the lesser bourgeoisie-第102节

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or　dandling　her　imaginary　child；　when　suddenly　they　were　stopped　by
the　sound　of　two　or　three　chords　struck　by　the　hand　of　a　master　on　a
piano　of　the　finest　sonority。

〃What　is　that？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。

〃That　is　Lydie；〃　replied　Corentin；　with　what　might　be　called　an
expression　of　paternal　pride；　〃she　is　an　admirable　musician；　and
though　she　no　longer　writes　down；　as　in　the　days　when　her　mind　was
clear；　her　delightful　melodies；　she　often　improvises　them　in　a　way
that　moves　me　to　the　soulthe　soul　of　Corentin！〃　added　the　old　man；
smiling。　〃Is　not　that　the　finest　praise　I　can　bestow　upon　her？　But
suppose　we　sit　down　here　and　listen　to　her。　If　we　go　in；　the　concert
will　cease　and　the　medical　consultation　begin。〃

La　Peyrade　was　amazed　as　he　listened　to　an　improvisation　in　which　the
rare　union　of　inspiration　and　science　opened　to　his　impressionable
nature　a　source　of　emotions　as　deep　as　they　were　unexpected。　Corentin
watched　the　surprise　which　from　moment　to　moment　the　Provencal
expressed　by　admiring　exclamations。

〃Hein！　how　she　plays！〃　said　the　old　man。　〃Liszt　himself　hasn't　a
firmer　touch。〃

To　a　very　quick　〃scherzo〃　the　performer　now　added　the　first　notes　of
an　〃adagio。〃

〃She　is　going　to　sing；〃　said　Corentin；　recognizing　the　air。

〃Does　she　sing　too？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。

〃Like　Pasta；　like　Malibran；　but　hush；　listen　to　her！〃

After　a　few　opening　bars　in　〃arpeggio〃　a　vibrant　voice　resounded；　the
tones　of　which　appeared　to　stir　the　Provencal　to　the　depths　of　his
being。

〃How　the　music　moves　you！〃　said　Corentin；　〃you　were　undoubtedly　made
for　each　other。〃

〃My　God！　the　same　air！　the　same　voice！〃

〃Have　you　already　met　Lydie　somewhere？〃　asked　the　great　master　of　the
police。

〃I　don't　knowI　think　not；〃　answered　la　Peyrade；　in　a　stammering
voice；　〃in　any　case；　it　was　long　agoBut　that　airthat　voiceI
think〃

〃Let　us　go　in；〃　said　Corentin。

Opening　the　door　abruptly；　he　entered；　pulling　the　young　man　after
him。

Sitting　with　her　back　to　the　door；　and　prevented　by　the　sound　of　the
piano　from　hearing　what　happened　behind　her；　Lydie　did　not　notice
their　entrance。

〃Now　have　you　any　remembrance　of　her？〃　said　Corentin。

La　Peyrade　advanced　a　step；　and　no　sooner　had　he　caught　a　glimpse　of
the　girl's　profile　than　he　threw　up　his　hands　above　his　head；　striking
them　together。

〃It　is　she！〃　he　cried。

Hearing　his　cry；　Lydie　turned　round；　and　fixing　her　attention　on
Corentin；　she　said：

〃How　naughty　and　troublesome　you　are　to　come　and　disturb　me；　you　know
very　well　I　don't　like　to　be　listened　to。　Ah！　but〃　she　added；
catching　sight　of　la　Peyrade's　black　coat；　〃you　have　brought　the
doctor；　that　is　very　kind　of　you；　I　was　just　going　to　ask　you　to　send
for　him。　The　baby　has　done　nothing　but　cry　since　morning；　I　was
singing　to　put　her　to　sleep；　but　nothing　can　do　that。〃

And　she　ran　to　fetch　what　she　called　her　child　from　a　corner　of　the
room；　where　with　two　chairs　laid　on　their　backs　and　the　cushions　of
the　sofa；　she　had　constructed　a　sort　of　cradle。

