Complete Works of Gustave Flaubert

by Gustave Flaubert

  MUREL: We have heard nothing, I assure you.

  ROUSSELIN: Why, they have asked me — in fact, urged me —

  ALL: They? Who?

  ROUSSELIN [with dignity]: The ministerial committee, which has proposed me as a candidate for this district.

  MUREL [aside]: Hang it! Some one has got ahead of me, after all!

  MME. R.: Oh, how delightful!

  GRUCHET: And shall you accept the nomination?

  ROUSSELIN: Why not? I am a conservative, as everyone knows.

  MME R.: Have you given your answer?

  ROUSSELIN: Not yet, my dear. I wished to consult you.

  MME. R.: I say, accept!

  LOUISE: Oh, of course!

  MME. R: You see no reason why I should not do so?

  LOUISE: Certainly not! Quite the contrary! Accept, by all means.

  ROUSSELIN: Frankly, now, — you think it would be a wise action on my part?

  MME. R.: Yes, yes!

  ROUSSELIN: Very well, then. At least, I can always say that you urged me to take this step. [About to go]

  MUREL [detains him]: Just a word of warning. Be a little prudent about this matter. Don't act too hastily.

  ROUSSELIN [astonished]: Why, what do you mean?

  MUREL: Well, you know, such a candidacy is not, after all, a very serious matter.

  ROUSSELIN: And why not, pray?

  SCENE V.

  (The same, including M. Marchais, followed by M. Dodart)

  MARCHAIS: I salute the company! Ladies, pray pardon my intrusion. I was instructed to come here to learn Monsieur Rousselin's intentions. It is necessary that he should give us a speedy reply, and we hope for a favourable one.

  ROUSSELIN: Certainly.

  MARCHAIS: Because we believe that you are a practical man, and would make a good deputy.

  ROUSSELIN: A deputy! [Delighted.]

  (Enter M. Dodart )

  DODART: Well, Monsieur Rousselin, everyone outside is very impatient to know your decision.

  GRUCHET [aside, grumbling]: That Dodart! A regular hypocrite!

  DODART [to Onésime]: Monsieur, your noble father, who is at present in the court outside, requested me to tell you that he desires to speak to you.

  MUREL [to Gruchet]: Ah! his papa has arrived, it appears.

  GRUCHET [to Murel]: He arrived immediately after these men entered the grounds. He means to keep his eye on our friend Rousselin,, you may be sure.

  MUREL: Pardon my interruption, Monsieur Dodart. [To Rousselin] Invent some pretext to gain time before replying — only a little delay. [To Marchais ] Say to Monsieur Rousselin's friends that he begs for a, little delay, as he is not feeling quite well, but that as soon as he recovers he will give them his answer. Go and tell them that immediately. [Exit Marchais ]

  ROUSSELIN: I say, Murel, what the deuce did you do that for? Rather cool proceeding on your part,! should say!

  MUREL: My dear friend, I assure you it is not the proper thing to accept a candidacy in that fashion — on the spur of the moment.

  ROUSSELIN: But for the last three years I have thought of nothing else than the possibility of obtaining it!

  MUREL: To speak frankly, I think that you are making a blunder in this affair. Ask Monsieur Dodart, a man of common-sense who has had plenty of experience and knows this district well, whether he thinks your chance of election is good — a sure thing, in short.

  DODART: I will not say it is sure, of course. But I believe he stands a very good chance of being elected. No one can be sure of the result of an election, especially as we do not know whether our adversaries —

  GRUCHET [interrupts]: And they are very numerous!

  ROUSSELIN [astonished]: Numerous, did you say?

  MUREL: Certainly they are. [To Dodart] You will have the kindness, then, to excuse our friend here, who wishes to have a little time for reflection. [To Rousselin ] Ah, if you will risk everything, prepare for the consequences!

  ROUSSELIN: Perhaps you are right. [To Dodart] Yes, Monsieur Dodart, pray ask them to allow me a brief delay in order that I may consider the matter.

