the nabob-第74部分

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〃Gentlemen；　in　the　name　of　your　third　committee；　I　beg　to　move　that　the　election　of　the　second　division　of　the　department　of　Corsica　be　annulled。〃

In　the　deep　silence　following　this　phrase；　which　Mme。　Jansoulet　did　not　understand；　the　giant　seated　before　her　began　to　puff　vigorously；　and　all　at　once；　in　the　front　row　of　the　gallery；　a　lovely　face　turned　round　to　address　him　a　rapid　sign　of　intelligence　and　approval。　Forehead　pale；　lips　thin；　eyebrows　too　black　for　the　white　framing　of　her　hat；　it　all　produced　in　the　eyes　of　the　good　old　lady；　without　her　knowing　why；　the　effect　of　the　first　flash　of　lightning　in　a　storm　and　the　apprehension　of　the　thunderbolt　following　the　lightning。

Le　Merquier　was　reading　his　report。　The　slow；　dull　monotonous　voice；　the　drawling；　weak　Lyonnese　accent；　while　the　long　form　of　the　lawyer　balanced　itself　in　an　almost　animal　movement　of　the　head　and　shoulders；　made　a　singular　contrast　to　the　ferocious　clearness　of　the　brief。　First；　a　rapid　account　of　the　electoral　irregularities。　Never　had　universal　suffrage　been　treated　with　such　primitive　and　barbarous　contempt。　At　Sarlazaccio；　where　Jansoulet's　rival　seemed　to　have　a　majority；　the　ballot…box　was　destroyed　the　night　before　it　was　counted。　The　same　thing　almost　happened　at　Levia；　at　Saint…Andre；　at　Avabessa。　And　it　was　the　mayors　themselves　who　committed　these　crimes；　who　carried　the　urns　home　with　them；　broke　the　seals；　tore　up　the　voting　papers；　under　cover　of　their　municipal　authority。　There　had　been　no　respect　for　the　law。　Everywhere　fraud；　intrigue；　even　violence。　At　Calcatoggio　an　armed　man　sat　during　the　election　at　the　window　of　a　tavern　in　front　of　the　/mairie/；　holding　a　blunderbuss；　and　whenever　one　of　Sebastiani's　electors　（Sebastiani　was　Jansoulet's　opponent）　showed　himself；　the　man　took　aim：　〃If　you　come　in；　I　will　blow　out　your　brains。〃　And　when　one　saw　the　inspectors　of　police；　justices；　inspectors　of　weights　and　measures；　not　afraid　to　turn　into　canvassing　agents；　to　frighten　or　cajole　a　population　too　submissive　before　all　these　little　tyrannical　local　influences；　was　that　not　proof　of　a　terrible　state　of　things？　Even　priests；　saintly　pastors；　led　astray　by　their　zeal　for　the　poor…box　and　the　restoration　of　an　impoverished　building；　had　preached　a　mission　in　favour　of　Jansoulet's　election。　But　an　influence　still　more　powerful；　though　less　respectable；　had　been　called　into　play　for　the　good　causethe　influence　of　the　banditti。　〃Yes；　banditti；　gentlemen；　I　am　not　joking。〃　And　then　came　a　sketch　in　outline　of　Corsican　banditti　in　general；　and　of　the　Piedigriggio　family　in　particular。

The　Chamber　listened　attentively；　with　a　certain　uneasiness。　For；　after　all；　it　was　an　official　candidate　whose　doings　were　thus　described；　and　these　strange　doings　belonged　to　that　privileged　land；　cradle　of　the　imperial　family；　so　closely　attached　to　the　fortunes　of　the　dynasty；　that　an　attack　on　Corsica　seemed　to　strike　at　the　sovereign。　But　when　people　saw　the　new　minister；　successor　and　enemy　of　Mora；　glad　of　the　blow　to　a　/protege/　of　his　predecessor；　smile　complacently　from　the　Government　bench　at　Le　Merquier's　cruel　banter；　all　constraint　disappeared　at　once；　and　the　ministerial　smile　repeated　on　three　hundred　mouths；　grew　into　a　scarcely　restrained　laughthe　laugh　of　crowds　under　the　rod　which　bursts　out　at　the　least　approbation　of　the　master。　In　the　galleries；　not　usually　treated　to　the　picturesque；　but　amused　by　these　stories　of　brigands；　there　was　general　joy；　a　radiant　animation　on　all　these　faces；　pleased　to　look　pretty　without　insulting　the　solemnity　of　the　spot。　Little　bright　bonnets　shook　with　all　their　flowers　and　plumes；　round　gold…encircled　arms　leaned　forward　the　better　to　hear。　The　grave　Le　Merquier　had　imported　into　the　sitting　the　distraction　of　a　show；　the　little　spice　of　humour　allowed　in　a　charity　concert　to　bribe　the　uninitiated。

