Angels -- Fiction; French fiction -- Translations into English; French wit and humor -- Translations into English
Monsieur Salneuve was indefatigable. After the examination of the papers
seized in Bouchotte's house, and acting on the information of
Montremain, he issued a warrant for the arrest of young d'Esparvieu,
which was executed on Wednesday, the 27th May, at seven o'clock in the
morning, with great discretion. For three days Maurice had neither slept
nor eaten, loved nor lived. He had not a moment's doubt as to the nature
of the matutinal visit. At the sight of the police magistrate a strange
calm fell on him. Arcade had not returned to sleep in the flat. Maurice
begged the magistrate to wait for him, dressed with care, and then
accompanied the magistrate a calmness of mind which was barely
disturbed when the door of the Conciergerie closed on him. Alone in his
cell, he climbed upon the table to look out. His tranquillity was due to
his weariness of spirit, to his numbed senses, and to the fact that he
no longer stood in fear of arrest. His misfortune endowed him with
superior wisdom. He felt he had fallen into a state of grace. He did not
think too highly or too humbly of himself, but left his cause in the
hands of God. With no desire to cover up his faults, which he would not
hide even from himself, he addressed himself in mind to Providence, to
point out that if he had fallen into disorder and rebellion it was to
lead his erring angel back into the straight path. He stretched himself
on the couch and slept in peace.
On hearing of the arrest of a music-hall singer and of a young man of
fashion, both Paris and the provinces felt painful surprise. Deeply
stirred by the tragic accounts which the leading newspapers were
bringing out, the general idea was that the sort of people the
authorities ought to bring to justice were ferocious anarchists, all
reeking and dripping from deeds of blood and arson; but they failed to
understand what the world of Art and Fashion should have to do with such
things. At this news, which he was one of the last to hear, the
President of the Council and Keeper of the Seals started up in his
chair. The Sphinxes that adorned it were less terrible than he, and in
the throes of his angry meditation he cut the mahogany of his imperial
table with his penknife, after the manner of Napoleon. And when Judge
Salneuve, whose attendance he had commanded, appeared before him, the
President flung his penknife in the grate, as Louis XIV flung his cane
out of the window in the presence of Lauzun; and it cost him a supreme
effort to master himself and to say in a voice of suppressed fury:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account