the lesser bourgeoisie-第22节

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Peyrade's　beautiful　piety。〃

〃You　are　right；　he　is　a　man　of　great　merit；　who　is　sure　to　succeed；〃
said　Minard。　〃As　for　me；　my　suffragesfor　I　really　ought　not　to　say
protectionare　his。〃

〃He　pays　more　for　oil　than　for　bread；〃　said　Dutocq。　〃I　know　that。〃

〃His　mother；　if　he　has　the　happiness　to　still　possess　her；　must　be
proud　of　him；〃　remarked　Madame　Thuillier；　sententiously。

〃He　is　a　real　treasure　for　us；〃　said　Thuillier。　〃If　you　only　knew　how
modest　he　is！　He　doesn't　do　himself　justice。〃

〃I　can　answer　for　one　thing；〃　added　Dutocq；　〃no　young　man　ever
maintained　a　nobler　attitude　in　poverty；　he　triumphed　over　it；　but　he
sufferedit　is　easy　to　see　that。〃

〃Poor　young　man！〃　cried　Zelie。　〃Such　things　make　my　heart　ache！〃

〃Any　one　could　safely　trust　both　secrets　and　fortune　to　him；〃　said
Thuillier；　〃and　in　these　days　that　is　the　finest　thing　that　can　be
said　of　a　man。〃

〃It　is　Colleville　who　is　making　him　laugh；〃　cried　Dutocq。

Just　then　Colleville　and　la　Peyrade　returned　from　the　garden　the　very
best　friends　in　the　world。

〃Messieurs；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃the　soup　and　the　King　must　never　be　kept
waiting；　give　your　hand　to　the　ladies。〃

Five　minutes　after　this　little　pleasantry　（issuing　from　the　lodge　of
her　father　the　porter）　Brigitte　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　her
table　surrounded　by　the　principal　personages　of　this　drama；　the　rest；
with　the　one　exception　of　the　odious　Cerizet；　arrived　later。

The　portrait　of　the　former　maker　of　canvas　money…bags　would　be
incomplete　if　we　omitted　to　give　a　description　of　one　of　her　best
dinners。　The　physiognomy　of　the　bourgeois　cook　of　1840　is；　moreover；
one　of　those　details　essentially　necessary　to　a　history　of　manners　and
customs；　and　clever　housewives　may　find　some　lessons　in　it。　A　woman
doesn't　make　empty　bags　for　twenty　years　without　looking　out　for　the
means　to　fill　a　few　of　them。　Now　Brigitte　had　one　peculiar
characteristic。　She　united　the　economy　to　which　she　owed　her　fortune
with　a　full　understanding　of　necessary　expenses。　Her　relative
prodigality；　when　it　concerned　her　brother　or　Celeste；　was　the
antipodes　of　avarice。　In　fact；　she　often　bemoaned　herself　that　she
couldn't　be　miserly。　At　her　last　dinner　she　had　related　how；　after
struggling　ten　minute　and　enduring　martyrdom；　she　had　ended　by　giving
ten　francs　to　a　poor　workwoman　whom　she　knew；　positively；　had　been
without　food　for　two　days。

〃Nature；〃　she　said　naively；　〃is　stronger　than　reason。〃

The　soup　was　a　rather　pale　bouillon；　for；　even　on　an　occasion　like
this；　the　cook　had　been　enjoined　to　make　a　great　deal　of　bouillon　out
of　the　beef　supplied。　Then；　as　the　said　beef　was　to　feed　the　family　on
the　next　day　and　the　day　after　that；　the　less　juice　it　expended　in　the
bouillon；　the　more　substantial　were　the　subsequent　dinners。　The　beef；
little　cooked；　was　always　taken　away　at　the　following　speech　from
Brigitte；　uttered　as　soon　as　Thuillier　put　his　knife　into　it：

〃I　think　it　is　rather　tough；　send　it　away；　Thuillier；　nobody　will　eat
it；　we　have　other　things。〃

