The Prime Minister, without quitting his seat says: “The Government does not assent2 to the motion.”
The President rings his bell and says: “A ballot3 has been demanded. A ballot will therefore be taken. Those in favour of Messrs. ——— and ———‘s motion must place a white paper in the urn4; those who are against it, a blue paper.”
There was a great movement in the hall. The deputies poured out in a disorderly mob into the corridors, while the ushers5 passed the white metal urn along the tiers of seats. The corridors were full of the sound of shuffling6 feet, and of shouting and gesticulating people. Grave looking young men and excited old ones went passing by. The air was pierced with the sound of voices calling out figures:
“Eleven votes.”
“No, nine.”
“They are being checked.”
“Eight against.”
“No, not at all; eight for.”
“Yes.”
“The Government is beaten?”
“Yes.”
“Ah!”
The President’s bell is heard in the corridors.
Slowly the hall fills again.
“The following is the result of the ballot on the motion proposed by Messrs. ——— and ———. Number of votes 470; for the motion 239 ; against 231. The motion is carried.”
There is an immense sensation. The Ministers get up and leave their seats. Two or three friends shake them timidly by the hand. It’s all over, they are beaten. They go under and I with them. I no longer count. I make up my mind to it. To say that I am happy would be to go too far. But it spells the end of my worries and bothers and toils9. I have regained10 my freedom, but not voluntarily. Repose11 and liberty, I’ve got them back again, but it is to my defeat that I owe them. An honourable12 defeat it is true, but painful all the same because our ideas suffer with ourselves. How many things are involved in our fall, alas13. Economy, public security, tranquillity14 of conscience and that spirit of prudence15, that continuity of policy, which gives a nation its strength. I hurried away to shake hands with the Chief of my department, proud of having rendered faithful service to so upright a leader. Then, pushing my way through the crowd that had gathered about the precincts of the Palais Bourbon, I crossed the Seine and made my way slowly towards the Madeleine. At the top of the boulevard there was a barrow of flowers drawn16 up alongside the kerb. Between the two shafts17 was a young girl making up bunches of violets. I went up to her and asked her for a bunch. I then saw a little girl of four sitting on the barrow amid the flowers. With her baby fingers she was trying to make bunches like her mother. She raised her head at my approach and, with a smile, held out all the flowers she had in her hands. When she had given them all to me, she blew kisses.
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I was extremely flattered. “I must have a kindly18 look about me,” I said to myself, “for a child to smile a welcome at me like that. What is your name?” I asked her.
“Marguerite,” replied her mother.
It was half-past six. There was a news-vendor’s hard by. I bought a paper. As soon as I glanced at it I saw that I was in for a wigging19. The political editor, having referred to my Chief as an individual of ill omen20, spoke21 of me too, on the first page, as a sinister22 creature. But, after Marguerite’s kisses, I could not believe it. I felt at once a lightness and a sort of emptiness at heart; both glad and sorrowful.
A week later found me on my way, to ——— near Melun, where I had taken a little house hard by the Chateau23 of Marguerite’s upbringing. In my eyes it was the fairest region in the world.
As we approached the station I looked out of the carriage window. The silver river flowed in graceful24 curves between willows25, until it vanished from the sight. But long after it was lost to view one could divine its course by the rows of poplars which lined its banks. A weathercock and two towers visible amid the trees marked the site of the town. Then I exclaimed, “Here is the resting place for me, here will I lay my head.”
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1
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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2
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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3
ballot
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| n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票 | |
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4
urn
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| n.（有座脚的）瓮；坟墓；骨灰瓮 | |
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5
ushers
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| n.引座员( usher的名词复数 )；招待员；门房；助理教员v.引，领，陪同( usher的第三人称单数 ) | |
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6
shuffling
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| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
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7
amendment
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| n.改正，修正，改善，修正案 | |
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8
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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9
toils
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| 网 | |
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10
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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11
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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12
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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13
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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14
tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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15
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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16
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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17
shafts
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| n.轴( shaft的名词复数 )；（箭、高尔夫球棒等的）杆；通风井；一阵（疼痛、害怕等） | |
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18
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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19
wigging
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| n.责备，骂，叱责 | |
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20
omen
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| n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示 | |
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21
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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22
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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23
chateau
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| n.城堡，别墅 | |
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24
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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25
willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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