the lesser bourgeoisie-第24节

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so　beautiful　about　it；　that　the　emotion　was　general；　the　men　all　rose
and　bowed　to　Madame　Thuillier。

〃Ah！　Celeste；　I　would　I　had　a　kingdom　to　lay　at　your　feet；〃　murmured
Felix　Phellion。

The　worthy　Phellion　wiped　away　a　tear。　Dutocq　himself　was　moved。

〃Oh！　the　charming　child！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　rising；　and
going　round　to　kiss　her　sister…in…law。

〃My　turn　now！〃　said　Colleville；　posing　like　an　athlete。　〃Now　listen：
To　friendship！　Empty　your　glasses；　refill　your　glasses。　Good！　To　the
fine　arts；the　flower　of　social　life！　Empty　your　glasses；　refill　your
glasses。　To　another　such　festival　on　the　day　after　election！〃

〃What　is　that　little　bottle　you　have　there？〃　said　Dutocq　to
Mademoiselle　Thuillier。

〃That；〃　she　said；　〃is　one　of　my　three　bottles　of　Madame　Amphoux'
liqueur；　the　second　is　for　the　day　of　Celeste's　marriage；　the　third
for　the　day　on　which　her　first　child　is　baptized。〃

〃My　sister　is　losing　her　head；〃　remarked　Thuillier　to　Colleville。

The　dinner　ended　with　a　toast；　offered　by　Thuillier；　but　suggested　to
him　by　Theodose　at　the　moment　when　the　malaga　sparkled　in　the　little
glasses　like　so　many　rubies。

〃Colleville；　messieurs；　has　drunk　to　FRIENDSHIP。　I　now　drink；　in　this
most　generous　wine；　To　my　friends！〃

An　hurrah；　full　of　heartiness；　greeted　that　fine　sentiment；　but　Dutocq
remarked　aside　to　Theodose：

〃It　is　a　shame　to　pour　such　wine　down　the　throats　of　such　people。〃

〃Ah！　if　we　could　only　make　such　wine　as　that！〃　cried　Zelie；　making　her
glass　ring　by　the　way　in　which　she　sucked　down　the　Spanish　liquid。
〃What　fortunes　we　could　get！〃

Zelie　had　now　reached　her　highest　point　of　incandescence；　and　was
really　alarming。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Minard；　〃but　ours　is　made。〃

〃Don't　you　think；　sister；〃　said　Brigitte　to　Madame　Thuillier；　〃that　we
had　better　take　coffee　in　the　salon？〃

Madame　Thuillier　obediently　assumed　the　air　of　mistress　of　the　house；
and　rose。

〃Ah！　you　are　a　great　wizard；〃　said　Flavie　Colleville；　accepting　la
Peyrade's　arm　to　return　to　the　salon。

〃And　yet　I　care　only　to　bewitch　you；〃　he　answered。　〃I　think　you　more
enchanting　than　ever　this　evening。〃

〃Thuillier；〃　she　said；　to　evade　the　subject；　〃Thuillier　made　to　think
himself　a　political　character！　oh！　oh！〃

〃But；　my　dear　Flavie；　half　the　absurdities　of　life　are　the　result　of
such　conspiracies；　and　men　are　not　alone　in　these　deceptions。　In　how
many　families　one　sees　the　husband；　children；　and　friends　persuading　a
silly　mother　that　she　is　a　woman　of　sense；　or　an　old　woman　of　fifty
that　she　is　young　and　beautiful。　Hence；　inconceivable　contrarieties
for　those　who　go　about　the　world　with　their　eyes　shut。　One　man　owes
his　ill…savored　conceit　to　the　flattery　of　a　mistress；　another　owes
his　versifying　vanity　to　those　who　are　paid　to　call　him　a　great　poet。
Every　family　has　its　great　man；　and　the　result　is；　as　we　see　it　in　the
Chamber；　general　obscurity　of　the　lights　of　France。　Well；　men　of　real
mind　are　laughing　to　themselves　about　it；　that's　all。　You　are　the　mind
and　the　beauty　of　this　little　circle　of　the　petty　bourgeoisie；　it　is
this　superiority　which　led　me　in　the　first　instance　to　worship　you。　I
have　since　longed　to　drag　you　out　of　it；　for　I　love　you　sincerely
more　in　friendship　than　in　love；　though　a　great　deal　of　love　is
gliding　into　it；〃　he　added；　pressing　her　to　his　heart　under　cover　of
the　recess　of　a　window　to　which　he　had　taken　her。

