the lesser bourgeoisie-第63节

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way　at　least；　what　future　your　kind　good…will　has　imagined　for　me。〃

〃It　is　very　indiscreet；〃　replied　the　countess；　coldly；　〃and　it　shows
plainly　that　you　offer　me　only　a　conditional　confidence。　Let　us　say　no
more。　You　are　certainly　far　advanced　with　Mademoiselle　Colleville；　she
suits　you；　you　say；　in　many　ways；　therefore　marry　her。　I　say　again；
you　will　no　longer　find　me　in　your　way。〃

〃But　does　Mademoiselle　Colleville　really　suit　me？〃　resumed　la　Peyrade；
〃that　is　the　very　point　on　which　you　have　lately　raised　my　doubts。　Do
you　not　think　there　is　something　cruel　in　casting　me　first　in　one
direction　and　then　in　the　other　without　affording　me　any　ground　to　go
upon？〃

〃Ah！〃　said　the　countess；　in　a　tone　of　impatience；　〃you　want　my　opinion
on　the　premises！　Well；　monsieur；　there　is　one　very　conclusive　fact　to
which　I　can　bring　proof：　Celeste　does　not　love　you。〃

〃So　I　have　thought；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　humbly。　〃I　felt　that　I　was
making　a　marriage　of　mere　convenience。〃

〃And　she　cannot　love　you；　because；〃　continued　Madame　de　Godollo；　with
animation；　〃she　cannot　comprehend　you。　Her　proper　husband　is　that
blond　little　man；　insipid　as　herself；　from　the　union　of　those　two
natures　without　life　or　heat　will　result　in　that　lukewarm　existence
which；　in　the　opinion　of　the　world　where　she　was　born　and　where　she
has　lived；　is　the　ne　plus　ultra　of　conjugal　felicity。　Try　to　make　that
little　simpleton　understand　that　when　she　had　a　chance　to　unite
herself　with　true　talent　she　ought　to　have　felt　highly　honored！　But；
above　all；　try　to　make　her　miserable；　odious　family　and　surroundings
understand　it！　Enriched　bourgeois；　parvenus！　there's　the　roof　beneath
which　you　think　to　rest　from　your　cruel　labor　and　your　many　trials！
And　do　you　believe　that　you　will　not　be　made　to　feel；　twenty　times　a
day；　that　your　share　in　the　partnership　is　distressingly　light　in　the
scale　against　their　money？　On　one　side；　the　Iliad；　the　Cid；　Der
Freyschutz；　and　the　frescos　of　the　Vatican；　on　the　other；　three
hundred　thousand　francs　in　good；　ringing　coin！　Tell　me　which　side　they
will　trust　and　admire！　The　artist；　the　man　of　imagination　who　falls
into　the　bourgeois　atmosphereshall　I　tell　you　to　what　I　compare　him？
To　Daniel　cast　into　the　lion's　den；　less　the　miracle　of　Holy　Writ。〃

This　invective　against　the　bourgeoisie　was　uttered　in　a　tone　of　heated
conviction　which　could　scarcely　fail　to　be　communicated。

〃Ah！　madame；〃　cried　la　Peyrade；　〃how　eloquently　you　say　things　which
again　and　again　have　entered　my　troubled　and　anxious　mind！　But　I　have
felt　myself　lashed　to　that　most　cruel　fate；　the　necessity　of　gaining　a
position〃