Impassable　and　cold　in　the　midst　of　his　success；　he　continued　to　read　in　his　gloomy　voice；　penetrating　like　the　rain　of　Lyons：

〃Now；　gentlemen；　one　asks　how　a　stranger；　a　Provencial　returned　from　the　East；　ignorant　of　the　interests　and　needs　of　this　island　where　he　had　never　been　seen　before　the　election；　a　true　type　of　what　the　Corsican　disdainfully　calls　a　'continental'how　has　this　man　been　able　to　excite　such　an　enthusiasm；　such　devotion　carried　to　crime；　to　profanity。　His　wealth　will　answer　us；　his　fatal　gold　thrown　in　the　face　of　the　electors；　thrust　by　force　into　their　pockets　with　a　barefaced　cynicism　of　which　we　have　a　thousand　proofs。〃　Then　the　interminable　series　of　denunciations：　〃I；　the　undersigned；　Croce　（Antoine）；　declare　in　the　interests　of　truth；　that　the　Commissary　of　Police　Nardi；　calling　on　us　one　evening；　said：　'Listen；　Croce　（Antoine）；　I　swear　by　the　fire　of　this　lamp　that　if　you　vote　for　Jansoulet　you　will　have　fifty　francs　to…morrow　morning。'　〃　And　this　other：　〃I；　the　undersigned；　Lavezzi　（Jacques…Alphonse）；　declare　that　I　refused　with　contempt　seventeen　francs　offered　me　by　the　Mayor　of　Pozzonegro　to　vote　against　my　cousin　Sebastiani。〃　It　is　probably　that　for　three　francs　more　Lavezzi　（Jacques…Alphonse）　would　have　swallowed　his　contempt　in　silence。　But　the　Chamber　did　not　look　into　things　so　closely。

Indignation　seized　on　this　incorruptible　Chamber。　It　murmured；　it　fidgeted　on　its　padded　seats　of　red　velvet；　it　raised　a　positive　clamour。　There　were　〃Oh's〃　of　amazement；　eyes　lifted　in　astonishment；　brusque　movements　on　the　benches；　as　if　in　disgust　at　this　spectacle　of　human　degradation。　And　remark　that　the　greater　part　of　these　deputies　had　used　the　same　electoral　methods；　that　these　were　the　heroes　of　those　famous　orgies　when　whole　oxen　were　carried　in　triumph；　ribanded　and　decorated　as　at　Gargantuan　feasts。　Just　these　men　cried　louder　than　others；　turned　furiously　towards　the　solitary　seat　where　the　poor　leper　listened；　still　and　downcast。　Yet　in　the　midst　of　the　general　uproar；　one　voice　was　raised　in　his　favour；　but　low；　unpractised；　less　a　voice　than　a　sympathetic　murmur；　through　which　was　distinguished　vaguely：　〃Great　services　to　the　Corsican　population　Considerable　worksTerritorial　Bank。〃

