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because her old aunt is to settle something on her； what is to become
of the two others？ Sidonie is sixteen； and your ambition is as good as
a gold mine。 Some one has told Madame de Chavoncourt that she will do
better by getting her daughter married than by sending her husband to
waste his money in Paris。 That some one manages Madame de Chavoncourt；
and Madame de Chavoncourt manages her husband。〃
〃That is enough； my dear Abbe。 I understand。 When once I am returned
as deputy； I have somebody's fortune to make； and by making it large
enough I shall be released from my promise。 In me you have a son； a
man who will owe his happiness to you。 Great heavens！ what have I done
to deserve so true a friend？〃
〃You won a triumph for the Chapter；〃 said the Vicar…General； smiling。
〃Now； as to all this； be as secret as the tomb。 We are nothing； we
have done nothing。 If we were known to have meddled in election
matters； we should be eaten up alive by the Puritans of the Leftwho
do worseand blamed by some of our own party； who want everything。
Madame de Chavoncourt has no suspicion of my share in all this。 I have
confided in no one but Madame de Watteville； whom we may trust as we
trust ourselves。〃
〃I will bring the Duchess to you to be blessed！〃 cried Savarus。
After seeing out the old priest； Albert went to bed in the swaddling
clothes of power。
Next evening； as may well be supposed； by nine o'clock Madame la
Baronne de Watteville's rooms were crowded by the aristocracy of
Besancon in convocation extraordinary。 They were discussing the
exceptional step of going to the poll； to oblige the daughter of the
Rupts。 It was known that the former Master of Appeals； the secretary
of one of the most faithful ministers under the Elder Branch； was to
be presented that evening。 Madame de Chavoncourt was there with her
second daughter Sidonie； exquisitely dressed； while her elder sister；
secure of her lover； had not indulged in any of the arts of the
toilet。 In country towns these little things are remarked。 The Abbe de
Grancey's fine and clever head was to be seen moving from group to
group； listening to everything； seeming to be apart from it all； but
uttering those incisive phrases which sum up a question and direct the
issue。
〃If the Elder Branch were to return；〃 said he to an old statesman of
seventy； 〃what politicians would they find？〃〃Berryer； alone on his
bench； does not know which way to turn； if he had sixty votes； he
would often scotch the wheels of the Government and upset Ministries！〃
〃The Duc de Fitz…James is to be nominated at Toulouse。〃〃You will
enable Monsieur de Watteville to win his lawsuit。〃〃If you vote for
Monsieur Savarus； the Republicans will vote with you rather than with
the Moderates！〃 etc。； etc。
At nine o'clock Albert had not arrived。 Madame de Watteville was
disposed to regard such delay as an impertinence。
〃My dear Baroness；〃 said Madame de Chavoncourt； 〃do not let such
serious issues turn on such a trifle。 The varnish on his boots is not
dryor a consultation； perhaps； detains Monsieur de Savarus。〃
Rosalie shot a side glance at Madame de Chavoncourt。
〃She is very lenient to Monsieur de Savarus；〃 she whispered to her
mother。
〃You see；〃 said the Baroness with a smile； 〃there is a question of a
marriage between Sidonie and Monsieur de Savarus。〃
Mademoiselle de Watteville hastily went to a window looking out over
the garden。
At ten o'clock Albert de Savarus had not yet appeared。 The storm that
threatened now burst。 Some of the gentlemen sat down to cards； finding
the thing intolerable。 The Abbe de Grancey； who did not know what to
think； went to the window where Rosalie was hidden； and exclaimed
aloud in his amazement； 〃He must be dead！〃
The Vicar…General stepped out into the garden； followed by Monsieur de
Watteville and his daughter； and they all three went up to the kiosk。
In Albert's rooms all was dark； not a light was to be seen。
〃Jerome！〃 cried Rosalie； seeing the servant in the yard below。 The
Abbe looked at her with astonishment。 〃Where in the world is your
master？〃 she asked the man； who came to the foot of the wall。
〃Gonein a post…chaise； mademoiselle。〃
〃He is ruined！〃 exclaimed the Abbe de Grancey； 〃or he is happy！〃
The joy of triumph was not so effectually concealed on Rosalie's face
that the Vicar…General could not detect it。 He affected to see
nothing。
〃What can this girl have had to do with this business？〃 he asked
himself。
They all three returned to the drawing…room； where Monsieur de
