the lesser bourgeoisie-第56节

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as　well　to　let　Brigitte　know　that　if　Celeste　refuses　me；　I　am　not
absolutely　turned　out　into　the　cold。〃

〃I　can　easily　believe　that；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃but　as　for　putting　the
whole　decision　into　the　hands　of　that　little　girl；　especially　if　she
has；　as　you　tell　me；　a　fancy　for　Felix〃

〃I　can't　help　it；〃　said　the　barrister。　〃I　must；　at　any　price；　get　out
of　this　position；　it　is　no　longer　tenable。　You　talk　about　your
pamphlet；　I　am　not　in　a　fit　condition　to　finish　it。　You；　who　have　been
a　man　of　gallantry；　you　must　know　the　dominion　that　women；　fatal
creatures！　exercise　over　our　whole　being。〃

〃Bah！〃　said　Thuillier；　conceitedly；　〃they　cared　for　me；　but　I　did　not
often　care　for　them；　I　took　them；　and　left　them；　you　know。〃

〃Yes；　but　I；　with　my　Southern　nature；　love　passionately；　and　Celeste
has　other　attractions　besides　fortune。　Brought　up　in　your　household；
under　your　own　eye；　you　have　made　her　adorable。　Only；　I　must　say；　you
have　shown　great　weakness　in　letting　that　young　fellow；　who　does　not
suit　her　in　any　respect；　get　such　hold　upon　her　fancy。〃

〃You　are　quite　right；　but　the　thing　began　in　a　childish　friendship；
she　and　Felix　played　together。　You　came　much　later；　and　it　is　a　proof
of　the　great　esteem　in　which　we　hold　you；　that　when　you　made　your
offer　we　renounced　our　earlier　projects。〃

〃YOU　did；　yes；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃and　with　some　literary　manias
which；　after　all；　are　frequently　full　of　sense　and　wityou　have　a
heart　of　gold；　with　you　friendship　is　a　sure　thing；　and　you　know　what
you　mean。　But　Brigitte　is　another　matter；　you'll　see；　when　you　propose
to　her　to　hasten　the　marriage；　what　a　resistance　she　will　make。〃

〃I　don't　agree　with　you。　I　think　that　Brigitte　has　always　wanted　you
and　still　wants　you　for　son…in…lawif　I　may　so　express　myself。　But
whether　she　does　or　not；　I　beg　you　to　believe　that　in　all　important
matters　I　know　how　to　have　my　will　obeyed。　Only；　let　us　come　now　to　a
distinct　understanding　of　what　you　wish；　then　we　can　start　with　the
right　foot　foremost；　and　you'll　see　that　all　will　go　well。〃

〃I　wish；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃to　put　the　last　touches　to　your
pamphlet；　for；　above　all　things；　I　think　of　you。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃we　ought　not　to　sink　in　port。〃

〃Well；　in　consequence　of　the　feeling　that　I　am　oppressed；　stultified
by　the　prospect　of　a　marriage　still　so　doubtful；　I　am　certain　that　not
a　page　of　manuscript　could　be　got　out　of　me　in　any　form；　until　the
question　is　settled。〃

〃Very　good；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃then　how　do　you　present　that　question？〃

〃Naturally；　if　Celeste's　decision　be　against　me；　I　should　wish　an
immediate　solution。　If　I　am　condemned　to　make　a　marriage　of
convenience　I　ought　to　lose　no　time　in　taking　the　opportunity　I
mentioned　to　you。〃

〃So　be　it；　but　what　time　do　you　intend　to　allow　us？〃

〃I　should　think　that　in　fifteen　days　a　girl　might　be　able　to　make　up
her　mind。〃

〃Undoubtedly；〃　replied　Thuillier；　〃but　it　is　very　repugnant　to　me　to
let　Celeste　decide　without　appeal。〃