  DODART [bows]: Very well. Monsieur Onésime, shall we go?

  MUREL: By all means. It will not do to keep his papa waiting!

  ROUSSELIN [to Murel, who has taken Onésime by the arm, about to go]: What, are you going too? Why do you leave me?

  MUREL: That is my secret! Now, don't worry! Wait and see!

  [Exit with Onésime and Dodart.

  SCENE VI.

  (Robsselin, Mme. Rousselin, Louise, Miss Arabella, and Gruchet )

  ROUSSELIN: What can he be going to do?

  GRUCHET: I know nothing at all about it.

  MME. R.: What an absurd fellow he is!

  GRUCHET: YOU may be sure it is some boyish joke of his. [Laughs] Oh, Monsieur Rousselin, I came here to-day to ask permission to present to you a young man — a friend of mine — who desires the honour of your acquaintance.

  ROUSSELIN: Very well, bring him along.

  GRUCHET: But I do not wish to do anything that might be disagreeable to you. Sometimes, you know, you have your little — prejudices. In short, the young man I wish to introduce is Monsieur Julien Duprat.

  ROUSSELIN: NO, no! Not that man!

  GRUCHET: Will you tell me why you forbid it?

  ROUSSELIN: Don't speak to me of him, I say! [Sees newspaper lying on the round table; picks it up] I have said several times that this sheet should not be brought into my house. [Examines the journal] But it appears that I am not master here. Look! here are some of Duprat's verses!

  GRUCHET: Very likely, I should think, since he is a poet.

  ROUSSELIN: I don't like poets — they are all blackguards and rascals!

  ARABELLA [somewhat breathlessly]: I assure you, Monsieur, that I once had a short conversation with Monsieur Duprat in the public park, and he is — very charming indeed!

  GRUCHET [to Rousselin]: If you would only receive him!

  ROUSSELIN: I am less inclined than ever to do so — [to Louise] less than ever, I tell you, Louise.

  LOUISE: Oh, I am not defending him, papa.

  ROUSSELIN: I should hope not — a fellow like that!

  ARABELLA [with strong emotion]: AH!

  GRUCHET: But, my dear Rousselin, why are you so bitter against Monsieur Duprat?

  ROUSSELIN: Because — pardon me, Miss Arabella! [To Mme. R.] Will you ladies oblige me by going into the house, my dear? I wish to explain something to Monsieur Gruchet.

  [Exit Mme. R., Louise, and Miss Arabella ]

  SCENE VII.

  GRUCHET: Well, I am ready to hear you. [Sits on bench, L.]

  ROUSSELIN [takes up journal]: The poem I noticed in this sheet is entitled "Again to Her!" [Reads]

  "Under the bright Egyptian sky, The stony, crouching sphinxes sigh When torments harsh their breasts assail, Because of" —

  I have a pretty shrewd idea in my head as to this sphinx business, my friend!

  GRUCHET: And I, too, although I don't quite understand all the allusions.

  ROUSSELIN [taps the journal in his hand]: This is the continuation of a clandestine correspondence, that's what it is!

  GRUCHET: Explain yourself more clearly, I beg.

  ROUSSELIN: Well, I will tell you, in confidence, that a week ago last Tuesday, while I was walking in my garden very early in the morning — I am so much upset nowadays that I don't sleep well — I perceived, between the trellis and the fruit-wall —

  GRUCHET: A man?

  ROUSSELIN: NO, a letter. The envelope was rather large, and looked as if it might enclose some sort of petition, but it was addressed simply "To Her!" Of course I opened it, as you may imagine, and found inside a declaration of love in verse. And such stanzas, my friend K I assure you, they were passionate and inflammatory to a degree!

  GRUCHET: I suppose the lines were not signed, of course. Was there any clue to the identity of the sender?

