the lesser bourgeoisie-第35节

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claim；　we'll　let　him　have　it；　not　counting　the　five　hundred　for　you
and　as　much　more　for　Desroches；　provided　Thuillier　receives　the
relinquishment　of　his　claim　by　ten　o'clock　to…morrow　morning。　What
does　this　Sauvaignou　want？　Nothing　but　money。　Well；　a　haggler　like
that　won't　resist　the　attraction　of　an　extra　thousand　francs；
especially　if　he　is　only　the　instrument　of　a　cupidity　behind　him。　It
is　no　matter　to　us　how　he　fights　it　out　with　those　who　prompt　him。
Now；　then；　do　you　think　you　can　get　the　Thuillier　family　out　of　this？〃

〃I'll　go　and　see　Desroches　at　once；〃　said　Godeschal。

〃Not　before　Thuillier　gives　you　a　power　of　attorney　and　five　hundred
francs。　The　money　should　be　on　the　table　in　a　case　like　this。〃

After　the　interview　with　Thuillier　was　over；　la　Peyrade　took　Godeschal
in　the　carriage　to　the　rue　du　Bethizy；　where　Desroches　lived；
explaining　that　it　was　on　their　way　back　to　the　rue　Saint…Dominique
d'Enfer。　When　they　stopped　at　Desroches's　door　la　Peyrade　made　an
appointment　with　Godeschal　to　meet　him　there　the　next　morning　at　seven
o'clock。

La　Peyrade's　whole　future　and　fortune　lay　in　the　outcome　of　this
conference。　It　is　therefore　not　astonishing　that　he　disregarded　the
customs　of　the　bar　and　went　to　Desroches's　office；　to　study　Sauvaignou
and　take　part　in　the　struggle；　in　spite　of　the　danger　he　ran　in　thus
placing　himself　visibly　before　the　eyes　of　one　of　the　most　dreaded
attorneys　in　Paris。

As　he　entered　the　office　and　made　his　salutations；　he　took　note　of
Sauvaignou。　The　man　was；　as　the　name　had　already　told　him；　from
Marseilles；the　foreman　of　a　master…carpenter；　entrusted　with　the
giving　out　of　sub…contracts。　The　profits　of　this　work　consisted　of
what　he　could　make　between　the　price　he　paid　for　the　work　and　that
paid　to　him　by　the　master…carpenter；　this　agreement　being　exclusive　of
material；　his　contract　being　only　for　labor。　The　master…carpenter　had
failed。　Sauvaignou　had　thereupon　appealed　to　the　court　of　commerce　for
recognition　as　creditor　with　a　lien　on　the　property。　He　was　a　stocky
little　man；　dressed　in　a　gray　linen　blouse；　with　a　cap　on　his　head；
and　was　seated　in　an　armchair。　Three　banknotes；　of　a　thousand　francs
each；　lying　visibly　before　him　on　Desroches's　desk；　informed　la
Peyrade　that　the　negotiation　had　already　taken　place；　and　that　the
lawyers　were　worsted。　Godeschal's　eyes　told　the　rest；　and　the　glance
which　Desroches　cast　at　the　〃poor　man's　advocate〃　was　like　the　blow　of
a　pick…axe　into　the　earth　of　a　grave。　Stimulated　by　his　danger；　the
Provencal　became　magnificent。　He　coolly　took　up　the　bank…notes　and
folded　them；　as　if　to　put　them　in　his　pocket；　saying　to　Desroches：

〃Thuillier　has　changed　his　mind。〃

〃Very　good；　then　we　are　all　agreed；〃　said　the　terrible　attorney。

〃Yes；　your　client　must　now　hand　over　to　us　the　fifty　thousand　francs
we　have　spent　on　finishing　the　house；　according　to　the　contract
between　Thuillier　and　Grindot。　I　did　not　tell　you　that　yesterday；〃　he
added；　turning　to　Godeschal。

〃Do　you　hear　that？〃　said　Desroches　to　Sauvaignou。　〃That's　a　case　I
shall　not　touch　without　proper　guarantees。〃