〃Madame　Phellion　will　play　the　piano；〃　cried　Colleville。　〃We　must　all
dance　to…nightbottles　and　Brigitte's　francs　and　all　the　little
girls！　I'll　go　and　fetch　my　clarionet。〃

He　gave　his　empty　coffee…cup　to　his　wife；　smiling　to　see　her　so
friendly　with　la　Peyrade。

〃What　have　you　said　and　done　to　my　husband？〃　asked　Flavie；　when
Colleville　had　left　them。

〃Must　I　tell　you　all　our　secrets？〃

〃Ah！　you　don't　love　me；〃　she　replied；　looking　at　him　with　the
coquettish　slyness　of　a　woman　who　is　not　quite　decided　in　her　mind。

〃Well；　since　you　tell　me　yours；〃　he　said；　letting　himself　go　to　the
lively　impulse　of　Provencal　gaiety；　always　so　charming　and　apparently
so　natural；　〃I　will　not　conceal　from　you　an　anxiety　in　my　heart。〃

He　took　her　back　to　the　same　window　and　said；　smiling：

〃Colleville；　poor　man；　has　seen　in　me　the　artist　repressed　by　all
these　bourgeois；　silent　before　them　because　I　feel　misjudged；
misunderstood；　and　repelled　by　them。　He　has　felt　the　heat　of　the
sacred　fire　that　consumes　me。　Yes　I　am；〃　he　continued；　in　a　tone　of
conviction；　〃an　artist　in　words　after　the　manner　of　Berryer；　I　could
make　juries　weep；　by　weeping　myself；　for　I'm　as　nervous　as　a　woman。
Your　husband；　who　detests　the　bourgeoisie；　began　to　tease　me　about
them。　At　first　we　laughed；　then；　in　becoming　serious；　he　found　out
that　I　was　as　strong　as　he。　I　told　him　of　the　plan　concocted　to　make
SOMETHING　of　Thuillier；　and　I　showed　him　all　the　good　he　could　get
himself　out　of　a　political　puppet。　'If　it　were　only；'　I　said　to　him；
'to　make　yourself　Monsieur　DE　Colleville；　and　to　put　your　charming
wife　where　I　should　like　to　see　her；　as　the　wife　of　a　receiver…
general；　or　deputy。　To　make　yourself　all　that　you　and　she　ought　to　be；
you　have　only　to　go　and　live　a　few　years　in　the　Upper　or　Lower　Alps；
in　some　hole　of　a　town　where　everybody　will　like　you；　and　your　wife
will　seduce　everybody；　and　this；'　I　added；　'you　cannot　fail　to　obtain；
especially　if　you　give　your　dear　Celeste　to　some　man　who　can　influence
the　Chamber。'　Good　reasons；　stated　in　jest；　have　the　merit　of
penetrating　deeper　into　some　minds　than　if　they　were　given　soberly。　So
Colleville　and　I　became　the　best　friends　in　the　world。　Didn't　you　hear
him　say　to　me　at　table；　'Rascal！　you　have　stolen　my　speech'？　To…night
we　shall　be　theeing　and　thouing　each　other。　I　intend　to　have　a　choice
little　supper…party　soon；　where　artists；　tied　to　the　proprieties　at
home；　always　compromise　themselves。　I'll　invite　him；　and　that　will
make　us　as　solidly　good　friends　as　he　is　with　Thuillier。　There；　my
dear　adorned　one；　is　what　a　profound　sentiment　gives　a　man　the　courage
to　produce。　Colleville　must　adopt　me；　so　that　I　may　visit　your　house
by　his　invitation。　But　what　couldn't　you　make　me　do？　lick　lepers；
swallow　live　toads；　seduce　Brigitteyes；　if　you　say　so；　I'll　impale
my　own　heart　on　that　great　picket…rail　to　please　you。〃