He　who　mumbled　thus　was　a　little　man　in　white　gaiters；　an　albino　head；　and　thin　hair　in　scattered　locks。　But　the　interruption　of　this　unfortunate　friend　only　furnished　Le　Merquier　with　a　rapid　and　natural　transition。　A　hideous　smile　parted　his　flabby　lips。　〃The　honourable　M。　Sarigue　mentions　the　Territorial　Bank。　We　shall　be　able　to　answer　him。〃　He　seemed　in　fact　to　be　very　familiar　with　the　Paganetti　den。　In　a　few　neat　and　lively　phrases　he　threw　the　light　on　to　the　depths　of　the　gloomy　cave；　showed　all　the　traps；　the　gulfs；　the　windings；　the　snares；　like　a　guide　waving　his　torch　above　the　/oubliettes/　of　some　sinister　dungeon。　He　spoke　of　the　fictitious　quarries；　of　the　railways　on　paper；　of　the　chimeric　liners　disappearing　in　their　own　steam。　The　frightful　desert　of　the　Taverna　was　not　forgotten；　nor　the　old　Genoese　castle；　the　office　of　the　steamship　agency。　But　what　amused　the　Chamber　most　was　the　story　of　a　swindling　ceremony　organized　by　the　governor　for　the　piercing　of　a　tunnel　through　Monte　Rotondo；　a　gigantic　undertaking　always　in　project；　put　off　from　year　to　year；　demanding　millions　of　money　and　thousands　of　workmen；　and　which　was　begun　in　great　pomp　a　week　before　the　election。　His　report　gave　the　thing　a　comic　airthe　first　blow　of　the　pickaxe　given　by　the　candidate　in　the　enormous　mountain　covered　by　ancient　forests；　the　speech　of　the　Prefect；　the　benediction　of　the　flags　with　the　cries　of　〃Long　live　Bernard　Jansoulet！〃　and　the　two　hundred　workmen　beginning　the　task　at　once；　working　day　and　night　for　a　week；　then；　when　the　election　was　over；　leaving　the　fragments　of　rock　heaped　round　the　abandoned　excavation　for　a　laughing…stockanother　asylum　for　the　terrible　banditti。　The　game　was　over。　After　having　extorted　the　shareholders'　money　for　so　long；　the　Territorial　Bank　this　time　was　used　as　a　means　to　swindle　the　electors　of　their　votes。　〃Furthermore；　gentlemen；　another　detail；　with　which　perhaps　I　should　have　begun　and　spared　you　the　recital　of　this　electoral　pasquinade。　I　learn　that　a　judicial　inquiry　has　been　opened　to…day　into　the　affairs　of　the　Corsican　Bank；　and　that　a　serious　examination　of　its　books　will　very　probably　reveal　one　of　those　financial　scandalstoo　frequent；　alas！　in　our　daysand　in　which；　for　the　honour　of　the　Chamber；　we　would　wish　that　none　of　our　members　were　concerned。〃

With　this　sudden　revelation；　the　speaker　stopped　a　moment；　like　an　actor　making　his　point；　and　in　the　heavy　silence　weighing　on　the　assembly；　the　noise　of　a　closing　door　was　heard。　It　was　the　Governor　Paganetti　leaving　the　tribune；　his　face　white；　the　eyes　wide　open；　his　mouth　half　opened；　like　some　Pierrot　scenting　in　the　air　a　formidable　blow。　Monpavon；　motionless；　expanded　his　shirtfront。　The　big　man　puffed　violently　into　the　flowers　of　his　wife's　little　white　hat。

Jansoulet's　mother　looked　at　her　son。

〃I　have　spoken　of　the　honour　of　the　Chamber；　gentlemen。　On　that　point　I　have　more　to　say。〃　Now　Le　Merquier　was　reading　no　longer。　After　the　chairman　of　the　committees；　the　orator　came　on　the　scene；　or　rather　the　judge。　His　face　was　expressionless；　his　eyes　hidden；　nothing　lived；　nothing　moved　in　all　his　body　save　the　right　armthe　long　angular　arm　with　short　sleeveswhich　rose　and　fell　automatically；　like　a　sword　of　justice；　making　at　the　end　of　each　sentence　the　cruel　and　inexorable　gesture　of　beheading。　And　truly　it　was　an　execution　at　which　they　were　present。　The　orator　would　leave　on　one　side　scandalous　legends；　the　mystery　which　brooded　over　this　colossal　fortune　acquired　in　distant　lands；　far　from　all　control。　But　there　were　in　the　life　of　the　candidate　certain　points　difficult　to　clear　up；　certain　details。　He　hesitated；　seemed　to　select　his　words；　then；　before　the　impossibility　of　formulating　a　direct　accusation：　〃Do　not　let　us　lower　the　debate；　gentlemen。　You　have　understood　me。　You　know　to　what　infamous　stories　I　alludeto　what　calumnies；　I　wish　I　could　say；　but　truth　forces　me　to　state　that　when　M。　Jansoulet　called　before　your　committee；　was　asked　to　deny　the　accusations　made　against　him；　his　explanations　were　so　vague　that；　though　convinced　of　his　innocence；　a　sc