the lesser bourgeoisie-第10节

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Brigitte。

〃And　ought　we　not；〃　added　Madame　Thuillier；　timidly；　〃to　let　her　marry
according　to　her　own　taste；　so　as　to　be　happy？〃

The　poor　woman　had　detected　in　Felix　Phellion　a　true　love　for　Celeste；
the　love　that　a　woman　crushed　by　Brigitte　and　wounded　by　her　husband's
indifference　（for　Thuillier　cared　less　for　his　wife　than　he　did　for　a
servant）　had　dreamed　that　love　might　be；bold　in　heart；　timid
externally；　sure　of　itself；　reserved；　hidden　from　others；　but
expanding　toward　heaven。　At　twenty…three　years　of　age；　Felix　Phellion
was　a　gentle；　pure…minded　young　man；　like　all　true　scholars　who
cultivate　knowledge　for　knowledge's　sake。　He　had　been　sacredly　brought
up　by　his　father；　who；　viewing　all　things　seriously；　had　given　him
none　but　good　examples　accompanied　by　trivial　maxims。　He　was　a　young
man　of　medium　height；　with　light　chestnut　hair；　gray　eyes；　and　a　skin
full　of　freckles；　gifted　with　a　charming　voice；　a　tranquil　manner；
making　few　gestures；　thoughtful；　saying　little；　and　that　little
sensible；　contradicting　no　one；　and　quite　incapable　of　a　sordid
thought　or　a　selfish　calculation。

〃That；〃　thought　Madame　Thuillier；　〃is　what　I　should　have　liked　my
husband　to　be。〃

One　evening；　in　the　month　of　February；　1840；　the　Thuillier　salon
contained　the　various　personages　whose　silhouettes　we　have　just　traced
out；　together　with　some　others。　It　was　nearly　the　end　of　the　month。
Barbet　and　Metivier　having　business　with　mademoiselle　Brigitte；　were
playing　whist　with　Minard　and　Phellion。　at　another　table　were　Julien
the　advocate　（a　nickname　given　by　Colleville　to　young　Minard）；　Madame
Colleville；　Monsieur　Barniol；　and　Madame　Phellion。　〃Bouillotte；〃　at
five　sous　a　stake；　occupied　Madame　Minard；　who　knew　no　other　game；
Colleville；　old　Monsieur　Saillard；　and　Bandoze；　his　son…in…law。　The
substitutes　were　Laudigeois　and　Dutocq。　Mesdames　Falleix；　Baudoyer；
Barniol；　and　Mademoiselle　Minard　were　playing　boston；　and　Celeste　was
sitting　beside　Prudence　Minard。　Young　Phellion　was　listening　to　Madame
Thuillier　and　looking　at　Celeste。

At　a　corner　of　the　fireplace　sat　enthroned　on　a　sofa　the　Queen
Elizabeth　of　the　family；　as　simply　dressed　as　she　had　been　for　the
last　thirty　years；　for　no　prosperity　could　have　made　her　change　her
habits。　She　wore　on　her　chinchilla　hair　a　black　gauze　cap；　adorned
with　the　geranium　called　Charles　X。；　her　gown；　of　plum…colored　stuff；
made　with　a　yoke；　cost　fifteen　francs；　her　embroidered　collarette　was
worth　six；　and　it　ill　disguised　the　deep　wrinkle　produced　by　the　two
muscles　which　fastened　the　head　to　the　vertebral　column。　The　actor；
Monvel；　playing　Augustus　Caesar　in　his　old　age；　did　not　present　a
harder　and　sterner　profile　than　that　of　this　female　autocrat；　knitting
socks　for　her　brother。　Before　the　fireplace　stood　Thuillier　in　an
attitude；　ready　to　go　forward　and　meet　the　arriving　guests；　near　him
was　a　young　man　whose　entrance　had　produced　a　great　effect；　when　the
porter　（who　on　Sundays　wore　his　best　clothes　and　waited　on　the
company）　announced　Monsieur　Olivier　Vinet。

