the lesser bourgeoisie-第65节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃But　when？〃　asked　Thuillier；　who　thought　this　view　paradoxical。

〃Parbleu！〃　said　Barbet；　〃when　we　get　notices　in　the　newspapers。
Newspaper　notices　are　only　useful　to　arouse　attention。　'Dear　me！'　says
the　public；　'there's　a　publication　that　must　be　interesting。'　The
title　is　good；'Taxation　and　the　Sliding…Scale；'but　I　find　that　the
more　piquant　a　title　is；　the　more　buyers　distrust　it；　they　have　been
taken　in　so　often；　they　wait　for　the　notices。　On　the　other　hand；　for
books　that　are　destined　to　have　only　a　limited　sale；　a　hundred　ready…
made　purchasers　will　come　in　at　once；　but　after　that；　good…bye　to
them；　we　don't　place　another　copy。〃

〃Then　you　don't　think；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃that　the　sale　is　hopeless？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　think　it　is　on　the　best　track。　When　the　'Debats；'
the　'Constitutionnel；'　the　'Siecle；'　and　the　'Presse'　have　reviewed
it；　especially　if　the　'Debats'　mauls　it　（they　are　ministerial；　you
know）；　it　won't　be　a　week　before　the　whole　edition　is　snapped　up。〃

〃You　say　that　easily　enough；〃　replied　Thuillier；　〃but　how　are　we　to
get　hold　of　those　gentlemen　of　the　press？〃

〃Ah！　I'll　take　care　of　that；〃　said　Barbet。　〃I　am　on　the　best　of　terms
with　the　managing　editors；　they　say　the　devil　is　in　me；　and　that　I
remind　them　of　Ladvocat　in　his　best　days。〃

〃But　then；　my　dear　fellow；　you　ought　to　have　seen　to　this　earlier。〃

〃Ah！　excuse　me；　papa　Thuillier；　there's　only　one　way　of　seeing　to　the
journalists；　but　as　you　grumbled　about　the　fifteen　hundred　francs　for
the　advertisements；　I　did　not　venture　to　propose　to　you　another　extra
expense。〃

〃What　expense？〃　asked　Thuillier；　anxiously。

〃When　you　were　nominated　to　the　municipal　council；　where　was　the　plan
mooted？〃　asked　the　publisher。

〃Parbleu！　in　my　own　house；〃　replied　Thuillier。

〃Yes；　of　course；　in　your　own　house；　but　at　a　dinner；　followed　by　a
ball；　and　the　ball　itself　crowned　by　a　supper。　Well；　my　dear　master；
there　are　no　two　ways　to　do　this　business；　Boileau　says：

　　〃'All　is　done　through　the　palate；　and　not　through　the　mind；
　　And　it　is　by　our　dinners　we　govern　mankind。'〃

〃Then　you　think　I　ought　to　give　a　dinner　to　those　journalists？〃

〃Yes；　but　not　at　your　own　house；　for　these　journalists；　you　see；　if
women　are　present；　get　stupid；　they　have　to　behave　themselves。　And；
besides；　it　isn't　dinner　they　want；　but　a　breakfastthat　suits　them
best。　In　the　evening　these　gentlemen　have　to　go　to　first
representations；　and　make　up　their　papers；　not　to　speak　of　their　own
little　private　doings；　whereas　in　the　mornings　they　have　nothing　to
think　about。　As　for　me；　it　is　always　breakfasts　that　I　give。〃

〃But　that　costs　money；　breakfasts　like　that；〃　said　Thuillier；
〃journalists　are　gourmands。〃

〃Bah！　twenty　francs　a　head；　without　wine。　Say　you　have　ten　of　them；
three　hundred　francs　will　see　you　handsomely　through　the　whole　thing。
In　fact；　as　a　matter　of　economy；　breakfasts　are　preferable；　for　a
dinner　you　wouldn't　get　off　under　five　hundred　francs。〃

