the illustrious gaudissart-第3部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



business；　implored　the　ambitious　Gaudissart　not　to　desert　the　article

Paris；　and　seduced　him；　it　was　said；　with　large　offers；　to　take　their

commissions　once　more。　The　king　of　travellers　was　amenable　to　the

claims　of　his　old　friends；　enforced　as　they　were　by　the　enormous

premiums　offered　to　him。



*　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　*



〃Listen；　my　little　Jenny；〃　he　said　in　a　hackney…coach　to　a　pretty

florist。



All　truly　great　men　delight　in　allowing　themselves　to　be　tyrannized

over　by　a　feeble　being；　and　Gaudissart　had　found　his　tyrant　in　Jenny。

He　was　bringing　her　home　at　eleven　o'clock　from　the　Gymnase；　whither

he　had　taken　her；　in　full　dress；　to　a　proscenium　box　on　the　first

tier。



〃On　my　return；　Jenny；　I　shall　refurnish　your　room　in　superior　style。

That　big　Matilda；　who　pesters　you　with　comparisons　and　her　real　India

shawls　imported　by　the　suite　of　the　Russian　ambassador；　and　her　silver

plate　and　her　Russian　prince；who　to　my　mind　is　nothing　but　a　humbug；

won't　have　a　word　to　say　THEN。　I　consecrate　to　the　adornment　of　your

room　all　the　'Children'　I　shall　get　in　the　provinces。〃



〃Well；　that's　a　pretty　thing　to　say！〃　cried　the　florist。　〃Monster　of　a

man！　Do　you　dare　to　talk　to　me　of　your　children？　Do　you　suppose　I　am

going　to　stand　that　sort　of　thing？〃



〃Oh；　what　a　goose　you　are；　my　Jenny！　That's　only　a　figure　of　speech　in

our　business。〃



〃A　fine　business；　then！〃



〃Well；　but　listen；　if　you　talk　all　the　time　you'll　always　be　in　the

right。〃



〃I　mean　to　be。　Upon　my　word；　you　take　things　easy！〃



〃You　don't　let　me　finish。　I　have　taken　under　my　protection　a

superlative　idea；a　journal；　a　newspaper；　written　for　children。　In

our　profession；　when　travellers　have　caught；　let　us　suppose；　ten

subscribers　to　the　'Children's　Journal；'　they　say；　'I've　got　ten

Children；'　just　as　I　say　when　I　get　ten　subscriptions　to　a　newspaper

called　the　'Movement；'　'I've　got　ten　Movements。'　Now　don't　you　see？〃



〃That's　all　right。　Are　you　going　into　politics？　If　you　do　you'll　get

into　Saint…Pelagie；　and　I　shall　have　to　trot　down　there　after　you。　Oh！

if　one　only　knew　what　one　puts　one's　foot　into　when　we　love　a　man；　on

my　word　of　honor　we　would　let　you　alone　to　take　care　of　yourselves；

you　men！　However；　if　you　are　going　away　to…morrow　we　won't　talk　of

disagreeable　things；that　would　be　silly。〃



The　coach　stopped　before　a　pretty　house；　newly　built　in　the　Rue

d'Artois；　where　Gaudissart　and　Jenny　climbed　to　the　fourth　story。　This

was　the　abode　of　Mademoiselle　Jenny　Courand；　commonly　reported　to　be

privately　married　to　the　illustrious　Gaudissart；　a　rumor　which　that

individual　did　not　deny。　To　maintain　her　supremacy；　Jenny　kept　him　to

the　performance　of　innumerable　small　attentions；　and　threatened

continually　to　turn　him　off　if　he　omitted　the　least　of　them。　She　now

ordered　him　to　write　to　her　from　every　town；　and　render　a　minute

account　of　all　his　proceedings。



〃How　many　'Children'　will　it　take　to　furnish　my　chamber？〃　she　asked；

throwing　off　her　shawl　and　sitting　down　by　a　good　fire。



〃I　get　five　sous　for　each　subscriber。〃



〃Delightful！　And　is　it　with　five　sous　that　you　expect　to　make　me　rich？

Perhaps　you　are　like　the　Wandering　Jew　with　your　pockets　full　of

money。〃



〃But；　Jenny；　I　shall　get　a　thousand　'Children。'　Just　reflect　that

children　have　never　had　a　newspaper　to　themselves　before。　But　what　a

fool　I　am　to　try　to　explain　matters　to　you；you　can't　understand　such

things。〃



〃Can't　I？　Then　tell　me；tell　me；　Gaudissart；　if　I'm　such　a　goose　why

do　you　love　me？〃



〃Just　because　you　are　a　goose；a　sublime　goose！　Listen；　Jenny。　See

here；　I　am　going　to　undertake　the　'Globe；'　the　'Movement；'　the

'Children；'　the　insurance　business；　and　some　of　my　old　articles　Paris；

instead　of　earning　a　miserable　eight　thousand　a　year；　I'll　bring　back

twenty　thousand　at　least　from　each　trip。〃



〃Unlace　me；　Gaudissart；　and　do　it　right；　don't　tighten　me。〃



〃Yes；　truly；〃　said　the　traveller；　complacently；　〃I　shall　become　a

shareholder　in　the　newspapers；　like　Finot；　one　of　my　friends；　the　son

of　a　hatter；　who　now　has　thirty　thousand　francs　income；　and　is　going

to　make　himself　a　peer　of　France。　When　one　thinks　of　that　little

Popinot；ah；　mon　Dieu！　I　forgot　to　tell　you　that　Monsieur　Popinot　was

named　minister　of　commerce　yesterday。　Why　shouldn't　I　be　ambitious

too？　Ha！　ha！　I　could　easily　pick　up　the　jargon　of　those　fellows　who

talk　in　the　chamber；　and　bluster　with　the　rest　of　them。　Now；　listen　to

me：



〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　standing　behind　a　chair；　〃the　Press　is　neither　a

