the lesser bourgeoisie-第23节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


like　you　to　govern　us。〃

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

〃Well；　the　thing　is　settled；〃　said　Minard；　〃you　are　to　be　our
candidate。〃

〃You　think　too　much　of　me；〃　replied　Thuillier。

〃Come；　come！〃　cried　Colleville。　〃A　man　who　has　done　thirty　years　in
the　galleys　of　the　ministry　of　finance　is　a　treasure　to　the　town。〃

〃You　are　much　too　modest；〃　said　the　younger　Minard；　〃your　capacity　is
well　known　to　us；　it　remains　a　tradition　at　the　ministry　of　finance。〃

〃As　you　all　insist〃　began　Thuillier。

〃The　King　will　be　pleased　with　our　choice；　I　can　assure　you　of　that；〃
said　Minard；　pompously。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃will　you　permit　a　recent　dweller　in　the
faubourg　Saint…Jacques　to　make　one　little　remark；　which　is　not　without
importance？〃

The　consciousness　that　everybody　had　of　the　sterling　merits　of　the
advocate　of　the　poor　produced　the　deepest　silence。

〃The　influence　of　Monsieur　le　maire　of　an　adjoining　arrondissement；
which　is　immense　in　ours　where　he　has　left　such　excellent　memories；
that　of　Monsieur　Phellion；　the　oracleyes；　let　the　truth　be　spoken；〃
he　exclaimed；　noticing　a　gesture　made　by　Phellion〃the　ORACLE　of　his
battalion；　the　influence；　no　less　powerful；　which　Monsieur　Colleville
owes　to　the　frank　heartiness　of　his　manner；　and　to　his　urbanity；　that
of　Monsieur　Dutocq；　the　clerk　of　the　justice　court；　which　will　not　be
less　efficacious；　I　am　sure；　and　the　poor　efforts　which　I　can　offer　in
my　humble　sphere　of　activity；are　pledges　of　success；　but　they　are
not　success　itself。　To　obtain　a　rapid　triumph　we　should　pledge
ourselves；　now　and　here；　to　keep　the　deepest　secrecy　on　the
manifestation　of　sentiments　which　has　just　taken　place。　Otherwise；　we
should　excite；　without　knowing　or　willing　it；　envy　and　all　the　other
secondary　passions；　which　would　create　for　us　later　various　obstacles
to　overcome。　The　political　meaning　of　the　new　social　organization；　its
very　basis；　its　token；　and　the　guarantee　for　its　continuance；　are　in　a
certain　sharing　of　the　governing　power　with　the　middle　classes；
classes　who　are　the　true　strength　of　modern　societies；　the　centre　of
morality；　of　all　good　sentiments　and　intelligent　work。　But　we　cannot
conceal　from　ourselves　that　the　principle　of　election；　extended　now　to
almost　every　function；　has　brought　the　interests　of　ambition；　and　the
passion　for　being　SOMETHING；　excuse　the　word；　into　social　depths　where
they　ought　never　to　have　penetrated。　Some　see　good　in　this；　others　see
evil；　it　is　not　my　place　to　judge　between　them　in　presence　of　minds
before　whose　eminence　I　bow。　I　content　myself　by　simply　suggesting
this　question　in　order　to　show　the　dangers　which　the　banner　of　our
friend　must　meet。　See　for　yourselves！　the　decease　of　our　late
honorable　representative　in　the　municipal　council　dates　back　scarcely
one　week；　and　already　the　arrondissement　is　being　canvassed　by
inferior　ambitions。　Such　men　put　themselves　forward　to　be　seen　at　any
price。　The　writ　of　convocation　will；　probably；　not　take　effect　for　a
month　to　come。　Between　now　and　then；　imagine　the　intrigues！　I　entreat
you　not　to　expose　our　friend　Thuillier　to　the　blows　of　his
competitors；　let　us　not　deliver　him　over　to　public　discussion；　that
modern　harpy　which　is　but　the　trumpet　of　envy　and　calumny；　the　pretext
seized　by　malevolence　to　belittle　all　that　is　great；　soil　all　that　is
immaculate　and　dishonor　whatever　is　sacred。　Let　us；　rather；　do　as　the
Third　Party　is　now　doing　in　the　Chamber；keep　silence　and　vote！〃

〃He　speaks　well；〃　said　Phellion　to　his　neighbor　Dutocq。

〃And　how　strong　the　statement　is！〃

Envy　had　turned　Minard　and　his　son　green　and　yellow。

〃That　is　well　said　and　very　true；〃　remarked　Minard。

〃Unanimously　adopted！〃　cried　Colleville。　〃Messieurs；　we　are　men　of
honor；　it　suffices　to　understand　each　other　on　this　point。〃

〃Whoso　desires　the　end　accepts　the　means；〃　said　Phellion；
emphatically。

At　this　moment；　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　reappeared；　followed　by　her　two
servants；　the　key　of　the　cellar　was　hanging　from　her　belt；　and　three
bottles　of　champagne；　three　of　hermitage；　and　one　bottle　of　malaga
were　placed　upon　the　table。　She　herself　was　carrying；　with　almost
respectful　care；　a　smaller　bottle；　like　a　fairy　Carabosse；　which　she
placed　before　her。　In　the　midst　of　the　hilarity　caused　by　this
abundance　of　excellent　thingsa　fruit　of　gratitude；　which　the　poor
spinster　in　the　delirium　of　her　joy　poured　out　with　a　profusion　which
put　to　shame　the　sparing　hospitality　of　her　usual　fortnightly　dinners
numerous　dessert　dishes　made　their　appearance：　mounds　of　almonds；
raisins；　figs；　and　nuts　（popularly　known　as　the　〃four　beggars〃）；
pyramids　of　oranges；　confections；　crystallized　fruits；　brought　from
the　hidden　depths　of　her　cupboards；　which　would　never　have　figured　on
the　table…cloth　had　it　not　been　for　the　〃candidacy。〃

