IN WHICH THE BURGOMASTER AND THE COUNSELLOR PAY A VISIT TO DOCTOR OX,
AND WHAT FOLLOWS.
The Counsellor Niklausse and the Burgomaster Van Tricasse at last knew
what it was to have an agitated night. The grave event which had taken
place at Doctor Ox’s house actually kept them awake. What consequences
was this affair destined to bring about? They could not imagine. Would
it be necessary for them to come to a decision? Would the municipal
authority, whom they represented, be compelled to interfere? Would they
be obliged to order arrests to be made, that so great a scandal should
not be repeated? All these doubts could not but trouble these soft
natures; and on that evening, before separating, the two notables had
“decided” to see each other the next day.
On the next morning, then, before dinner, the Burgomaster Van Tricasse
proceeded in person to the Counsellor Niklausse’s house. He found his
friend more calm. He himself had recovered his equanimity.
“Nothing new?” asked Van Tricasse.
“Nothing new since yesterday,” replied Niklausse.
“And the doctor, Dominique Custos?”
“I have not heard anything, either of him or of the advocate, André
Schut.”
After an hour’s conversation, which consisted of three remarks which it
is needless to repeat, the counsellor and the burgomaster had resolved
to pay a visit to Doctor Ox, so as to draw from him, without seeming to
do so, some details of the affair.
Contrary to all their habits, after coming to this decision the two
notables set about putting it into execution forthwith. They left the
house and directed their steps towards Doctor Ox’s laboratory, which
was situated outside the town, near the Oudenarde gate—the gate whose
tower threatened to fall in ruins.
They did not take each other’s arms, but walked side by side, with a
slow and solemn step, which took them forward but thirteen inches per
second. This was, indeed, the ordinary gait of the Quiquendonians, who
had never, within the memory of man, seen any one run across the
streets of their town.
From time to time the two notables would stop at some calm and tranquil
crossway, or at the end of a quiet street, to salute the passers-by.
“Good morning, Monsieur the burgomaster,” said one.
“Good morning, my friend,” responded Van Tricasse.
“Anything new, Monsieur the counsellor?” asked another.
“Nothing new,” answered Niklausse.
But by certain agitated motions and questioning looks, it was evident
that the altercation of the evening before was known throughout the
town. Observing the direction taken by Van Tricasse, the most obtuse
Quiquendonians guessed that the burgomaster was on his way to take some
important step. The Custos and Schut affair was talked of everywhere,
but the people had not yet come to the point of taking the part of one
or the other. The Advocate Schut, having never had occasion to plead in
a town where attorneys and bailiffs only existed in tradition, had,
consequently, never lost a suit. As for the Doctor Custos, he was an
honourable practitioner, who, after the example of his fellow-doctors,
cured all the illnesses of his patients, except those of which they
died—a habit unhappily acquired by all the members of all the faculties
in whatever country they may practise.
On reaching the Oudenarde gate, the counsellor and the burgomaster
prudently made a short detour, so as not to pass within reach of the
tower, in case it should fall; then they turned and looked at it
attentively.
“I think that it will fall,” said Van Tricasse.
“I think so too,” replied Niklausse.
“Unless it is propped up,” added Van Tricasse. “But must it be propped
up? That is the question.”
“That is—in fact—the question.”
Some moments after, they reached the door of the gasworks.
“Can we see Doctor Ox?” they asked.
Doctor Ox could always be seen by the first authorities of the town,
and they were at once introduced into the celebrated physiologist’s
study.
Perhaps the two notables waited for the doctor at least an hour; at
least it is reasonable to suppose so, as the burgomaster—a thing that
had never before happened in his life—betrayed a certain amount of
impatience, from which his companion was not exempt.
Doctor Ox came in at last, and began to excuse himself for having kept
them waiting; but he had to approve a plan for the gasometer, rectify
some of the machinery—But everything was going on well! The pipes
intended for the oxygen were already laid. In a few months the town
would be splendidly lighted. The two notables might even now see the
orifices of the pipes which were laid on in the laboratory.
Then the doctor begged to know to what he was indebted for the honour
of this visit.
“Only to see you, doctor; to see you,” replied Van Tricasse. “It is
long since we have had the pleasure. We go abroad but little in our
good town of Quiquendone. We count our steps and measure our walks. We
are happy when nothing disturbs the uniformity of our habits.”
Niklausse looked at his friend. His friend had never said so much at
once—at least, without taking time, and giving long intervals between
his sentences. It seemed to him that Van Tricasse expressed himself
with a certain volubility, which was by no means common with him.
Niklausse himself experienced a kind of irresistible desire to talk.
As for Doctor Ox, he looked at the burgomaster with sly attention.
