the lesser bourgeoisie-第17节

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Thuillier；〃　he　called　out　to　the　beau　of　the　Empire。

When　he　saw　him　safely　in　the　study　he　went　to　let　out　his　two
associates　through　the　bedroom　and　kitchen　into　the　courtyard。

〃In　six　months；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃you'll　have　married　Celeste　and　got
your　foot　into　the　stirrup。　You　are　lucky；　you　are；　not　to　have　sat；
like　me；　in　the　prisoners'　dock。　I've　been　there　twice：　once　in　1825；
for　'subversive　articles'　which　I　never　wrote；　and　the　second　time　for
receiving　the　profits　of　a　joint…stock　company　which　had　slipped
through　my　fingers！　Come；　let's　warm　this　thing　up！　Sac…a…papier！
Dutocq　and　I　are　sorely　in　need　of　that　twenty…five　thousand　francs。
Good　courage；　old　fellow！〃　he　added；　holding　out　his　hand　to　Theodose；
and　making　the　grasp　a　test　of　faithfulness。

The　Provencal　gave　Cerizet　his　right　hand；　pressing　the　other's　hand
warmly：

〃My　good　fellow；〃　he　said；　〃be　very　sure　that　in　whatever　position　I
may　find　myself　I　shall　never　forget　that　from　which　you　have　drawn　me
by　putting　me　in　the　saddle　here。　I'm　simply　your　bait；　but　you　are
giving　me　the　best　part　of　the　catch；　and　I　should　be　more　infamous
than　a　galley…slave　who　turns　policeman　if　I　didn't　play　fair。〃

As　soon　as　the　door　was　closed；　Cerizet　peeped　through　the　key…hole；
trying　to　catch　sight　of　la　Peyrade's　face。　But　the　Provencal　had
turned　back　to　meet　Thuillier；　and　his　distrustful　associate　could　not
detect　the　expression　of　his　countenance。

That　expression　was　neither　disgust　nor　annoyance；　it　was　simply　joy；
appearing　on　a　face　that　now　seemed　freed。　Theodose　saw　the　means　of
success　approaching　him；　and　he　flattered　himself　that　the　day　would
come　when　he　might　get　rid　of　his　ignoble　associates；　to　whom　he　owed
everything。　Poverty　has　unfathomable　depths；　especially　in　Paris；
slimy　bottoms；　from　which；　when　a　drowned　man　rises　to　the　surface　of
the　water；　he　brings　with　him　filth　and　impurity　clinging　to　his
clothes；　or　to　his　person。　Cerizet；　the　once　opulent　friend　and
protector　of　Theodose；　was　the　muddy　mire　still　clinging　to　the
Provencal；　and　the　former　manager　of　the　joint…stock　company　saw　very
plainly　that　his　tool　wanted　to　brush　himself　on　entering　a　sphere
where　decent　clothing　was　a　necessity。

〃Well；　my　dear　Theodose；〃　began　Thuillier；　〃we　have　hoped　to　see　you
every　day　this　week；　and　every　evening　we　find　our　hopes　deceived。　As
this　is　our　Sunday　for　a　dinner；　my　sister　and　my　wife　have　sent　me
here　to　beg　you　to　come　to　us。〃

〃I　have　been　so　busy；〃　said　Theodose；　〃that　I　have　not　had　two　minutes
to　give　to　any　one；　not　even　to　you；　whom　I　count　among　my　friends；
and　with　whom　I　have　wished　to　talk　about〃

〃What？　have　you　really　been　thinking　seriously　over　what　you　said　to
me？〃　cried　Thuillier；　interrupting　him。