The　soup　was；　in　fact；　flanked　by　four　viands　mounted　on　old　hot…water
chafing…dishes；　with　the　plating　worn　off。　At　this　particular　dinner
（afterwards　called　that　of　the　candidacy）　the　first　course　consisted
of　a　pair　of　ducks　with　olives；　opposite　to　which　was　a　large　pie　with
forcemeat　balls；　while　a　dish　of　eels　〃a　la　tartare〃　corresponded　in
like　manner　with　a　fricandeau　on　chicory。　The　second　course　had　for
its　central　dish　a　most　dignified　goose　stuffed　with　chestnuts；　a
salad　of　vegetables　garnished　with　rounds　of　beetroot　opposite　to
custards　in　cups；　while　lower　down　a　dish　of　turnips　〃au　sucre〃　faced
a　timbale　of　macaroni。　This　gala　dinner　of　the　concierge　type　cost；　at
the　utmost；　twenty　francs；　and　the　remains　of　the　feast　provided　the
household　for　a　couple　of　days；　nevertheless；　Brigitte　would　say：

〃Pest！　when　one　has　to　have　company　how　the　money　goes！　It　is
fearful！〃

The　table　was　lighted　by　two　hideous　candlesticks　of　plated　silver
with　four　branches　each；　in　which　shone　eight　of　those　thrifty　wax…
candles　that　go　by　the　name　of　Aurora。　The　linen　was　dazzling　in
whiteness；　and　the　silver；　with　beaded　edges；　was　the　fruit；
evidently；　of　some　purchase　made　during　the　Revolution　by　Thuillier's
father。　Thus　the　fare　and　the　service　were　in　keeping　with　the　house；
the　dining…room；　and　the　Thuilliers　themselves；　who　could　never；　under
any　circumstances；　get　themselves　above　this　style　of　living。　The
Minards；　Collevilles；　and　la　Peyrade　exchanged　now　and　then　a　smile
which　betrayed　their　mutually　satirical　but　repressed　thoughts。　La
Peyrade；　seated　beside　Flavie；　whispered　in　her　ear：

〃You　must　admit　that　they　ought　to　be　taught　how　to　live。　But　those
Minards　are　no　better　in　their　way。　What　cupidity！　they've　come　here
solely　after　Celeste。　Your　daughter　will　be　lost　to　you　if　you　let
them　have　her。　These　parvenus　have　all　the　vices　of　the　great　lords　of
other　days　without　their　elegance。　Minard's　son；　who　has　twelve
thousand　francs　a　year　of　his　own；　could　very　well　find　a　wife
elsewhere；　instead　of　pushing　his　speculating　rake　in　here。　What　fun
it　would　be　to　play　upon　those　people　as　one　would　on　a　bass…viol　or　a
clarionet！〃

While　the　dishes　of　the　second　course　were　being　removed；　Minard；
afraid　that　Phellion　would　precede　him；　said　to　Thuillier　with　a　grave
air：

〃My　dear　Thuillier；　in　accepting　your　dinner；　I　did　so　for　the　purpose
of　making　an　important　communication；　which　does　you　so　much　honor
that　all　here　present　ought　to　be　made　participants　in　it。〃

Thuillier　turned　pale。

〃Have　you　obtained　the　cross　for　me？〃　he　cried；　on　receiving　a　glance
from　Theodose；　and　wishing　to　prove　that　he　was　not　without　craft。

〃You　will　doubtless　receive　it　ere　long；〃　replied　the　mayor。　〃But　the
matter　now　relates　to　something　better　than　that。　The　cross　is　a　favor
due　to　the　good　opinion　of　a　minister；　whereas　the　present　question
concerns　an　election　due　to　the　consent　of　your　fellow　citizens。　In　a
word；　a　sufficiently　large　number　of　electors　in　your　arrondissement
have　cast　their　eyes　upon　you；　and　wish　to　honor　you　with　their
confidence　by　making　you　the　representative　of　this　arrondissement　in
the　municipal　council　of　Paris；　which；　as　everybody　knows；　is　the
Council…general　of　the　Seine。〃

