the lesser bourgeoisie-第29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！


energyfor；　I　shall　succeed！　surely　I　shall！I　have　observed　that
your　integrity；　your　honor　is　that　of　the　olden　time；　your　judgment
righteous　and　inflexible。　Also；　you　have　a　knowledge　of　business；　and
these　qualities　combined　are　precious　helps　to　a　man。　With　a　mother…
in…law；　as　I　may　say；　of　your　powers；　I　should　find　my　home　life
relieved　of　a　crowd　of　cares　and　details　as　to　property；　which　hinder
a　man's　advance　in　a　political　career　if　he　is　forced　to　attend　to
them。　I　admired　you　deeply　on　Sunday　evening。　Ah！　you　were　fine！　How
you　did　manage　matters！　In　ten　minutes　that　dining…room　was　cleared！
And；　without　going　outside　of　your　own　apartment；　you　had　everything
at　hand　for　the　refreshments；　for　the　supper！　'There；'　I　said　to
myself；　as　I　watched　you；　'is　a　true　〃maitresse…femme〃a　masterly
woman！'〃

Brigitte's　nostrils　dilated；　she　breathed　in　the　words　of　the　young
lawyer。　He　gave　her　a　side…long　glance　to　enjoy　his　triumph；　he　had
touched　the　right　chord　in　her　breast。

At　this　moment　he　was　standing；　but　he　now　resumed　his　seat　beside
her；　and　said：

〃Now　here　is　our　affair；　dear　auntfor　you　will　be　a　sort　of　aunt〃

〃Hush！　you　naughty　fellow！〃　said　Brigitte；　〃and　go　on。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　the　matter　roughlyand　remark；　if　you　please；　that　I
compromise　myself　in　telling　it　to　you；　for　these　secrets　are
entrusted　to　me　as　a　lawyer。　Therefore　understand　that　you　and　I　are
both　committing　a　crime；　so　to　speak；　of　leze…confidence！　A　notary　of
Paris　was　in　partnership　with　an　architect；　they　bought　land　and　built
upon　it；　at　the　present　moment；　property　has　come　down　with　a　rush；
they　find　themselves　embarrassedbut　all　that　doesn't　concern　us。
Among　the　houses　built　by　this　illegal　partnershipfor　notaries；　you
know；　are　sworn　to　have　nothing　to　do　with　enterprisesis　a　very　good
one　which；　not　being　finished；　must　be　sold　at　a　great　sacrifice；　so
great　that　they　now　ask　only　one　hundred　thousand　francs　for　it；
although　the　cost　of　the　land　and　the　building　was　at　least　four
hundred　thousand。　As　the　whole　interior　is　still　unfinished；　the　value
of　what　is　still　to　do　is　easily　appraised；　it　will　probably　not　be
more　than　fifty　thousand　francs。　Now；　owing　to　its　excellent　position；
this　house；　when　finished；　will　certainly　bring　in　a　rental；　over　and
above　the　taxes；　of　forty　thousand　francs　a　year。　It　is　built　of
freestone；　the　corners　and　copings　of　cut　granite；　the　facade　is
covered　with　handsome　carvings；　on　which　they　spent　more　than　twenty
thousand　francs；　the　windows　are　plate　glass　with　a　new　style　of
fastening　called　'cremona。'〃

〃Well；　where　is　the　difficulty？〃

〃Just　here：　the　notary　wants　to　reserve　to　himself　this　bit　of　the
cake　he　is　forced　to　surrender；　he　is；　under　the　name　of　a　friend；　the
creditor　who　requests　the　sale　of　the　property　by　the　assignee　of　the
bankruptcy。　The　case　has　not　been　brought　into　court；　for　legal
proceedings　cost　so　much　money。　The　sale　is　to　be　made　by　voluntary
agreement。　Now；　this　notary　has　applied　to　one　of　my　clients　to　lend
him　his　name　for　this　purchase。　My　client；　a　poor　devil；　says　to　me：
'There's　a　fortune　to　made　out　of　that　house　by　fooling　the　notary。'〃

