the lesser bourgeoisie-第58节

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order　to　avoid　committing　them　in　future；　it　seems　to　me　not　a　little
desirable　that　you　should　plainly　indicate　them。〃

〃How　long　is　it；〃　asked　the　countess；　〃since　any　of　your　family　have
paid　a　visit　to　the　Thuilliers'？〃

〃If　my　memory　serves　me；〃　said　Phellion；　〃I　think　we　were　all　there
the　Sunday　after　the　dinner　for　the　house…warming。〃

〃Fifteen　whole　days　of　absence！〃　exclaimed　the　countess；　〃and　you
think　that　nothing　of　importance　could　happen　in　fifteen　days？〃

〃No；　indeed！　did　not　three　glorious　days　in　July；　1830；　cast　down　a
perjured　dynasty　and　found　the　noble　order　of　things　under　which　we
now　live？〃

〃You　see　it　yourself！〃　said　the　countess。　〃Now；　tell　me；　during　that
evening；　fifteen　days　ago；　did　nothing　serious　take　place　between　your
son　and　Celeste？〃

〃Something　did　occur；〃　replied　Phellion；〃a　very　disagreeable
conversation　on　the　subject　of　my　son's　religious　opinions；　it　must　be
owned　that　our　good　Celeste；　who　in　all　other　respects　has　a　charming
nature；　is　a　trifle　fanatic　in　the　matter　of　piety。〃

〃I　agree　to　that；〃　said　the　countess；　〃but　she　was　brought　up　by　the
mother　whom　you　know；　she　was　never　shown　the　face　of　true　piety；　she
saw　only　the　mimicry　of　it。　Repentant　Magdalens　of　the　Madame
Colleville　species　always　assume　an　air　of　wishing　to　retire　to　a
desert　with　their　death's…head　and　crossed　bones。　They　think　they
can't　get　salvation　at　a　cheaper　rate。　But　after　all；　what　did　Celeste
ask　of　Monsieur　Felix？　Merely　that　he　would　read　'The　Imitation　of
Christ。'〃

〃He　has　read　it；　madame；〃　said　Phellion；　〃and　he　thinks　it　a　book
extremely　well　written；　but　his　convictionsand　that　is　a　misfortune
have　not　been　affected　by　the　perusal。〃

〃And　do　you　think　he　shows　much　cleverness　in　not　assuring　his
mistress　of　some　little　change　in　his　inflexible　convictions？〃

〃My　son；　madame；　has　never　received　from　me　the　slightest　lesson　in
cleverness；　loyalty；　uprightness；　those　are　the　principles　I　have
endeavored　to　inculcate　in　him。〃

〃It　seems　to　me；　monsieur；　that　there　is　no　want　of　loyalty　when；　in
dealing　with　a　troubled　mind；　we　endeavor　to　avoid　wounding　it。　But
let　us　agree　that　Monsieur　Felix　owed　it　to　himself　to　be　that　iron
door　against　which　poor　Celeste's　applications　beat　in　vain；　was　that
a　reason　for　keeping　away　from　her　and　sulking　in　his　tent　for　fifteen
whole　days？　Above　all；　ought　he　to　have　capped　these　sulks　by　a
proceeding　which　I　can't　forgive；　and　whichonly　just　made　known　to
ushas　struck　the　girl's　heart　with　despair；　and　also　with　a　feeling
of　extreme　irritation？〃

〃My　son　capable　of　any　such　act！　it　is　quite　impossible；　madame！〃
cried　Phellion。　〃I　know　nothing　of　this　proceeding；　but　I　do　not
hesitate　to　affirm　that　you　have　been　ill…informed。〃

〃And　yet；　nothing　is　more　certain。　Young　Colleville；　who　came　home
to…day　for　his　half…holiday；　has　just　told　us　that　Monsieur　Felix；　who
had　previously　gone　with　the　utmost　punctuality　to　hear　him　recite　has
ceased　entirely　to　have　anything　to　do　with　him。　Unless　your　son　is
ill；　I　do　not　hesitate　to　say　that　this　neglect　is　the　greatest　of
blunders；　in　the　situation　in　which　he　now　stands　with　the　sister　he
ought　not　to　have　chosen　this　moment　to　put　an　end　to　these　lessons。〃