〃How　you　talk；　young　man！〃　said　Thuillier。

〃Oh；　hang　it！　everybody　knows　it　costs　dear　to　get　elected　to　the
Chamber；　and　all　this　favors　your　nomination。〃

〃But　how　can　I　invite　those　gentlemen？　Must　I　go　and　see　them　myself？〃

〃Certainly　not；　send　them　your　pamphlet　and　appoint　them　to　meet　you
at　Philippe's　or　Vefour'sthey'll　understand　perfectly。〃

〃Ten　guests；〃　said　Thuillier；　beginning　to　enter　into　the　idea。　〃I　did
not　know　there　were　so　many　leading　journals。〃

〃There　are　not；〃　said　the　publisher；　〃but　we　must　have　the　little　dogs
as　well；　for　they　bark　loudest。　This　breakfast　is　certain　to　make　a
noise；　and　if　you　don't　ask　them　they'll　think　you　pick　and　choose；
and　everyone　excluded　will　be　your　enemy。〃

〃Then　you　think　it　is　enough　merely　to　send　the　invitations？〃

〃Yes；　I'll　make　the　list；　and　you　can　write　the　notes　and　send　them　to
me。　I'll　see　that　they　are　delivered；　some　of　them　I　shall　take　in
person。〃

〃If　I　were　sure；〃　said　Thuillier；　undecidedly；　〃that　this　expense
would　have　the　desired　effect〃

〃IF　I　WERE　SURE；that's　a　queer　thing　to　say；〃　said　Barbet。　〃My　dear
master；　this　is　money　placed　on　mortgage；　for　it；　I　will　guarantee　the
sale　of　fifteen　hundred　copies；say　at　forty　sous　apiece；　allowing
the　discounts；　that　makes　three　thousand　francs。　You　see　that　your
costs　and　extra　costs　are　covered；　and　more　than　covered。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Thuillier；　turning　to　go；　〃I'll　talk　to　la　Peyrade　about
it。〃

〃As　you　please；　my　dear　master；　but　decide　soon；　for　nothing　gets
mouldy　so　fast　as　a　book；　write　hot；　serve　hot；　and　buy　hot；that's
the　rule　for　authors；　publishers；　and　public；　all　is　bosh　outside　of
it；　and　no　good　to　touch。〃

When　la　Peyrade　was　consulted；　he　did　not　think　in　his　heart　that　the
remedy　was　heroic；　but　he　had　now　come　to　feel　the　bitterest　animosity
against　Thuillier；　so　that　he　was　well　pleased　to　see　this　new　tax
levied　on　his　self…important　inexperience　and　pompous　silliness。

As　for　Thuillier；　the　mania　for　posing　as　a　publicist　and　getting
himself　talked　about　so　possessed　him　that　although　he　moaned　over
this　fresh　bleeding　of　his　purse；　he　had　decided　on　the　sacrifice
before　he　even　spoke　to　la　Peyrade。　The　reserved　and　conditional
approval　of　the　latter　was；　therefore；　more　than　enough　to　settle　his
determination；　and　the　same　evening　he　returned　to　Barbet　junior　and
asked　for　the　list　of　guests　whom　he　ought　to　invite。

Barbet　gaily　produced　his　little　catalogue。　Instead　of　the　ten　guests
originally　mentioned；　there　proved　to　be　fifteen；　not　counting　himself
or　la　Peyrade；　whom　Thuillier　wanted　to　second　him　in　this　encounter
with　a　set　of　men　among　whom　he　himself　felt　he　should　be　a　little　out
of　place。　Casting　his　eyes　over　the　list；　he　exclaimed；　vehemently：

〃Heavens！　my　dear　fellow；　here　are　names　of　papers　nobody　ever　heard
of。　Where's　the　'Moralisateur；'　the　'Lanterne　de　Diogene；'　the
'Pelican；'　the　'Echo　de　la　Bievre'？〃

〃You'd　better　be　careful　how　you　scorn　the　'Echo　de　la　Bievre；'〃　said
Barbet；　〃why；　that's　the　paper　of　the　12th　arrondissement；　from　which
you　expect　to　be　elected；　its　patrons　are　those　big　tanners　of　the
Mouffetard　quarter！〃

