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hundred and eighty。〃
〃I have two hundred votes？〃 said Albert； standing stupid with
amazement； after starting to his feet as if shot up by a spring。
〃You have those of Monsieur de Chavoncourt；〃 said the Abbe。
〃How？〃 said Albert。
〃You will marry Mademoiselle Sidonie de Chavoncourt。〃
〃Never！〃
〃You will marry Mademoiselle Sidonie de Chavoncourt；〃 the priest
repeated coldly。
〃But you seeshe is inexorable；〃 said Albert； pointing to Francesca。
〃You will marry Mademoiselle Sidonie de Chavoncourt；〃 said the Abbe
calmly for the third time。
This time Albert understood。 The Vicar…General would not be implicated
in a scheme which at last smiled on the despairing politician。 A word
more would have compromised the priest's dignity and honor。
〃To…morrow evening at the Hotel de Rupt you will meet Madame de
Chavoncourt and her second daughter。 You can thank her beforehand for
what she is going to do for you； and tell her that your gratitude is
unbounded； that you are hers body and soul； that henceforth your
future is that of her family。 You are quite disinterested； for you
have so much confidence in yourself that you regard the nomination as
deputy as a sufficient fortune。
〃You will have a struggle with Madame de Chavoncourt； she will want
you to pledge your word。 All your future life； my son； lies in that
evening。 But； understand clearly； I have nothing to do with it。 I am
answerable only for Legitimist voters； I have secured Madame de
Watteville； and that means all the aristocracy of Besancon。 Amedee de
Soulas and Vauchelles； who will both vote for you； have won over the
young men； Madame de Watteville will get the old ones。 As to my
electors； they are infallible。〃
〃And who on earth has gained over Madame de Chavoncourt？〃 asked
Savarus。
〃Ask me no questions；〃 replied the Abbe。 〃Monsieur de Chavoncourt； who
has three daughters to marry； is not capable of increasing his wealth。
Though Vauchelles marries the eldest without anything from her father；
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 a