The　Phellions　looked　at　each　other　as　if　consulting　how　to　reply。

〃My　son；〃　said　Madame　Phellion；　〃is　not　exactly　ill；　but　since　you
mention　a　fact　which　is；　I　acknowledge；　very　strange　and　quite　out　of
keeping　with　his　nature　and　habits；　I　think　it　right　to　tell　you　that
from　the　day　when　Celeste　seemed　to　signify　that　all　was　at　an　end
between　them；　a　very　extraordinary　change　has　come　over　Felix；　which
is　causing　Monsieur　Phellion　and　myself　the　deepest　anxiety。〃

〃Yes；　madame；〃　said　Phellion；　〃the　young　man　is　certainly　not　in　his
normal　condition。〃

〃But　what　is　the　matter　with　him？〃　asked　the　countess；　anxiously。

〃The　night　of　that　scene　with　Celeste；〃　replied　Phellion；　〃after　his
return　home；　he　wept　a　flood　of　hot　tears　on　his　mother's　bosom；　and
gave　us　to　understand　that　the　happiness　of　his　whole　life　was　at　an
end。〃

〃And　yet；〃　said　Madame　de　Godollo；　〃nothing　very　serious　happened；　but
lovers　always　make　the　worst　of　things。〃

〃No　doubt；〃　said　Madame　Phellion；　〃but　since　that　night　Felix　has　not
made　the　slightest　allusion　to　his　misfortune；　and　the　next　day　he
went　back　to　his　work　with　a　sort　of　frenzy。　Does　that　seem　natural　to
you？〃

〃It　is　capable　of　explanation；　work　is　said　to　be　a　great　consoler。〃

〃That　is　most　true；〃　said　Phellion；　〃but　in　Felix's　whole　personality
there　is　something　excited；　and　yet　repressed；　which　is　difficult　to
describe。　You　speak　to　him；　and　he　hardly　seems　to　hear　you；　he　sits
down　to　table　and　forgets　to　eat；　or　takes　his　food　with　an　absent…
mindedness　which　the　medical　faculty　consider　most　injurious　to　the
process　of　digestion；　his　duties；　his　regular　occupations；　we　have　to
remind　him　ofhim；　so　extremely　regular；　so　punctual！　The　other　day；
when　he　was　at　the　Observatory；　where　he　now　spends　all　his　evenings；
only　coming　home　in　the　small　hours；　I　took　it　upon　myself　to　enter
his　room　and　examine　his　papers。　I　was　terrified；　madame；　at　finding　a
paper　covered　with　algebraic　calculations　which；　by　their　vast　extent
appeared　to　me　to　go　beyond　the　limits　of　the　human　intellect。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　the　countess；　〃he　is　on　the　road　to　some　great
discovery。〃

〃Or　to　madness；〃　said　Madame　Phellion；　in　a　low　voice；　and　with　a
heavy　sigh。

〃That　is　not　probable；〃　said　Madame　de　Godollo；　〃with　an　organization
so　calm　and　a　mind　so　well　balanced；　he　runs　but　little　danger　of　that
misfortune。　I　know　myself　of　another　danger　that　threatens　him
to…morrow；　and　unless　we　can　take　some　steps　this　evening　to　avert　it；
Celeste　is　positively　lost　to　him。〃

〃How　so？〃　said　the　husband　and　wife　together。

〃Perhaps　you　are　not　aware；〃　replied　the　countess；　〃that　Thuillier　and
his　sister　have　made　certain　promises　to　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade　about
Celeste？〃

