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the interests of other people has sobered me。〃
〃Did you say you went to Arcis…sur…Aube to hinder the election of that stone…cutter？〃
〃Not at all； I went there to throw myself in the way of the election of a Left…centre candidate。〃
〃Pah！ the Left； pure and simple； is hardly worse。 But take a cigar； these are excellent。 The princes smoke them。〃
The colonel rose and rang the bell； saying to the servant when he came； 〃A light！〃
The cigars lighted； Monsieur de Trailles endeavored to prevent another interruption by declaring before he was questioned that he had never smoked anything more exquisite。 Comfortably ensconced in his arm… chair； the colonel seemed to offer the hope of a less fugacious attention； and Monsieur de Trailles resumed：
〃All went well at first。 To crush the candidate the ministry wanted to be rid of；a lawyer； and the worst sort of cad；I unearthed a stocking…maker； a fearful fool； whom I persuaded to offer himself as candidate。 The worthy man was convinced that he belonged to the dynastic opposition。 That is the opinion which； for the time being； prevails in that region。 The election； thanks to me； was as good as made； and； our man once in Paris； the great Seducer in the Tuileries had only to say five words to him； and this dynastic opposer could have been turned inside out like one of this own stockings； and made to do whatever was wanted of him。〃
〃Pretty well played that！〃 said the colonel。 〃I recognize my Maxime。〃
〃You will recognize him still farther when he tells you that he was able； without recourse to perquisites； to make his own little profit out of the affair。 In order to graft a little parliamentary ambition upon my vegetable； I addressed myself to his wife；a rather appetizing provincial； though past her prime。〃
〃Yes； yes； I see； very good！〃 said Franchessini； 〃husband made deputy satisfiedshut his mouth。〃
〃You are all wrong； my dear fellow； the pair have an only daughter； a spoilt child； nineteen years old； very agreeable face； and something like a million in her pocket。〃
〃But； my dear Maxime； I passed your tailor's house last night； and it was not illuminated。〃
〃No； that would have been premature。 However； here was the situation： two women frantic to get to Paris； gratitude to the skies for the man who would get them an introduction to the Palais…Bourbon； the little one crazy for the title of countess； the mother transported at the idea； carefully insinuated by me； of holding a political salon；you must see all that such a situation offers； and you know me too well； I fancy； to suppose that I should fall below any of its opportunities。〃
〃Quite easy in mind as to that；〃 said the colonel； getting up to open a window and let out the smoke of their two cigars。
〃I was on the point；〃 continued Maxime； 〃of pocketing both daughter and /dot/； when there fell from the skies； or rather there rose from the nether regions； a Left candidate； the stone…cutter； as you call him； a man with two names；in short； a natural son〃
〃Ha！〃 said the colonel； 〃those fellows do have lucky stars； to be sure。 I am not surprised if one of them mowed the grass from under your feet。〃
〃My dear friend；〃 said Maxime； 〃if we were in the middle ages； I should explain by magic and sorcery the utter discomfiture of my candidate； and the election of the stone…man； whom you are fated to have for your colleague。 How is it possible to believe； what is however the fact； that an old /tricoteuse/； a former friend of Danton； and now the abbess of a convent of Ursulines； should actually； by the help of her nephew； an obscure organist in Paris； have so bewitched the whole electoral college that this upstart has been elected by a large majority？〃
〃But I suppose he had some friends and acquaintances in the town？〃
〃Not the ghost of one；unless it might be that nun。 Fortune； relations； father； even a name； he never had until the day of his arrival at Arcis two weeks ago； and now； if you please； the Comte Charles de Sallenauve； seigneur of the chateau of Arcis； is elected to the Chamber of deputies！ God only knows how it was done！ The pretended head of a former great family； representing himself as absent in foreign lands for many years； suddenly appears with this schemer before a notary in Arcis； recognizes him at a gallop as his son； buys the chateau of Arcis and presents it to him； and is off during the night before any one could even know what road he took。 The trick thus played； the abbess and her aide…de…camp； the organist； launched the candidate； and at once republicans； legitimists； conservatives； clergy； nobility； bourgeoisie； in fact everybody； as if by some spell cast upon that region； all did the bidding of that old witch of a nun； and without the stalwart battalion of the functionaries （who under my eye stood firm and did not flinch）； his election would have been； like yours； unanimous。〃
