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ahead of them in the garden； affecting to leave the young people
together； 〃were you not aware that Monsieur Albert Savaron de Savarus
is a Legitimist？〃
〃A Legitimist？〃
〃Until 1830 he was Master of Appeals to the Council of State； attached
to the supreme Ministerial Council； and in favor with the Dauphin and
Dauphiness。 It would be very good of you to say nothing against him；
but it would be better still if you would attend the election this
year； carry the day； and hinder that poor Monsieur de Chavoncourt from
representing the town of Besancon。〃
〃What sudden interest have you in this Savaron？〃
〃Monsieur Albert Savaron de Savarus； the natural son of the Comte de
Savaruspray keep the secret of my indiscretionif he is returned
deputy； will be our advocate in the suit about les Rouxey。 Les Rouxey；
my father tells me； will be my property； I intend to live there； it is
a lovely place！ I should be broken…hearted at seeing that fine piece
of the great de Watteville's work destroyed。〃
〃The devil！〃 thought Amedee； as he left the house。 〃The heiress is not
such a fool as her mother thinks her。〃
Monsieur de Chavoncourt is a Royalist； of the famous 221。 Hence； from
the day after the revolution of July； he always preached the salutary
doctrine of taking the oaths and resisting the present order of
things； after the pattern of the Tories against the Whigs in England。
This doctrine was not acceptable to the Legitimists； who； in their
defeat； had the wit to divide in their opinions； and to trust to the
force of inertia and to Providence。 Monsieur de Chavoncourt was not
wholly trusted by his own party； but seemed to the Moderates the best
man to choose； they preferred the triumph of his half…hearted opinions
to the acclamation of a Republican who should combine the votes of the
enthusiasts and the patriots。 Monsieur de Chavoncourt； highly
respected in Besancon； was the representative of an old parliamentary
family； his fortune； of about fifteen thousand francs a year； was not
an offence to anybody； especially as he had a son and three daughters。
With such a family； fifteen thousand francs a year are a mere nothing。
Now when； under these circumstances； the father of the family is above
bribery； it would be hard if the electors did not esteem him。 Electors
wax enthusiastic over a /beau ideal/ of parliamentary virtue； just as
the audience in the pit do at the representation of the generous
sentiments they so little practise。
Madame de Chavoncourt； at this time a woman of forty； was one of the
beauties of Besancon。 While the Chamber was sitting； she lived
meagrely in one of their country places to recoup herself by economy
for Monsieur de Chavoncourt's expenses in Paris。 In the winter she
received very creditably once a week； on Tuesdays； understanding her
business as mistress of the house。 Young Chavoncourt； a youth of two…
and…twenty； and another young gentleman； named Monsieur de Vauchelles；
no richer than Amedee and his school…friend； were his intimate allies。
They made excursions together to Granvelle； and sometimes went out
shooting； they were so well known to be inseparable that they were
invited to the country together。
Rosalie； who was intimate with the Chavoncourt girls； knew that the
three young men had no secrets from each other。 She reflected that if
Monsieur de Soulas should repeat her words； it would be to his two
companions。 Now； Monsieur de Vauchelles had his matrimonial plans； as
Amedee had his； he wished to marry Victoire； the eldest of the
Chavoncourts； on whom an old aunt was to settle an estate worth seven
thousand francs a year； and a hundred thousand francs in hard cash；
when the contract was to be signed。 Victoire was this aunt's god…
daughter and favorite niece。 Consequently； young Chavoncourt and his
friend Vauchelles would be sure to warn Monsieur de Chavoncourt of the
danger he was in from Albert's candidature。
But this did not satisfy Rosalie。 She sent the Prefet of the
department a letter written with her left hand； signed 〃/A friend to
Louis Philippe/；〃 in which she informed him of the secret intentions
of Monsieur Albert de Savarus； pointing out the serious support a
Royalist orator might give to Berryer； and revealing to him the deeply
artful course pursued by the lawyer during his two years' residence at
Besancon。 The Prefet was a capable man； a personal enemy of the
Royalist party； devoted by conviction to the Government of Julyin
short； one of those men of whom； in the Rue de Grenelle； the Minister
of the Interior could say； 〃We have a capital Prefet at Besancon。〃
The Prefet read the letter； and； in obedience to its instructions； he
burnt it。
Rosalie aimed at preventing Albert's election； so as to keep him five
years longer at Besancon。
At that time an election was a fight between parties； and in order to
win； the Ministry chose its ground by choosing the moment when it
would give battle。 The elections were therefore not to take place for
three months yet。 When a man's whole life depends on an election； the
period that elapses between the issuing of the writs for convening the
electoral bodies； and the day fixed for their meetings； is an interval
during which ordinary vitality is suspended。 Rosalie fully understood
how much latitude Albert's absorbed state would leave her during these
three months。 By promising Marietteas she afterwards confessedto
take both her and Jerome into her service； she induced the maid to
bring her all the letters Albert might sent to Italy； and those
addressed to him from that country。 And all the time she was pondering
these machinations； the extraordinary girl was working slippers for
her father with the most innocent air in the world。 She even made a
greater display than ever of candor and simplicity； quite
understanding how valuable that candor and innocence would be to her
ends。
〃My daughter grows quite charming！〃 said Madame de Watteville。
Two months before the election a meeting was held at the house of
Monsieur Boucher senior； composed of the contractor who expected to
get the work for the aqueduct for the Arcier waters； of Monsieur
Boucher's father…in…law； of Monsieur Granet； the influential man to
whom Savarus had done a service； and who was to nominate him as a
candidate； of Girardet the lawyer； of the printer of the /Eastern
Review/； and of the President of the Chamber of Commerce。 In fact； the
assembly consisted of twenty…seven persons in all； men who in the
provinces are regarded as bigwigs。 Each man represented on an average
six votes； but in estimating their values they said ten； for men
always begin by exaggerating their own influence。 Among these twenty…
seven was one who was wholly devoted to the Prefet； one false brother
who secretly looked for some favor from the Ministry； either for
himself or for some one belonging to him。
At this preliminary meeting； it was agreed that Savaron the lawyer
should be named as candidate； a motion received with such enthusiasm
as no one looked for from Besancon。 Albert； waiting at home for Alfred
Boucher to fetch him； was chatting with the Abbe de Grancey； who was
interested in this absorbing ambitio