As　she　went　towards　la　Peyrade；　carrying　her　precious　bundle　with　one
hand；　with　the　other　she　was　arranging　the　imaginary　cap　of　her
〃little　darling；〃　having　no　eyes　except　for　the　sad　creation　of　her
disordered　brain。　Step　by　step；　as　she　advanced；　la　Peyrade；　pale；
trembling；　and　with　staring　eyes；　retreated　backwards；　until　he　struck
against　a　seat；　into　which；　losing　his　equilibrium；　he　fell。

A　man　of　Corentin's　power　and　experience；　and　who；　moreover；　knew　to
its　slightest　detail　the　horrible　drama　in　which　Lydie　had　lost　her
reason；　had　already；　of　course；　taken　in　the　situation；　but　it　suited
his　purpose　and　his　ideas　to　allow　the　clear　light　of　evidence　to
pierce　this　darkness。

〃Look；　doctor；〃　said　Lydie；　unfastening　the　bundle；　and　putting　the
pins　in　her　mouth　as　she　did　so；　〃don't　you　see　that　she　is　growing
thinner　every　day？〃

La　Peyrade　could　not　answer；　he　kept　his　handkerchief　over　his　face；
and　his　breath　came　so　fast　from　his　chest　that　he　was　totally　unable
to　utter　a　word。

Then；　with　one　of　those　gestures　of　feverish　impatience；　to　which　her
mental　state　predisposed　her；　she　exclaimed；　hastily：

〃But　look　at　her　doctor；　look！〃　taking　his　arm　violently　and　forcing
him　to　show　his　features。　〃My　God！〃　she　cried；　when　she　had　looked　him
in　the　face。

Letting　fall　the　linen　bundle　in　her　arms；　she　threw　herself　hastily
backwards；　and　her　eyes　grew　haggard。　Passing　her　white　hands　rapidly
over　her　forehead　and　through　her　hair；　tossing　it　into　disorder；　she
seemed　to　be　making　an　effort　to　obtain　from　her　memory　some　dormant
recollection。　Then；　like　a　frightened　mare；　which　comes　to　smell　an
object　that　has　given　it　a　momentary　terror；　she　approached　la　Peyrade
slowly；　stooping　to　look　into　his　face；　which　he　kept　lowered；　while；
in　the　midst　of　a　silence　inexpressible；　she　examined　him　steadily　for
several　seconds。　Suddenly　a　terrible　cry　escaped　her　breast；　she　ran
for　refuge　into　the　arms　of　Corentin；　and　pressing　herself　against　him
with　all　her　force；　she　exclaimed：

〃Save　me！　save　me！　It　is　he！　the　wretch！　It　is　he　who　did　it！〃

And；　with　her　finger　pointed　at　la　Peyrade；　she　seemed　to　nail　the
miserable　object　of　her　terror　to　his　place。

After　this　explosion；　she　muttered　a　few　disconnected　words；　and　her
eyes　closed；　Corentin　felt　the　relaxing　of　all　the　muscles　by　which
she　had　held　him　as　in　a　vice　the　moment　before；　and　he　took　her　in
his　arms　and　laid　her　on　the　sofa；　insensible。

〃Do　not　stay　here；　monsieur；〃　said　Corentin。　〃Go　into　my　study；　I　will
come　to　you　presently。〃

A　few　minutes　later；　after　giving　Lydie　into　the　care　of　Katte　and
Bruneau；　and　despatching　Perrache　for　Doctor　Bianchon；　Corentin
rejoined　la　Peyrade。

〃You　see　now；　monsieur；〃　he　said　with　solemnity；　〃that　in　pursuing
with　a　sort　of　passion　the　idea　of　this　marriage；　I　was　following；　in
a　sense；　the　ways　of　God。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　with　compunction；　〃I　will　confess　to
you〃

