the lesser bourgeoisie-第16节

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choice；　originally；　may　have　trodden　in　their　day　a　ministerial
carpet。　The　frock　coat；　soaked　by　many　a　down…pour；　with　its
brandebourgs；　the　frogs　of　which　were　indiscreet　enough　to　show　their
skeletons；　testified　by　its　cut　to　departed　elegance。　The　satin　stock…
cravat　fortunately　concealed　the　shirt；　but　the　tongue　of　the　buckle
behind　the　neck　had　frayed　the　satin；　which　was　re…satined；　that　is；
re…polished；　by　a　species　of　oil　distilled　from　the　wig。　In　the　days
of　its　youth　the　waistcoat　was　not；　of　course；　without　freshness；　but
it　was　one　of　those　waistcoats；　bought　for　four　francs；　which　come
from　the　hooks　of　the　ready…made　clothing　dealer。　All　these　things
were　carefully　brushed；　and　so　was　the　shiny　and　misshapen　hat。　They
harmonized　with　each　other；　even　to　the　black　gloves　which　covered　the
hands　of　this　subaltern　Mephistopheles；　whose　whole　anterior　life　may
be　summed　up　in　a　single　phrase：

He　was　an　artist　in　evil；　with　whom；　from　the　first；　evil　had
succeeded；　a　man　misled　by　these　early　successes　to　continue　the
plotting　of　infamous　deeds　within　the　lines　of　strict　legality。
Becoming　the　head　of　a　printing…office　by　betraying　his　master　＇see
〃Lost　Illusions〃＇；　he　had　afterwards　been　condemned　to　imprisonment　as
editor　of　a　liberal　newspaper。　In　the　provinces；　under　the
Restoration；　he　became　the　bete　noire　of　the　government；　and　was
called　〃that　unfortunate　Cerizet〃　by　some；　as　people　spoke　of　〃the
unfortunate　Chauvet〃　and　〃the　heroic　Mercier。〃　He　owed　to　this
reputation　of　persecuted　patriotism　a　place　as　sub…prefect　in　1830。
Six　months　later　he　was　dismissed；　but　he　insisted　that　he　was　judged
without　being　heard；　and　he　made　so　much　talk　about　it　that；　under　the
ministry　of　Casimir　Perier；　he　became　the　editor　of　an　anti…republican
newspaper　in　the　pay　of　the　government。　He　left　that　position　to　go
into　business；　one　phase　of　which　was　the　most　nefarious　stock…company
that　ever　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　correctional　police。　Cerizet
proudly　accepted　the　severe　sentence　he　received；　declaring　it　to　be　a
revengeful　plot　on　the　part　of　the　republicans；　who；　he　said；　would
never　forgive　him　for　the　hard　blows　he　had　dealt　them　in　his　journal。
He　spent　the　time　of　his　imprisonment　in　a　hospital。　The　government　by
this　time　were　ashamed　of　a　man　whose　almost　infamous　habits　and
shameful　business　transactions；　carried　on　in　company　with　a　former
banker；　named　Claparon；　led　him　at　last　into　well…deserved　public
contempt。

Cerizet；　thus　fallen；　step　by　step；　to　the　lowest　rung　of　the　social
ladder；　had　recourse　to　pity　in　order　to　obtain　the　place　of　copying
clerk　in　Dutocq's　office。　In　the　depths　of　his　wretchedness　the　man
still　dreamed　of　revenge；　and；　as　he　had　nothing　to　lose；　he　employed
all　means　to　that　end。　Dutocq　and　himself　were　bound　together　in
depravity。　Cerizet　was　to　Dutocq　what　the　hound　is　the　huntsman。
Knowing　himself　the　necessities　of　poverty　and　wretchedness；　he　set　up
that　business　of　gutter　usury　called；　in　popular　parlance；　〃the　loan
by　the　little　week。〃　He　began　this　at　first　by　help　of　Dutocq；　who
shared　the　profits；　but；　at　the　present　moment　this　man　of　many　legal
crimes；　now　the　banker　of　fishwives；　the　money…lender　of
costermongers；　was　the　gnawing　rodent　of　the　whole　faubourg。

