the collection of antiquities-第23部分

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s；　given　in　a　condensed　form；　will　perhaps　serve　as　a　picture　of　the　judicial　world　in　a　country　town。

Magistrates　and　officials　generally　are　obliged　to　begin　their　career　in　the　provinces；　judicial　ambition　there　ferments。　At　the　outset　every　man　looks　towards　Paris；　they　all　aspire　to　shine　in　the　vast　theatre　where　great　political　causes　come　before　the　courts；　and　the　higher　branches　of　the　legal　profession　are　closely　connected　with　the　palpitating　interests　of　society。　But　few　are　called　to　that　paradise　of　the　man　of　law；　and　nine…tenths　of　the　profession　are　bound　sooner　or　later　to　regard　themselves　as　shelved　for　good　in　the　provinces。　Wherefore；　every　Tribunal　of　First　Instance　and　every　Court…Royal　is　sharply　divided　in　two。　The　first　section　has　given　up　hope；　and　is　either　torpid　or　content；　content　with　the　excessive　respect　paid　to　office　in　a　country　town；　or　torpid　with　tranquillity。　The　second　section　is　made　up　of　the　younger　sort；　in　whom　the　desire　of　success　is　untempered　as　yet　by　disappointment；　and　of　the　really　clever　men　urged　on　continually　by　ambition　as　with　a　goad；　and　these　two　are　possessed　with　a　sort　of　fanatical　belief　in　their　order。

At　this　time　the　younger　men　were　full　of　Royalist　zeal　against　the　enemies　of　the　Bourbons。　The　most　insignificant　deputy　official　was　dreaming　of　conducting　a　prosecution；　and　praying　with　all　his　might　for　one　of　those　political　cases　which　bring　a　man's　zeal　into　prominence；　draw　the　attention　of　the　higher　powers；　and　mean　advancement　for　King's　men。　Was　there　a　member　of　an　official　staff　of　prosecuting　counsel　who　could　hear　of　a　Bonapartist　conspiracy　breaking　out　somewhere　else　without　a　feeling　of　envy？　Where　was　the　man　that　did　not　burn　to　discover　a　Caron；　or　a　Berton；　or　a　revolt　of　some　sort？　With　reasons　of　State；　and　the　necessity　of　diffusing　the　monarchical　spirit　throughout　France　as　their　basis；　and　a　fierce　ambition　stirred　up　whenever　party　spirit　ran　high；　these　ardent　politicians　on　their　promotion　were　lucid；　clear…sighted；　and　perspicacious。　They　kept　up　a　vigorous　detective　system　throughout　the　kingdom；　they　did　the　work　of　spies；　and　urged　the　nation　along　a　path　of　obedience；　from　which　it　had　no　business　to　swerve。

Justice；　thus　informed　with　monarchical　enthusiasm；　atoned　for　the　errors　of　the　ancient　parliaments；　and　walked；　perhaps；　too　ostentatiously　hand　in　hand　with　religion。　There　was　more　zeal　than　discretion　shown；　but　justice　sinned　not　so　much　in　the　direction　of　machiavelism　as　by　giving　the　candid　expression　to　its　views；　when　those　views　appeared　to　be　opposed　to　the　general　interests　of　a　country　which　must　be　put　safely　out　of　reach　of　revolutions。　But　taken　as　a　whole；　there　was　still　too　much　of　the　bourgeois　element　in　the　administration；　it　was　too　readily　moved　by　petty　liberal　agitation；　and　as　a　result；　it　was　inevitable　that　it　should　incline　sooner　or　later　to　the　Constitutional　party；　and　join　ranks　with　the　bourgeoisie　in　the　day　of　battle。　In　the　great　body　of　legal　functionaries；　as　in　other　departments　of　the　administration；　there　was　not　wanting　a　certain　hypocrisy；　or　rather　that　spirit　of　imitation　which　always　leads　France　to　model　herself　on　the　Court；　and；　quite　unintentionally；　to　deceive　the　powers　that　be。

