the lesser bourgeoisie-第100节

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francs；　which　I　received　on　my　arrival　in　Paris　from　some　unknown
source〃

〃Came　from　me；〃　replied　du　Portail。　〃Unfortunately；　engaged　at　the
time　in　a　rush　of　important　affairs；　which　you　shall　hear　of　later；　I
could　not　immediately　follow　up　the　benevolent　interest　I　felt　in　you
for　your　uncle's　sake；　this　explains　why　I　left　you　in　the　straw　of　a
garret；　where　you　came；　like　a　medlar；　to　that　maturity　of　ruin　which
brought　you　under　the　hand　of　a　Dutocq　and　a　Cerizet。〃

〃I　am　none　the　less　grateful　to　you；　monsieur；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃and
if　I　had　known　you　were　that　generous　protector；　whom　I　was　never　able
to　discover；　I　should　have　been　the　first　to　seek　occasion　to　meet　you
and　to　thank　you。〃

〃A　truce　to　compliments；〃　said　du　Portail；　〃and；　to　come　at　once　to
the　serious　side　of　our　present　conference；　what　should　you　say　if　I
told　you　that　this　uncle；　whose　protection　and　assistance　you　came　to
Paris　to　obtain；　was　an　agent　of　that　occult　power　which　has　always
been　the　theme　of　feeble　ridicule　and　the　object　of　silly　prejudice？〃

〃I　do　not　seize　your　meaning；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　with　uneasy　curiosity；
〃may　I　ask　you　to　be　more　precise？〃

〃For　example；　I　will　suppose；〃　continued　du　Portail；　〃that　your　uncle；
if　still　living；　were　to　say　to　you　to…day：　'You　are　seeking　fortune
and　influence；　my　good　nephew；　you　want　to　rise　above　the　crowd　and　to
play　your　part　in　all　the　great　events　of　your　time；　you　want
employment　for　a　keen；　active　mind；　full　of　resources；　and　slightly
inclined　to　intrigue；　in　short；　you　long　to　exert　in　some　upper　and
elegant　sphere　that　force　of　will　and　subtlety　which　at　present　you
are　wasting　in　the　silly　and　useless　manipulation　of　the　most　barren
and　tough…skinned　animal　on　earth；　to　wit：　a　bourgeois。　Well；　then；
lower　your　head；　my　fine　nephew；　enter　with　me　through　the　little　door
which　I　will　open　to　you；　it　gives　admittance　to　a　great　house；　often
maligned；　but　better　far　than　its　reputation。　That　threshold　once
crossed；　you　can　rise　to　the　height　of　your　natural　genius；　whatever
its　spark　may　be。　Statesmen；　kings　even；　will　admit　you　to　their　most
secret　thoughts；　you　will　be　their　occult　collaborator；　and　none　of
the　joys　which　money　and　the　highest　powers　can　bestow　upon　a　man　will
be　lacking　to　you。〃

〃But；　monsieur；〃　objected　la　Peyrade；　〃without　venturing　to　understand
you；　I　must　remark　that　my　uncle　died　so　poor；　you　tell　me；　that
public　charity　buried　him。〃

〃Your　uncle；〃　replied　du　Portail；　〃was　a　man　of　rare　talent；　but　he
had　a　certain　weak　side　in　his　nature　which　compromised　his　career。　He
was　eager　for　pleasure；　a　spendthrift；　thoughtless　for　the　future；　he
wanted　also　to　taste　those　joys　that　are　meant　for　the　common　run　of
men；　but　which　for　great；　exceptional　vocations　are　the　worst　of
snares　and　impediments：　I　mean　the　joys　of　family。　He　had　a　daughter
whom　he　madly　loved；　and　it　was　through　her　that　his　terrible　enemies
opened　a　breach　in　his　life；　and　prepared　the　horrible　catastrophe
that　ended　it。〃