〃Well；　let　that　gobut　the　'Pelican'？〃

〃The　'Pelican'？　that's　a　paper　you'll　find　in　every　dentist's　waiting…
room；　dentists　are　the　first　PUFFISTS　in　the　world！　How　many　teeth　do
you　suppose　are　daily　pulled　in　Paris？〃

〃Come；　come；　nonsense；〃　said　Thuillier；　who　proceeded　to　mark　out
certain　names；　reducing　the　whole　number　present　to　fourteen。

〃If　one　falls　off　we　shall　be　thirteen；〃　remarked　Barbet。

〃Pooh！〃　said　Thuillier；　the　free…thinker；　〃do　you　suppose　I　give　in　to
that　superstition？〃

The　list　being　finally　closed　and　settled　at　fourteen；　Thuillier
seated　himself　at　the　publisher's　desk　and　wrote　the　invitations；
naming；　in　view　of　the　urgency　of　the　purpose；　the　next　day　but　one
for　the　meeting；　Barbet　having　assured　him　that　no　journalist　would
object　to　the　shortness　of　the　invitation。　The　meeting　was　appointed
at　Vefour's；　the　restaurant　par　excellence　of　the　bourgeoisie　and　all
provincials。

Barbet　arrived　on　the　day　named　before　Thuillier；　who　appeared　in　a
cravat　which　alone　was　enough　to　create　a　stir　in　the　satirical　circle
in　which　he　was　about　to　produce　himself。　The　publisher；　on　his　own
authority；　had　changed　various　articles　on　the　bill　of　fare　as
selected　by　his　patron；　more　especially　directing　that　the　champagne；
ordered　in　true　bourgeois　fashion　to　be　served　with　the　dessert；
should　be　placed　on　the　table　at　the　beginning　of　breakfast；　with
several　dishes　of　shrimps；　a　necessity　which　had　not　occurred　to　the
amphitryon。

Thuillier；　who　gave　a　lip…approval　to　these　amendments；　was　followed
by　la　Peyrade；　and　then　came　a　long　delay　in　the　arrival　of　the
guests。　Breakfast　was　ordered　at　eleven　o'clock；　at　a　quarter　to
twelve　not　a　journalist　had　appeared。　Barbet；　who　was　never　at　a　loss；
made　the　consoling　remark　that　breakfasts　at　restaurants　were　like
funerals；　where；　as　every　one　knew；　eleven　o'clock　meant　mid…day。

Sure　enough；　shortly　before　that　hour；　two　gentlemen；　with　pointed
beards；　exhaling　a　strong　odor　of　tobacco；　made　their　appearance。
Thuillier　thanked　them　effusively　for　the　〃honor〃　they　had　done　him；
after　which　came　another　long　period　of　waiting；　of　which　we　shall　not
relate　the　tortures。　At　one　o'clock　the　assembled　contingent　comprised
five　of　the　invited　guests；　Barbet　and　la　Peyrade　not　included。　It　is
scarcely　necessary　to　say　that　none　of　the　self…respecting　journalists
of　the　better　papers　had　taken　any　notice　of　the　absurd　invitation。

Breakfast　now　had　to　be　served　to　this　reduced　number。　A　few　polite
phrases　that　reached　Thuillier's　ears　about　the　〃immense〃　interest　of
his　publication；　failed　to　blind　him　to　the　bitterness　of　his
discomfiture；　and　without　the　gaiety　of　the　publisher；　who　had　taken
in　hand　the　reins　his　patron；　gloomy　as　Hippolytus　on　the　road　to
Mycenae；　let　fall；　nothing　could　have　surpassed　the　glum　and　glacial
coldness　of　the　meeting。

After　the　oysters　were　removed；　the　champagne　and　chablis　which　had
washed　them　down　had　begun；　nevertheless；　to　raise　the　thermometer；
when；　rushing　into　the　r