the lesser bourgeoisie-第105节

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off：

　　Renounces　his　candidacy；　and　he　strongly　urges　the　electors　to
　　transfer　to　Monsieur　Minard；　mayor　of　the　eleventh　arrondissement
　　and　his　friend　and　colleague　in　his　municipal　functions；　all　the
　　votes　with　which　they　seemed　about　to　honor　him。

〃But　this　is　infamous！〃　cried　Thuillier；　recovering　his　speech；　〃you
have　bought　that　Jesuit　la　Peyrade。〃

〃So；〃　said　Minard；　stupefied　by　Thuillier's　attitude；　〃the　article　was
not　agreed　upon　between　you？〃

〃The　wretch　has　profited　by　my　absence　to　slip　it　into　the　paper；　I
understand　now　why　he　prevented　a　copy　from　reaching　me　to…day。〃

〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　Minard；　〃what　you　tell　me　will　seem　incredible
to　the　public。〃

〃I　tell　you　it　is　treachery；　it　is　an　abominable　trap。　Renounce　my
candidacy！why　should　I？〃

〃You　understand；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　Minard；　〃that　I　am　truly　sorry
if　your　confidence　has　been　abused；　but　I　have　just　issued　my　circular
manifesto；　the　die　is　cast；　and　luck　to　the　lucky　now。〃

〃Leave　me；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃it　is　a　comedy　for　which　you　have　paid。〃

〃Monsieur　Thuillier；〃　said　Minard；　in　a　threatening　voice；　〃I　advise
you　not　to　repeat　those　words；　unless　you　are　ready　to　give　me
satisfaction　for　them。〃

Happily　for　Thuillier；　who；　we　may　remember；　had　made　his　profession
of　faith　as　to　civic　courage　some　time　before；　he　was　relieved　from
answering　by　Coffinet；　who　now　opened　the　door　of　the　editorial
sanctum；　and　announced：

〃Messieurs　the　electors　of　the　twelfth　arrondissement。〃

The　arrondissement　was　represented　on　this　occasion　by　five　persons。
An　apothecary；　chairman　of　the　deputation；　proceeded　to　address
Thuillier　in　the　following　terms：

〃We　have　come；　monsieur；　after　taking　cognizance　of　an　article
inserted　this　morning　in　the　'Echo　de　la　Bievre；'　to　inquire　of　you
what　may　be　precisely　the　origin　and　bearing　of　that　article；　thinking
it　incredible　that；　having　solicited　our　suffrages；　you　should；　on　the
eve　of　this　election；　and　from　a　most　mistaken　puritanism；　have　cast
disorder　and　disunion　into　our　ranks；　and　probably　have　caused　the
triumph　of　the　ministerial　candidate。　A　candidate　does　not　belong　to
himself；　he　belongs　to　the　electors　who　have　promised　to　honor　him
with　their　votes。　But；〃　continued　the　orator；　casting　his　eye　at
Minard；　〃the　presence　in　these　precincts　of　the　candidate　whom　you
have　gone　out　of　your　way　to　recommend　to　us；　indicates　that　between
you　and　him　there　is　connivance；　and　I　have　no　need　to　ask　who　is
being　here　deceived。〃

〃No；　messieurs；　no；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃I　have　not　renounced　my
candidacy。　That　article　was　written　and　printed　without　my　knowledge
or　consent。　To…morrow　you　will　see　the　denial　of　it　in　the　same　paper；
and　you　will　also　learn　that　the　infamous　person　who　has　betrayed　my
confidence　is　no　longer　the　editor　of　this　journal。〃

〃Then；〃　said　the　orator　of　the　deputation；　〃in　spite　of　your
declaration　to　the　contrary；　you　do　continue　to　be　the　candidate　of
the　Opposition？〃

