly；　would　never　be　forgotten。〃

〃But　I　have　not　told　you　the　worst　so　far　as　I　am　concerned；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade。　〃Just　before　dinner　my　husband　imparted　to　me　an　absolutely　Satanic　desire　of　hisorder；　I　might　call　it。〃

〃What　was　it？〃　asked　Madame　de　Camps；　anxiously。

〃He　wishes　me　to　go　with　him　to　the　Chamber　to…morrow；to　the　gallery　reserved　for　the　peers　of　France；and　listen　to　the　discussion。〃

〃He　is　actually；　as　you　say；　losing　his　head；〃　cried　Monsieur　de　Camps；　〃he　is　like　Thomas　Diafoirus；　proposing　to　take　his　fiance　to　enjoy　a　dissection〃

Madame　de　Camps　made　her　husband　a　sign　which　meant；　〃Don't　pour　oil　on　the　fire。〃　Then　she　asked　the　countess　whether　she　had　tried　to　show　M。　de　l'Estorade　the　impropriety　of　that　step。

〃The　moment　I　began　to　object；〃　replied　the　countess；　〃he　was　angry；　and　said　I　must　be　very　anxious　to　keep　up　our　intimacy　with　'that　man'　when　I　rejected　such　a　natural　opportunity　to　show　publicly　that　the　acquaintance　was　at　an　end。〃

〃Well；　my　dear；　you　will　have　to　go；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps。　〃The　peace　of　your　home　before　everything　else！　Besides；　considering　all　things；　your　presence　at　the　discussion　may　be　taken　as　a　proof　of　kindly　interest。〃

〃For　sixteen　years；〃　remarked　Monsieur　de　Camps；　〃you　have　ruled　and　governed　in　your　home；　and　here；　at　last；　is　a　revolution　which　cruelly　overturns　your　power。〃

〃Ah；　monsieur；　I　beg　you　to　believe　that　that　sovereigntywhich　I　always　sought　to　concealI　never　used　arbitrarily。〃

〃As　if　I　did　not　know　that！〃　replied　Monsieur　de　Camps；　taking　Madame　de　l'Estorade's　hand　and　pressing　it　affectionately。　〃I　am；　nevertheless；　of　my　wife's　opinion：　you　will　have　to　drink　this　cup。〃

〃But　I　shall　die　of　shame　in　listening　to　the　ministerial　infamies；　I　shall　feel　that　they　are　cutting　the　throat　of　a　man　whom　two　words　from　me　could　save。〃

〃True；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Camps；　〃and　a　man；　too；　who　has　done　you　a　vast　service。　But　you　must　choose：　do　you　prefer　to　bring　hell　into　your　home；　and　exasperate　the　unhealthy　condition　of　your　husband's　mind？〃

〃Listen　to　me；　dearest；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps。　〃Tell　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　that　I　want　to　go　to　this　session；　and　ask　him　for　a　permit；　don't　yield　the　point　to　any　objections。　I　shall　then　be　there　to　take　care　of　you；　and　perhaps　protect　you　from　yourself。〃

〃I　did　not　dare　ask　it　of　you；〃　replied　Madame　de　l'Estorade。　〃We　don't　usually　invite　friends　to　see　us　commit　bad　actions；　but　since　you　are　so　kind　as　to　offer；　I　can　truly　say　I　shall　be　less　wretched　if　you　are　with　me。　Now　good…bye；　I　don't　want　my　husband　to　find　me　out　when　he　comes　home。　He　is　dining　with　Monsieur　de　Rastignac；　where；　no　doubt；　they　are　plotting　for　to…morrow。〃

〃Yes；　go；　and　I　will　write　you　a　note　in　the　course　of　an　hour；　as　if　I　had　not　seen　you；　asking　you　to　get　me　a　permit　for　to…morrow's　session；　which　I　am　told　will　be　very　interesting。〃

〃To　be　reduced　to　conspiracy！〃　cried　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　kissing　her　friend。

〃My　dear　love；〃　said　Madame　de　Camps；　〃they　say　the　life　of　a　Christian　is　a　struggle；　but　that　of　a　woman　married　in　a　certain　way　is　a　pitched　battle。　Have　patience　and　courage。〃

