A CATECHISM
Rastignac called on Madame de l'Estorade the next day at the hour named to him by his wife.Like all those present at the scene produced by Monsieur de Ronquerolles, the minister had been struck by the emotion shown by the countess, and, without stopping to analyze the nature of the sentiment she might feel for the man who had saved her child, he was convinced of her serious interest in him.
By the suddenness and the masterly stroke of his election, Sallenauve had become an object of strong interest to the minister,--all the more because up to the last moment his candidacy was not seriously considered.It was now known that in the preparatory meeting he had given proofs of talent.To his active and dangerous party, which had but few representatives in the Chamber, he might become an organ that would echo far.By his peculiar position of birth and fortune, whatever might be the truth of it, he was one who could do without the favors of government; and all information obtained about him went to show that he was a man of grave character and opinions, who could not be turned from his chosen way.
On the other hand, the cloud upon his life might at a given moment serve to neutralize his honor; and Rastignac, while rejecting the proposal of de Trailles and Franchessini to put the mystery into the hands of the police, did not himself renounce a means which, dangerous as it seemed to him, he might use if occasion warranted.
In this situation Madame de l'Estorade could be useful to him in two ways.Through her he could meet the new deputy accidentally, without appearing to seek him, and thus study him at his ease, in order to know if he had a vulnerable point accessible to persuasion.And, secondly, if he found him unpersuadable, he could let Madame de l'Estorade know in confidence of the secret inquiry about to be carried on into Sallenauve's antecedents, which, conveyed by her to the deputy, would have the effect of making him cautious and, consequently, less aggressive.
However, his immediate plan suffered some modification; for Madame de l'Estorade was not at home, and he was just leaving the house when Monsieur de l'Estorade returned on foot.
"My wife will be here soon," he said; "she has gone to Ville d'Avray with her daughter, and Monsieur and Madame Octave de Camps.Monsieur Marie-Gaston, one of our good friends,--you know, the charming poet who married Louise de Chaulieu,--has a country-house in that neighborhood, where his wife died.He returned there to-day for the first time since his misfortune; and these ladies have had the charity to meet him there, and so lessen the first shock of his recollections.""I can therefore hardly hope to see her to-day; and it was to her, and not to you, my dear count, that I came to offer my excuses for the scene of last night which seemed to annoy her much.Say to her, if you please, that I will take another opportunity of doing so,--By the bye," he added, "the election of your friend Sallenauve is making a devilish talk; the king spoke to me about it this morning, and I did not please him by repeating the favorable opinion you expressed of the new deputy last night.""Well, but you know the tribune is a reef on which reputations are often wrecked.I am sorry you represented Sallenauve to the king as being on intimate terms with us.I have nothing to do with elections;but I may say that I did all I could to dissuade this objectionable candidate from presenting himself.""Of course the king cannot blame you for merely knowing an Opposition deputy.""No; but last night, in your salon, you seemed to imply that my wife was much interested in him.I did not wish to contradict you before witnesses; besides, really, one can't repudiate a man to whom we are under a great obligation.But my wife, ever since the day he was nominated, feels that our gratitude has become a burden.She was saying to me the other day that we had better let the acquaintance die out.""Not, I hope, until you have done me a service by means of it," said Rastignac.
"At your orders, my dear minister, in all things.""I want to meet this man and judge him for myself.To send him an invitation to dinner would be useless; under the eye of his party, he would not dare accept it, or if he did, he would be on his guard, and I should not see him as he is.But if I met him accidentally, I should find him without armor, and I could feel for his vulnerable spots.""To invite you both to dine with me might be open to the same objection; but I could, one of these evenings, make sure of a visit from him, and let you know--Stop!" cried Monsieur de l'Estorade; "a bright idea has come to me.""If it is really bright," thought Rastignac, "it is fortunate I did not meet the wife.""We are just about to give a children's ball,--a fancy of my little girl, to which Madame de l'Estorade, weary of refusing, has at last consented; the child wishes it to be given in celebration of her rescue.Of course, therefore, the rescuer is a necessary and integral part of the affair.Come to the ball, and I promise you noise enough to cover all investigations of your man; and certainly premeditation will never be suspected at such a meeting.""You are too good," replied Rastignac, pressing the peer's hand affectionately."Perhaps we had better say nothing about it to Madame de l'Estorade; a mere hint given to our man would put him on his guard, and I want to spring upon him suddenly, like a tiger on his prey.""That's understood--complete surprise to everybody.""Adieu, then," said Rastignac; "I shall make the king laugh to-morrow at the notion of children plotting politics.""Ah!" replied Monsieur de l'Estorade, philosophically, "but isn't that how life itself is carried on?--great effects from little causes."Rastignac had scarcely departed before Madame de l'Estorade returned with Nais and Monsieur and Madame de Camps.
"My dear," said her husband, "you have just missed a charming visitor.""Who was it?" asked the countess, indifferently.