〃Well；〃　said　Cerizet　as　Dutocq　opened　his　door；　〃Theodose　has　just
come　in；　let　us　go　to　his　room。〃

The　advocate　of　the　poor　was　fain　to　allow　the　two　men　to　pass　before
him。

All　three　crossed　a　little　room；　the　tiled　floor　of　which；　covered
with　a　coating　of　red　encaustic；　shone　in　the　light；　thence　into　a
little　salon　with　crimson　curtains　and　mahogany　furniture；　covered
with　red　Utrecht　velvet；　the　wall　opposite　the　window　being　occupied
by　book…shelves　containing　a　legal　library。　The　chimney…piece　was
covered　with　vulgar　ornaments；　a　clock　with　four　columns　in　mahogany；
and　candelabra　under　glass　shades。　The　study；　where　the　three　men
seated　themselves　before　a　soft…coal　fire；　was　the　study　of　a　lawyer
just　beginning　to　practise。　The　furniture　consisted　of　a　desk；　an
armchair；　little　curtains　of　green　silk　at　the　windows；　a　green
carpet；　shelves　for　lawyer's　boxes；　and　a　couch；　above　which　hung　an
ivory　Christ　on　a　velvet　background。　The　bedroom；　kitchen；　and　rest　of
the　apartment　looked　out　upon　the　courtyard。

〃Well；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃how　are　things　going？　Are　we　getting　on？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Theodose。

〃You　must　admit；〃　cried　Dutocq；　〃that　my　idea　was　a　famous　one；　in
laying　hold　of　that　imbecile　of　a　Thuillier？〃

〃Yes；　but　I'm　not　behindhand　either；〃　exclaimed　Cerizet。　〃I　have　come
now　to　show　you　a　way　to　put　the　thumbscrews　on　the　old　maid　and　make
her　spin　like　a　teetotum。　We　mustn't　deceive　ourselves；　Mademoiselle
Thuillier　is　the　head　and　front　of　everything　in　this　affair；　if　we
get　her　on　our　side　the　town　is　won。　Let　us　say　little；　but　that
little　to　the　point；　as　becomes　strong　men　with　each　other。　Claparon；
you　know；　is　a　fool；　he'll　be　all　his　life　what　he　always　was；a
cat's…paw。　Just　now　he　is　lending　his　name　to　a　notary　in　Paris；　who
is　concerned　with　a　lot　of　contractors；　and　they　are　allnotary　and
masonson　the　point　of　ruin。　Claparon　is　going　headlong　into　it。　He
never　yet　was　bankrupt；　but　there's　a　first　time　for　everything。　He　is
hidden　now　in　my　hovel　in　the　rue　des　Poules；　where　no　one　will　ever
find　him。　He　is　desperate；　and　he　hasn't　a　penny。　Now；　among　the　five
or　six　houses　built　by　these　contractors；　which　have　to　be　sold；
there's　a　jewel　of　a　house；　built　of　freestone；　in　the　neighborhood　of
the　Madeleine；a　frontage　laced　like　a　melon；　with　beautiful
carvings；but　not　being　finished；　it　will　have　to　be　sold　for　what　it
will　bring；　certainly　not　more　than　a　hundred　thousand　francs。　By
spending　twenty…five　thousand　francs　upon　it　it　could　be　let；
undoubtedly；　for　ten　thousand。　Make　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　the
proprietor　of　that　house　and　you'll　win　her　love；　she'll　believe　that
you　can　put　such　chances　in　her　way　every　year。　There　are　two　ways　of
getting　hold　of　vain　people：　flatter　their　vanity；　OR　threaten　them；
and　there　are　also　two　ways　of　managing　misers：　fill　their　purse；　or
else　attack　it。　Now；　this　stroke　of　business；　while　it　does　good　to
Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　does　good　to　us　as　well；　and　it　would　be　a
pity　not　to　profit　by　the　chance。〃

