The commercial
interest of Besancon had nominated the lawyer, Albert Savaron de
Savarus, as its candidate.
Alfred Boucher's enthusiasm, at first infectious, presently became
blundering.
The Prefet, alarmed by this success, set to work to count the
Ministerial votes, and contrived to have a secret interview with
Monsieur de Chavoncourt, so as to effect a coalition in their common
interests. Every day, without Albert's being able to discover how, the
voters in the Boucher committee diminished in number.
Nothing could resist the slow grinding of the Prefecture. Three of
four clever men would say to Albert's clients, "Will the deputy defend
you and win your lawsuits? Will he give you advice, draw up your
contracts, arrange your compromises?--He will be your slave for five
years longer, if, instead of returning him to the Chamber, you only
hold out the hope of his going there five years hence."
This calculation did Savarus all the more mischief, because the wives
of some of the merchants had already made it. The parties interested
in the matter of the bridge and that of the water from Arcier could
not hold out against a talking-to from a clever Ministerialist, who
proved to them that their safety lay at the Prefecture, and not in the
hands of an ambitious man. Each day was a check for Savarus, though
each day the battle was led by him and fought by his lieutenants--a
battle of words, speeches, and proceedings.
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