〃Is　that　an　encouragement　to　enter　this　shady　path；　where；　you　say；　he
might　have　asked　me　to　follow　him？〃

〃But　if　I　myself；〃　said　du　Portail；　〃should　offer　to　guide　you　in　it；
what　then？〃

〃You；　monsieur！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　in　stupefaction。

〃Yes；　II　who　was　your　uncle's　pupil　at　first；　and　later　his
protector　and　providence；　I；　whose　influence　the　last　half…century　has
daily　increased；　I；　who　am　wealthy；　I；　to　whom　all　governments；　as
they　fall　one　on　top　of　the　others　like　houses　of　cards；　come　to　ask
for　safety　and　for　the　power　to　rebuild　their　future；　I；　who　am　the
manager　of　a　great　theatre　of　puppets　（where　I　have　Columbines　in　the
style　of　Madame　de　Godollo）；　I；　who　to…morrow；　if　it　were　necessary　to
the　success　of　one　of　my　vaudevilles　or　one　of　my　dramas；　might
present　myself　to　your　eyes　as　the　wearer　of　the　grand　cordon　of　the
Legion　of　honor；　of　the　Order　of　the　Black　Eagle；　or　that　of　the
Golden　Fleece。　Do　you　wish　to　know　why　neither　you　nor　I　will　die　a
violent　death　like　your　uncle；　and　also　why；　more　fortunate　than
contemporaneous　kings；　I　can　transmit　my　sceptre　to　the　successor　whom
I　myself　may　choose？　Because；　like　you；　my　young　friend；　in　spite　of
your　Southern　appearance；　I　was　cold；　profoundly　calculating；　never
tempted　to　lose　my　time　on　trifles　at　the　outskirts；　because　heat；
when　I　was　led　by　force　of　circumstances　to　employ　it；　never　went
below　the　surface。　It　is　more　than　probable　that　you　have　heard　of　me；
well；　for　you　I　will　open　a　window　in　my　cloud；　look　at　me；　observe　me
well；　have　I　a　cloven　hoof；　or　a　tail　at　the　end　of　my　spine？　On　the
contrary；　am　I　not　a　model　of　the　most　inoffensive　of　householders　in
the　Saint…Sulpice　quarter？　In　that　quarter；　where　I　have　enjoyed；　I
may　say　it；　universal　esteem　for　the　last　twenty…five　years；　I　am
called　du　Portail；　but　to　you；　if　you　will　allow　me；　I　shall　now　name
myself　CORENTIN。〃

〃Corentin！〃　cried　la　Peyrade；　with　terrified　astonishment。

〃Yes；　monsieur；　and　you　see　that　in　telling　you　that　secret　I　lay　my
hand　upon　you；　and　enlist　you。　Corentin！　'the　greatest　man　of　the
police　in　modern　times；'　as　the　author　of　an　article　in　the
'Biographies　of　Living　Men'　has　said　of　meas　to　whom　I　ought　in
justice　to　remark　that　he　doesn't　know　a　thing　about　my　life。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃I　can　assure　you　that　I　shall　keep　that
secret；　but　the　place　which　you　offer　me　near　youin　your　employ〃

〃That　frightens　you；　or；　at　least；　it　makes　you　uneasy；〃　said
Corentin；　quickly。　〃Before　you　have　even　considered　the　thing　the　word
scares　you；　does　it？　The　police！　POLICE！　you　are　afraid　to　encounter
the　terrible　prejudice　that　brands　it　on　the　brow。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃it　is　a　necessary　institution；　but　I　do
not　think　that　it　is　always　calumniated。　If　the　business　of　those　who
manage　it　is　honorable　why　do　they　conceal　themselves　so　carefully？〃

