登陆注册
5406500000073

第73章 II(5)

"There is no hope for me!" thought Birotteau with a shrinking heart.

When the banker returned to his study, the troop of courtiers, friends, and self-seekers pressed round him like dogs pursuing a bitch. A few bold curs slipped, in spite of him, into the sanctum. The conferences lasted five, ten, or fifteen minutes. Some went away chap-

fallen; others affected satisfaction, and took on airs of importance.

Time passed; Birotteau looked anxiously at the clock. No one paid the least attention to the hidden grief which moaned silently in the gilded armchair in the chimney corner, near the door of the cabinet where dwelt the universal panacea--credit! Cesar remembered sadly that for a brief moment he too had been a king among his own people, as this man was a king daily; and he measured the depth of the abyss down which he had fallen. Ah, bitter thought! how many tears were driven back during those waiting hours! how many times did he not pray to God that this man might be favorable to him! for he saw, through the coarse varnish of popular good humor, a tone of insolence, a choleric tyranny, a brutal desire to rule, which terrified his gentle spirit.

At last, when only ten or twelve persons were left in the room, Birotteau resolved that the next time the outer door of the study turned on its hinges he would rise and face the great orator, and say to him, "I am Birotteau!" The grenadier who sprang first into the redoubt at Moscow displayed no greater courage than Cesar now summoned up to perform this act.

"After all, I am his mayor," he said to himself as he rose to proclaim his name.

The countenance of Francois Keller at once became affable; he evidently desired to be cordial. He glanced at Cesar's red ribbon, and stepping back, opened the door of his study and motioned him to enter, remaining himself for some time to speak with two men, who rushed in from the staircase with the violence of a waterspout.

"Decazes wants to speak to you," said one of them.

"It is a question of defeating the Pavillon Marsan!" cried the other.

"The King's eyes are opened. He is coming round to us."

"We will go together to the Chamber," said the banker, striking the attitude of the frog who imitates an ox.

"How can he find time to think of business?" thought Birotteau, much disturbed.

The sun of successful superiority dazzled the perfumer, as light blinds those insects who seek the falling day or the half-shadows of a starlit night. On a table of immense size lay the budget, piles of the Chamber records, open volumes of the "Moniteur," with passages carefully marked, to throw at the head of a Minister his forgotten words and force him to recant them, under the jeering plaudits of a foolish crowd incapable of perceiving how circumstances alter cases.

On another table were heaped portfolios, minutes, projects, specifications, and all the thousand memoranda brought to bear upon a man into whose funds so many nascent industries sought to dip. The royal luxury of this cabinet, filled with pictures, statues, and works of art; the encumbered chimney-piece; the accumulation of many interests, national and foreign, heaped together like bales,--all struck Birotteau's mind, dwarfed his powers, heightened his terror, and froze his blood. On Francois Keller's desk lay bundles of notes and checks, letters of credit, and commercial circulars. Keller sat down and began to sign rapidly such letters as needed no examination.

"Monsieur, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

At these words, uttered for him alone by a voice which influenced all Europe, while the eager hand was running over the paper, the poor perfumer felt something that was like a hot iron in his stomach. He assumed the ingratiating manner which for ten years past the banker had seen all men put on when they wanted to get the better of him for their own purposes, and which gave him at once the advantage over them. Francois Keller accordingly darted at Cesar a look which shot through his head,--a Napoleonic look. This imitation of Napoleon's glance was a silly satire, then popular with certain parvenus who had never seen so much as the base coin of their emperor. This glance fell upon Birotteau, a devotee of the Right, a partisan of the government, --himself an element of monarchical election,--like the stamp of a custom-house officer affixed to a bale of merchandise.

"Monsieur, I will not waste your time; I will be brief. I come on commercial business only,--to ask if I can obtain a credit. I was formerly a judge of the commercial courts, and known to the Bank of France. You will easily understand that if I had plenty of ready money I need only apply there, where you are yourself a director. I had the honor of sitting on the Bench of commerce with Monsieur le baron Thibon, chairman of the committee on discounts; and he, most assuredly, would not refuse me. But up to this time I have never made use of my credit or my signature; my signature is virgin,--and you know what difficulties that puts in the way of negotiation."

Keller moved his head, and Birotteau took the movement for one of impatience.

"Monsieur, these are the facts," he resumed. "I am engaged in an affair of landed property, outside of my business--"

Francois Keller, who continued to sign and read his documents, without seeming to listen to Birotteau, here turned round and made him a little sign of attention, which encouraged the poor man. He thought the matter was taking a favorable turn, and breathed again.

"Go on; I hear you," said Keller good-naturedly.

"I have purchased, at half its value, certain land about the Madeleine--"

"Yes; I heard Nucingen speak of that immense affair,--undertaken, I

believe, by Claparon and Company."