tool　nor　an　article　of　barter：　it　is；　viewed　under　its　political

aspects；　an　institution。　We　are　bound；　in　virtue　of　our　position　as

legislators；　to　consider　all　things　politically；　and　therefore〃　（here

he　stopped　to　get　breath）〃and　therefore　we　must　examine　the　Press

and　ask　ourselves　if　it　is　useful　or　noxious；　if　it　should　be

encouraged　or　put　down；　taxed　or　free。　These　are　serious　questions。　I

feel　that　I　do　not　waste　the　time；　always　precious；　of　this　Chamber　by

examining　this　articlethe　Pressand　explaining　to　you　its

qualities。　We　are　on　the　verge　of　an　abyss。　Undoubtedly　the　laws　have

not　the　nap　which　they　ought　to　haveHein？〃　he　said；　looking　at

Jenny。　〃All　orators　put　France　on　the　verge　of　an　abyss。　They　either

say　that　or　they　talk　about　the　chariot　of　state；　or　convulsions；　or

political　horizons。　Don't　I　know　their　dodges？　I'm　up　to　all　the

tricks　of　all　the　trades。　Do　you　know　why？　Because　I　was　born　with　a

caul；　my　mother　has　got　it；　but　I'll　give　it　to　you。　You'll　see！　I

shall　soon　be　in　the　government。〃



〃You！〃



〃Why　shouldn't　I　be　the　Baron　Gaudissart；　peer　of　France？　Haven't　they

twice　elected　Monsieur　Popinot　as　deputy　from　the　fourth

arrondissement？　He　dines　with　Louis　Phillippe。　There's　Finot；　he　is

going　to　be；　they　say；　a　member　of　the　Council。　Suppose　they　send　me

as　ambassador　to　London？　I　tell　you　I'd　nonplus　those　English！　No　man

ever　got　the　better　of　Gaudissart；　the　illustrious　Gaudissart；　and

nobody　ever　will。　Yes；　I　say　it！　no　one　ever　outwitted　me；　and　no　one

canin　any　walk　of　life；　politics　or　impolitics；　here　or　elsewhere。

But；　for　the　time　being；　I　must　give　myself　wholly　to　the　capitalists；

to　the　'Globe；'　the　'Movement；'　the　'Children；'　and　my　article　Paris。〃



〃You　will　be　brought　up　with　a　round　turn；　you　and　your　newspapers。

I'll　bet　you　won't　get　further　than　Poitiers　before　the　police　will

nab　you。〃



〃What　will　you　bet？〃



〃A　shawl。〃



〃Done！　If　I　lose　that　shawl　I'll　go　back　to　the　article　Paris　and　the

hat　business。　But　as　for　getting　the　better　of　Gaudissartnever！

never！〃



And　the　illustrious　traveller　threw　himself　into　position　before

Jenny；　looked　at　her　proudly；　one　hand　in　his　waistcoat；　his　head　at

three…quarter　profile；an　attitude　truly　Napoleonic。



〃Oh；　how　funny　you　are！　what　have　you　been　eating　to…night？〃



Gaudissart　was　thirty…eight　years　of　age；　of　medium　height；　stout　and

fat　like　men　who　roll　about　continually　in　stage…coaches；　with　a　face

as　round　as　a　pumpkin；　ruddy　cheeks；　and　regular　features　of　the　type

which　sculptors　of　all　lands　adopt　as　a　model　for　statues　of

Abundance；　Law；　Force；　Commerce；　and　the　like。　His　protuberant　stomach