〃For　my　part；　I　will　take　that　risk；　in　any　case；　I　shall　be　rid　of
uncertainty；　and　that　is　really　my　first　object。　Between　ourselves；　I
am　not　risking　as　much　as　you　think。　It　will　take　more　than　fifteen
days　for　a　son　of　Phellion；　in　other　words；　obstinacy　incarnate　in
silliness；　to　have　done　with　philosophical　hesitations；　and　it　is　very
certain　that　Celeste　will　not　accept　him　for　a　husband　unless　he　gives
her　some　proofs　of　conversion。〃

〃That's　probable。　But　suppose　Celeste　tries　to　dawdle；　suppose　she
refuses　to　accept　the　alternative？〃

〃That's　your　affair；〃　said　the　Provencal。　〃I　don't　know　how　you　regard
the　family　in　Paris；　I　only　know　that　in　my　part　of　the　country　it　is
an　unheard…of　thing　that　a　girl　should　have　such　liberty。　If　you；　your
sister　（supposing　she　plays　fair　in　the　matter）；　and　the　father　and
mother　can't　succeed　in　making　a　girl　whom　you　dower　agree　to　so
simple　a　thing　as　to　make　a　perfectly　free　choice　between　two　suitors；
then　good…bye　to　you！　You'll　have　to　write　upon　your　gate…post　that
Celeste　is　queen　and　sovereign　of　the　house。〃

〃Well；　we　haven't　got　to　that　point　yet；〃　said　Thuillier；　with　a
capable　air。

〃As　for　you；　my　old　fellow；〃　resumed　la　Peyrade；　〃I　must　postpone　our
business　until　after　Celeste's　decision。　Be　that　in　my　favor　or　not；　I
will　then　go　to　work；　and　in　three　days　the　pamphlet　can　be　finished。〃

〃Now；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃I　know　what　you　have　had　on　your　mind。　I'll
talk　about　it　with　Brigitte。〃

〃That's　a　sad　conclusion；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃but；　unhappily；　so　it
is。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃

〃I　would　rather；　as　you　can　easily　imagine；　hear　you　say　of　yourself
that　the　thing　shall　be　done；　but　old　habits　can't　be　broken　up。〃

〃Ah　ca！　do　you　think　I'm　a　man　without　any　will；　any　initiative　of　my
own？〃

〃No！　but　I'd　like　to　be　hidden　in　a　corner　and　hear　how　you　will　open
the　subject　with　your　sister。〃
　
〃Parbleu！　I　shall　open　it　frankly。　I　WILL；　very　firmly　said；　shall
meet　every　one　of　her　objections。〃

〃Ah；　my　poor　fellow！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　clapping　him　on　the　shoulder；
〃from　Chrysale　down　how　often　have　we　seen　brave　warriors　lowering
their　penants　before　the　wills　of　women　accustomed　to　master　them！〃

〃We'll　see　about　THAT；〃　replied　Thuillier；　making　a　theatrical　exit。

The　eager　desire　to　publish　his　pamphlet；　and　the　clever　doubt　thrown
upon　the　strength　of　his　will　had　made　him　furious；an　actual　tiger；
and　he　went　away　resolved；　in　case　of　opposition；　to　reduce　his
household；　as　the　saying　is；　by　fire　and　sword。

When　he　reached　home　Thuillier　instantly　laid　the　question　before
Brigitte。　She；　with　her　crude　good　sense　and　egotism；　pointed　out　to
him　that　by　thus　hastening　the　period　formerly　agreed　upon　for　the
marriage；　they　committed　the　blunder　of　disarming　themselves；　they
could　not　be　sure　that　when　the　election　took　place　la　Peyrade　would
put　the　same　zeal　into　preparing　for　it。　It　might　be；〃　said　the　old
maid；　〃just　as　it　has　been　about　the　cross。〃

〃There's　this　difference；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃the　cross　doesn't　depend
directly　upon　la　Peyrade；　whereas　the　influence　he　exerts　in　the　12th
arrondissement　he　can　employ　as　he　will。〃