〃Bravo！〃　cried　Dutocq。

Phellion　rose。

〃Monsieur　le　maire　has　forestalled　me；〃　he　said　in　an　agitated　voice；
〃but　it　is　so　flattering　for　our　friend　to　be　the　object　of　eagerness
on　the　part　of　all　good　citizens；　and　to　obtain　the　public　vote　of
high　and　low；　that　I　cannot　complain　of　being　obliged　to　come　second
only；　therefore；　all　honor　to　the　initiatory　authority！〃　（Here　he
bowed　respectfully　to　Minard。）　〃Yes；　Monsieur　Thuillier；　many　electors
think　of　giving　you　their　votes　in　that　portion　of　the　arrondissement
where　I　keep　my　humble　penates；　and　you　have　the　special　advantage　of
being　suggested　to　their　minds　by　a　distinguished　man。〃　（Sensation。）
〃By　a　man　in　whose　person　we　desired　to　honor　one　of　the　most　virtuous
inhabitants　of　the　arrondissement；　who　for　twenty　years；　I　may　say；
was　the　father　of　it。　I　allude　to　the　late　Monsieur　Popinot；
counsellor；　during　his　lifetime；　to　the　Royal　court；　and　our　delegate
in　the　municipal　council　of　Paris。　But　his　nephew；　of　whom　I　speak；
Doctor　Bianchon；　one　of　our　glories；　has；　in　view　of　his　absorbing
duties；　declined　the　responsibility　with　which　we　sought　to　invest
him。　While　thanking　us　for　our　compliment　he　hastake　note　of
thisindicated　for　our　suffrages　the　candidate　of　Monsieur　le　maire
as　being；　in　his　opinion；　capable；　owing　to　the　position　he　formerly
occupied；　of　exercising　the　magisterial　functions　of　the　aedileship。〃

And　Phellion　sat　down　amid　approving　murmurs。

〃Thuillier；　you　can　count　on　me；　your　old　friend；〃　said　Colleville。

At　this　moment　the　guests　were　sincerely　touched　by　the　sight
presented　of　old　Mademoiselle　Brigitte　and　Madame　Thuillier。　Brigitte；
pale　as　though　she　were　fainting；　was　letting　the　slow　tears　run；
unheeded；　down　her　cheeks；　tears　of　deepest　joy；　while　Madame
Thuillier　sat；　as　if　struck　by　lightning；　with　her　eyes　fixed。
Suddenly　the　old　maid　darted　into　the　kitchen；　crying　out　to　Josephine
the　cook：

〃Come　into　the　cellar　my　girl；　we　must　get　out　the　wine　behind　the
wood！〃

〃My　friends；〃　said　Thuillier；　in　a　shaking　voice；　〃this　is　the　finest
moment　of　my　life；　finer　than　even　the　day　of　my　election；　should　I
consent　to　allow　myself　to　be　presented　to　the　suffrages　of　my　fellow…
citizens〃　（〃You　must！　you　must！〃）；　〃for　I　feel　myself　much　worn　down
by　thirty　years　of　public　service；　and；　as　you　may　well　believe；　a　man
of　honor　has　need　to　consult　his　strength　and　his　capacities　before　he
takes　upon　himself　the　functions　of　the　aedileship。〃

〃I　expected　nothing　less　of　you；　Monsieur　Thuillier；〃　cried　Phellion。
〃Pardon　me；　this　is　the　first　time　in　my　life　that　I　have　ever
interrupted　a　superior；　but　there　are　circumstances〃

〃Accept！　accept！〃　cried　Zelie。　〃Bless　my　soul！　what　we　want　are　men
like　you　to　govern　us。〃

〃Resign　yourself；　my　chief！〃　cried　Dutocq；　and；　〃Long　live　the　future
municipal　councillor！　but　we　haven't　an