〃Useless；〃　said　Corentin；　〃you　can　tell　me　nothing　that　I　do　not　know；
I；　on　the　contrary；　have　much　to　tell　you。　Old　Peyrade；　your　uncle；　in
the　hope　of　earning　a　POT　for　this　daughter　whom　he　idolized；　entered
into　a　dangerous　private　enterprise；　the　nature　of　which　I　need　not
explain。　In　it　he　made　enemies；　enemies　who　stopped　at　nothing；
murder；　poison；　rape。　To　paralyze　your　uncle's　action　by　attacking　him
in　his　dearest　spot；　Lydie　was；　not　abducted；　but　enticed　from　her
home　and　taken　to　a　house　apparently　respectable；　where　for　ten　days
she　was　kept　concealed。　She　was　not　much　alarmed　by　this　detention；
being　told　that　it　was　done　at　her　father's　wish；　and　she　spent　her
time　with　her　musicyou　remember；　monsieur；　how　she　sang？〃

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　la　Peyrade；　covering　his　face　with　his　hands。

〃I　told　you　yesterday　that　you　might　perhaps　have　more　upon　your
conscience　than　the　Thuillier　house。　But　you　were　young；　you　had　just
come　from　your　province；　with　that　brutality；　that　frenzy　of　Southern
blood　in　your　veins　which　flings　itself　upon　such　an　occasion。
Besides；　your　relationship　became　known　to　those　who　were　preparing
the　ruin　of　this　new　Clarissa　Harlowe；　and　I　am　willing　to　believe
than　an　abler　and　better　man　than　you　might　not　have　escaped　the
entanglement　into　which　you　fell。　Happily；　Providence　has　granted　that
there　is　nothing　absolutely　irreparable　in　this　horrible　history。　The
same　poison；　according　to　the　use　that　is　made　of　it；　may　give　either
death　or　health。〃

〃But；　monsieur；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃shall　I　not　always　be　to　her　an
object　of　horror？〃

〃The　doctor；　monsieur；〃　said　Katte；　opening　the　door。

〃How　is　Mademoiselle　Lydie？〃　asked　la　Peyrade；　eagerly。

〃Very　calm；〃　replied　Katte。　〃Just　now；　when　we　put　her　to　bed；though
she　did　not　want　to　go；　saying　she　felt　well；I　took　her　the　bundle
of　linen；　but　she　told　me　to　take　it　away；　and　asked　what　I　meant　her
to　do　with　it。〃

〃You　see；〃　said　Corentin；　grasping　the　Provencal's　hand；　〃you　are　the
lance　of　Achilles。〃

And　he　left　the　room　with　Katte　to　receive　Doctor　Bianchon。

Left　alone；　Theodose　was　a　prey　to　thoughts　which　may　perhaps　be
imagined。　After　a　while　the　door　opened；　and　Bruneau；　the　old　valet；
ushered　in　Cerizet。　Seeing　la　Peyrade；　the　latter　exclaimed：

〃Ha！　ha！　I　knew　it！　I　knew　you　would　end　by　seeing　du　Portail。　And　the
marriage；how　does　that　come　on？〃

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。

〃Something　that　concerns　you；　or　rather；　something　that　we　must　do
together。　Du　Portail；　who　is　too　busy　to　attend　to　business　just　now；
has　sent　me　in　here　to　see　you；　and　consult　as　to　the　best　means　of
putting　a　spoke　in　Thuillier's　election；　it　seems　that　the　government
is　determined　to　prevent　his　winning　it。　Have　you　any　ideas　about　it？〃

〃No；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃and　I　don't　feel　in　the　mood　just　now　to　be
imaginative。〃

〃Well；　here's　the　situation；〃　said　Cerizet。　〃The　government　has
another　candidate；　which　it　doesn't　yet　produce；　because　the
ministerial　negotiations　with　him　have　been　rather　difficult。　During
this　time　Thuillier's　chances　have　been　making　headway。　Minard；　on
whom　they　counted　to　create　a　diversion；　sits；　the　stupid　fool；　i