〃But　why　does　the　notary　let　it　slip　through　his　fingers？〃　asked
Dutocq。

〃The　notary；　my　dear　fellow！　Why；　he's　the　very　one　who　saves　us。
Forced　to　sell　his　practice；　and　utterly　ruined　besides；　he　reserved
for　himself　this　crumb　of　the　cake。　Believing　in　the　honesty　of　that
idiot　Claparon；　he　has　asked　him　to　find　a　dummy　purchaser。　We'll　let
him　suppose　that　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　is　a　worthy　soul　who　allows
Claparon　to　use　her　name；　they'll　both　be　fooled；　Claparon　and　the
notary　too。　I　owe　this　little　trick　to　my　friend　Claparon；　who　left　me
to　bear　the　whole　weight　of　the　trouble　about　his　stock…company；　in
which　we　were　tricked　by　Conture；　and　I　hope　you　may　never　be　in　that
man's　skin！〃　he　added；　infernal　hatred　flashing　from　his　worn　and
withered　eyes。　〃Now；　I've　said　my　say；　gentlemen；〃　he　continued；
sending　out　his　voice　through　his　nasal　holes；　and　taking　a　dramatic
attitude；　for　once；　at　a　moment　of　extreme　penury；　he　had　gone　upon
the　stage。

As　he　finished　making　his　proposition　some　one　rang　at　the　outer　door；
and　la　Peyrade　rose　to　go　and　open　it。　As　soon　as　his　back　was　turned；
Cerizet　said；　hastily；　to　Dutocq：

〃Are　you　sure　of　him？　I　see　a　sort　of　air　about　himAnd　I'm　a　good
judge　of　treachery。〃

〃He　is　so　completely　in　our　power；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃that　I　don't　trouble
myself　to　watch；　but；　between　ourselves；　I　didn't　think　him　as　strong
as　he　proves　to　be。　The　fact　is；　we　thought　we　were　putting　a　barb
between　the　legs　of　a　man　who　didn't　know　how　to　ride；　and　the　rogue
is　an　old　jockey！〃

〃Let　him　take　care；〃　growled　Cerizet。　〃I　can　blow　him　down　like　a
house　of　cards　any　day。　As　for　you；　papa　Dutocq；　you　are　able　to　see
him　at　work　all　the　time；　watch　him　carefully。　Besides；　I'll　feel　his
pulse　by　getting　Claparon　to　propose　to　him　to　get　rid　of　us；　that
will　help　us　to　judge　him。〃

〃Pretty　good；　that！〃　said　Dutocq。　〃You　are　daring；　anyhow。〃

〃I've　got　my　hand　in；　that's　all；〃　replied　Cerizet。

These　words　were　exchanged　in　a　low　voice　during　the　time　that　it　took
Theodose　to　go　to　the　outer　door　and　return。　Cerizet　was　looking　at
the　books　when　the　lawyer　re…entered　the　room。

〃It　is　Thuillier；〃　said　Theodose。　〃I　thought　he'd　come；　he　is　in　the
salon。　He　mustn't　see　Cerizet's　frock…coat；　those　frogs　would　frighten
him。〃

〃Pooh！　you　receive　the　poor　in　your　office；　don't　you？　That's　in　your
role。　Do　you　want　any　money？〃　added　Cerizet；　pulling　a　hundred　francs
out　of　his　trousers'　pocket。　〃There　it　is；　it　won't　look　amiss。〃

And　he　laid　the　pile　on　the　chimney…piece。

〃And　now；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃we　had　better　get　out　through　the　bedroom。〃

〃Well；　good…bye；〃　said　Theodose；　opening　a　hidden　door　which
communicated　from　the　study　to　the　bedroom。　〃Come　in；　Monsieur
Thuillier；〃　he　called　out　to　the　beau　of　the　Empire。

When　he　saw　him　safely　in　the　study　he　went　to　le