〃Yes；　messieurs；　until　death；　and　I　beg　you　to　use　your　utmost
influence　in　the　quarter　to　neutralize　the　effect　of　this　deliberate
falsehood　until　I　am　able　to　officially　present　the　most　formal
disavowal。〃

〃Hear！　hear！〃　said　the　electors。

〃And；　as　for　the　presence　of　Monsieur　Minard；　my　competitor；　in　these
precincts；　I　have　not　invited　it；　and　at　the　moment　when　you　entered
this　room；　I　was　engaged　in　a　very　sharp　and　decided　explanation　with
him。〃

〃Hear！　hear！〃　said　the　electors　again。

Then；　after　cordially　shaking　the　hand　of　the　apothecary；　Thuillier
conducted　the　deputation　to　the　outer　door　of　the　apartment；　after
which；　returning　to　the　editorial　sanctum；　he　said：

〃My　dear　Minard；　I　withdraw　the　words　which　wounded　you；　but　you　can
see　now　what　justification　I　had　for　my　indignation。〃

Here　Coffinet　again　opened　the　door　and　announced：

〃Messieurs　the　electors　of　the　eleventh　arrondissement。〃

The　arrondissement　was　represented　this　time　by　seven　persons。　A
linen…draper；　chairman　of　the　delegation；　addressed　Thuillier　in　the
following　speech：

〃Monsieur；　it　is　with　sincere　admiration　that　we　have　learned　this
morning　from　the　columns　of　your　paper；　the　great　civic　act　by　which
you　have　touched　all　hearts。　You　have　shown；　in　thus　retiring；　a　most
unusual　disinterestedness；　and　the　esteem　of　your　fellow…citizens〃

〃Excuse　me；〃　said　Thuillier；　interrupting　him；　〃I　cannot　allow　you　to
continue；　the　article　about　which　you　are　so　good　as　to　congratulate
me；　was　inserted　by　mistake。〃

〃What！〃　said　the　linen…draper；　〃then　do　you　not　retire？　Can　you
suppose　that　in　opposition　to　the　candidacy　of　Monsieur　Minard　（whose
presence　in　these　precincts　seems　to　me　rather　singular）　you　have　the
slightest　chance　of　success？〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃have　the　goodness　to　request　the　electors
of　your　arrondissement　to　await　the　issue　of　to…morrow's　paper；　in
which　I　shall　furnish　categorical　explanations　of　the　most　distinct
character。　The　article　to…day　is　the　result　of　a　misunderstanding。〃

〃It　will　be　a　sad　pity；　monsieur；〃　said　the　linen…draper；　〃if　you　lose
this　occasion　to　place　yourself　in　the　eyes　of　your　fellow…citizens
beside　the　Washingtons　and　other　great　men　of　antiquity。〃

〃I　say　again；　TO…MORROW；　messieurs；〃　said　Thuillier。　〃I　am　none　the
less　sensible　to　the　honor　you　do　me；　and　I　trust　that　when　you　know
the　whole　truth；　I　shall　not　suffer　in　your　esteem。〃

〃A　pretty　queer　mess　this　seems　to　be；〃　said　the　voice　of　an　elector。

〃Yes；〃　said　another；　〃it　looks　as　if　they　meant　to　bamboozle　us。〃

〃Messieurs；　messieurs！〃　cried　the　chairman；　putting　a　stop　to　the
outbreak；　〃to…morrowwe　will　wait　until　to…morrow　for　the　promised
explanations。〃

Whereupon；　the　deputation　retired。

It　is　not　likely　that　Thuillier　would　have　accompanied　them　beyond　the
door　of　the　sanctum；　but　in　any　case　he　was　prevented　by　the　sudden
entrance　of　la　Peyrade。

〃I　have　just　come　from　your　house；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　the
Provencal；　〃they　told　me　I　should　find　you　here。〃

〃You　have　come；　doubtless；　for　the　purpose　of　explaining　to　me　the
strange　article　you　allowed　yourself　to　insert　in　my　name。〃

