"Good-morning, my dear Popinot," said the President, "I have been waiting for you.""Why, Monsieur le President, is anything wrong?""A mere silly trifle," said the President."The Keeper of the Seals, with whom I had the honor of dining yesterday, led me apart into a corner.He had heard that you had been to tea with Madame d'Espard, in whose case you were employed to make inquiries.He gave me to understand that it would be as well that you should not sit on this case----""But, Monsieur le President, I can prove that I left Madame d'Espard's house at the moment when tea was brought in.And my conscience----""Yes, yes; the whole Bench, the two Courts, all the profession know you.I need not repeat what I said about you to his Eminence; but, you know, 'Caesar's wife must not be suspected.' So we shall not make this foolish trifle a matter of discipline, but only of proprieties.
Between ourselves, it is not on your account, but on that of the Bench.""But, monsieur, if you only knew the kind of woman----" said the judge, trying to pull his report out of his pocket.
"I am perfectly certain that you have proceeded in this matter with the strictest independence of judgment.I myself, in the provinces, have often taken more than a cup of tea with the people I had to try;but the fact that the Keeper of the Seals should have mentioned it, and that you might be talked about, is enough to make the Court avoid any discussion of the matter.Any conflict with public opinion must always be dangerous for a constitutional body, even when the right is on its side against the public, because their weapons are not equal.
Journalism may say or suppose anything, and our dignity forbids us even to reply.In fact, I have spoken of the matter to your President, and M.Camusot has been appointed in your place on your retirement, which you will signify.It is a family matter, so to speak.And I now beg you to signify your retirement from the case as a personal favor.
To make up, you will get the Cross of the Legion of Honor, which has so long been due to you.I make that my business."When he saw M.Camusot, a judge recently called to Paris from a provincial Court of the same class, as he went forward bowing to the Judge and the President, Popinot could not repress an ironical smile.
This pale, fair young man, full of covert ambition, looked ready to hang and unhang, at the pleasure of any earthy king, the innocent and the guilty alike, and to follow the example of a Laubardemont rather than that of a Mole.
Popinot withdrew with a bow; he scorned to deny the lying accusation that had been brought against him.
PARIS, February 1836.
ADDENDUM
The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy.
Note: The Commission in Lunacy is also known as The Interdiction and is referred to by that title in certain of the addendums.
Bianchon, Horace Father Goriot The Atheist's Mass Cesar Birotteau Lost Illusions A Distinguished Provincial at Paris A Bachelor's Establishment The Secrets of a Princess The Government Clerks Pierrette A Study of Woman Scenes from a Courtesan's Life Honorine The Seamy Side of History The Magic Skin A Second Home A Prince of Bohemia Letters of Two Brides The Muse of the Department The Imaginary Mistress The Middle Classes Cousin Betty The Country Parson In addition, M.Bianchon narrated the following:
Another Study of Woman La Grande Breteche Bordin The Gondreville Mystery The Seamy Side of History Jealousies of a Country Town Camusot de Marville Cousin Pons Jealousies of a Country Town Scenes from a Cuortesan's Life Desroches (son)A Bachelor's Establishment Colonel Chabert A Start in Life A Woman of Thirty The Government Clerks A Distinguished Provincial at Paris Scenes from a Courtesan's Life The Firm of Nucingen A Man of Business The Middle Classes Espard, Charles-Maurice-Marie-Andoche, Comte de Negrepelisse, Marquis d'
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life Espard, Chevalier d'
Scenes from a Courtesan's Life The Secrets of a Princess Espard, Jeanne-Clementine-Athenais de Blamont-Chauvry, Marquise d'
A Distinguished Provincial at Paris Scenes from a Courtesan's Life Letters of Two Brides Another Study of Woman The Gondreville Mystery The Secrets of a Princess A Daughter of Eve Beatrix Godeschal, Francois-Claude-Marie Colonel Chabert A Bachelor's Establishment A Start in Life The Middle Classes Cousin Pons Grozier, Abbe Lost Illusions Jeanrenaud Albert Savarus Mongenod, Frederic The Seamy Side of History Negrepelisse, De Lost Illusions A Distinguished Provincial at Paris Nucingen, Baronne Delphine de Father Goriot The Thirteen Eugenie Grandet Cesar Birotteau Melmoth Reconciled Lost Illusions A Distinguished Provincial at Paris Scenes from a Courtesan's Life Modeste Mignon The Firm of Nucingen Another Study of Woman A Daughter of Eve The Member for Arcis Popinot, Jean-Jules Cesar Birotteau Honorine The Seamy Side of History The Middle Classes Rabourdin, Madame The Government Clerks End