〃But；　messieurs；〃　said　Sauvaignou；　〃I　can't　negotiate　this　matter
until　I　have　seen　the　worthy　man　who　paid　me　five　hundred　francs　on
account　for　having　signed　him　that　bit　of　a　proxy。〃

〃Are　you　from　Marseilles？〃　said　la　Peyrade；　in　patois。

〃Oh！　if　he　tackles　him　with　patois　the　fellow　is　beaten；〃　said
Godeschal　to　Desroches　in　a　low　tone。

〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　replied　the　Marseillais。

〃Well；　you　poor　devil；〃　continued　Theodose；　〃don't　you　see　that　they
want　to　ruin　you？　Shall　I　tell　you　what　you　ought　to　do？　Pocket　these
three　thousand　francs；　and　when　your　worthy　man　comes　after　you；　take
your　rule　and　hit　him　a　rap　over　the　knuckles；　tell　him　he's　a　rascal
who　wants　you　to　do　his　dirty　work；　and　instead　of　that　you　revoke
your　proxy　and　will　pay　him　his　five　hundred　francs　in　the　week　with
three　Thursdays。　Then　be　off　with　you　to　Marseilles　with　these　three
thousand　francs　and　your　savings　in　your　pocket。　If　anything　happens
to　you　there；　let　me　know　through　these　gentlemen；　and　I'll　get　you
out　of　the　scrape；　for；　don't　you　see？　I'm　not　only　a　Provencal；　but
I'm　also　one　of　the　leading　lawyers　in　Paris；　and　the　friend　of　the
poor。〃

When　the　workman　found　a　compatriot　sanctioning　in　a　tone　of　authority
the　reasons　by　which　he　could　betray　Cerizet；　he　capitulated；　asking；
however；　for　three　thousand　five　hundred　francs。　That　demand　having
been　granted　he　remarked：

〃It　is　none　too　much　for　a　rap　over　the　knuckles；　he　might　put　me　in
prison　for　assault。〃

〃Well；　you　needn't　strike　unless　he　insults　you；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；
〃and　that's　self…defence。〃

When　Desroches　had　assured　him　that　la　Peyrade　was　really　a　barrister
in　good　standing；　Sauvaignou　signed　the　relinquishment；　which
contained　a　receipt　for　the　amount；　principal　and　interest；　of　his
claim；　made　in　duplicate　between　himself　and　Thuillier；　and　witnessed
by　the　two　attorneys；　so　that　the　paper　was　a　final　settlement　of　the
whole　matter。

〃We'll　leave　the　remaining　fifteen　hundred　between　you；〃　whispered　la
Peyrade　to　Desroches　and　Godeschal；　〃on　condition　that　you　give　me　the
relinquishment；　which　I　will　have　Thuillier　accept　and　sign　before　his
notary；　Cardot。　Poor　man！　he　never　closed　his　eyes　all　night！〃

〃Very　well；〃　replied　Desroches。　〃You　may　congratulate　yourself；〃　he
added；　making　Sauvaignou　sign　the　paper；　〃that　you've　earned　that
money　pretty　easily。〃

〃It　is　really　mine；　isn't　it；　monsieur？〃　said　the　Marseillais；　already
uneasy。

〃Yes；　and　legally；　too；〃　replied　Desroches；　〃only　you　must　let　your
man　know　this　morning　that　you　have　revoked　your　proxy　under　date　of
yesterday。　Go　out　through　my　clerk's　office；　here；　this　way。〃

Desroches　told　his　head…clerk　what　the　man　was　to　do；　and　he　sent　a
pupil…clerk　with　him　to　see　that　a　sheriff's　officer　carried　the
notice　to　Cerizet　before　ten　o'clock。

〃I　thank　you；　Desroches；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　pressing　the　attorney's
hand；　〃you　think　of　everything；　I　shall　never　forget　this　service。〃

〃Don't　deposit　the　deed　with　Cardot　till　after　twelve　o'clock；〃
returned　Desroches。