  ROUSSELIN: Listen! I said to myself that the first thing to do was to disc
over who was the lady that had inspired these glowing lines; and as they speak of dark hair, my suspicion fell at first upon Miss Arabella, our governess.

  GRUCHET: But she is a blonde!

  ROUSSELIN: What does that matter? Poets often use one word instead of another, for the sake of the rhyme. However, purely as a matter of delicacy — you know what English women are — I have not ventured to ask her any questions.

  GRUCHET: But what did your wife say?

  ROUSSELIN: She only gave a shrug, and advised me not to bother my head about it.

  GRUCHET: But why do you suspect Julien of being, the author of the stanzas?

  ROUSSELIN: I will explain. First, I must tell you that the poem I found in the garden began with these words.

  “I behold thy robe among the orange-trees.”

  Now, I possess two orangeries, one on each side of the house, and there are no others in this neighbourhood. What does this show? That the declaration was addressed to some member of my household. To whom? Evidently to my daughter, Louise. And by whom? By the only person in this part of the country that writes verses — Julien Duprat I (Gruchet makes a movement of dissent] Moreover, when 1 compared the handwriting of the verses found by the wall with that which I see every day on the wrappers of the journal, I saw at once that they were exactly similar.

  GRUCHET [aside]: Clumsy Julien!

  ROUSSELIN: So that is your protégé, Gruchet. What does he propose to do in this house — seduce Mademoiselle Rousselin?

  GRUCHET: Oh, what an idea!

  ROUSSELIN: To marry her, perhaps.

  GRUCHET: Well, he might wish to do that.

  ROUSSELIN [drily]: I think it very likely! Upon my soul! these fellows have no respect for anyone. What insolence! Do 1 ask anything of him? Do 1 mix myself up in his affairs? Let him write his newspaper articles! Let him try to stir up the people against me! Let him then make apologies to mud-slingers like himself! If I should see him this moment, I would say: Get away from here, you miserable little hanger-on of newspaper offices, and hunt elsewhere for an heiress!

  GRUCHET: Humph! as to that, my friend, there are others besides journalists who seek your daughter for the sake of her money.

  ROUSSELIN: What are you saying?

  GRUCHET: Why, the thing is plain enough to be seen! A certain person, we will say, lives in the country, where he cultivates, with his own hands, the soil owned by his ancestors. He does it very badly, to be sure, but is forced to it by reasons of economy. The land is now poor, besides being heavily mortgaged. This person has eight children, five of whom are girls, one of them a humpback. One never sees the other daughters on week-days, because of déficiences in their toilets. The eldest of the sons speculated in stocks for a time, but is now making a beast of himself with absinthe, and his' need of money is frequent. The second son, fortunately, is to be a priest. The youngest son — you know him, he is very much in evidence just now. Existence cannot be very gay in the ancestral castle, where the rain falls on the head through the holes in the roof. But our gentleman lays his plans, and one fine day he packs them all into the rickety old family carriage, which he drives himself, and they come to refresh themselves at the excellent table of that good Monsieur Rousselin, who is only too happy to be thus honoured!

  ROUSSELIN: See here, my friend, you carry your obstinate resentment against that family rather too far.

  GRUCHET: Well, I don't understand why you should have so much respect for the Bouvignys, unless it is a survival of the deference your class was once compelled to pay to the aristocrats who were in former days your masters.

  ROUSSELIN [pained]: Gruchet, not a word of that, my friend, not a word! That thought is —

  GRUCHET: Oh, don't be afraid! They will never say anything about it, and for good reasons.

  ROUSSELIN: What reasons?

  GRUCHET: Don't you see that these aristocrats despise us because we are plebeians — parvenus? That they are jealous of you because you are rich? The proffer of the candidacy to you — due, I have no doubt, to the management of Bouvigny, and of which he will probably boast — is merely a bait to catch your daughter's fortune. But, although it is quite possible that you will not be elected —

  ROUSSELIN: Not be elected?