A　private　communication　made　by　Cardot　to　the　celebrated　〃procureur…
general；〃　father　of　this　young　man；　was　the　cause　of　his　visit。
Olivier　Vinet　had　just　been　promoted　from　the　court　of　Arcis…sur…Aube
to　that　of　the　Seine；　where　he　now　held　the　post　of　substitute
〃procureur…de…roi。〃　Cardot　had　already　invited　Thuillier　and　the　elder
Vinet；　who　was　likely　to　become　minister　of　justice；　with　his　son；　to
dine　with　him。　The　notary　estimated　the　fortunes　which　would
eventually　fall　to　Celeste　at　seven　hundred　thousand　francs。　Vinet
junior　appeared　charmed　to　obtain　the　right　to　visit　the　Thuilliers　on
Sundays。　Great　dowries　make　men　commit　great　and　unbecoming　follies
without　reserve　or　decency　in　these　days。

Ten　minutes　later　another　young　man；　who　had　been　talking　with
Thuillier　before　the　arrival　of　Olivier　Vinet；　raised　his　voice
eagerly；　in　a　political　discussion；　and　forced　the　young　magistrate　to
follow　his　example　in　the　vivacious　argument　which　now　ensued。　The
matter　related　to　the　vote　by　which　the　Chamber　of　Deputies　had　just
overthrown　the　ministry　of　the　12th　of　May；　refusing　the　allowance
demanded　for　the　Duc　de　Nemours。

〃Assuredly；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃I　am　far　from　belonging　to　the
dynastic　party；　I　am　very　far　from　approving　of　the　rise　of　the
bourgeoisie　to　power。　The　bourgeoisie　ought　not；　any　more　than　the
aristocracy　of　other　days；　to　assume　to　be　the　whole　nation。　But　the
French　bourgeoisie　has　now　taken　upon　itself　to　create　a　new　dynasty；
a　royalty　of　its　own；　and　behold　how　it　treats　it！　When　the　people
allowed　Napoleon　to　rise　to　power；　it　created　with　him　a　splendid　and
monumental　state　of　things；　it　was　proud　of　his　grandeur；　and　it　nobly
gave　its　blood　and　sweat　in　building　up　the　edifice　of　the　Empire。
Between　the　magnificence　of　the　aristocratic　throne　and　those　of　the
imperial　purple；　between　the　great　of　the　earth　and　the　People；　the
bourgeoisie　is　proving　itself　petty；　it　degrades　power　to　its　own
level　instead　of　rising　up　to　it。　The　saving　of　candle…ends　it　has　so
long　practised　behind　its　counters；　it　now　seeks　to　impose　on　its
princes。　What　may　perhaps　have　been　virtue　in　its　shops　is　a　blunder
and　a　crime　higher　up。　I　myself　have　wanted　many　things　for　the
people；　but　I　never　should　have　begun　by　lopping　off　ten　millions　of
francs　from　the　new　civil　list。　In　becoming；　as　it　were；　nearly　the
whole　of　France；　the　bourgeoisie　owed　to　us　the　prosperity　of　the
people；　splendor　without　ostentation；　grandeur　without　privilege。〃

The　father　of　Olivier　Vinet　was　just　now　sulking　with　the　government。
The　robe　of　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　which　had　been　his　dream；　was　slow　in
coming　to　him。　The　young　substitute　did　not；　therefore；　know　exactly
how　to　answer　this　speech；　he　thought　it　wise　to　enlarge　on　one　of　its
side　issues。

