the lesser bourgeoisie-第52节

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evil　eye　of　paternal　rivalry；　Phellion　became　to　Minard　a　Roman　of
incorruptible　integrity　and　a　man　whose　little　treatises　had　been
adopted　by　the　University；in　other　words；　a　man　of　sound　and　tested
intellect。

So　that　when　it　became　the　duty　of　the　mayor　to　select　the　members　of
the　dramatic　custom…house；　of　which　he　was　now　the　head；　he
immediately　thought　of　Phellion。　As　for　the　great　citizen；　he　felt；　on
the　day　when　a　post　was　offered　to　him　in　that　august　tribunal；　that　a
crown　of　gold　had　been　placed　upon　his　brow。

It　will　be　well　understood　that　it　was　not　lightly；　nor　without　having
deeply　meditated；　that　a　man　of　Phellion's　solemnity　had　accepted　the
high　and　sacred　mission　which　was　offered　to　him。　He　said　within
himself　that　he　was　called　upon　to　exercise　the　functions　of　a
magistracy；　a　priestly　office。

〃To　judge　of　men；〃　he　replied　to　Minard；　who　was　much　surprised　at　his
hesitation；　〃is　an　alarming　task；　but　to　judge　of　minds！who　can
believe　himself　equal　to　such　a　mission？〃

Once　more　the　familythat　rock　on　which　the　firmest　resolutions　split
had　threatened　to　infringe　on　the　domain　of　his　conscience。　The
thought　of　boxes　and　tickets　of　which　the　future　member　of　the
committee　could　dispose　in　favor　of　his　own　kin　had　excited　in　the
household　so　eager　a　ferment　that　his　freedom　of　decision　seemed　for　a
moment　in　danger。　But；　happily；　Brutus　was　able　to　decide　himself　in
the　same　direction　along　which　a　positive　uprising　of　the　whole
Phellionian　tribe　intended　to　push　him。　From　the　observations　of
Barniol；　his　son…in…law；　and　also　by　his　own　personal　inspiration；　he
became　persuaded　that　by　his　vote；　always　given　to　works　of
irreproachable　morality；　and　by　his　firm　determination　to　bar　the　way
to　all　plays　that　mothers　of　families　could　not　take　their　daughters
to　witness；　he　was　called　upon　to　render　the　most　signal　services　to
morals　and　public　order。　Phellion；　to　use　his　own　expression；　had
therefore　become　a　member　of　the　areopagus　presided　over　by　Minard；
andstill　speaking　as　he　spokehe　was　issuing　from　the　exercise　of
his　functions；　which　were　both　delicate　and　interesting；　when　the
conversation　we　are　about　to　report　took　place。　A　knowledge　of　this
conversation　is　necessary　to　an　understanding　of　the　ulterior　events
of　this　history；　and　it　will　also　serve　to　put　into　relief　the　envious
insight　which　is　one　of　the　most　marked　traits　of　the　bourgeois
character。

The　session　of　the　committee　had　been　extremely　stormy。　On　the　subject
of　a　tragedy　entitled；　〃The　Death　of　Hercules；〃　the　classic　party　and
the　romantic　party；　whom　the　mayor　had　carefully　balanced　in　the
composition　of　his　committee；　had　nearly　approached　the　point　of
tearing　each　other's　hair　out。　Twice　Phellion　had　risen　to　speak；　and
his　hearers　were　astonished　at　the　quantity　of　metaphors　the　speech　of
a　major　of　the　National　Guard　could　contain　when　his　literary
convictions　were　imperilled。　As　the　result　of　a　vote；　victory　remained
with　the　opinions　of　which　Phellion　was　the　eloquent　organ。　It　was
while　descending　the　stairway　of　the　theatre　with　Minard　that　he
remarked：

〃We　have　done　a　good　work　this　day。　'The　Death　of　Hercules'　reminded
me　of　'The　Death　of　Hector；'　by　the　late　Luce　de　Lancival；　the　work　we
have　just　accepted　sparkles　with　sublime　verses。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Minard；　〃the　versification　has　taste；　there　are　some
really　fine　lines　in　it；　and　I　admit　to　you　that　I　think　this　sort　of
literature　rather　above　the　anagrams　of　Master　Colleville。〃

〃Oh！〃　replied　Minard；　〃Colleville's　anagrams　are　mere　witticisms；
which　have　nothing　in　common　with　the　sterner　accents　of　Melpomene。〃

〃And　yet；〃　said　Minard；　〃I　can　assure　you　he　attaches　the　greatest
importance　to　that　rubbish；　and　apropos　to　his　anagrams；　as；　indeed；
about　many　other　things；　he　is　not　a　little　puffed　up。　Since　their
emigration　to　the　Madeleine　quarter　it　seems　to　me　that　not　only　the
Sieur　Colleville；　but　his　wife　and　daughter；　and　the　Thuilliers　and
the　whole　coterie　have　assumed　an　air　of　importance　which　is　rather
difficult　to　justify。〃

〃No　wonder！〃　said　Phellion；　〃one　must　have　a　pretty　strong　head　to
stand　the　fumes　of　opulence。　Our　friends　have　become　so　very　rich　by
the　purchase　of　that　property　where　they　have　gone　to　live　that　we
ought　to　forgive　them　for　a　little　intoxication；　and　I　must　say　the
dinner　they　gave　us　yesterday　for　a　house…warming　was　really　as　well
arranged　as　it　was　succulent。〃

〃I　myself；〃　said　Minard；　〃have　given　a　few　remarkable　dinners　to　which
men　in　high　government　positions　have　not　disdained　to　come；　yet　I　am
not　puffed　up　with　pride　on　that　account；　such　as　my　friends　have
always　known　me；　that　I　have　remained。〃