〃Celeste；　they　will　bring　you　a　bottle　of　brandy　which　my　father
obtained　in　1802；　make　an　orange…salad！〃　cried　Brigitte　to　her　sister…
in…law。　〃Monsieur　Phellion；　open　the　champagne；　that　bottle　is　for　you
three。　Monsieur　Dutocq；　take　this　one。　Monsieur　Colleville；　you　know
how　to　pop　corks！〃

The　two　maids　distributed　champagne　glasses；　also　claret　glasses；　and
wine　glasses。　Josephine　also　brought　three　more　bottles　of　Bordeaux。

〃The　year　of　the　comet！〃　cried　Thuillier；　laughing；　〃Messieurs；　you
have　turned　my　sister's　head。〃

〃And　this　evening　you　shall　have　punch　and　cakes；〃　she　said。　〃I　have
sent　to　the　chemists　for　some　tea。　Heavens！　if　I　had　only　known　the
affair　concerned　an　election；〃　she　cried；　looking　at　her　sister…in…
law；　〃I'd　have　served　the　turkey。〃

A　general　laugh　welcomed　this　speech。

〃We　have　a　goose！〃　said　Minard　junior。

〃The　carts　are　unloading！〃　cried　Madame　Thuillier；　as　〃marrons　glaces〃
and　〃meringues〃　were　placed　upon　the　table。

Mademoiselle　Thuillier's　face　was　blazing。　She　was　really　superb　to
behold。　Never　did　sisterly　love　assume　such　a　frenzied　expression。

〃To　those　who　know　her；　it　is　really　touching；〃　remarked　Madame
Colleville。

The　glasses　were　filled。　The　guests　all　looked　at　one　another；
evidently　expecting　a　toast；　whereupon　la　Peyrade　said：

〃Messieurs；　let　us　drink　to　something　sublime。〃

Everybody　looked　curious。

〃To　Mademoiselle　Brigitte！〃

They　all　rose；　clinked　glasses；　and　cried　with　one　voice；
〃Mademoiselle　Brigitte！〃　so　much　enthusiasm　did　the　exhibition　of　a
true　feeling　excite。

〃Messieurs；〃　said　Phellion；　reading　from　a　paper　written　in　pencil；
〃To　work　and　its　splendors；　in　the　person　of　our　former　comrade；　now
become　one　of　the　mayors　of　Paris；to　Monsieur　Minard　and　his　wife！〃

After　five　minutes'　general　conversation　Thuillier　rose　and　said：

〃Messieurs；　To　the　King　and　the　royal　family！　I　add　nothing；　the　toast
says　all。〃

〃To　the　election　of　my　brother！〃　said　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　a　moment
later。

〃Now　I'll　make　you　laugh；〃　whispered　la　Peyrade　in　Flavie's　ear。

And　he　rose。

〃To　Woman！〃　he　said；　〃that　enchanting　sex　to　whom　we　owe　our
happiness；not　to　speak　of　our　mothers；　our　sisters；　and　our　wives！〃

This　toast　excited　general　hilarity；　and　Colleville；　already　somewhat
gay；　exclaimed：

〃Rascal！　you　have　stolen　my　speech！〃

The　mayor　then　rose；　profound　silence　reigned。

〃Messieurs；　our　institutions！　from　which　come　the　strength　and
grandeur　of　dynastic　France！〃

The　bottles　disappeared　amid　a　chorus　of　admiration　as　to　the
marvellous　goodness　and　delicacy　of　their　contents。

Celeste　Colleville　here　said　timidly：

〃Mamma；　will　you　permit　me　to　give　a　toast？〃

The　good　girl　had　noticed　the　dull；　bewildered　look　of　her　godmother；
neglected　and　forgotten；she；　the　mistress　of　that　house；　wearing
almost　the　expression　of　a　dog　that　is　doubtful　which　master　to　obey；
looking　from　the　face　of　her　terrible　sister…in…law　to　that　of
Thuillier；　consulting　each　countenance；　and　oblivious　of　herself；　but
joy　on　the　face　of　that　poor　helot；　accustomed　to　be　nothing；　to
repress　her　ideas；　her　feelings；　had　the　effect　of　a　pale　wintry　sun
behind　a　mist；　it　barely　lighted　her　faded；　flabby　flesh。　The　gauze
cap　trimmed　with　dingy　flowers；　the　hair　ill…dressed；　the　gloomy　brown
gown；　with　no　ornament　but　a　thick　gold　chainall；　combined　with　the
expression　of　her　countenance；　stimulated　the　affection　of　the　young
Celeste；　whoalone　in　the　worldknew　the　value　of　that　woman
condemned　to　silence　but　aware　of　all　about　her；　suffering　from　all
yet　consoling　herself　in　God　and　in　the　girl　who　now　was　watching　her。

〃Yes；　let　the　dear　child　give　us　her　little　toast；〃　said　la　Peyrade　to
Madame　Colleville。

〃Go　on；　my　daughter；〃　cried　Colleville；　〃here's　the　hermitage　still　to
be　drunkand　it's　hoary　with　age；〃　he　added。

〃To　my　kind　godmother！〃　said　the　girl；　lowering　her　glass　respectfully
before　Madame　Thuillier；　and　holding　it　towards　her。

The　poor　woman；　startled；　looked　through　a　veil　of　tears　first　at　her
husband；　and　then　at　Brigitte；　but　her　position　in　the　family　was　so
well　known；　and　the　homage　paid　by　innocence　to　weakness　had　something
so　beautiful　about　it；　that　the　emotion　was　general；　the　men　all　rose
and