〃Then； my poor friend； good…bye to the /dot/。〃
〃Not precisely； though it must certainly be adjourned。 The father grumbles because the blessed tranquillity of his life was disturbed and he himself covered with ridicule； though the poor dear man had already enough of that！ The daughter still wants to be a countess； but the mother takes it hard that her political salon should be floating away from her； and God knows how far I shall be led in order to comfort her。 Besides all this； I myself am goaded by the necessity of having to find the solution of my own problem pretty soon。 I /had/ found it there： I intended to marry； and take a year to settle my affairs； at the next session I should have made my father…in…law resign and stepped into his seat in the Chamber； then； you understand； what an horizon before me！〃
〃But； my dear fellow； political horizon apart； don't let that million slip through your fingers。〃
〃Oh； heavens！ as for that； except for the delay； I feel safe enough。 My future family is about to remove to Paris。 After this mortifying defeat； life in Arcis will not be endurable。 Beauvisage （forgive the name； it is that of my adopted family）Beauvisage is like Coriolanus； ready if he can to bring fire and slaughter on his ungrateful birthplace。 Besides； in transplanting themselves hither； these unfortunate exiles know where to lay their heads； being the owners of the hotel Beauseant。〃
〃Owners of the hotel Beauseant！〃 cried the colonel； in amazement。
〃Yes； BeauseantBeauvisage； only a termination to change。 Ah！ my dear fellow； you don't know what these provincial fortunes are； accumulated penny by penny； especially when to the passion for saving is added the incessant aspiration of that leech called commerce。 We must make up our minds to some course； the bourgeoisie are rising round us like a flood； it is almost affable in them to buy our chateaus and estates when they might guillotine us as in 1793； and get them for nothing。〃
〃Happily for you； my dear Maxime； you have reduced the number of your chateaus and estates。〃
〃You see yourself that is not so；〃 replied Maxime； 〃inasmuch as I am now engaged in providing myself with one。 The Beauseant house is to be repaired and refurnished immediately； and I am charged with the ordering of the work。 But I have made my future mother…in…law another promise； and I want your help； my dear fellow； in fulfilling it。〃
〃It isn't a tobacco license； or a stamped…paper office； is it？〃
〃No； something less difficult。 These damned women； when hatred or a desire for vengeance takes possession of them； are marvels of instinct； and Madame Beauvisage； who roars like a lioness at the very name of Sallenauve； has taken it into her head that beneath his incomprehensible success there is some foul intrigue or mystery。 It is certain that the appearance and disappearance of this mysterious father have given rise to very singular conjectures； and probably if the thumb…screws were put upon the organist； who was； they say； entrusted with the education of the interesting bastard； we might get the secret of his birth and possibly other unexpected revelations。 Now I have thought of a man on whom you have； I believe； great influence； who might in this hunt for facts assist us immensely。 Don't you remember the robbery of those jewels from Jenny Cardine； about which she was so unhappy one night at Very's？ You asked the waiter for pens and paper； and on a simple note which you sent at three o'clock in the morning to a Monsieur Saint…Esteve the police went to work； and before the evening of the next day the thieves were captured and the jewels restored。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the colonel； 〃I remember all that； my interference was lucky。 But I must tell you that had I paused to reflect I should not have treated Monsieur de Saint…Esteve so cavalierly。 He is a man to be approached with greater ceremony。〃
〃/Ah ca/！ but isn't he a former galley…slave； whose pardon you helped to obtain； and who feels for you the veneration they say Fieschi felt for one of his protectors？〃
〃Yes； that is true。 Monsieur de Saint…Esteve； like his predecessor； Bibi…Lupin； has had /misfortunes/； but he is to…day the head of the detective police； the important functions of which office he fulfils with rare capacity。 If the matter concerned anything that comes within his department； I should not hesitate to give you a