〃You　are　right；　monsieur；〃　said　Olivier　Vinet。　〃But；　before
manifesting　itself　magnificently；　the　bourgeoisie　has　other　duties　to
fulfil　towards　France。　The　luxury　you　speak　of　should　come　after　duty。
That　which　seems　to　you　so　blameable　is　the　necessity　of　the　moment。
The　Chamber　is　far　from　having　its　full　share　in　public　affairs；　the
ministers　are　less　for　France　than　they　are　for　the　crown；　and
parliament　has　determined　that　the　administration　shall　have；　as　in
England；　a　strength　and　power　of　its　own；　and　not　a　mere　borrowed
power。　The　day　on　which　the　administration　can　act　for　itself；　and
represent　the　Chamber　as　the　Chamber　represents　the　country；
parliament　will　be　found　very　liberal　toward　the　crown。　The　whole
question　is　there。　I　state　it　without　expressing　my　own　opinion；　for
the　duties　of　my　post　demand；　in　politics；　a　certain　fealty　to　the
crown。〃

〃Setting　aside　the　political　question；〃　replied　the　young　man；　whose
voice　and　accent　were　those　of　a　native　of　Provence；　〃it　is　certainly
true　that　the　bourgeoisie　has　ill　understood　its　mission。　We　can　see；
any　day；　the　great　law　officers；　attorney…generals；　peers　of　France　in
omnibuses；　judges　who　live　on　their　salaries；　prefects　without
fortunes；　ministers　in　debt！　Whereas　the　bourgeoisie；　who　have　seized
upon　those　offices；　ought　to　dignify　them；　as　in　the　olden　time　when
aristocracy　dignified　them；　and　not　occupy　such　posts　solely　for　the
purpose　of　making　their　fortune；　as　scandalous　disclosures　have
proved。〃

〃Who　is　this　young　man？〃　thought　Olivier　Vinet。　〃Is　he　a　relative？
Cardot　ought　to　have　come　with　me　on　this　first　visit。〃

〃Who　is　that　little　monsieur？〃　asked　Minard　of　Barbet。　〃I　have　seen
him　here　several　times。〃

〃He　is　a　tenant；〃　replied　Metivier；　shuffling　the　cards。

〃A　lawyer；〃　added　Barbet；　in　a　low　voice；　〃who　occupies　a　small
apartment　on　the　third　floor　front。　Oh！　HE　doesn't　amount　to　much；　he
has　nothing。〃

〃What　is　the　name　of　that　young　man？〃　said　Olivier　Vinet　to　Thuillier。

〃Theodose　de　la　Peyrade；　he　is　a　barrister；〃　replied　Thuillier；　in　a
whisper。

At　that　moment　the　women　present；　as　well　as　the　men；　looked　at　the
two　young　fellows；　and　Madame　Minard　remarked　to　Colleville：

〃He　is　rather　good…looking；　that　stranger。〃

〃I　have　made　his　anagram；〃　replied　Colleville；　〃and　his　name；　Charles…
Marie…Theodose　de　la　Peyrade；　prophecies：　'Eh！　monsieur　payera；　de　la
dot；　des　oies　et　le　char。'　Therefore；　my　dear　Mamma　Minard；　be　sure
you　don't　give　him　your　daughter。〃

〃They　say　that　young　man　is　better…looking　than　my　son；〃　said　Madame
Phellion　to　Madame　Colleville。　〃What　do　you　think　about　it？〃

〃Oh！　in　the　matter　of　physical　beauty　a　woman　might　hesitate　before
choosing；〃　replied　Madame　Colleville。

At　that　moment　it　occurred　to　young　Vinet　as　he　looked　round　the
salon；　so　full　of　the　lesser　bourgeoisie；　that　it　might　be　a　shrewd
thing　to　magnify　that　particular　class；　and　he　thereupon　enlarged　upon
the　meaning　of　the　young　Provencal　barrister；　declaring　that　men　so
honored　by　the　confidence　of　the　government　should　imitate　royalty　and
encourage　a　magnificence　surpassing　that　of　the　former　court。　It　was
folly；　he　said；　to　lay　by　the　emoluments　of　an　office。　Besides；　could
it　be　done；　in　Paris　especially；　where　costs　of　living　had　trebled；
the　apartment　of　a　magist