So　saying；　the　two　friends　separated。

The　next　day；　about　two　o'clock；　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　accompanied　by　her　husband　and　Madame　Octave　de　Camps；　took　their　places　in　the　gallery　reserved　for　the　members　of　the　peerage。　She　seemed　ill；　and　answered　languidly　the　bows　and　salutations　that　were　addressed　to　her　from　all　parts　of　the　Chamber。　Madame　de　Camps；　who　was　present　for　the　first　time　in　the　parliamentary　precincts；　made　two　observations：　first；　she　objected　strongly　to　the　slovenly　costume　of　a　great　many　of　the　〃honorable　gentlemen〃；　and　she　was　also　amazed　at　the　number　of　bald　heads　she　looked　down　upon　from　the　gallery。　Monsieur　de　l'Estorade　took　pains　to　point　out　to　her　all　the　notabilities　present：　first；　the　great　men　whom　we　need　not　mention；　because　their　names　are　in　everybody's　memory；　next；　the　poet　Canalis；　whose　air　she　thought　Olympian；　d'Arthez；　who　pleased　her　by　his　modesty　and　absence　of　assumption；　Vinet；　of　whom　she　remarked　that　he　was　like　a　viper　in　spectacles；　Victorin　Hulot；　a　noted　orator　of　the　Left　Centre。　It　was　some　time　before　she　could　accustom　herself　to　the　hum　of　the　various　conversations；　which　seemed　to　her　like　the　buzzing　of　bees　around　their　hive；　but　the　thing　that　most　amazed　her　was　the　general　aspect　of　this　assemblage　of　legislators；　where　a　singular　/laisser…aller/　and　a　total　absence　of　dignity　would　never　have　led　her　to　suppose　she　was　in　the　hall　of　the　representatives　of　a　great　people。

It　was　written　that　on　this　day　no　pain　or　unpleasantness　should　be　spared　to　Madame　de　l'Estorade。　Just　before　the　sitting　began；　the　Marquise　d'Espard；　accompanied　by　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles；　entered　the　peers'　gallery　and　took　her　seat　beside　the　countess。　Though　meeting　constantly　in　society；　the　two　women　could　not　endure　each　other。　Madame　de　l'Estorade　despised　the　spirit　of　intrigue；　the　total　lack　of　principle；　and　the　sour；　malevolent　nature　which　the　marquise　covered　with　an　elegant　exterior；　and　the　marquise　despised；　to　a　still　greater　degree；　what　she　called　the　/pot…au…feu/　virtues　of　Madame　de　l'Estorade。　It　must　also　be　mentioned　that　Madame　de　l'Estorade　was　thirty…two　years　old　and　her　beauty　was　still　undimmed；　whereas　Madame　d'Espard　was　forty…four；　and；　in　spite　of　the　careful　dissimulations　of　the　toilet；　her　beauty　was　fairly　at　an　end。

〃You　do　not　often　come　here；　I　think；〃　said　Madame　d'Espard；　after　the　usual　conventional　phrases　about　the　/pleasure/　of　their　meeting　had　passed。

〃I　never　come；〃　replied　Madame　de　l'Estorade。

〃And　I　am　most　assiduous；〃　said　Madame　d'Espard。

Then；　pretending　to　a　sudden　recollection；　she　added；

〃Ah！　I　forgot；　you　have　a　special　interest；　I　think；　on　this　occasion。　A　friend　of　yours　is　to　be　/judged/；　is　he　not？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur　de　Sallenauve　has　been　to　our　house　several　times。〃

〃How　sad　it　is；〃　said　the　marquise；　〃to　see　a　man　who；　Monsieur　de　Ronquerolles　tells　me；　had　the　making　of　a　hero　in　many　ways；　come　down　to　the　level　of　the　correctional　police。〃

〃His　crime　so　far；〃　said　Madame　de　l'Estorade；　dryly；　〃consists　solely　in　his　absence。〃

〃At　any　rate；〃　continued　the　marquise；　〃he　seems　to　be　a　man　eaten　up　by　ambition。　Before　his　parliamentary　attempt；　he　made；　as　you　doubtless　know；　a　matrim