swelled　forth　in　the　shape　of　a　pear；　his　legs　were　small；　but　active

and　vigorous。　He　caught　Jenny　up　in　his　arms　like　a　baby　and　kissed

her。



〃Hold　your　tongue；　young　woman！〃　he　said。　〃What　do　you　know　about

Saint…Simonism；　antagonism；　Fourierism；　criticism；　heroic　enterprise；

or　woman's　freedom？　I'll　tell　you　what　they　are；ten　francs　for　each

subscription；　Madame　Gaudissart。〃



〃On　my　word　of　honor；　you　are　going　crazy；　Gaudissart。〃



〃More　and　more　crazy　about　YOU；〃　he　replied；　flinging　his　hat　upon　the

sofa。



The　next　morning　Gaudissart；　having　breakfasted　gloriously　with　Jenny；

departed　on　horseback　to　work　up　the　chief　towns　of　the　district　to

which　he　was　assigned　by　the　various　enterprises　in　whose　interests　he

was　now　about　to　exercise　his　great　talents。　After　spending　forty…five

days　in　beating　up　the　country　between　Paris　and　Blois；　he　remained

two　weeks　at　the　latter　place　to　write　up　his　correspondence　and　make

short　visits　to　the　various　market　towns　of　the　department。　The　night

before　he　left　Blois　for　Tours　he　indited　a　letter　to　Mademoiselle

Jenny　Courand。　As　the　conciseness　and　charm　of　this　epistle　cannot　be

equalled　by　any　narration　of　ours；　and　as；　moreover；　it　proves　the

legitimacy　of　the　tie　which　united　these　two　individuals；　we　produce

it　here：



　　〃My　dear　Jenny；You　will　lose　your　wager。　Like　Napoleon；

　　Gaudissart　the　illustrious　has　his　star；　but　NOT　his　Waterloo。　I

　　triumph　everywhere。　Life　insurance　has　done　well。　Between　Paris

　　and　Blois　I　lodged　two　millions。　But　as　I　get　to　the　centre　of

　　France　heads　become　infinitely　harder　and　millions　correspondingly

　　scarce。　The　article　Paris　keeps　up　its　own　little　jog…trot。　It　is

　　a　ring　on　the　finger。　With　all　my　well…known　cunning　I　spit　these

　　shop…keepers　like　larks。　I　got　off　one　hundred　and　sixty…two

　　Ternaux　shawls　at　Orleans。　I　am　sure　I　don't　know　what　they　will

　　do　with　them；　unless　they　return　them　to　the　backs　of　the　sheep。



　　〃As　to　the　article　journalthe　devil！　that's　a　horse　of　another

　　color。　Holy　saints！　how　one　has　to　warble　before　you　can　teach

　　these　bumpkins　a　new　tune。　I　have　only　made　sixty…two　'Movements'：

　　exactly　a　hundred　less　for　the　whole　trip　than　the　shawls　in　one

　　town。　Those　republican　rogues！　they　won't　subscribe。　They　talk；

　　they　talk；　they　share　your　opinions；　and　presently　you　are　all

　　agreed　that　every　existing　thing　must　be　overturned。　You　feel　sure

　　your　man　is　going　to　subscribe。　Not　a　bit　of　it！　If　he　owns　three

　　feet　of　ground；　enough　to　grow　ten　cabbages；　or　a　few　trees　to

　　slice　into　toothpicks；　the　fellow　begins　to　talk　of　consolidated

　　property