〃If　you　had　not　come　here　now　for　a　full　understanding；　I　shouldn't
respect　you　as　I　do；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　smiling。　〃You　have　been　a
sub…director；　and　therefore　you　must　have　the　remains　of　ambition
which　is　deucedly　legitimate　in　your　case！　Come；　now；　between
ourselves；　when　one　sees　a　Minard；　that　gilded　pot；　displaying　himself
at　the　Tuileries；　and　complimenting　the　king；　and　a　Popinot　about　to
become　a　minister　of　State；　and　then　look　at　you！　a　man　trained　to
administrative　work；　a　man　with　thirty　years'　experience；　who　has　seen
six　governments；　left　to　plant　balsams　in　a　little　garden！　Heavens　and
earth！I　am　frank；　my　dear　Thuillier；　and　I'll　say；　honestly；　that　I
want　to　advance　you；　because　you'll　draw　me　after　you。　Well；　here's　my
plan。　We　are　soon　to　elect　a　member　of　the　council…general　from　this
arrondissement；　and　that　member　must　be　you。　And；〃　he　added；　dwelling
on　the　word；　〃it　WILL　be　you！　After　that；　you　will　certainly　be　deputy
from　the　arrondissement　when　the　Chamber　is　re…elected；　which　must
surely　be　before　long。　The　votes　that　elect　you　to　the　municipal
council　will　stand　by　you　in　the　election　for　deputy；　trust　me　for
that。〃

〃But　how　will　you　manage　all　this？〃　cried　Thuillier；　fascinated。

〃You　shall　know　in　good　time；　but　you　must　let　me　conduct　this　long
and　difficult　affair；　if　you　commit　the　slightest　indiscretion　as　to
what　is　said；　or　planned；　or　agreed　between　us；　I　shall　have　to　drop
the　whole　matter；　and　good…bye　to　you！〃

〃Oh！　you　can　rely　on　the　absolute　dumbness　of　a　former　sub…director；
I've　had　secrets　to　keep。〃

〃That's　all　very　well；　but　these　are　secrets　to　keep　from　your　wife
and　sister；　and　from　Monsieur　and　Madame　Colleville。〃

〃Not　a　muscle　of　my　face　shall　reveal　them；〃　said　Thuillier；　assuming
a　stolid　air。

〃Very　good；〃　continued　Theodose。　〃I　shall　test　you。　In　order　to　make
yourself　eligible；　you　must　pay　taxes　on　a　certain　amount　of　property；
and　you　are　not　paying　them。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　I'm　all　right　for　the　municipal　council　at　any
rate；　I　pay　two　francs　ninety…six　centimes。〃

〃Yes；　but　the　tax　on　property　necessary　for　election　to　the　chamber　is
five　hundred　francs；　and　there　is　no　time　to　lose　in　acquiring　that
property；　because　you　must　prove　possession　for　one　year。〃

〃The　devil！〃　cried　Thuillier；　〃between　now　and　a　year　hence　to　be
taxed　five　hundred　francs　on　property　which〃

〃Between　now　and　the　end　of　July；　at　the　latest；　you　must　pay　that
tax。　Well；　I　feel　enough　interest　in　you　to　tell　you　the　secret　of　an
affair　by　which　you　might　make　from　thirty　to　forty　thousand　francs　a
year；　by　employing　a　capital　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　at
most。　I　know　that　in　your　family　it　is　your　sister　who　does　your
business；　I　am　far　from　thinking　that　a　mistake；　she　has；　they　tell
me；　excellent　judgment；　and　you　must　let　me　begin　by　obtaining　her
good…will　and　friendship；　and　proposing　this　investment　to　her。　And
this　is　why：　If　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　is　not　induced　to　put　faith　in
my　plan；　we　shall　certainly　have　difficulty　with　her。　Besides；　it
won't　do　for　YOU　to　propose　to　her　that　she　should　put　the　investment
of　her　money　in　your　name。　The　idea　had　better　come　from　me。　As　to　my
means　of　getting　you　elected　to　the　municipal　council；　they　are　these：
Phellion　controls　one　quarter　of　the　arrondissement；　he　and　Laudigeois
have　lived　in　it　these　thirty　years；　and　they　are　listened　to　like
oracles。　I　have　a　friend　who　controls　another　quarter；　and　the　rector
of　Saint…Jacques；　who　is　not　without　influence；　thanks　to　his　virtues；
disposes　of　certain　votes。　Dutocq；　in　his　close　relation　to　the
people；　and　also　the　justice　of　peace；　will　help　me；　above　all；　as　I'm
not　acting　for　myself；　and　Colleville；　as　secretary　of　the　mayor's
office；　can　certainly　manage　to　obtain　another　fourth　of　the　votes。〃