〃Necessity！　position！〃　interrupted　the　countess；　again　raising　the
temperature　of　her　speech；〃words　void　of　meaning！　which　have　not
even　sound　to　able　men；　though　they　drive　back　fools　as　though　they
were　formidable　barriers。　Necessity！　does　that　exist　for　noble
natures；　for　those　who　know　how　to　will？　A　Gascon　minister　uttered　a
saying　which　ought　to　be　engraved　on　the　doors　of　all　careers：　'All
things　come　to　him　who　knows　how　to　wait。'　Are　you　ignorant　that
marriage；　to　men　of　a　high　stamp；　is　either　a　chain　which　binds　them
to　the　lowest　vulgarities　of　existence；　or　a　wing　on　which　to　rise　to
the　highest　summits　of　the　social　world？　The　wife　you　need；　monsieur；
and　she　would　not　be　long　wanting　to　your　career　if　you　had　not；
with　such　incredible　haste；　accepted　the　first　'dot'　that　was　offered
you；the　wife　you　should　have　chosen　is　a　woman　capable　of
understanding　you；　able　to　divine　your　intellect；　one　who　could　be　to
you　a　fellow…worker；　an　intellectual　confidant；　and　not　a　mere
embodiment　of　the　'pot…au…feu'；　a　woman　capable　of　being　now　your
secretary；　but　soon　the　wife　of　a　deputy；　a　minister；　an　ambassador；
one；　in　short；　who　could　offer　you　her　heart　as　a　mainspring；　her
salon　for　a　stage；　her　connections　for　a　ladder；　and　who；　in　return
for　all　she　would　give　you　of　ardor　and　strength；　asks　only　to　shine
beside　your　throne　in　the　rays　of　the　glory　she　predicts　for　you！〃

Intoxicated；　as　it　were；　with　the　flow　of　her　own　words；　the　countess
was　really　magnificent；　her　eyes　sparkled；　her　nostrils　dilated；　the
prospect　her　vivid　eloquence　thus　unrolled　she　seemed　to　see；　and
touch　with　her　quivering　fingers。　For　a　moment；　la　Peyrade　was　dazzled
by　this　sunrise　which　suddenly　burst　upon　his　life。

However；　as　he　was　a　man　most　eminently　prudent；　who　had　made　it　his
rule　of　life　never　to　lend　except　on　sound　and　solvent　security；　he
was　still　impelled　to　weigh　the　situation。

〃Madame　la　comtesse；〃　he　said；　〃you　reproached　me　just　now　for
speaking　like　a　bourgeois；　and　I；　in　return；　am　afraid　that　you　are
talking　like　a　goddess。　I　admire　you；　I　listen　to　you；　but　I　am　not
convinced。　Such　devotions；　such　sublime　abnegations　may　be　met　with　in
heaven；　but　in　this　low　world　who　can　hope　to　be　the　object　of　them？〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　monsieur；〃　replied　the　countess；　with　solemnity；
〃such　devotions　are　rare；　but　they　are　neither　impossible　nor
incredible；　only；　it　is　necessary　to　have　the　heart　to　find　them；　and；
above　all；　the　hand　to　take　them　when　they　are　offered　to　you。〃

So　saying；　the　countess　rose　majestically。

La　Peyrade　saw　that　he　had　ended　by　displeasing　her；　and　he　felt　that
she　dismissed　him。　He　rose　himself；　bowed　respectfully；　and　asked　to
be　received　again。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Madame　de　Godollo；　〃we　Hungarians；　primitive　people
and　almost　savages　that　we　are；　have　a　saying　that　when　our　door　is
open　both　sides　of　it　are　opened　wide；　when　we　close　it　it　is　double…
locked　and　bolted。〃

That　dignified　and　ambiguous　speech　was　accompanied　by　a　slight
inclination　of　the　head。　Bewildered；　confounded　by　this　behavior；　to
him　so　new；　which　bore　but　little　resemblance　to　that　of　Flavie；
Brigitte；　and　Madame　Minard；　la　Peyrade　left　the　house；　asking　himself
again　and　again　whether　he　had　played　his　game　properly。



