"Monsieur l'Abbe," said he, "it is out of the question that I should
defend the interests of the Wattevilles, and you shall understand why.
My part in this town is to remain perfectly neutral. I will display no
colors; I must remain a mystery till the eve of my election. Now, to
plead for the Wattevilles would mean nothing in Paris, but here!
--Here, where everything is discussed, I should be supposed by every
one to be an ally of your Faubourg Saint-Germain."
"What! do you suppose that you can remain unknown on the day of the
election, when the candidates must oppose each other? It must then
become known that your name is Savaron de Savarus, that you have held
the appointment of Master of Appeals, that you are a man of the
Restoration!"
"On the day of the election," said Savarus, "I will be all I am
expected to be; and I intend to speak at the preliminary meetings."
"If you have the support of Monsieur de Watteville and his party, you
will get a hundred votes in a mass, and far more to be trusted than
those on which you rely. It is always possible to produce division of
interests; convictions are inseparable."
"The deuce is in it!" said Savarus. "I am attached to you, and I could
do a great deal for you, Father! Perhaps we may compound with the
Devil. Whatever Monsieur de Watteville's business may be, by engaging
Girardet, and prompting him, it will be possible to drag the
proceedings out till the elections are over.
Pages:
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126