〃Because　all　that　threatens　society；　which　it　is　the　mission　of　the
police　to　repress；〃　replied　Corentin；　〃is　plotted　and　prepared　in
hiding。　Do　thieves　and　conspirators　put　upon　their　hats；　'I　am
Guillot；　the　shepherd　of　this　flock'？　And　when　we　are　after　them　must
we　ring　a　bell　to　let　them　know　we　are　coming？〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃when　a　sentiment　is　universal　it　ceases
to　be　a　prejudice；　it　becomes　an　opinion；　and　this　opinion　ought　to　be
a　law　to　every　man　who　desires　to　keep　his　own　esteem　and　that　of
others。〃

〃And　when　you　robbed　that　notary　to　enrich　the　Thuilliers　for　your　own
advantage；〃　said　Corentin；　〃did　you　keep　your　own　esteem　and　that　of
the　Council　of　barristers？　And　who　knows；　monsieur；　if　in　your　life
there　are　not　still　blacker　actions　than　that？　I　am　a　more　honorable
man　than　you；　because；　outside　of　my　functions；　I　have　not　one
doubtful　act　upon　my　conscience；　and　when　the　opportunity　for　GOOD　has
been　presented　to　me　I　have　done　italways　and　everywhere。　Do　you
think　that　the　guardianship　of　that　poor　insane　girl　in　my　home　has
been　all　roses？　But　she　was　the　daughter　of　my　old　friend；　your　uncle；
and　when；　feeling　the　years　creep　on　me；　I　propose　to　you；　between
sacks　of　money；　to　fit　yourself　to　take　my　place〃

〃What！〃　cried　la　Peyrade；　〃is　that　girl　my　uncle's　daughter？〃

〃Yes；　the　girl　I　wish　you　to　marry　is　the　daughter　of　your　uncle
Peyrade；for　he　democratized　his　name；or；　if　you　like　it　better；
she　was　the　daughter　of　Pere　Canquoelle；　a　name　he　took　from　the
little　estate　on　which　your　father　lived　and　starved　with　eleven
children。　You　see；　in　spite　of　the　secrecy　your　uncle　always　kept
about　his　family；　that　I　know　all　about　it。　Do　you　suppose　that　before
selecting　you　as　your　cousin's　husband　I　had　not　obtained　every
possible　information　about　you？　And　what　I　have　learned　need　not　make
you　quite　so　supercilious　to　the　police。　Besides；　as　the　vulgar　saying
is；　the　best　of　your　nose　is　made　of　it。　Your　uncle　belonged　to　the
police；　and；　thanks　to　that；　he　became　the　confidant；　I　might　almost
say　the　friend；　of　Louis　XVIII。；　who　took　the　greatest　pleasure　in　his
companionship。　And　you；　by　nature　and　by　mind；　also　by　the　foolish
position　into　which　you　have　got　yourself；　in　short；　by　your　whole
being；　have　gravitated　steadily　to　the　conclusion　I　propose　to　you；
namely；　that　of　succeeding　me；of　succeeding　Corentin。　That　is　the
question　between　us；　Monsieur。　Do　you　really　believe　now　that　I　have
not　a　grasp　or　a　'seizin；'　as　you　call　it；　upon　you；　and　that　you　can
manage　to　escape　me　for　any　foolish　considerations　of　bourgeois
vanity？〃

La　Peyrade　could　not　have　been　at　heart　so　violently　opposed　to　this
proposal　as　he　seemed；　for　the　vigorous　language　of　the　great　master
of　the　police　and　the　species　of　appropriation　which　he　made　of　his
person　brought　a　smile　to　the　young　man's　lips。

Corentin　had　risen；　and　was　walking　up　and　down　the　room；　speaking；
apparently；　to　himself。

〃The　police！〃　he　cried；　〃one　may　say　of　it；　as　Basile　said　of　calumny
to　Batholo；　'The　police；　monsieur！　you　don't　know　what　you　despise！'
And；　after　all；〃　he　continued；　after　a　pause；　〃who　are　they　who
despise　it？　Imbeciles；　who　don't　know　any　better　than　to　insult　their
protectors。　S