  GRUCHET: Certainly — I said it was quite possible. Nevertheless, your daughter will probably become the wife of a young idiot who will blush to acknowledge his father-in-law.

  ROUSSELIN: Oh, but I believe they have some sentiment in the matter.

  GRUCHET: YOU think so, do you? But suppose I tell you that already they speak as if they owned you!

  ROUSSELIN: Who told you that?

  GRUCHET: Félicité, my maid. You know how servants talk over, among themselves, all the affairs of their masters.

  ROUSSELIN: But what have they said? Tell me that.

  GRUCHET: Their cook heard them talking mysteriously of this possible marriage of their son to Mademoiselle Louise, and when the Countess expressed some doubt about being able to bring it to pass, the Count, alluding to you, said, "Bah! he will feel himself only too much honoured!"

  ROUSSELIN: Ah, they think they honour me, eh? 1

  GRUCHET: They believe the affair is as good as settled.

  ROUSSELIN: It is not, however, — thank heaven!

  GRUCHET: They are so confident that just now, before the ladies, Onésime took on a little air of proprietorship.

  ROUSSELIN: Did he, indeed?

  GRUCHET: A little more, and I think he would have said "thee" and "thou" to them!

  PIERRE [announcing]: Monsieur the Count de Bouvigny! [Exit.

  GRUCHET: The Count! I will go. Good-bye, Rousselin. Don't forget what I have said to you. [Enter Bouvigny. Gruchet passes in front of him, keeping his hat on his head; the two exchange disdainful glances. At the door Gruchet turns and shakes his fist at Bouvigny's back] I think I've settled your business, my fine gentleman! [Exit.

  SCENE VIII.

  (Rousselin, the Count de Bouvigny )

  BOUVIGNY [In a tone of easy familiarity]: I asked for a private interview, my dear fellow, with the intention of —

  ROUSSELIN [interrupts with ceremonious dignity, inviting the Count, with a gesture, to be seated]: Monsieur de Bouvigny!

  BOUVIGNY [sighs]: Oh, ceremony is not necessary between us, is it? I wish to say, in a few words — flattering myself in advance that you will grant the request I am about to make — that I have the honour to ask the hand in marriage of your daughter, Mademoiselle Louise, for my son, the Vicomte Onésime-Gaspard-Oliver de Bouvigny. [of pause] Well, your answer, Monsieur?

  ROUSSELIN: I can say nothing just at present.

  BOUVIGNY: Ah, I forgot! Mademoiselle has great expectations, of course, and — as a dot — a settlement — well, in short, Monsieur Dodart, who holds the titles to certain mortgages [lowers his voice], will not fail to do the right thing, [all pause] I await your answer, Monsieur.

  ROUSSELIN: Monsieur de Bouvigny, your proposition does me very great honour, but —

  BOUVIGNY [annoyed]: Eh, Monsieur? But what?

  ROUSSELIN: I fear that some one must have greatly exaggerated to you the amount of my fortune.

  BOUVIGNY: And do you think we consider a thing like that? Do you imagine that the house of Bouvigny —

  ROUSSELIN [drily]: Far be it from me to impute to you any mercenary motives! .Nevertheless, it is only right to tell you that I am not so rich as many persons believe.

  BOUVIGNY [graciously]: The disproportion in other respects would only be less marked!

  ROUSSELIN: However, in spite of the modest amount of my revenues, we manage to live with a certain degree of comfort. My wife has rather expensive tastes, and I am fond of entertaining, and of making happy everyone around me. I repaved, at my own expense, the road from Bugueux to Faverville. I have established a school, and have endowed at the hospital four beds which bear my name.

  BOUVIGNY: These facts are very well known, my dear sir.

  ROUSSELIN: I have rehearsed them on
ly to convince you that, although the son of a banker, and once in that business myself, I am comfortably well off, but not what is generally considered a man of great wealth. As to Monsieur 'Onésime, his rank would not in itself be an obstacle, but there is a serious drawback, nevertheless. Your son has rio occupation.