〃And　they　do　that　sort　of　thing　in　business！〃　said　Brigitte；　quickly。

〃If　that　were　the　only　difficulty；〃　continued　Theodose；　〃it　would　be；
as　a　friend　of　mine　said　to　his　pupil；　who　was　complaining　of　the
length　of　time　it　took　to　produce　masterpieces　in　painting：　'My　dear
young　fellow；　if　it　were　not　so；　our　valets　would　be　painting
pictures。'　But；　mademoiselle；　if　we　now　get　the　better　of　this　notary；
who　certainly　deserves　it；　for　he　has　compromised　a　number　of　private
fortunes；　yet；　as　he　is　a　very　shrewd　man　（though　a　notary）；　it　might
perhaps　be　very　difficult　to　do　it　a　second　time；　and　here's　the　rub：
When　a　piece　of　landed　property　is　bought　at　a　forced　sale；　if　those
who　have　lent　money　on　that　property　see　that　is　likely　to　be　sold　so
low　as　not　to　cover　the　sum　loaned　upon　it；　they　have　the　right；　until
the　expiration　of　a　certain　time；　to　bid　it　in；　that　is；　to　offer　more
and　keep　the　property　in　their　own　hands。　If　this　trickster　can't　be
hoodwinked　as　to　the　sale　being　a　bona　fide　one　until　the　time　when
his　right　to　buy　it　expires；　some　other　scheme　must　be　resorted　to。
Now；　is　this　business　strictly　legal？　Am　I　justified　in　doing　it　for
the　benefit　of　a　family　I　seek　to　enter？　That　is　the　question　I　have
been　revolving　in　my　mind　for　the　last　three　days。〃

Brigitte；　we　must　acknowledge；　hesitated；　and　Theodose　then　brought
forward　his　last　card：

〃Take　the　night　to　think　of　it；〃　he　said；　〃to…morrow　we　will　talk　it
over。〃

〃My　young　friend；〃　said　Brigitte；　looking　at　the　lawyer　with　an　almost
loving　air；　〃the　first　thing　to　be　done　is　to　see　the　house。　Where　is
it？〃

〃Near　the　Madeleine。　That　will　be　the　heart　of　Paris　in　ten　years。　All
that　property　has　been　desirable　since　1819；　the　banker　Du　Tillet's
fortune　was　derived　from　property　about　there。　The　famous　failure　of
Maitre　Roquin；　which　carried　terror　to　all　Paris；　and　did　such　harm　to
the　confidence　given　to　the　notariat；　was　also　caused　by　it；　they　went
into　heavy　speculations　on　that　land　too　soon；　they　should　have　waited
until　now。〃

〃I　remember　about　that；〃　said　Brigitte。

〃The　house　might　be　finished　by　the　end　of　the　year；〃　continued
Theodose；　〃and　the　rentals　could　begin　next　spring。〃

〃Could　we　go　there　to…morrow？〃

〃Dear　aunt；　I　am　at　your　orders。〃

〃Ah　ca！〃　she　cried；　〃don't　call　me　that　before　people。　As　to　this
affair；〃　she　continued；　〃I　can't　have　any　opinion　until　I　have　seen
the　house。〃

〃It　has　six　storeys；　nine　windows　on　the　front；　a　fine　courtyard；　four
shops；　and　it　stands　on　a　corner。　Ah！　that　notary　knows　what　he　is
about　in　wishing　to　hold　on　to　such　pieces　of　property！　But　let
political　events　interfere；　and　down　go　the　Funds！　If　I　were　you；　I
should　sell　out　all　that　you　and　Madame　Thuillier　have　on　the　Grand
Livre　and　buy　this　fine　piece　of　real　estate　for　Thuillier；　and　I'd
recover　the　fortune　of　that　poor；　pious　creature　by　savings　from　its
proceeds。　Can　the　Funds　go　higher　than　they　are　to…day？　One　hundred
and　twenty…two！　it　is　fabulous；　I　should　make　haste　to　sell。〃

