the lesser bourgeoisie-第107节

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　　gave　me　a　number　of　invitations　to　dinner　to　carry　to　the
　　Thuillier　family；　the　Colleville　family；　the　Minard　family；　the
　　Abbe　Gondrin；　vicar　of　the　Madeleine；　and　nearly　all　the　guests
　　who　were　present　at　another　dinner　a　few　months　earlier；　when　he
　　had　an　encounter　with　Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　and　behaved；　I　must
　　say；　in　a　rather　singular　manner。　All　the　persons　who　received
　　these　invitations　were　so　astonished　to　learn　that　the　old　man
　　Picot　had　married　a　rich　wife　and　was　living　in　the　Thuilliers'
　　old　apartment　that　most　of　them　came　to　inquire　of　Monsieur
　　Pascal；　the　porter；　to　see　if　they　were　hoaxed。　The　information
　　they　obtained　being　honest　and　honorable；　the　whole　society
　　arrived　punctually　on　time；　but　Monsieur　Picot　did　not　appear。
　　The　guests　were　received　by　Madame　Picot；　who　does　not　speak
　　French　and　could　only　say；　〃My　husband　is　coming　soon〃；　after
　　which；　not　being　able　to　make　further　conversation；　the　company
　　were　dull　and　ill　at　ease。　At　last　Monsieur　Picot　arrived；　and　all
　　present　were　stupefied　on　seeing；　instead　of　an　old　blind　man；
　　shabbily　dressed；　a　handsome　young　elderly　man；　bearing　his　years
　　jauntily；　like　Monsieur　Ferville　of　the　Gymnase；　who　said　with　a
　　lively　air：

　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　mesdames；　for　not　being　here　at　the　moment　of
　　your　arrival；　but　I　was　at　the　Academy　of　Sciences；　awaiting　the
　　result　of　an　election；that　of　Monsieur　Felix　Phellion；　who　has
　　been　elected　unanimously　less　three　votes。〃

　　This　news　seemed　to　have　a　great　effect　upon　the　company。　So　then
　　Monsieur　Picot　resumed：

　　〃I　must　also；　mesdames；　ask　your　pardon　for　the　rather　improper
　　manner　in　which　I　behaved　a　short　time　ago　in　the　house　where　we
　　are　now　assembled。　My　excuse　must　be　my　late　infirmity；　the
　　annoyances　of　a　family　lawsuit；　and　of　an　old　housekeeper　who
　　robbed　me　and　tormented　me　in　a　thousand　ways；　from　whom　I　am
　　happily　delivered。　To…day　you　see　me　another　man；　rejuvenated　and
　　rich　with　the　blessings　bestowed　upon　me　by　the　amiable　woman　who
　　has　given　me　her　hand；　and　I　should　be　in　the　happiest　frame　of
　　mind　to　receive　you　if　the　recollection　of　my　young　friend；　whose
　　eminence　as　a　man　of　science　has　just　been　consecrated　by　the
　　Academy；　did　not　cast　upon　my　mind　a　veil　of　sadness。　All　here
　　present；〃　continued　Monsieur　Picot；　raising　his　voice；　which　is
　　rather　loud；　〃are　guilty　towards　him：　I；　for　ingratitude　when　he
　　gave　me　the　glory　of　his　discovery　and　the　reward　of　his　immortal
　　labors；　that　young　lady；　whom　I　see　over　there　with　tears　in　her
　　eyes；　for　having　foolishly　accused　him　of　atheism；　that　other
　　lady；　with　the　stern　face；　for　having　harshly　replied　to　the
　　proposals　of　his　noble　father；　whose　white　hairs　she　ought　rather
　　to　have　honored；　Monsieur　Thuillier；　for　having　sacrificed　him　to
　　ambition；　Monsieur　Colleville；　for　not　performing　his　part　of
　　father　and　choosing　for　his　daughter　the　worthiest　and　most
　　honorable　man；　Monsieur　Minard；　for　having　tried　to　foist　his　son
　　into　his　place。　There　are　but　two　persons　in　the　room　at　this
　　moment　who　have　done　him　full　justice；Madame　Thuillier　and
　　Monsieur　l'Abbe　Gondrin。　Well；　I　shall　now　ask　that　man　of　God
　　whether　we　can　help　doubting　the　divine　justice　when　this　generous
　　young　man；　the　victim　of　all　of　us；　is；　at　the　present　hour；　at
　　the　mercy　of　waves　and　tempests；　to　which　for　three　long　years　he
　　is　consigned。〃

　　〃Providence　is　very　powerful；　monsieur；〃　replied　the　Abbe　Gondrin。
　　〃God　will　protect　Monsieur　Felix　Phellion　wherever　he　may　be；　and
　　I　have　the　firmest　hope　that　three　years　hence　he　will　be　among
　　his　friends　once　more。〃

　　〃But　three　years！〃　said　Monsieur　Picot。　〃Will　it　still　be　time？
　　Will　Mademoiselle　Colleville　have　waited　for　him？〃

　　〃Yes；　I　swear　it！〃　cried　the　young　girl；　carried　away　by　an
　　impulse　she　could　not　control。

　　Then　she　sat　down　again；　quite　ashamed；　and　burst　into　tears。

　　〃And　you；　Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　and　you；　Madame　Colleville；　will
　　you　permit　this　young　lady　to　reserve　herself　for　one　who　is
　　worthy　of　her？〃

　　〃Yes！　Yes！〃　cried　everybody；　for　Monsieur　Picot's　voice；　which　is
　　very　full　and　sonorous；　seemed　to　have　tears　in　it　and　affected
　　everybody。