〃You；　Monsieur　le　maire；　have　long　been　habituated　to　the　splendid
existence　you　have　made　for　yourself　by　your　high　commercial　talents；
our　friends；　on　the　contrary；　so　lately　embarked　on　the　smiling　ship
of　Fortune；　have　not　yet　found；　as　the　vulgar　saying　is；　their　sea…
legs。〃

And　then　to　cut　short　a　conversation　in　which　Phellion　began　to　think
the　mayor　rather　〃caustic；〃　he　made　as　if　he　intended　to　take　leave　of
him。　In　order　to　reach　their　respective　homes　they　did　not　always　take
the　same　way。

〃Are　you　going　through　the　Luxembourg？〃　asked　Minard；　not　allowing
Phellion　to　give　him　the　slip。

〃I　shall　cross　it；　but　I　have　an　appointment　to　meet　Madame　Phellion
and　the　little　Barniols　at　the　end　of　the　grand　alley。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Minard；　〃I'll　go　with　you　and　have　the　pleasure　of　making
my　bow　to　Madame　Phellion；　and　I　shall　get　the　fresh　air　at　the　same
time；　for；　in　spite　of　hearing　fine　things；　one's　head　gets　tired　at
the　business　we　have　just　been　about。〃

Minard　had　felt　that　Phellion　gave　rather　reluctant　assent　to　his
sharp　remarks　about　the　new　establishment　of　the　Thuilliers；　and　he
did　not　attempt　to　renew　the　subject；　but　when　he　had　Madame　Phellion
for　a　listener；　he　was　very　sure　that　his　spite　would　find　an　echo。

〃Well；　fair　lady；〃　he　began；　〃what　did　you　think　of　yesterday's
dinner？〃

〃It　was　very　fine；〃　replied　Madame　Phellion；　〃as　I　tasted　that　soup　'a
la　bisque'　I　knew　that　some　caterer；　like　Chevet；　had　supplanted　the
cook。　But　the　whole　affair　was　dull；　it　hadn't　the　gaiety　of　our　old
meetings　in　the　Latin　quarter。　And　then；　didn't　it　strike　you；　as　it
did　me；　that　Madame　and　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　no　longer　seemed
mistresses　of　their　own　house？　I　really　felt　as　if　I　were　the　guest　of
Madamewhat　IS　her　name？　I　never　can　remember　it。〃

〃Torna；　Comtesse　de　Godollo；〃　said　Phellion；　intervening。　〃The　name　is
euphonious　enough　to　remember。〃

〃Euphonious　if　you　like；　my　dear；　but　to　me　it　never　seems　a　name　at
all。〃

〃It　is　a　Magyar；　or　to　speak　more　commonly；　a　Hungarian　name。　Our　own
name；　if　we　wanted　to　discuss　it；　might　be　said　to　be　a　loan　from　the
Greek　language。〃

〃Very　likely；　at　any　rate　we　have　the　advantage　of　being　known；　not
only　in　our　own　quarter；　but　throughout　the　tuition　world；　where　we
have　earned　an　honorable　position；　while　this　Hungarian　countess；　who
makes；　as　they　say；　the　good　and　the　bad　weather　in　the　Thuilliers'
home；　where　does　she　come　from；　I'd　like　to　know？　How　did　such　a　fine
lady；for　she　has　good　manners　and　a　very　distinguished　air；　no　one
denies　her　that；how　came　she　to　fall　in　love　with　Brigitte；　who；
between　ourselves；　keeps　a　sickening　odor　of　the　porter's　lodge　about
her。　For　my　part；　I　think　this　devoted　friend　is　an　intriguing
creature；　who　scents　money；　and　is　scheming　for　some　future　gain。〃

〃Ah　ca！〃　said　Minard；　〃then　you　don't　know　the　original　cause　of　the
intimacy　between　Madame　la　Comtesse　de　Godollo　and　the　Thuilliers？〃

〃She　is　a　tenant　in　their　house；　she　occupies　the　entresol　beneath
their　apartment。〃

〃True；　but　there's　something　more　than　that　in　it。　Zelie；　my　wife；
heard　it　from　Josephine；　who　wanted；　lately；　to　enter　our　service；　the
matter　came　to　nothing；　for　Francoise；　our　woman；　who　thought　of
marrying；　changed　her　mind。　You　must　know；　fair　lady；　that　it　was
solely　Madame　de　Godollo　who　brought　about　the　emigration　of　the
Thuilliers；　whose　upholsterer；　as　one　might　say；　she　is。〃

〃What！　their　upholsterer？〃　cried　Phellion；〃that　distinguished　woman；
of　whom　one　may　truly　say；　'Incessu　patuit　dea'；　which　in　French　we
very　inadequately　render　by　the　expression；　'bearing　of　a　queen'？〃

〃Excuse　me；〃　said　Minard。　〃I　did　not　mean　that　Madame　de　Godollo　is
actually　in　the　furniture　business；　but；　at　the　time　when　Mademoiselle
Thuillier　decided；　by　la　Peyrade's　advice；　to　manage　the　new　house
herself；　that　little　fellow；　who　hasn't　all　the　ascendancy　over　her
mind　he　thinks　he　has；　couldn't　persuade　her　to　move　the　family　into
the　splendid　apartment　where　they　received　us　yesterday。　Mademoiselle
Brigitte　objected　that　she　should　have　to　change　her　habits；　and　that
her　friends　and　relations　wouldn't　follow　her　to　such　a　distant
quarter〃

〃It　is　quite　certain；〃　interrupted　Madame　Phellion；　〃that　to　make　up
one's　mind　to　hire　a　carriage　every　Sunday；　one　wants　a　prospect　of
greater　pleasure　than　can　be　found　in　that　salon。　When　one　thinks
that；　except　on　the　day　of　the　famous　dance　of　the　candid