the lesser bourgeoisie-第49节

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him；　on　his　way　to　the　door。

〃Rue　Montmartre；　at　the　farther　end　of　the　Passage；〃　said　the　old　man；
in　a　low　tone。

When　they　met；　Cerizet　had　the　bad　taste　to　try　to　explain　the
disreputable　position　in　which　he　had　just　been　detected。

〃But；〃　said　du　Portail；　〃in　order　to　see　you　there；　I　had　to　be　there
myself。〃

〃True；〃　returned　Cerizet。　〃I　was　rather　surprised　to　see　a　quiet
inhabitant　of　the　Saint…Sulpice　quarter　in　such　a　place。〃

〃It　merely　proves　to　you；〃　said　the　little　old　man；　in　a　tone　which
cut　short　all　explanation；　and　all　curiosity；　〃that　I　am　in　the　habit
of　going　pretty　nearly　everywhere；　and　that　my　star　leads　me　into　the
path　of　those　persons　whom　I　wish　to　meet。　I　was　thinking　of　you　at
the　very　moment　you　came　in。　Well；　what　have　you　done？〃

〃Nothing　good；〃　replied　Cerizet。　〃After　playing　me　a　devilish　trick
which　deprived　me　of　a　magnificent　bit　of　business；　our　man　rejected
your　overture　with　scorn。　There　is　no　hope　whatever　in　that　claim　of
Dutocq's；　for　la　Peyrade　is　chock…full　of　money；　he　wanted　to　pay　the
notes　just　now；　and　to…morrow　morning　he　will　certainly　do　so。〃

〃Does　he　regard　his　marriage　to　this　Demoiselle　Colleville　as　a
settled　thing？〃

〃He　not　only　considers　it　settled；　but　he　is　trying　now　to　make　people
believe　it　is　a　love…match。　He　rattled　off　a　perfect　tirade　to
convince　me　that　he　is　really　in　love。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　du　Portail；　wishing；　perhaps；　to　show　that　he　could；
on　occasion；　use　the　slang　of　a　low　billiard…room；　〃'stop　the　charge'〃
（meaning：　Do　nothing　more）；　〃I　will　undertake　to　bring　monsieur　to
reason。　But　come　and　see　me　to…morrow；　and　tell　me　all　about　the
family　he　intends　to　enter。　You　have　failed　in　this　affair；　but　don't
mind　that；　I　shall　have　others　for　you。〃

So　saying；　he　signed　to　the　driver　of　an　empty　citadine；　which　was
passing；　got　into　it；　and；　with　a　nod　to　Cerizet；　told　the　man　to
drive　to　the　rue　Honore…Chevalier。

As　Cerizet　walked　down　the　rue　Montmartre　to　regain　the　Estrapade
quarter；　he　puzzled　his　brains　to　divine　who　that　little　old　man　with
the　curt　speech；　the　imperious　manner；　and　a　tone　that　seemed　to　cast
upon　all　those　with　whom　he　spoke　a　boarding…grapnel；　could　be；　a　man；
too；　who　came　from　such　a　distance　to　spend　his　evening　in　a　place
where；　judging　by　his　clothes　alone；　he　had　no　business　to　be。

Cerizet　had　reached　the　Market　without　finding　any　solution　to　that
problem；　when　he　was　roughly　shaken　out　of　it　by　a　heavy　blow　in　the
back。　Turning　hastily；　he　found　himself　in　presence　of　Madame
Cardinal；　an　encounter　with　whom；　at　a　spot　where　she　came　every
morning　to　get　fish　to　peddle；　was　certainly　not　surprising。

Since　that　evening　in　Toupillier's　garret；　the　worthy　woman；　in　spite
of　the　clemency　so　promptly　shown　to　her；　had　judged　it　imprudent　to
make　other　than　very　short　apparitions　in　her　own　domicile；　and　for
the　last　two　days　she　had　been　drowning　among　the　liquor…dealers
（called　〃retailers　of　comfort〃）　the　pangs　of　her　defeat。　With　flaming
face　and　thickened　voice　she　now　addressed　her　late　accomplice：