CHAPTER　V

SHOWING　HOW　NEAR　THE　TARPEIAN　ROCK　IS　TO　THE　CAPITOL

On　leaving　Madame　de　Godollo；　la　Peyrade　felt　the　necessity　of
gathering　himself　together。　Beneath　the　conversation　he　had　just
maintained　with　this　strange　woman；　what　could　he　see；a　trap；　or　a
rich　and　distinguished　marriage　offered　to　him。　Under　such　a　doubt　as
this；　to　press　Celeste　for　an　immediate　answer　was　neither　clever　nor
prudent；　it　was　simply　to　bind　himself；　and　close　the　door　to　the
changes；　still　very　ill…defined；　which　seemed　offered　to　him。　The
result　of　the　consultation　which　Theodose　held　with　himself　as　he
walked　along　the　boulevard　was　that　he　ought；　for　the　moment；　to　think
only　of　gaining　time。　Consequently；　instead　of　going　to　the
Thuilliers'　to　learn　Celeste's　decision；　he　went　home；　and　wrote　the
following　little　note　to　Thuillier：

　　My　dear　Thuillier；You　will　certainly　not　think　it　extraordinary
　　that　I　should　not　present　myself　at　your　house　to…day；partly
　　because　I　fear　the　sentence　which　will　be　pronounced　upon　me；　and
　　partly　because　I　do　not　wish　to　seem　an　impatient　and　unmannerly
　　creditor。　A　few　days；　more　or　less；　will　matter　little　under　such
　　circumstances；　and　yet　Mademoiselle　Colleville　may　find　them
　　desirable　for　the　absolute　freedom　of　her　choice。　I　shall；
　　therefore；　not　go　to　see　you　until　you　write　for　me。

　　I　am　now　more　calm；　and　I　have　added　a　few　more　pages　to　our
　　manuscript；　it　will　take　but　little　time　to　hand　in　the　whole　to
　　the　printer。

Ever　yours；
Theodose　de　la　Peyrade。


Two　hours　later　a　servant；　dressed　in　what　was　evidently　the　first
step　towards　a　livery；　which　the　Thuilliers　did　not　as　yet　venture　to
risk；　the　〃male　domestic；〃　whom　Minard　had　mentioned　to　the　Phellions；
arrived　at　la　Peyrade's　lodgings　with　the　following　note：

　　Come　to…night；　without　fail。　We　will　talk　over　the　whole　affair
　　with　Brigitte。

Your　most　affectionately　devoted
Jerome　Thuillier。


〃Good！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃evidently　there　is　some　hindrance　on　the
other　side；　I　shall　have　time　to　turn　myself　round。〃

That　evening；　when　the　servant　announced　him　in　the　Thuillier　salon；
the　Comtesse　de　Godollo；　who　was　sitting　with　Brigitte；　hastened　to
rise　and　leave　the　room。　As　she　passed　la　Peyrade　she　made　him　a　very
ceremonious　bow。　There　was　nothing　conclusive　to　be　deduced　from　this
abrupt　departure；　which　might　signify　anything；　either　much　or
nothing。

After　talking　of　the　weather　and　so　forth　for　a　time；　as　persons　do
who　have　met　to　discuss　a　delicate　subject　about　which　they　are　not
sure　of　coming　to　an　understanding；　the　matter　was　opened　by　Brigitte；
who　had　sent　her　brother　to　take　a　walk　on　the　boulevard；　telling　him
to　leave　her　to　manage　the　affair。

〃My　dear　boy；〃　she　said　to　Theodose；　〃it　was　very　nice　of　you　not　to
come　here　to…day　like　a　GRASP…ALL；　to　put　your　pistol　at　our　throats；
for　we　were　not；　as　it　happened；　quite　ready　to　answer　you。　I　think；〃
she　added；　〃that　our　little　Celeste　needs　a　trifle　more　time。〃

〃Then；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　quickly；　〃she　has　not　decided　in　favor　of
Monsieur　Felix　Phellion？〃

〃Joker！〃　replied　the　old　maid；　〃you　know　very　well　you　settled　that
business　last　night；　but　you　also　know；　of　course；　that　her　own
inclinations