Van Tricasse, who never argued until he had snugly ensconced himself in
a spacious armchair, had risen to his feet. I know not what nervous
excitement, quite foreign to his temperament, had taken possession of
him. He did not gesticulate as yet, but this could not be far off. As
for the counsellor, he rubbed his legs, and breathed with slow and long
gasps. His look became animated little by little, and he had “decided”
to support at all hazards, if need be, his trusty friend the
burgomaster.
Van Tricasse got up and took several steps; then he came back, and
stood facing the doctor.
“And in how many months,” he asked in a somewhat emphatic tome, “do you
say that your work will be finished?”
“In three or four months, Monsieur the burgomaster,” replied Doctor Ox.
“Three or four months,—it’s a very long time!” said Van Tricasse.
“Altogether too long!” added Niklausse, who, not being able to keep his
seat, rose also.
“This lapse of time is necessary to complete our work,” returned Doctor
Ox. “The workmen, whom we have had to choose in Quiquendone, are not
very expeditious.”
[Illustration: “The workmen, whom we have had to choose in
Quiquendone, are not very expeditious.”]
“How not expeditious?” cried the burgomaster, who seemed to take the
remark as personally offensive.
“No, Monsieur Van Tricasse,” replied Doctor Ox obstinately. “A French
workman would do in a day what it takes ten of your workmen to do; you
know, they are regular Flemings!”
“Flemings!” cried the counsellor, whose fingers closed together. “In
what sense, sir, do you use that word?”
“Why, in the amiable sense in which everybody uses it,” replied Doctor
Ox, smiling.
“Ah, but doctor,” said the burgomaster, pacing up and down the room, “I
don’t like these insinuations. The workmen of Quiquendone are as
efficient as those of any other town in the world, you must know; and
we shall go neither to Paris nor London for our models! As for your
project, I beg you to hasten its execution. Our streets have been
unpaved for the putting down of your conduit-pipes, and it is a
hindrance to traffic. Our trade will begin to suffer, and I, being the
responsible authority, do not propose to incur reproaches which will be
but too just.”
Worthy burgomaster! He spoke of trade, of traffic, and the wonder was
that those words, to which he was quite unaccustomed, did not scorch
his lips. What could be passing in his mind?
“Besides,” added Niklausse, “the town cannot be deprived of light much
longer.”
“But,” urged Doctor Ox, “a town which has been un-lighted for eight or
nine hundred years—”
“All the more necessary is it,” replied the burgomaster, emphasizing
his words. “Times alter, manners alter! The world advances, and we do
not wish to remain behind. We desire our streets to be lighted within a
month, or you must pay a large indemnity for each day of delay; and
what would happen if, amid the darkness, some affray should take
place?”
“No doubt,” cried Niklausse. “It requires but a spark to inflame a
Fleming! Fleming! Flame!”
“Apropos of this,” said the burgomaster, interrupting his friend,
“Commissary Passauf, our chief of police, reports to us that a
discussion took place in your drawing-room last evening, Doctor Ox. Was
he wrong in declaring that it was a political discussion?”
“By no means, Monsieur the burgomaster,” replied Doctor Ox, who with
difficulty repressed a sigh of satisfaction.
“So an altercation did take place between Dominique Gustos and André
Schut?”
“Yes, counsellor; but the words which passed were not of grave import.”
“Not of grave import!” cried the burgomaster. “Not of grave import,
when one man tells another that he does not measure the effect of his
words! But of what stuff are you made, monsieur? Do you not know that
in Quiquendone nothing more is needed to bring about extremely
disastrous results? But monsieur, if you, or any one else, presume to
speak thus to me—”
“Or to me,” added Niklausse.
As they pronounced these words with a menacing air, the two notables,
with folded arms and bristling air, confronted Doctor Ox, ready to do
him some violence, if by a gesture, or even the expression of his eye,
he manifested any intention of contradicting them.
But the doctor did not budge.
“At all events, monsieur,” resumed the burgomaster, “I propose to hold
you responsible for what passes in your house. I am bound to insure the
tranquillity of this town, and I do not wish it to be disturbed. The
events of last evening must not be repeated, or I shall do my duty,
sir! Do you hear? Then reply, sir.”
The burgomaster, as he spoke, under the influence of extraordinary
excitement, elevated his voice to the pitch of anger. He was furious,
the worthy Van Tricasse, and might certainly be heard outside. At last,
beside himself, and seeing that Doctor Ox did not reply to his
challenge, “Come, Niklausse,” said he.
And, slamming the door with a violence which shook the house, the
burgomaster drew his friend after him.
Little by little, when they had taken twenty steps on their road, the
worthy notables grew more calm. Their pace slackened, their gait became
less feverish. The flush on their faces faded away; from being crimson,
they became rosy. A quarter of an hour after quitting the gasworks, Van
Tricasse said softly to Niklausse, “An amiable man, Doctor Ox! It is
always a pleasure to see him!”