〃Well；　papa；〃　she　said；　〃what　happened　after　I　left　you　with　that
little　old　fellow？〃

〃I　made　him　understand　in　a　very　few　words；〃　replied　the　banker　of　the
poor；　〃that　it　was　all　a　mistake　as　to　me。　In　this　affair；　my　dear
Madame　Cardinal；　you　behaved　with　a　really　unpardonable　heedlessness。
How　came　you　to　ask　my　assistance　in　obtaining　your　inheritance　from
your　uncle；　when　with　proper　inquiry　you　might　have　known　there　was　a
natural　daughter；　in　whose　favor　he　had　long　declared　he　should　make　a
will？　That　little　old　man；　who　interrupted　you　in　your　foolish　attempt
to　anticipate　your　legacy；　was　no　other　than　the　guardian　of　the
daughter　to　whom　everything　is　left。〃

〃Ha！　guardian；　indeed！　a　fine　thing；　guardian！〃　cried　the　Cardinal。
〃To　talk　of　a　woman　of　my　age；　just　because　I　wanted　to　see　if　my
uncle　owned　anything　at　all；　to　talk　to　ME　of　the　police！　It's
hateful！　it's　DISGUSTING！〃

〃Come；　come！〃　said　Cerizet；　〃you　needn't　complain；　you　got　off
cheaply。〃

〃Well；　and　you；　who　broke　the　locks　and　said　you　were　going　to　take
the　diamonds；　under　color　of　marrying　my　daughter！　Just　as　if　she
would　have　you；a　legitimate　daughter　like　her！　'Never；　mother；'　said
she；　'never　will　I　give　my　heart　to　a　man　with　such　a　nose。'〃

〃So　you've　found　her；　have　you？〃　said　Cerizet。

〃Not　until　last　night。　She　has　left　her　blackguard　of　a　player；　and
she　is　now；　I　flatter　myself；　in　a　fine　position；　eating　money；　has
her　citadine　by　the　month；　and　is　much　respected　by　a　barrister　who
would　marry　her　at　once；　but　he　has　got　to　wait　till　his　parents　die；
for　the　father　happens　to　be　mayor；　and　the　government　wouldn't　like
it。〃

〃What　mayor？〃

〃11th　arrondissement；Minard；　powerfully　rich；　used　to　do　a　business
in　cocoa。〃

〃Ah！　very　good！　very　good！　I　know　all　about　him。　You　say　Olympe　is
living　with　his　son？〃

〃Well；　not　to　say　living　together；　for　that　would　make　talk；　though　he
only　sees　her　with　good　motives。　He　lives　at　home　with　his　father；　but
he　has　bought　their　furniture；　and　has　put　it；　and　my　daughter；　too；
into　a　lodging　in　the　Chausee　d'Antin；　stylish　quarter；　isn't　it？〃

〃It　seems　to　me　pretty　well　arranged；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃and　as　Heaven；
it　appears；　didn't　destine　us　for　each　other〃

〃No；　yes；　well；　that's　how　it　was；　and　I　think　that　girl　is　going　to
give　me　great　satisfaction；　and　there's　something　I　want　to　consult
you　about。〃

〃What？〃　demanded　Cerizet。

〃Well；　my　daughter　being　in　luck；　I　don't　think　I　ought　to　continue　to
cry　fish　in　the　streets；　and　now　that　my　uncle　has　disinherited　me；　I
have；　it　seems　to　me；　a　right　to　an　'elementary　allowance。'〃

〃You　are　dreaming；　my　poor　woman；　your　daughter　is　a　minor；　it　is　you
who　ought　to　be　feeding　her；　the　law　doesn't　require　her　to　give　you
aliment。〃

