the lesser bourgeoisie-第55节

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cover　the　influence　which　corrupt　ministers　permit　certain　persons　to
exercise　illegally。　I　think；　therefore；　that　we　may　retain　the
expression；　though　it　is　certainly　not　taken　in　that　sense　by　Napoleon
Landais。〃

La　Peyrade；　who；　in　receiving　his　visitor；　had　affected　to　be
extremely　busy　in　sorting　his　papers；　contented　himself　by　shrugging
his　shoulders　and　saying　nothing。

〃Well；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃have　you　got　the　last　proofs？　We　ought　to　be
getting　on。〃

〃If　you　have　sent　nothing　to　the　printing…office；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；
〃of　course　there　are　no　proofs。　I　myself　haven't　touched　the
manuscript。〃

〃But；　my　dear　Theodose；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃it　isn't　possible　that　for
such　a　trifle　you　are　affronted。　I　don't　pretend　to　be　a　writer；　only
as　my　name　is　on　the　book　I　have；　I　think；　the　right　to　my　opinion
about　a　word。〃

〃But　'Mossie'　Phellion；〃　replied　Theodose；　〃is　a　writer；　and　inasmuch
as　you　have　consulted　him；　I　don't　see　why　you　can't　engage　him　to
finish　the　work　in　which；　for　my　part；　I　have　resolved　not　to
co…operate　any　longer。〃

〃Heavens！　what　temper！〃　cried　Thuillier；　〃here　you　are　furious　just
because　I　seemed　to　question　a　word　and　then　consulted　some　one。　You
know　very　well　that　I　have　read　passages　to　Phellion；　Colleville；
Minard；　and　Barniol　as　if　the　work　were　mine；　in　order　to　see　the
effect　it　would　produce　upon　the　public；　but　that's　no　reason　why　I
should　be　willing　to　give　my　name　to　the　things　they　are　capable　of
writing。　Do　you　wish　me　to　give　you　a　proof　of　the　confidence　I　have
in　you？　Madame　la　Comtesse　de　Godollo；　to　whom　I　read　a　few　pages　last
night；　told　me　that　the　pamphlet　was　likely　to　get　me　into　trouble
with　the　authorities；　but　I　wouldn't　allow　what　she　said　to　have　any
influence　upon　me。〃

〃Well；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃I　think　that　the　oracle　of　the　family　sees
the　matter　clearly；　and　I've　no　desire　to　bring　your　head　to　the
scaffold。〃

〃All　that　is　nonsense；〃　said　Thuillier。　〃Have　you；　or　have　you　not；　an
intention　to　leave　me　in　the　lurch？〃

〃Literary　questions　make　more　quarrels　among　friends　than　political
questions；〃　replied　Theodose。　〃I　wish　to　put　an　end　to　these
discussions　between　us。〃

〃But；　my　dear　Theodose；　never　have　I　assumed　to　be　a　literary　man。　I
think　I　have　sound　common…sense；　and　I　say　out　my　ideas；　you　can't　be
angry　at　that；　and　if　you　play　me　this　trick；　and　refuse　to
collaborate　any　longer；　it　is　because　you　have　some　other　grudge
against　me　that　I　know　nothing　about。〃

〃I　don't　see　why　you　call　it　a　trick。　There's　nothing　easier　for　you
than　not　to　write　a　pamphlet；　you'll　simply　be　Jerome　Thuillier；　as
before。〃

〃And　yet　it　was　you　yourself　who　declared　that　this　publication　would
help　my　election；　besides；　I　repeat；　I　have　read　passages　to　all　our
friends；　I　have　announced　the　matter　in　the　municipal　council；　and　if
the　work　were　not　to　appear　I　should　be　dishonored；　people　would　be
sure　to　say　the　government　had　bought　me　up。〃