Officials　of　both　complexions　were　to　be　found　in　the　court　in　which　young　d'Esgrignon's　fate　depended。　M。　le　President　du　Ronceret　and　an　elderly　judge；　Blondet　by　name；　represented　the　section　of　functionaries　shelved　for　good；　and　resigned　to　stay　where　they　were；　while　the　young　and　ambitious　party　comprised　the　examining　magistrate　M。　Camusot；　and　his　deputy　M。　Michu；　appointed　through　the　interests　of　the　Cinq…Cygnes；　and　certain　of　promotion　to　the　Court　of　Appeal　of　Paris　at　the　first　opportunity。

President　du　Ronceret　held　a　permanent　post；　it　was　impossible　to　turn　him　out。　The　aristocratic　party　declined　to　give　him　what　he　considered　to　be　his　due；　socially　speaking；　so　he　declared　for　the　bourgeoisie；　glossed　over　his　disappointment　with　the　name　of　independence；　and　failed　to　realize　that　his　opinions　condemned　him　to　remain　a　president　of　a　court　of　the　first　instance　for　the　rest　of　his　life。　Once　started　in　this　track　the　sequence　of　events　led　du　Ronceret　to　place　his　hopes　of　advancement　on　the　triumph　of　du　Croisier　and　the　Left。　He　was　in　no　better　odor　at　the　Prefecture　than　at　the　Court…Royal。　He　was　compelled　to　keep　on　good　terms　with　the　authorities；　the　Liberals　distrusted　him；　consequently　he　belonged　to　neither　party。　He　was　obliged　to　resign　his　chances　of　election　to　du　Croisier；　he　exercised　no　influence；　and　played　a　secondary　part。　The　false　position　reacted　on　his　character；　he　was　soured　and　discontented；　he　was　tired　of　political　ambiguity；　and　privately　had　made　up　his　mind　to　come　forward　openly　as　leader　of　the　Liberal　party；　and　so　to　strike　ahead　of　du　Croisier。　His　behavior　in　the　d'Esgrignon　affair　was　the　first　step　in　this　direction。　To　begin　with；　he　was　an　admirable　representative　of　that　section　of　the　middle　classes　which　allows　its　petty　passions　to　obscure　the　wider　interests　of　the　country；　a　class　of　crotchety　politicians；　upholding　the　government　one　day　and　opposing　it　the　next；　compromising　every　cause　and　helping　none；　helpless　after　they　have　done　the　mischief　till　they　set　about　brewing　more；　unwilling　to　face　their　own　incompetence；　thwarting　authority　while　professing　to　serve　it。　With　a　compound　of　arrogance　and　humility　they　demand　of　the　people　more　submission　than　kings　expect；　and　fret　their　souls　because　those　above　them　are　not　brought　down　to　their　level；　as　if　greatness　could　be　little；　as　if　power　existed　without　force。

President　du　Ronceret　was　a　tall；　spare　man　with　a　receding　forehead　and　scanty；　auburn　hair。　He　was　wall…eyed；　his　complexion　was　blotched；　his　lips　thin　and　hard；　his　scarcely　audible　voice　came　out　like　the　husky　wheezings　of　asthma。　He　had　for　a　wife　a　great；　solemn；　clumsy　creature；　tricked　out　in　the　most　ridiculous　fashion；　and　outrageously　overdressed。　Mme。　la　Presidente　gave　herself　the　airs　of　a　queen；　she　wore　vivid　colors；　and　always　appeared　at　balls　adorned　with　the　turban；　dear　to　the　British　female；　and　lovingly　cultivated　in　out…of…the…way　districts　in　France。　Each　of　the　pair　had　an　income　of　four　or　five　thousand　francs；　which　with　the　President's　salary；　reached　a　total　of　some　twelve　thousand。　In　spite　of　a　decided　tendency　to　parsimony；　vanity　required　that　they　should　receive　one　evening　in　the　week。　Du　Croisier　might　import　modern　luxury　into　the　town；　M。　and　Mme。　de　Ronceret　were　faithful　to　the　old　traditions。　They　had　always　lived　in　the　old…fashioned　house　belonging　to　Mme。　du　Ronceret；　and　had　made　no　changes　in　it　since　their　marriage。　The　house　stood　between　a　garden　and　a　courtyard。　The　gray　old　gable　end；　with　one　window　in　each　story；　gave　upon　the　road。　High　walls　enclosed　the　garden　and　the　yard；　but　the　space　taken　up　beneath　them　in　the　garden　by　a　walk　shaded　with　chestnut　trees　was　filled　in　the　yard　by　a　row　of　outbuildings。　An　old　rust…devoured　iron　gate　in　the　garden　wall　balanced　the　yard　gateway；　a　huge；　double…leaved　carriage　entrance　with　a　buttress　on　either　side；　and　a　mighty　shell　on　the　top。　The　same　shell　was　repeated　over　the　house…door。

