第15章

They promised to help each other to success in life whenever they entered upon their different careers.But fate willed that they should end by being rivals.

In spite of Goulard's manifest advantages, in spite of the cross of the Legion of honor which the Comte de Gondreville had obtained for him in default of promotion, the offer of his heart and position had been frankly declined when, about six months before this history begins, he had privately presented himself to Madame Beauvisage as a suitor for her daughter's hand.No step of that nature is ever taken secretly in the provinces.The procureur-du-roi, Frederic Marest, whose fortune, buttonhole, and position were about on a par with those of Antonin Goulard, had received a like refusal, three years earlier, based on the difference of ages.Consequently, the two officials were on terms of strict politeness with the Beauvisage family, and laughed at them severally in private.Both had divined and communicated to each other the real motive of the candidacy of Simon Giguet, for they fully understood the hopes of Madame Marion; and they were bent on preventing her nephew from marrying the heiress whose hand had been refused to them.

"God grant that I may be master of this election," said Goulard, "and that the Comte de Gondreville may get me made a prefect, for I have no more desire than you to spend the rest of my days here, though I was born in Arcis.""You have a fine opportunity to be elected deputy yourself, my chief,"said Olivier Vinet to Marest."Come and see my father, who will, Ithink, arrive here from Provins in a few hours.Let us propose to him to have you chosen as ministerial candidate.""Halt!" said Antonin; "the ministry has its own views about the deputy of Arcis.""Ah, bah!" exclaimed Vinet, "there are two ministries: the one that thinks it makes elections, and another that thinks it profits by them.""Don't let us complicate Antonin's difficulties," said Frederic Marest, winking at his substitute.

The four officials, who had crossed the open square and were close to the Mulet inn, now saw Poupart leaving the house of Madame Marion and coming towards them.A moment later, and the porte cochere of that house vomited the sixty-seven conspirators.

"So you went to that meeting?" said Antonin Goulard to Poupart.

"I shall never go again, monsieur le sous-prefet," said the innkeeper.

"The son of Monsieur Keller is dead, and I have now no object in going there.God has taken upon himself to clear the ground.""Well, Pigoult, what happened?" cried Olivier Vinet, catching sight of the young notary.

"Oh!" said Pigoult, on whose forehead the perspiration, which had not dried, bore testimony to his efforts, "Simon has just told some news that made them all unanimous.Except five persons,--Poupart, my grandfather, Mollot, Sinot, and I,--all present swore, as at the Jeu de Paume, to employ every means to promote the triumph of Simon Giguet, of whom I have made a mortal enemy.Oh! we got warm, I can tell you! However, I led the Giguets to fulminate against the Gondrevilles.That puts the old count on my side.No later than to-morrow he will hear what the soi-disant patriots of Arcis have said about him and his corruptions and his infamies, to free their necks, as they called it, of his yoke.""Unanimous, were they?" said Olivier Vinet, laughing.

"Unanimous, to-day," remarked Monsieur Martener.

"Oh!" exclaimed Pigoult, "the general sentiment of the electors is for one of their own townsmen.Whom can you oppose to Simon Giguet,--a man who has just spent two hours in explaining the word progress.""Take old Grevin!" cried the sub-prefect.

"He has no such ambition," replied Pigoult."But we must first of all consult the Comte de Gondreville.Look, look!" he added; "see the attentions with which Simon is taking him that gilded booby, Beauvisage."And he pointed to the candidate, who was holding the mayor by the arm and whispering in his ear.Beauvisage meantime was bowing right and left to the inhabitants, who gazed at him with the deference which provincials always testify to the richest man in their locality.

"But there's no use cajoling him," continued Pigoult."Cecile's hand does not depend on either her father or her mother.""On whom, then?"

"On my old patron, Monsieur Grevin.Even if Simon is elected deputy, the town is not won."Though the sub-prefect and Frederic Marest tried to get an explanation of these words, Pigoult refused to give the reason of an exclamation which seemed to them big with meaning and implying a certain knowledge of the plans of the Beauvisage family.

All Arcis was now in a commotion, not only on account of the fatal event which had just overtaken the Gondreville family, but because of the great resolution come to at the Giguet house, where Madame Marion and her three servants were hurriedly engaged in putting everything in its usual order, ready to receive her customary guests, whose curiosity would probably bring them that evening in large numbers.