〃You　frightened　me　this　morning；〃　she　said。

〃But　this　evening　you　are　reassured。　Yes；〃　he　added；　〃no　harm　will
ever　happen　to　you　through　me。〃

〃You　are；　I　must　acknowledge；　a　most　extraordinary　man。〃

〃Why；　no！　the　smallest　as　well　as　the　greatest　of　my　efforts　are
merely　the　reflections　of　the　flame　which　you　have　kindled。　I　intend
to　be　your　son…in…law　that　we　may　never　part。　My　wife；　heavens！　what
could　she　be　to　me　but　a　machine　for　child…bearing？　whereas　the
divinity；　the　sublime　being　will　beyou；〃　he　whispered　in　her　ear。

〃You　are　Satan！〃　she　said；　in　a　sort　of　terror。

〃No；　I　am　something　of　a　poet；　like　all　the　men　of　my　region。　Come；　be
my　Josephine！　I'll　go　and　see　you　to…morrow。　I　have　the　most　ardent
desire　to　see　where　you　live　and　how　you　live；　the　furniture　you　use；
the　color　of　your　stuffs；　the　arrangement　of　all　things　about　you。　I
long　to　see　the　pearl　in　its　shell。〃

He　slipped　away　cleverly　after　these　words；　without　waiting　for　an
answer。

Flavie；　to　whom　in　all　her　life　love　had　never　taken　the　language　of
romance；　sat　still；　but　happy；　her　heart　palpitating；　and　saying　to
herself　that　it　was　very　difficult　to　escape　such　influence。　For　the
first　time　Theodose　had　appeared　in　a　pair　of　new　trousers；　with　gray
silk　stockings　and　pumps；　a　waistcoat　of　black　silk；　and　a　cravat　of
black　satin　on　the　knot　of　which　shone　a　plain　gold　pin　selected　with
taste。　He　wore　also　a　new　coat　in　the　last　fashion；　and　yellow　gloves；
relieved　by　white　shirt…cuffs；　he　was　the　only　man　who　had　manners；　or
deportment　in　that　salon；　which　was　now　filling　up　for　the　evening。

Madame　Pron；　nee　Barniol；　arrived　with　two　school…girls；　aged
seventeen；　confided　to　her　maternal　care　by　families　residing　in
Martinique。　Monsieur　Pron；　professor　of　rhetoric　in　a　college　presided
over　by　priests；　belonged　to　the　Phellion　class；　but；　instead　of
expanding　on　the　surface　in　phrases　and　demonstrations；　and　posing　as
an　example；　he　was　dry　and　sententious。　Monsieur　and　Madame　Pron；　the
flowers　of　the　Phellion　salon；　received　every　Monday。　Though　a
professor；　the　little　man　danced。　He　enjoyed　great　influence　in　the
quarter　enclosed　by　the　boulevard　du　Mont…Parnasse；　the　Luxembourg；
and　the　rue　de　Sevres。　Therefore；　as　soon　as　Phellion　saw　his　friend；
he　took　him　by　the　arm　into　a　corner　to　inform　him　of　the　Thuillier
candidacy。　After　ten　minutes'　consultation　they　both　went　to　find
Thuillier；　and　the　recess　of　a　window；　opposite　to　that　where　Flavie
still　sat　absorbed　in　her　reflections；　no　doubt；　heard　a　〃trio〃
worthy；　in　its　way；　of　that　of　the　Swiss　in　〃Guillaume　Tell。〃

〃Do　you　see；〃　said　Theodose；　returning　to　Flavie；　〃the　pure　and　honest
Phellion　intriguing　over　there？　Give　a　personal　reason　to　a　virtuous
man　and　he'll　paddle　in　the　slimiest　puddle；　he　is　hooking　that　little
Pron；　and　Pron　is　taking　it　all　in；　solely　to　get　your　little