〃You　are　right！〃　cried　Thuillier。　〃I'm　elected！〃

〃Do　you　think　so？〃　said　la　Peyrade；　in　a　voice　of　the　deepest　sarcasm。
〃Very　good！　then　go　and　ask　your　friend　Colleville　to　help　you；　and
see　what　he'll　say。　No　triumph　in　election　cases　is　ever　brought　about
by　the　candidate　himself；　but　by　his　friends。　He　should　never　ask
anything　himself　for　himself；　he　must　be　invited　to　accept；　and　appear
to　be　without　ambition。〃

〃La　Peyrade！〃　cried　Thuillier；　rising；　and　taking　the　hand　of　the
young　lawyer；　〃you　are　a　very　capable　man。〃

〃Not　as　capable　as　you；　but　I　have　my　merits；〃　said　the　Provencal；
smiling。

〃If　we　succeed　how　shall　I　ever　repay　you？〃　asked　Thuillier；　naively。

〃Ah！　that；　indeed！　I　am　afraid　you　will　think　me　impertinent；　but
remember；　there　is　a　true　feeling　in　my　heart　which　offers　some　excuse
for　me；　in　fact；　it　has　given　me　the　spirit　to　undertake　this　affair。
I　loveand　I　take　you　for　my　confidant。〃

〃But　who　is　it？〃　said　Thuillier。

〃Your　dear　little　Celeste；〃　replied　la　Peyrade。　〃My　love　for　her　will
be　a　pledge　to　you　of　my　devotion。　What　would　I　not　do　for　a　FATHER…
IN…LAW！　This　is　pure　selfishness；　I　shall　be　working　for　myself。〃

〃Hush！〃　cried　Thuillier。

〃Eh；　my　friend！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　catching　Thuillier　round　the　body；
〃if　I　hadn't　Flavie　on　my　side；　and　if　I　didn't　know　ALL；　should　I
venture　to　be　talking　to　you　thus？　But　please　say　nothing　to　Flavie
about　this；　wait　till　she　speaks　to　you。　Listen　to　me；　I'm　of　the
metal　that　makes　ministers；　I　do　not　seek　to　obtain　Celeste　until　I
deserve　her。　You　shall　not　be　asked　to　give　her　to　me　until　the　day
when　your　election　as　a　deputy　of　Paris　is　assured。　In　order　to　be
deputy　of　Paris；　we　must　get　the　better　of　Minard；　and　in　order　to
crush　Minard　you　must　keep　in　your　own　hands　all　your　means　of
influence；　for　that　reason　use　Celeste　as　a　hope；　we'll　play　them　off；
these　people；　against　each　other　and　fool　them　allMadame　Colleville
and　you　and　I　will　be　persons　of　importance　one　of　these　days。　Don't
think　me　mercenary。　I　want　Celeste　without　a　〃dot；〃　with　nothing　more
than　her　future　expectations。　To　live　in　your　family　with　you；　to　keep
my　wife　in　your　midst；　that　is　my　desire。　You　see　now　that　I　have　no
hidden　thoughts。　As　for　you；　my　dear　friend；　six　months　after　your
election　to　the　municipal　council；　you　will　have　the　cross　of　the
Legion　of　honor；　and　when　you　are　deputy　you　will　be　made　an　officer
of　it。　As　for　your　speeches　in　the　Chamberwell！　we'll　write　them
together。　Perhaps　it　would　be　desirable　for　you　to　write　a　book；a
serious　b