Brigitte　licked　her　lips；　she　perceived　the　means　of　keeping　her　own
property　intact；　and　of　enriching　her　brother　by　this　use　of　Madame
Thuillier's　fortune。

〃My　brother　is　right；〃　she　said　to　Theodose；　〃you　certainly　are　a　rare
man；　you'll　get　on　in　the　world。〃

〃And　he'll　walk　before　me；〃　responded　Theodose　with　a　naivete　that
touched　the　old　maid。

〃You　will　live　in　the　family；〃　she　said。

〃There　may　be　obstacles　to　that；〃　he　remarked。　〃Madame　Thuillier　is
very　queer　at　times；　she　doesn't　like　me。〃

〃Ha！　I'll　settle　that；〃　cried　Brigitte。　〃Do　you　attend　to　that　affair
and　carry　it　through　if　it　is　feasible；　and　leave　your　interests　in　my
hands。〃

〃Thuillier；　member　of　the　municipal　council；　owner　of　an　estate　with　a
rental　of　forty　thousand　francs　a　year；　with　the　cross　of　the　Legion
of　honor　and　the　author　of　a　political　work；　grave；　serious；
important；　will　be　deputy　at　the　forthcoming　general　election。　But；
between　ourselves；　little　aunt；　one　couldn't　devote　one's　self　so
utterly　except　for　a　father…in…law。〃

〃You　are　right。〃

〃Though　I　have　no　fortune　I　shall　have　doubled　yours；　and　if　this
affair　goes　through　discreetly；　others　will　turn　up。〃

〃Until　I　have　seen　the　house；〃　said　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　again；　〃I
can　decide　on　nothing。〃

〃Well　then；　send　for　a　carriage　to…morrow　and　let　us　go　there。　I　will
get　a　ticket　early　in　the　morning　to　view　the　premises。〃

〃To…morrow；　then；　about　mid…day；〃　responded　Brigitte；　holding　out　her
hand　to　Theodose　that　he　might　shake　it；　but　instead　of　that　he　laid
upon　it　the　most　respectful　and　the　most　tender　kiss　that　Brigitte　had
ever　in　her　life　received。

〃Adieu；　my　child；〃　she　said；　as　he　reached　the　door。

She　rang　the　bell　hurriedly　and　when　the　servant　came：

〃Josephine；〃　she　cried；　〃go　at　once　to　Madame　Colleville；　and　ask　her
to　come　over　and　speak　to　me。〃

Fifteen　minutes　later　Flavie　entered　the　salon；　where　Brigitte　was
walking　up　and　down；　in　a　state　of　extreme　agitation。

〃My　dear；〃　she　cried　on　seeing　Flavie；　〃you　can　do　me　a　great　service；
which　concerns　our　dear　Celeste。　You　know　Tullia；　don't　you？a
danseuse　at　the　opera；　my　brother　was　always　dinning　her　into　my　ears
at　one　time。〃

〃Yes；　I　know　her；　but　she　is　no　longer　a　danseuse；　she　is　Madame　la
Comtesse　du　Bruel。　Her　husband　is　peer　of　France！〃

〃Does　she　still　like　you？〃

〃We　never　see　each　other　now。〃

〃Well；　I　know　that　Chaffaroux；　the　rich　contractor；　is　her　uncle；〃
said　Brigitte。　〃He　is　old　and　wealthy。　Go　and　see　your　former　friend；
and　get　her　to　give　you　a　line　of　introduction　to　him；　saying　he　would
do　her　an　eminent　favor　if　he　would　give　a　piece　of　friendly　advice　to
the　bearer　of　the　note；　and　then　you　and　I　will　take　it　to　him
to…morrow　about　one　o'clock。　But　tell　Tullia　she　must　request　her
uncle　to　keep　secret　about　it。　Go；　my　dear。　Celeste；　our　dear　child；
will　be　a　millionaire！　I　can't　say　more；　but　she'll　have；　from　me；　a
husband　who　will　put　h