Watteville announced the strange； the extraordinary； the prodigious
news of the lawyer's departure； without any reason assigned for his
evasion。 By half…past eleven only fifteen persons remained； among them
Madame de Chavoncourt and the Abbe de Godenars； another Vicar…General；
a man of about forty； who hoped for a bishopric； the two Chavoncourt
girls； and Monsieur de Vauchelles； the Abbe de Grancey； Rosalie；
Amedee de Soulas； and a retired magistrate； one of the most
influential members of the upper circle of Besancon； who had been very
eager for Albert's election。 The Abbe de Grancey sat down by the
Baroness in such a position as to watch Rosalie； whose face； usually
pale； wore a feverish flush。
〃What can have happened to Monsieur de Savarus？〃 said Madame de
Chavoncourt。
At this moment a servant in livery brought in a letter for the Abbe de
Grancey on a silver tray。
〃Pray read it；〃 said the Baroness。
The Vicar…General read the letter； he saw Rosalie suddenly turn as
white as her kerchief。
〃She recognizes the writing；〃 said he to himself； after glancing at
the girl over his spectacles。 He folded up the letter； and calmly put
it in his pocket without a word。 In three minutes he had met three
looks from Rosalie which were enough to make him guess everything。
〃She is in love with Albert Savarus！〃 thought the Vicar…General。
He rose and took leave。 He was going towards the door when； in the
next room； he was overtaken by Rosalie； who said：
〃Monsieur de Grancey； it was from Albert！〃
〃How do you know that it was his writing； to recognize it from so
far？〃
The girl's reply； caught as she was in the toils of her impatience and
rage； seemed to the Abbe sublime。
〃I love him！What is the matter？〃 she said after a pause。
〃He gives up the election。〃
Rosalie put her finger to her lip。
〃I ask you to be as secret as if it were a confession；〃 said she
before returning to the drawing…room。 〃If there is an end of the
election； there is an end of the marriage with Sidonie。〃
In the morning； on her way to Mass； Mademoiselle de Watteville heard
from Mariette some of the circumstances which had prompted Albert's
disappearance at the most critical moment of his life。
〃Mademoiselle； an old gentleman from Paris arrived yesterday morning
at the Hotel National； he came in his own carriage with four horses；
and a courier in front； and a servant。 Indeed； Jerome； who saw the
carriage returning； declares he could only be a prince or a /milord/。〃
〃Was there a coronet on the carriage？〃 asked Rosalie。
〃I do not know；〃 said Mariette。 〃Just as two was striking he came to
call on Monsieur Savarus； and sent in his card； and when he saw it；
Jerome says Monsieur turned as pale as a sheet； and said he was to be
shown in。 As he himself locked the door； it is impossible to tell what
the old gentleman and the lawyer said to each other； but they were
together above an hour； and then the old gentleman； with the lawyer；
called up his servant。 Jerome saw the servant go out again with an
immense package； four feet long； which looked like a great painting on
canvas。 The old gentleman had in his hand a large parcel of papers。
Monsieur Savaron was paler than death； and he； so proud； so dignified；
was in a state to be pitied。 But he treated the old gentleman so
respectfully that he could not have been politer to the King himself。
Jerome and Monsieur Albert Savaron escorted the gentleman to his
carriage； which was standing with the horses in。 The courier started
on the stroke of three。
〃Monsieur Savaron went straight to the Prefecture； and from that to
Monsieur Gentillet； who sold him the old traveling carriage that used
to belong to Madame de Saint…Vier before she died； then he ordered
post horses for six o'clock。 He went home to pack； no doubt he wrote a
lot of letters； finally； he settled everything with Monsieur Girardet；
who went to him and stayed till seven。 Jerome carried a note to
Monsieur Boucher； with whom his master was to have dined； and then； at
half…past seven； the lawyer set out； leaving Jerome with three months'
wages； and telling him to find another place。
〃He left his keys with Monsieur Girardet； whom he took home； and at
his house； Jerome says； he took a plate of soup； for at half…past
seven Monsieur Girardet had not yet dined。 When Monsieur Savaron got
into the carriage he looked like death。 Jerome； who； of course； saw
his master off； heard him tell the postilion 'The Geneva Road！' 〃
〃Did Jerome ask the name of the stranger at the Hotel National？〃
〃As the old gentleman did not mean to stay； he was not asked for it。
The servant； by his orders no doub