〃We　suspected　as　much；〃　replied　Madame　Phellion。

〃The　fulfilment　of　these　pledges　was　postponed　to　a　rather　distant
period；　and　subordinated　to　certain　conditions。　Monsieur　de　la
Peyrade；　after　enabling　them　to　buy　the　house　near　the　Madeleine；
pledged　himself　not　only　to　obtain　the　cross　for　Monsieur　Thuillier；
but　to　write　in　his　name　a　political　pamphlet；　and　assist　him　in　his
election　to　the　Chamber　of　Deputies。　It　sounds　like　the　romances　of
chivalry；　in　which　the　hero；　before　obtaining　the　hand　of　the
princess；　is　compelled　to　exterminate　a　dragon。〃

〃Madame　is　very　witty；〃　said　Madame　Phellion；　looking　at　her　husband；
who　made　her　a　sign　not　to　interrupt。

〃I　have　no　time　now；〃　said　the　countess；　〃in　fact　it　would　be　useless
to　tell　you　the　manoeuvres　by　which　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade　has
contrived　to　hasten　the　period　of　this　marriage；　but　it　concerns　you
to　know　that；　thanks　to　his　duplicity；　Celeste　is　being　forced　to
choose　between　him　and　Monsieur　Felix；　fifteen　days　were　given　her　in
which　to　make　her　choice；　the　time　expires　to…morrow；　and；　thanks　to
the　unfortunate　state　of　feeling　into　which　your　son's　attitude　has
thrown　her；　there　is　very　serious　danger　of　seeing　her　sacrifice　to
her　wounded　feelings　the　better　sentiments　of　her　love　and　her
instincts。〃

〃But　what　can　be　done　to　prevent　it？〃　asked　Phellion。

〃Fight；　monsieur；　come　this　evening　in　force　to　the　Thuilliers'；
induce　Monsieur　Felix　to　accompany　you；　lecture　him　until　he　promises
to　be　a　little　more　flexible　in　his　philosophical　opinions。　Paris；
said　Henri　IV。；　is　surely　worth　a　mass。　But　let　him　avoid　all　such
questions；　he　can　certainly　find　in　his　heart　the　words　and　tones　to
move　a　woman　who　loves　him；　it　requires　so　little　to　satisfy　her！　I
shall　be　there　myself；　and　I　will　help　him　to　my　utmost　ability；
perhaps；　under　the　inspiration　of　the　moment；　I　may　think　of　some　way
to　do　effectually。　One　thing　is　very　certain：　we　have　to　fight　a　great
battle　to…night；　and　if　we　do　not　ALL　do　our　duty　valorously；　la
Peyrade　may　win　it。〃

〃My　son　is　not　here；　madame；〃　said　Phellion；　〃and　I　regret　it；　for
perhaps　your　generous　devotion　and　urgent　words　would　succeed　in
shaking　off　his　torpor；　but；　at　any　rate；　I　will　lay　before　him　the
gravity　of　the　situation；　and；　beyond　all　doubt；　he　will　accompany　us
to…night　to　the　Thuilliers'。〃

〃It　is　needless　to　say；〃　added　the　countess；　rising；　〃that　we　must
carefully　avoid　the　very　slightest　appearance　of　collusion；　we　must
not　converse　together；　in　fact；　unless　it　can　be　done　in　some　casual
way；　it　would　be　better　not　to　speak。〃

〃I　beg　you　to　rely；　madame；　upon　my　prudence；〃　replied　Phellion；　〃and
kindly　accept　the　assurance〃

〃Of　your　most　distinguished　sentiments；〃　interrupted　the　countess；
laughing。

〃No；　madame；〃　replied　Phellion；　gravely；　〃I　reserve　that　formula　for
the　conclusion　of　my　letters；　I　beg　you　to　accept　the　assurance　of　my
warmest　and　most　unalterable　gratitude。〃

〃We　will　talk　of　that　when　we　are　out　of　danger；〃　said　Madame　de
Godollo；　moving　towards　the　door；　〃and　if　Madame　Phellion；　the
tenderest　and　most　virtuous　of　mothers；　will　grant　me　a　little　place
in　her　esteem；