同类推荐
  • A Prince of Bohemia

    A Prince of Bohemia

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说无能胜幡王如来庄严陀罗尼经

    佛说无能胜幡王如来庄严陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 掌中论

    掌中论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 台湾割据志

    台湾割据志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 钱农部请师本末

    钱农部请师本末

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 宠妻至上

    宠妻至上

    【一个果敢励志女和一个霸道忠犬男的极致宠文】她说,“我要的男人一定要对我忠贞,一心一意,理解我支持我适合我……”他说,“我在。”……她是首席金牌记者,独立勇敢,聪慧凌厉,赫赫声名让不少人闻风丧胆——他是举国最年轻传奇,身份显赫,冷漠霸气,人人巴结又人人畏之三分——从前她不相信爱情,从前他不亲近女人。相遇后——她骂人,他帮着她打人,他顶着她不惧危险奔赴前线采集报道,他毅然亲自披装上阵万里寻妻有人欺负她,他直接让人围了——*【小对话】“你不过就是个小记者,凭什么以为能配得上他?”“你不过就是靠父母的钱养着,你以为你多金贵?”“我跟他这么多年的感情,不是你能代替的,请你退出。”“单方面的感情,要么去找他,要么请圆润地滚出。”“你不要脸!”“抱歉忘了说,我脾气不太好,不过他喜欢。”【小片段】“阿珩,你从前没怎么和女人接触过,你不要被她骗了!以她那样的身份接近你,一定是别有居心!”厉成珩冷冷瞧她一眼,“你怎么不想想,你在我面前晃了那么多次,我怎么就不想接触你?”▲有一种相遇,是天赐良缘。▲双C,1V1,简介无能,请亲们点文阅读决定去留~
  • 踏道歌

    踏道歌

    一个懵懵懂懂的少年,一颗坚定不移的求道之心,漫漫道途便展现在世人眼前……
  • 快穿之与子同谋

    快穿之与子同谋

    子衿被告知需要穿梭在各个世界,帮宿主完成心愿,活得灵魂之力,修复自身魂体。啥,要看山看水,那我就顺带篡个位吧。啥,要护着心上人,那我就搞死男女主吧。
  • 萌妻休夫:腹黑王爷小哑妃

    萌妻休夫:腹黑王爷小哑妃

    她第一次入宫,隔着帘子,他对母妃说:“儿臣选她。”她对他表示:“你堂堂一个王爷娶个哑女,连我都替你叫屈。”“你娶我肯定要后悔的!”她总好奇:“你为什么娶我?”晋王瞟了她一眼,淡淡一句,“图个清静。”“最后一次回答,你是我萧子隽要娶作王妃的人!”他到底不知不觉中爱上自己的王妃,而她出乎意料地将他“卖”了。“臣媳要与晋王和离!”推荐轻寒公子的新文《驯夫小野妃:腹黑王爷难搞定》
  • 论优秀孩子如何养成(套装共3册)

    论优秀孩子如何养成(套装共3册)

    《西点军校培养很好男孩的22堂人生课》把西点的理念、精神和中国的教育结合起来,将西点军规与培养孩子之道结合起来,解读西点案例、征引世界典型,点拨为人之道、讲说人生哲学。《初中3年,女孩如何教养》以50多个真实案例融合100多条国际、国内最新教育理念,涵盖父母正确把握女儿心理的9大要点;敦促女儿主动学习的8项措施;和青春期女儿融洽相处的11条要诀;教出懂礼貌、有教养女儿必备的11个品质;培养拥有良好生活、学习习惯“乖乖女”的7点主张;让女儿懂得自我保护、远离邪恶、免受骚扰的6个方法。帮助广大父母教出最懂事、最优秀的初中女孩。《初中3年,男孩如何管教》升入初中后的男孩们处于青春叛逆期……
  • 特级教师教你写作文:小学六年级专用

    特级教师教你写作文:小学六年级专用

    在作文课上,我们都会有这样的困惑:该写什么?该怎么写?其实,我们身边就有很多素材,只是我们没有发现它们,没有注意它们。在这本书里,用8个专题,分别告诉你“如何写好读后感”“如何写好一封信”“如何介绍一种美食”“如何写好成长的故事”“如何写民间艺术类的作文”,等等。方法实用,范文经典,点评中肯,还有推荐给你看的课外书,帮你全方面提高作文水平。有了它,作文提分不再难!
  • 魔谷情

    魔谷情

    黑夜,只见玛丽雅娜的身影向前跑着,叶雷雨紧紧追赶着。玛丽雅娜的眼前一片金花:睡袋,爷爷的照片,雷雨奶奶的话……一个爷爷的孙子,一个爷爷的孙女,多可怕。“玛丽雅娜——”叶雷雨的喊声近了。“你不要追我!”玛丽雅娜走近了额尔占纳河,奔向主航道,“让我叫一声‘哥哥——’”额尔古纳河翻着浪花,咆哮着。
  • 楚楚

    楚楚

    记者秋走下汽车,白花花的阳光扑面而来,一阵晕眩让他眯上眼睛,眼前飞起一篷篷黑的星星。秋想,这就是强烈吧,北方强烈的阳光。这种强烈不是南方的天地间所能感受到的,南方永远的绿色吸收了强烈,于是只剩了阳光,那阳光是温柔的和煦的。北方不同,北方干硬的黄土地是白的颜色,很少能吸热。秋想象,如果站在一个尖形的坑中,或许会被聚起的阳光烧焦呢。北方的阳光白得强烈,热得也强烈。没走出十步远,秋的额上已渗出茸茸细汗。这才是阴历的三月底,他从小生长在北方,满以为北方还是微寒的暮春,谁知太阳烈得已仿佛盛夏了。秋擦擦额头上的汗,发愁地向高远处麻点一样的贲家沟走去。
  • 魔女全无敌:凤斗乾坤

    魔女全无敌:凤斗乾坤

    落嫣然是上古门派的绝世天才弟子,武功法术超群,几乎无敌天下,授命前往异世追寻上古异宝混沌珠!到达天元大陆,风云涌动,轰动天下!魔族、妖族人类各族暗流汹涌,且看嫣然如何惊艳天下,凤斗乾坤!
  • 深秋的盛夏

    深秋的盛夏

    那一年入学是一个深秋,正式成为了一名初中生,开始了三年的历程。有欢笑,有泪水,有过青春的懵懂,有过成长的烦恼……幸好,还有你们。