〃Hay！　comrade；〃　cried　the　barrister；　in　Provencal；　following
Sauvaignou　into　the　next　room；　〃take　your　Margot　to　walk　about
Belleville；　and　be　sure　you　don't　go　home。〃

〃I　hear；〃　said　Sauvaignou。　〃I'm　off　to…morrow；　adieu！〃

〃Adieu；〃　returned　la　Peyrade；　with　a　Provencal　cry。

〃There　is　something　behind　all　this；〃　said　Desroches　in　an　undertone
to　Godeschal；　as　la　Peyrade　followed　Sauvaignou　into　the　clerk's
office。

〃The　Thuilliers　get　a　splendid　piece　of　property　for　next　to　nothing；〃
replied　Godeschal；　〃that's　all。〃

〃La　Peyrade　and　Cerizet　look　to　me　like　two　divers　who　are　fighting
under　water；〃　replied　Desroches。　〃What　am　I　to　say　to　Cerizet；　who　put
the　matter　into　my　hands？〃　he　added；　as　the　barrister　returned　to
them。

〃Tell　him　that　Sauvaignou　forced　your　hand；〃　replied　la　Peyrade。

〃And　you　fear　nothing？〃　said　Desroches；　in　a　sudden　manner。

〃I？　oh　no！　I　want　to　give　Cerizet　a　lesson。〃

〃To…morrow；　I　shall　know　the　truth；〃　said　Desroches；　in　a　low　tone；　to
Godeschal；　〃no　one　chatters　like　a　beaten　man。〃

La　Peyrade　departed；　carrying　with　him　the　deed　of　relinquishment。　At
eleven　o'clock　he　was　in　the　courtroom　of　the　justice…of…peace；
perfectly　calm；　and　firm。　When　he　saw　Cerizet　come　in；　pale　with　rage；
his　eyes　full　of　venom；　he　said　in　his　ear：

〃My　dear　friend；　I'm　a　pretty　good　fellow　myself；　and　I　hold　that
twenty…five　thousand　francs　in　good　bank…bills　at　your　disposal；
whenever　you　will　return　to　me　those　notes　of　mine　which　you　hold。〃

Cerizet　looked　at　the　advocate　of　the　poor；　without　being　able　to　say
one　word　in　reply；　he　was　green；　the　bile　had　struck　in。



CHAPTER　XIII

THE　PERVERSITY　OF　DOVES

〃I　am　a　non…dispossessable　property…owner！〃　cried　Thuillier；　coming
home　after　visiting　his　notary。　〃No　human　power　can　get　that　house
away　from　me。　Cardot　says　so。〃

The　bourgeoisie　think　much　more　of　what　their　notary　tells　them　than
of　what　their　attorney　says。　The　notary　is　nearer　to　them　than　any
other　ministerial　officer。　The　Parisian　bourgeois　never　pays　a　visit
to　his　attorney　without　a　sense　of　fear；　whereas　he　mounts　the　stairs
with　ever…renewed　pleasure　to　see　his　notary；　he　admires　that
official's　virtue　and　his　sound　good　sense。

〃Cardot；　who　is　looking　for　an　apartment　for　one　of　his　clients；　wants
to　know　about　our　second　floor；〃　continued　Thuillier。　〃If　I　choose
he'll　introduce　to　me　on　Sunday　a　tenant　who　is　ready　to　sign　a　lease
for　eighteen　years　at　forty　thousand　francs　and　taxes！　What　do　you　say
to　that；　Brigitte？〃

〃Better　wait；〃　she　replied。　〃Ah！　that　dear　Theodose；　what　a　fright　he
gave　me！〃

〃Hey！　my　dearest　girl；　I　must　tell　you　that　when　Cardot　asked　who　put
me　in　the　way　of　this　affair　he　said　I　owed　him　a　present　of　at　least
ten　thousand　francs。　The　fact　is；　I　owe　it　all　to　him。〃

〃But　he　is　the　son　of　the　house；〃　responded　Brigitte。

〃Poor　lad！　I'll　do　him　the　justice　to　say　that　he　asks　for　nothing。〃

〃Well；　dear；　good　friend；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　coming　in　about　three
o'cloc