〃You　have　only　to　say　that　you　are　the　friend　of　Phellion；　the
incorruptible；　that　will　clear　you。　You　might　even　give　Celeste　to　his
booby　of　a　son；　that　alliance　would　certainly　protect　you　from　all
suspicion。〃

〃Theodose；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃there　is　something　in　your　mind　that　you
don't　tell　me。　It　is　not　natural　that　for　a　simple　quarrel　about　a
word　you　should　wish　to　lose　a　friend　like　me。〃

〃Well；　yes；　there　is；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　with　the　air　of　a　man　who
makes　up　his　mind　to　speak　out。　〃I　don't　like　ingratitude。〃

〃Nor　I　either；　I　don't　like　it；〃　said　Thuillier；　hotly；　〃and　if　you
accuse　me　of　so　base　an　action；　I　summon　you　to　explain　yourself。　We
must　get　out　of　these　hints　and　innuendoes。　What　do　you　complain　of？
What　have　you　against　a　man　whom　only　a　few　days　ago　you　called　your
friend？〃

〃Nothing　and　everything；〃　replied　la　Peyrade。　〃You　and　your　sister　are
much　too　clever　to　break　openly　with　a　man　who；　at　the　risk　of　his
reputation；　has　put　a　million　in　your　hands。　But　I　am　not　so　simple
that　I　don't　know　how　to　detect　changes。　There　are　people　about　you
who　have　set　themselves；　in　an　underhand　way；　to　destroy　me；　and
Brigitte　has　only　one　thought；　and　that　is；　how　to　find　a　decent　way
of　not　keeping　her　promises。　Men　like　me　don't　wait　till　their　claims
are　openly　protested；　and　I　certainly　do　not　intend　to　impose　myself
on　any　family；　still；　I　was　far；　I　acknowledge；　from　expecting　such
treatment。〃

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Thuillier；　kindly；　seeing　in　the　barrister's　eye
the　glint　of　a　tear　of　which　he　was　completely　the　dupe；　〃I　don't　know
what　Brigitte　may　have　been　doing　to　you；　but　one　thing　is　very
certain：　I　have　never　ceased　to　be　your　most　devoted　friend。〃

〃No；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃since　that　mishap　about　the　cross　I　am　only
good；　as　the　saying　is；　to　throw　to　the　dogs。　How　could　I　have
struggled　against　secret　influences？　Possibly　it　is　that　pamphlet；
about　which　you　have　talked　a　great　deal　too　much；　that　has　hindered
your　appointment。　The　ministers　are　so　stupid！　They　would　rather　wait
and　have　their　hand　forced　by　the　fame　of　the　publication　than　do　the
thing　with　a　good　grace　as　the　reward　of　your　services。　But　these　are
political　mysteries　which　would　never　enter　your　sister's　mind。〃

〃The　devil！〃　cried　Thuillier。　〃I　think　I've　got　a　pretty　observing
eye；　and　yet　I　can't　see　the　slightest　change　in　Brigitte　toward　you。〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃your　eyesight　is　so　good　that　you　have
never　seen　perpetually　beside　her　that　Madame　de　Godollo；　whom　she　now
thinks　she　can't　live　without。〃

〃Ha；　ha！〃　said　Thuillier；　slyly；　〃so　it　is　a　little　jealousy；　is　it；
in　our　mind？〃

〃Jealousy！〃　retorted　la　Peyrade。　〃I　don't　know　if　that's　the　right
word；　but　certainly　your　sisterwhose　mind　is　nothing　above　the
ordinary；　and　to　whom　I　am　surprised　that　a　man　of　your　intellectual
superiority　allows　a　supremacy　in　your　household　which　she　uses　and
abuses〃

〃How　can　I　help　it；　my　dear　fellow；〃　interrupted　Thuillier；　sucking　in
the　compliment；　〃she　is　so　absolutely　devoted　to　me。〃