〃And　suppose　he　willed；　after　we　have　feathered　his　nest；〃　said
Brigitte；　〃to　work　his　influence　for　his　own　election？　He　is　very
ambitious；　you　know。〃

This　danger　did　not　fail　to　strike　the　mind　of　the　future　legislator；
who　thought；　however；　that　he　might　feel　some　security　in　the　honor
and　morality　of　la　Peyrade。

〃A　man's　honor　can't　be　very　delicate；〃　returned　Brigitte；　〃when　he
tries　to　get　out　of　a　bargain；　and　this　fashion　of　dangling　a　bit　of
sugar　before　us　about　getting　your　pamphlet　finished；　doesn't　please
me　at　all。　Can't　you　get　Phellion　to　help　you；　and　do　without
Theodose？　Or；　I　dare　say；　Madame　de　Godollo；　who　knows　everybody　in
politics；　could　find　you　a　journalistthey　say　there　are　plenty　of
them　out　at　elbows；　a　couple　of　hundred　francs　would　do　the　thing。〃

〃But　the　secret　would　get　into　the　papers；〃　said　Thuillier。　〃No；　I
must　absolutely　have　Theodose；　he　knows　that；　and　he　makes　these
conditions。　After　all；　we　did　promise　him　Celeste；　and　it　is　only
fulfilling　the　promise　a　year　earlierwhat　am　I　saying？a　few
months；　a　few　weeks；　possibly；　for　the　king　may　dissolve　the　Chamber
before　any　one　expects　it。〃

〃But　suppose　Celeste　won't　have　him？〃　objected　Brigitte。

〃Celeste！　Celeste；　indeed！〃　ejaculated　Thuillier；　〃she　MUST　have
whomsoever　we　choose。　We　ought　to　have　thought　of　that　when　we　made
the　engagement　with　la　Peyrade；　our　word　is　passed　now；　you　know。
Besides；　if　the　child　is　allowed　to　choose　between　la　Peyrade　and
Phellion〃

〃So　you　really　think；〃　said　the　sceptical　old　maid；　〃that　if　Celeste
decides　for　Phellion　you　can　still　count　on　la　Peyrade's　devotion？〃

〃What　else　can　I　do？　Those　are　his　conditions。　Besides；　the　fellow　has
calculated　the　whole　thing；　he　knows　very　well　that　Felix　will　never
bring　himself　in　two　weeks　to　please　Celeste　by　going　to　confession；
and　unless　he　does；　that　little　monkey　will　never　accept　him　for　a
husband。　La　Peyrade's　game　is　very　clever。〃

〃Too　clever；〃　said　Brigitte。　〃Well；　settle　the　matter　as　you　choose；　I
shall　not　meddle；　all　this　manoeuvring　is　not　to　my　taste。〃

Thuillier　went　to　see　Madame　Colleville；　and　intimated　to　her　that　she
must　inform　Celeste　of　the　designs　upon　her。

Celeste　had　never　been　officially　authorized　to　indulge　her　sentiment
for　Felix　Phellion。　Flavie；　on　the　contrary；　had　once　expressly
forbidden　her　to　encourage　the　hopes　of　the　young　professor；　but　as；
on　the　part　of　Madame　Thuillier；　her　godmother　and　her　confidant；　she
knew　she　was　sustained　in　her　inclination；　she　had　let　herself　gently
follow　it　without　thinking　very　seriously　of　the　obstacles　her　choice
might　encounter。　When；　therefore；　she　was　ordered　to　choose　at　once
between　Felix　and　la　Peyrade；　the　simple…hearted　girl　was　at　first
only　struck　by　the　advantages　of　one　half　of　the　alternative；　and　she
fancied　she　did　herself　a　great　service　by　agreeing　to　an　arrangement
which　made　her　the　mistress　of　her　own　choice　and　allowed　her　to
bestow　it　as　her　heart　desired。

But　la　Peyrade　wa