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〃I thought the Chamber unapproachable？〃 said the provincial； surprised
to find himself in the great lobby。
〃That depends；〃 replied Bixiou； 〃materially speaking； it costs thirty
sous for a citadine to approach it； politically； you have to spend
rather more。 The swallows thought； so a poet says； that the Arc de
Triomphe was erected for them； we artists think that this public
building was built for us；to compensate for the stupidities of the
Theatre…Francais and make us laugh； but the comedians on this stage
are much more expensive； and they don't give us every day the value of
our money。〃
〃So this is the Chamber！〃 cried Gazonal； as he paced the great hall in
which there were then about a dozen persons； and looked around him
with an air which Bixiou noted down in his memory and reproduced in
one of the famous caricatures with which he rivalled Gavarni。
Leon went to speak to one of the ushers who go and come continually
between this hall and the hall of sessions； with which it communicates
by a passage in which are stationed the stenographers of the
〃Moniteur〃 and persons attached to the Chamber。
〃As for the minister；〃 replied the usher to Leon as Gazonal approached
them； 〃he is there； but I don't know if Monsieur Giraud has come。 I'll
see。〃
As the usher opened one side of the double door through which none but
deputies； ministers； or messengers from the king are allowed to pass；
Gazonal saw a man come out who seemed still young； although he was
really forty…eight years old； and to whom the usher evidently
indicated Leon de Lora。
〃Ha！ you here！〃 he exclaimed； shaking hands with both Bixiou and Lora。
〃Scamps！ what are you doing in the sanctuary of the laws？〃
〃Parbleu！ we've come to learn how to blague；〃 said Bixiou。 〃We might
get rusty if we didn't。〃
〃Let us go into the garden；〃 said the young man； not observing that
Gazonal belonged to the party。
Seeing that this new…comer was well…dressed； in black； the provincial
did not know in which political category to place him； but he followed
the others into the garden contiguous to the hall which follows the
line of the quai Napoleon。 Once in the garden the ci…devant young man
gave way to a peal of laughter which he seemed to have been repressing
since he entered the lobby。
〃What is it？〃 asked Leon de Lora。
〃My dear friend； to prove the sincerity of the constitutional
government we are forced to tell the most frightful lies with
incredible self…possession。 But as for me； I'm freakish； some days I
can lie like a prospectus； other days I can't be serious。 This is one
of my hilarious days。 Now； at this moment； the prime minister； being
summoned by the Opposition to make known a certain diplomatic secret；
is going through his paces in the tribune。 Being an honest man who
never lies on his own account； he whispered to me as he mounted the
breach： 'Heaven knows what I shall say to them。' A mad desire to laugh
overcame me； and as one mustn't laugh on the ministerial bench I
rushed out； for my youth does come back to me most unseasonably at
times。〃
〃At last；〃 cried Gazonal； 〃I've found an honest man in Paris！ You must
be a very superior man；〃 he added； looking at the stranger。
〃Ah ca！ who is this gentleman？〃 said the ci…devant young man；
examining Gazonal。
〃My cousin；〃 said Leon； hastily。 〃I'll answer for his silence and his
honor as for my own。 It is on his account we have come here now； he
has a case before the administration which depends on your ministry。
His prefect evidently wants to ruin him； and we have come to see you
in order to prevent the Council of State from ratifying a great
injustice。〃
〃Who brings up the case？〃
〃Massol。〃
〃Good。〃
〃And our friends Giraud and Claude Vignon are on the committee；〃 said
Bixiou。
〃Say just a word to them；〃 urged Leon； 〃tell them to come to…night to
Carabine's； where du Tillet gives a fete apropos of railways；they
are plundering more than ever on the roads。〃
〃Ah ca！ but isn't your cousin from the Pyrenees？〃 asked the young man；
now become serious。
〃Yes；〃 replied Gazonal。
〃And you did not vote for us in the last elections？〃 said the
statesman； looking hard at Gazonal。
〃No； but what you have just said in my hearing has bribed me； on the
word of a commandant of the National Guard I'll have your candidate
elected〃