　　〃Then　it　is　time；〃　he　said；　〃to　forgive　Providence。〃

　　And　rushing　suddenly　to　the　door；　where　my　ear　was　glued　to　the
　　keyhole；　he　very　nearly　caught　me。

　　〃Announce；〃　he　said　to　me；　in　a　very　loud　tone　of　voice；　〃Monsieur
　　Felix　Phellion　and　his　family。〃

　　And　thereupon　the　door　of　a　side　room　opened；　and　five　or　six
　　persons　came　out；　who　were　led　by　Monsieur　Picot　into　the　salon。

　　At　the　sight　of　her　LOVER；　Mademoiselle　Colleville　was　taken　ill；
　　but　the　faint　lasted　only　a　minute；　seeing　Monsieur　Felix　at　her
　　feet　she　threw　herself　into　Madame　Thuillier's　arms；　crying　out：

　　〃Godmother！　you　always　told　me　to　hope。〃

　　Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　who；　in　spite　of　her　harsh　nature　and　want
　　of　education；　I　have　always　myself　thought　a　remarkable　woman；　now
　　had　a　fine　impulse。　As　the　company　were　about　to　go　into　the
　　dining…room；

　　〃One　moment！〃　she　said。

　　Then　going　up　to　Monsieur　Phellion；　senior；　she　said　to　him：

　　〃Monsieur　and　old　friend！　I　ask　you　for　the　hand　of　Monsieur　Felix
　　Phellion　for　our　adopted　daughter；　Mademoiselle　Colleville。〃

　　〃Bravo！　bravo！〃　they　call　cried　in　chorus。

　　〃My　God！〃　said　Monsieur　Phellion；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　〃what
　　have　I　done　to　deserve　such　happiness？〃

　　〃You　have　been　an　honest　man　and　a　Christian　without　knowing　it；〃
　　replied　the　Abbe　Gondrin。

Here　la　Peyrade　flung　down　the　manuscript。

〃You　did　not　finish　it；〃　said　Corentin；　taking　back　the　paper。
〃However；　there's　not　much　more。　Monsieur　Henri　confesses　to　me　that
the　scene　had　MOVED　HIM；　he　also　says　that；　knowing　the　interest　I　had
formerly　taken　in　the　marriage；　he　thought　he　ought　to　inform　me　of
its　conclusion；　ending　with　a　slightly　veiled　suggestion　of　a　fee。　No；
stay；〃　resumed　Corentin；　〃here　is　a　detail　of　some　importance：〃

　　The　English　woman　seems　to　have　made　it　known　during　dinner　that；
　　having　no　heirs；　her　fortune；　after　the　lives　of　herself　and　her
　　husband；　will　go　to　Felix。　That　will　make　him　powerfully　rich　one
　　of　these　days。

La　Peyrade　had　risen　and　was　striding　about　the　room　with　rapid　steps。

〃Well；〃　said　Corentin；　〃what　is　the　matter　with　you？〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃That　is　not　true；〃　said　the　great　detective。　〃I　think　you　envy　the
happiness　of　that　young　man。　My　dear　fellow；　permit　me　to　tell　you
that　if　such　a　conclusion　were　to　your　taste；　you　should　have　acted　as
he　has　done。　When　I　sent　you　two　thousand　francs　on　which　to　study
law；　I　did　not　intend　you　to　succeed　me；　I　expected　you　to　row　your
galley　laboriously；　to　have　the　needful　courage　for　obscure　and
painful　toil；　your　day　would　infallibly　have　come。　But　you　chose　to
violate　fortune〃

〃Monsieur！〃

〃I　mean　hasten　it；　reap　it　before　it　ripened。　You　flung　yourself　into
journalism；　then　into　business；　questionable　business；　you　made
acquaintance　with　Messieurs　Dutocq　and　Cerizet。　Frankly；　I　think　you
fortunate　to　have　entered　the　port　which　harbors　you　to…day。　In　any
case；　you　are　not　sufficiently　simple　of　heart　to　have　really　valued
the　joys　reserved　for　Felix　Phellion。　These　bourgeois〃

〃These　bourgeois；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　quickly；〃I　know　them　now。　They
have　great　absurdities；　great　vices　even；　but　they　have　virtues；　or；
at　the　least；　estimable　qualities；　in　them　lies　the　vital　force　of　our
corrupt　society。〃

〃YOUR　society！〃　said　Corentin；　smiling；　〃you　speak　as　if　you　were
still　in　the　ranks。　You　have　another　sphere；　my　dear　fellow；　and　you
must　learn　to　be　more　content　with　your　lot。　Governments　pass；
societies　perish　or　dwindle；　but　weWE　dominate　all　things；　the
police　is　eternal。〃



TRANSLATOR'S　NOTE

　　Note。This　volume　（〃Les　Petits　Bourgeois〃）　was　not　published
　　until　1854；　more　than　three　years　after　Balzac's　death；　although
　　he　says　of　it　in　March；　1844：　〃I　must　tell　you　that　my　work
　　entitled　'Les　Petits　Bourgeois；'　owing　to　difficulties　of
　　execution；　requires　still　a　month's　labor；　although　the　book　is
　　entirely　written。〃　And　again；　in　October；　1846；　he　says：　〃It　is　to
　　such　scruples〃　（care　in　perfecting　his　work）　〃that　delays　which
　　have　injured　several　of　my　works　are　due；　for　instance；　'Les
　　Paysans；'　which　has　long　been　nearly　finished；　and　'Les　Petits
　　Bourgeois；'　which　has　been　in　type　at　the　printing　office　for　the
　　last　eighteen　months。〃









End