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Monsieur de Grancey。 Take my word for it； and let us together talk to
the dear Abbe without my mother's presence at the interview； for I
know a way of persuading him to bring the lawyer to us。〃
〃It will be very difficult to avoid mentioning it to your mother！〃
〃The Abbe de Grancey will settle that afterwards。 But just make up
your mind to promise your vote to Monsieur Savaron at the next
election； and you will see！〃
〃Go to the election！ take the oath？〃 cried the Baron de Watteville。
〃What then！〃 said she。
〃And what will your mother say？〃
〃She may even desire you to do it；〃 replied Rosalie； knowing as she
did from Albert's letter to Leopold how deeply the Vicar…General had
pledged himself。
Four days after； the Abbe de Grancey called very early one morning on
Albert de Savarus； having announced his visit the day before。 The old
priest had come to win over the great lawyer to the house of the
Wattevilles； a proceeding which shows how much tact and subtlety
Rosalie must have employed in an underhand way。
〃What can I do for you； Monsieur le Vicaire…General？〃 asked Savarus。
The Abbe； who told his story with admirable frankness； was coldly
heard by Albert。
〃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。 I will not undertake to
plead till the day after I am returned。〃
〃Do this one thing；〃 said the Abbe。 〃Come to the Hotel de Rupt： there
is a young person of nineteen there who； one of these days； will have
a hundred thousand francs a year； and you can seem to be paying your
court to her〃
〃Ah！ the young lady I sometimes see in the kiosk？〃
〃Yes； Mademoiselle Rosalie；〃 replied the Abbe de Grancey。 〃You are
ambitious。 If she takes a fancy to you； you may be everything an
ambitious man can wishwho knows？ A Minister perhaps。 A man can
always be a Minister who adds a hundred thousand francs a year to your
amazing talents。〃
〃Monsieur l'Abbe； if Mademoiselle de Watteville had three times her
fortune； and adored me into the bargain； it would be impossible that I
should marry her〃
〃You are married？〃 exclaimed the Abbe。
〃Not in church nor before the Maire； but morally speaking；〃 said
Savarus。
〃That is even worse when a man cares about it as you seem to care；〃
replied the Abbe。 〃Everything that is not done； can be undone。 Do not
stake your fortune and your prospects on a woman's liking； any more
than a wise man counts on a dead man's shoes before starting on his
way。〃
〃Let us say no more about Mademoiselle de Watteville；〃 said Albert
gravely； 〃and agree as to the facts。 At your desirefor I have a
regard and respect for youI will appear for Monsieur de Watteville；
but after the elections。 Until then Girardet must conduct the case
under my instructions。 That is the most I can do。〃
〃But there are questions involved which can only be settled after
inspection of the localities；〃 said the Vicar…General。
〃Girardet can go；〃 said Savarus。 〃I cannot allow myself； in the face
of a town I know so well； to take any step which might compromise the
supreme interests that lie beyond my election。〃
The Abbe left Savarus after giving him a keen look； in which he seemed
to be laughing at the young athlete's uncompromising politics； while
admiring his firmness。
〃Ah！ I would have dragged my father into a lawsuitI would have done
anything to get him here！〃 cried Rosalie to herself； standing in the
kiosk and looking at the lawyer in his room； the day after Albert's
interview with the Abbe； who had reported the result to her father。 〃I
would have committed any mortal sin； and you will not enter the
Wattevilles' drawing…room； I may not hear your fine voice！ You make
conditions when your help is required by the Wattevilles and the
Rupts！Well； God knows； I meant to be content with these small joys；
with seeing you； hearing you speak； going with you to les Rouxey； that
your presence might to me make the place sacred。 That was all I asked。
But nownow I mean to be your wife。Yes； yes； look at /her/
portrait； at /her/ drawing…room； /her/ bedroom； at the four sides of
/her/ villa； the points of view from /her/ gardens。 You expect her
statue？ I will make her marble herself towards you！After all； the
woman does not love。 Art； science； books； singing； music； have
absorbed half her senses and her intelligence。 She is old； too； she is
past thirty； my Albert will not be happy！〃
〃What is the matter that you stay here； Rosalie？〃 asked her mother；
interrupting her reflections。 〃Monsieur de Soulas is in the drawing…
room； and he observed your attitude； which certainly betrays more
thoughtfulness than is due at your age。〃
〃Then； is Monsieur de Soulas a foe to thought？〃 asked Rosalie。
〃Then you were thinking？〃 said Madame de Watteville。
〃Why； yes； mamma。〃
〃Why； no！ you were not thinking。 You were staring at that lawyer's
window with an attention that is neither becoming； nor decent； and
which Monsieur de Soulas； of all men； ought never to have observed。〃
〃Why？〃 said Rosalie。
〃It is time；〃 said the Baroness； 〃that you should know what our
intentions are。 Amedee likes you； and you will not be unhappy as
Comtesse de Soulas。〃
Rosalie； as white as a lily； made no reply； so completely was she
stupefied by contending feelings。 And yet in the presence of the man
she had this instant begun to hate vehemently； she forced the kind of
smile which a ballet…dancer puts on for the public。 Nay； she could
even laugh； she had the strength to conceal her rage； which presently
subsided； for she was determined to make use of this fat simpleton to
further her designs。
〃Monsieur Amedee；〃 said she； at the moment when her mother was walking
ahead of them in the garden； affecting to leave the young people
together； 〃were you not aware that Monsieur Albert Savaron de Savaru