〃I　admit　the　weakness；　but；　I　repeat；　your　sister　doesn't　fit　into
your　groove。　Well；　I　say　that　when　a　man　of　the　value　which　you　are
good　enough　to　recognize　in　me；　does　her　the　honor　to　consult　her　and
devote　himself　to　her　as　I　have　done；　it　can　hardly　be　agreeable　to
him　to　find　himself　supplanted　by　a　woman　who　comes　from　nobody　knows
whereand　all　because　of　a　few　trumpery　chairs　and　tables　she　has
helped　her　to　buy！〃

〃With　women；　as　you　know　very　well；〃　replied　Thuillier；　〃household
affairs　have　the　first　place。〃

〃And　Brigitte；　who　wants　a　finger　in　everything；　also　assumes　to　carry
matters　with　a　high　hand　in　affairs　of　the　heart。　As　you　are　so
extraordinarily　clear…sighted　you　ought　to　have　seen　that　in
Brigitte's　mind　nothing　is　less　certain　than　my　marriage　with
Mademoiselle　Colleville；　and　yet　my　love　has　been　solemnly　authorized
by　you。〃

〃Good　gracious！〃　cried　Thuillier；　〃I'd　like　to　see　any　one　attempt　to
meddle　with　my　arrangements！〃

〃Well；　without　speaking　of　Brigitte；　I　can　tell　you　of　another
person；〃　said　Theodose；　〃who　is　doing　that　very　thing；　and　that　person
is　Mademoiselle　Celeste　herself。　In　spite　of　their　quarrels　about
religion；　her　mind　is　none　the　less　full　of　that　little　Phellion。〃

〃But　why　don't　you　tell　Flavie　to　put　a　stop　to　it？〃

〃No　one　knows　Flavie；　my　dear　Thuillier；　better　than　you。　She　is　a
woman　rather　than　a　mother。　I　have　found　it　necessary　to　do　a　little
bit　of　courting　to　her　myself；　and；　you　understand；　while　she　is
willing　for　this　marriage　she　doesn't　desire　it　very　much。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃I'll　undertake　to　speak　to　Celeste　myself。　It
shall　never　be　said　that　a　slip　of　a　girl　lays　down　the　law　to　me。〃

〃That's　exactly　what　I　don't　want　you　to　do；〃　cried　la　Peyrade。　〃Don't
meddle　in　all　this。　Outside　of　your　relations　to　your　sister　you　have
an　iron　will；　and　I　will　never　have　it　said　that　you　exerted　your
authority　to　put　Celeste　in　my　arms；　on　the　contrary；　I　desire　that
the　child　may　have　complete　control　over　her　own　heart。　The　only　thing
I　request　is　that　she　shall　decide　positively　between　Felix　Phellion
and　myself；　because　I　do　not　choose　to　remain　any　longer　in　this
doubtful　position。　It　is　true　we　agreed　that　the　marriage　should　only
take　place　after　you　became　a　deputy；　but　I　feel　now　that　it　is
impossible　to　allow　the　greatest　event　of　my　life　to　remain　at　the
mercy　of　doubtful　circumstances。　And；　besides；　such　an　arrangement；
though　at　first　agreed　upon；　seems　to　me　now　to　have　a　flavor　of　a
bargain　which　is　unbecoming　to　both　of　us。　I　think　I　had　better　make
you　a　confidence；　to　which　I　am　led　by　the　unpleasant　state　of　things
now　between　us。　Dutocq　may　have　told　you；　before　you　left　the
apartment　in　the　rue　Saint…Dominique；　that　an　heiress　had　been　offered
to　me　whose　immediate　fortune　is　larger　than　that　which　Mademoiselle
Colleville　will　eventually　inherit。　I　refused；　because　I　have　had　the
folly　to　let　my　heart　be　won；　and　because　an　alliance　with　a　family　as
honorable　as　yours　seemed　to　me　more　desirable；　but；　after　all；　it　is
as　well　to　let　Brigitte　know　that　if　Celeste　refuses　me；　I　am　not
absolutely　tur