〃Very good； will you guarantee your cousin？〃 asked the young man；
turning to Leon。
〃We are forming him；〃 said Bixiou； in a tone irresistibly comic。
〃Well； I'll see about it；〃 said the young man； leaving his friends and
rushing precipitately back to the Chamber。
〃Who is that？〃 asked Gazonal。
〃The Comte de Rastignac； the minister of the department in which your
affair is brought up。〃
〃A minister！ Isn't a minister anything more than that？〃
〃He is an old friend of ours。 He now has three hundred thousand francs
a year； he's a peer of France； the king has made him a count； he
married Nucingen's daughter； and he is one of the two or three
statesmen produced by the revolution of July。 But his fame and his
power bore him sometimes； and he comes down to laugh with us。〃
〃Ah ca！ cousin； why didn't you tell us you belonged to the
Opposition？〃 asked Leon； seizing Gazonal by the arm。 〃How stupid of
you！ One deputy more or less to Right or Left and your bed is made。〃
〃We are all for the Others down my way。〃
〃Let 'em go；〃 said Bixiou； with a facetious look； 〃they have
Providence on their side； and Providence will bring them back without
you and in spite of themselves。 A manufacturer ought to be a
fatalist。〃
〃What luck！ There's Maxime； with Canalis and Giraud；〃 said Leon。
〃Come along； friend Gazonal； the promised actors are mustering on the
stage；〃 said Bixiou。
And all three advanced to the above…named personages； who seemed to be
sauntering along with nothing to do。
〃Have they turned you out； or why are you idling about in this way？〃
said Bixiou to Giraud。
〃No； while they are voting by secret ballot we have come out for a
little air；〃 replied Giraud。
〃How did the prime minister pull through？〃
〃He was magnificent！〃 said Canalis。
〃Magnificent！〃 repeated Maxime。
〃Magnificent！〃 cried Giraud。
〃So！ so！ Right； Left； and Centre are unanimous！〃
〃All with a different meaning；〃 observed Maxime de Trailles。
Maxime was the ministerial deputy。
〃Yes；〃 said Canalis； laughing。
Though Canalis had already been a minister； he was at this moment
tending toward the Right。
〃Ah！ but you had a fine triumph just now；〃 said Maxime to Canalis； 〃it
was you who forced the minister into the tribune。〃
〃And made him lie like a charlatan；〃 returned Canalis。
〃A worthy victory；〃 said the honest Giraud。 〃In his place what would
you have done？〃
〃I should have lied。〃
〃It isn't called lying；〃 said Maxime de Trailles； 〃it is called
protecting the crown。〃
So saying； he led Canalis away to a little distance。
〃That's a great orator；〃 said Leon to Giraud； pointing to Canalis。
〃Yes and no；〃 replied the councillor of state。 〃A fine bass voice； and
sonorous； but more of an artist in words than an orator。 In short；
he's a fine instrument but he isn't music； consequently he has not；
and he never will have； the ear of the Chamber； in no case will he
ever be master of the situation。〃
Canalis and Maxime were returning toward the little group as Giraud；
deputy of the Left Centre； pronounced this verdict。 Maxime took Giraud
by the arm and led him off； probably to make the same confidence he
had just made Canalis。
〃What an honest； upright fellow that is；〃 said Leon to Canalis；
nodding towards Giraud。
〃One of those upright fellows who kill administrators；〃 replied
Canalis。
〃Do you think him a good orator？〃
〃Yes and no；〃 replied Canalis； 〃he is wordy； he's long…winded； a
plodder in argument； and a good logician； but he doesn't understand
the higher logic； that of events and circumstances； consequently he
has never had； and never will have； the ear of the Chamber。〃
At the moment when Canalis uttered this judgment on Giraud； the latter
was returning with Maxime to the group； and forgetting the presence of
a stranger whose discretion was not known to them like that of Leon
and Bixiou； he took Canalis by the hand in a very significant manner。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃I consent to what Monsieur de Trailles proposes。
I'll put the question to you in the Chamber； but I shall do it with
great severity。〃
〃Then we shall have the house with us； for a man of your weight and
your eloquence is certain to have the ear of the Chamber；〃 said
Canalis。 〃I'll reply to you； but I shall do it sharply； to crush you。〃
〃You could bring about a change of the cabinet； for on such ground you
can do what you like with the Chamber； and be master of the
sit