〃Then　do　you　mean；〃　said　Madame　Cardinal；　〃that　those　who　have　nothing
are　to　give　to　those　who　have　much？　A　fine　thing　such　a　law　as　that！
It's　as　bad　as　guardians　who；　for　nothing　at　all；　talk　about　calling
the　police。　Yes！　I'd　like　to　see　'em　calling　the　police　to　me！　Let　'em
guillotine　me！　It　won't　prevent　my　saying　that　the　rich　are　swindlers；
yes；　swindlers！　and　the　people　ought　to　make　another　revolution　to　get
their　rights；　and　THEN；　my　lad；　you；　and　my　daughter；　and　barrister
Minard；　and　that　little　old　guardian；　you'll　all　come　down　under　it〃

Perceiving　that　his　ex…mother…in…law　was　reaching　stage　of　exaltation
that　was　not　unalarming；　Cerizet　hastened　to　get　away；　her　epithets
pursuing　him　for　more　than　a　hundred　feet；　but　he　comforted　himself　by
thinking　that　he　would　make　her　pay　for　them　the　next　time　she　came　to
his　back　to　ask　for　a　〃convenience。〃



CHAPTER　XVIII

SET　A　SAINT　TO　CATCH　A　SAINT

As　he　approached　his　own　abode；　Cerizet；　who　was　nothing　so　little　as
courageous；　felt　an　emotion　of　fear。　He　perceived　a　form　ambushed　near
the　door；　which；　as　he　came　nearer；　detached　itself　as　if　to　meet　him。
Happily；　it　was　only　Dutocq。　He　came　for　his　notes。　Cerizet　returned
them　in　some　ill…humor；　complaining　of　the　distrust　implied　in　a　visit
at　such　an　hour。　Dutocq　paid　no　attention　to　this　sensitiveness；　and
the　next　morning；　very　early；　he　presented　himself　at　la　Peyrade's。

La　Peyrade　paid；　as　he　had　promised；　on　the　nail；　and　to　a　few
sentinel　remarks　uttered　by　Dutocq　as　soon　as　the　money　was　in　his
pocket；　he　answered　with　marked　coldness。　His　whole　external
appearance　and　behavior　was　that　of　a　slave　who　has　burst　his　chain
and　has　promised　himself　not　to　make　a　gospel　use　of　his　liberty。

As　he　conducted　his　visitor　to　the　door；　the　latter　came　face　to　face
with　a　woman　in　servant's　dress；　who　was　just　about　to　ring　the　bell。
This　woman　was；　apparently；　known　to　Dutocq；　for　he　said　to　her：

〃Ha　ha！　little　woman；　so　we　feel　the　necessity　of　consulting　a
barrister？　You　are　right；　at　the　family　council　very　serious　matters
were　brought　up　against　you。〃

〃Thank　God；　I　fear　no　one。　I　can　walk　with　my　head　up；〃　said　the
person　thus　addressed。

〃So　much　the　better　for　you；〃　replied　the　clerk　of　the　justice…of…
peace；　〃but　you　will　probably　be　summoned　before　the　judge　who
examines　the　affair。　At　any　rate；　you　are　in　good　hands　here；　and　my
friend　la　Peyrade　will　advise　you　for　the　best。〃

〃Monsieur　is　mistaken；〃　said　the　woman；　〃it　is　not　for　what　he　thinks
that　I　have　come　to　consult　a　lawyer。〃

〃Well；　be　careful　what　you　say　and　do；　my　dear　woman；　for　I　warn　you
you　are　going　to　be　finely　picked　to　pieces。　The　relations　are　furious
against　you；　and　you　can't　get　the　idea　out　of　their　heads　that　you
have　got　a　great　deal　of　money。〃

While　speaking　thus；　Dutocq　kept　his　eye　on　Theodose；　who　bore　the
look　uneasily；　and　requested　his　client　to　enter。

Here　follows　a　scene　which　had　taken　place　the　previous　afternoon
between　this　woman　and　la　Peyrade。

La　Peyrade；　we　may　remember；　was　in　the　habit　of　going　to　early　mass
at　his　parish　church。　For　some　little　time　he　had　felt　himself　the
object　of　a　singular　attention　which　he　could　not　explain　on　the　part
of　the　woman　whom　we　have　just　seen　entering　his　office；　who　daily
atte