The　whole　place　was　gloomy；　close；　and　airless。　The　row　of　iron…gated　openings　in　the　opposite　wall；　as　you　entered；　reminded　you　of　prison　windows。　Every　passer…by　could　look　in　through　the　railings　to　see　how　the　garden　grew；　the　flowers　in　the　little　square　borders　never　seemed　to　thrive　there。

The　drawing…room　on　the　ground　floor　was　lighted　by　a　single　window　on　the　side　of　the　street；　and　a　French　window　above　a　flight　of　steps；　which　gave　upon　the　garden。　The　dining…room　on　the　other　side　of　the　great　ante…chamber；　with　its　windows　also　looking　out　into　the　garden；　was　exactly　the　same　size　as　the　drawing…room；　and　all　three　apartments　were　in　harmony　with　the　general　air　of　gloom。　It　wearied　your　eyes　to　look　at　the　ceilings　all　divided　up　by　huge　painted　crossbeams　and　adorned　with　a　feeble　lozenge　pattern　or　a　rosette　in　the　middle。　The　paint　was　old；　startling　in　tint；　and　begrimed　with　smoke。　The　sun　had　faded　the　heavy　silk　curtains　in　the　drawing…room；　the　old…fashioned　Beauvais　tapestry　which　covered　the　white…painted　furniture　had　lost　all　its　color　with　wear。　A　Louis　Quinze　clock　on　the　chimney…piece　stood　between　two　extravagant；　branched　sconces　filled　with　yellow　wax　candles；　which　the　Presidente　only　lighted　on　occasions　when　the　old…fashioned　rock…crystal　chandelier　emerged　from　its　green　wrapper。　Three　card…tables；　covered　with　threadbare　baize；　and　a　backgammon　box；　sufficed　for　the　recreations　of　the　company；　and　Mme。　du　Ronceret　treated　them　to　such　refreshments　as　cider；　chestnuts；　pastry　puffs；　glasses　of　eau　sucree；　and　home…made　orgeat。　For　some　time　past　she　had　made　a　practice　of　giving　a　party　once　a　fortnight；　when　tea　and　some　pitiable　attempts　at　pastry　appeared　to　grace　the　occasion。

Once　a　quarter　the　du　Roncerets　gave　a　grand　three…course　dinner；　which　made　a　great　sensation　in　the　town；　a　dinner　served　up　in　execrable　ware；　but　prepared　with　the　science　for　which　the　provincial　cook　is　remarkable。　It　was　a　Gargantuan　repast；　which　lasted　for　six　whole　hours；　and　by　abundance　the　President　tried　to　vie　with　du　Croisier's　elegance。

And　so　du　Ronceret's　life　and　its　accessories　were　just　what　might　have　been　expected　from　his　character　and　his　false　position。　He　felt　dissatisfied　at　home　without　precisely　knowing　what　was　the　matter；　but　he　dared　not　go　to　any　expense　to　change　existing　conditions；　and　was　only　too　glad　to　put　by　seven　or　eight　thousand　francs　every　year；　so　as　to　leave　his　son　Fabien　a　handsome　private　fortune。　Fabien　du　Ronceret　had　no　mind　for　the　magistracy；　the　bar；　or　the　civil　service；　and　his　pronounced　turn　for　doing　nothing　drove　his　parent　to　despair。

On　this　head　there　was　rivalry　between　the　President　and　the　Vice…　President；　old　M。　Blondet。　M。　Blondet；　for　a　long　time　past；　had　been　sedulously　cultivating　an　acquaintance　between　his　son　and　the　Blandureau　family。　The　Blandureaus　were　well…to…do　linen　manufacturers；　with　an　only　daug