〃Precisely；〃　said　la　Peyrade。　〃The　remarkable　man　whom　you　know；　and
whose　powerful　influence　you　have　already　felt；　confided　to　me
yesterday；　in　your　interests；　the　plans　of　the　government；　and　I　saw
at　once　that　your　defeat　was　inevitable。　I　wished　therefore　to　secure
to　you　an　honorable　and　dignified　retreat。　There　was　no　time　to　lose；
you　were　absent　from　Paris；　and　therefore〃

〃Very　good；　monsieur；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃but　you　will　take　notice　that
from　the　present　moment　you　are　no　longer　the　editor　of　this　paper。〃

〃That　is　what　I　came　to　tell　you。〃

〃Perhaps　you　also　came　to　settle　the　little　account　we　have　together。〃

〃Messieurs；〃　said　Minard；　〃I　see　that　this　is　a　business　interview；　I
shall　therefore　take　leave　of　you。〃

As　soon　as　Minard　had　left　the　room；　la　Peyrade　pulled　out　his　pocket…
book。

〃Here　are　ten　thousand　francs；〃　he　said；　〃which　I　will　beg　you　to
remit　to　Mademoiselle　Brigitte；　and　here；　also；　is　the　bond　by　which
you　secured　the　payment　of　twenty…five　thousand　francs　to　Madame
Lambert；　that　sum　I　have　now　paid　in　full；　and　here　is　the　receipt。〃

〃Very　good；　monsieur；〃　said　Thuillier。

La　Peyrade　bowed　and　went　away。

〃Serpent！〃　said　Thuillier　as　he　watched　him　go。

〃Cerizet　said　the　right　thing；〃　thought　la　Peyrade；〃a　pompous
imbecile！〃

The　blow　struck　at　Thuillier's　candidacy　was　mortal；　but　Minard　did
not　profit　by　it。　While　the　pair　were　contending　for　votes；　a
government　man；　an　aide…de…camp　to　the　king；　arrived　with　his　hands
full　of　tobacco　licenses　and　other　electoral　small　change；　and；　like
the　third　thief；　he　slipped　between　the　two　who　were　thumping　each
other；　and　carried　off　the　booty。

It　is　needless　to　say　that　Brigitte　did　not　get　her　farm　in　Beauce。
That　was　only　a　mirage；　by　help　of　which　Thuillier　was　enticed　out　of
Paris　long　enough　for　la　Peyrade　to　deal　his　blow；a　service　rendered
to　the　government　on　the　one　hand；　but　also　a　precious　vengeance　for
the　many　humiliations　he　had　undergone。

Thuillier　had　certainly　some　suspicions　as　to　the　complicity　of
Cerizet；　but　that　worthy　managed　to　justify　himself；　and　by
manoeuvring　the　sale　of　the　〃Echo　de　la　Bievre；〃　now　become　a
nightmare　to　the　luckless　owner；　he　ended　by　appearing　as　white　as
snow。

The　paper　was　secretly　bought　up　by　Corentin；　and　the　late　opposition
sheet　became　a　〃canard〃　sold　on　Sundays　in　the　wine…shops　and
concocted　in　the　dens　of　the　police。



CHAPTER　XVII

IN　THE　EXERCISE　OF　HIS　FUNCTIONS

About　two　months　after　the　scene　in　which　la　Peyrade　had　been
convinced　that　through　a　crime　of　his　past　life　his　future　was
irrevocably　settled；　he　（being　now　married　to　his　victim；　who　was
beginning　to　have　lucid　intervals；　though　the　full　return　of　her
reason　would　not　take　place　until　the　occasion　indicated　by　the
doctors）　was　sitting　one　morning　with　the　head　of　the　police　in　the
latter's　office。　Taking　part　in　the　work　of　the　department；　the　young
man　was　serving　an　apprenticeship　under　that　great　master　in　the
difficult　and　delicat