the lesser bourgeoisie-第69节

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offer；　neither　did　Minard　junior　or　Phellion　junior；　for　that　matter。
Godeschal　is　the　only　one　who　risked　a　direct　proposal；　and　he　was
refused　at　once；　before　he　dipped　his　beak　in　the　water。〃

〃It　is　always　so！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　still　looking　for　a　ground　of
quarrel。　〃Straightforward　and　outspoken　persons　are　always　those　that
sly　men　boast　of　fooling。〃

〃Ah　ca！　what's　all　this？〃　said　Thuillier；　〃what　are　you　insinuating？
Didn't　you　settle　everything　with　Brigitte　the　other　day？　You　take　a
pretty　time　to　come　and　talk　to　me　about　your　love…affairs；　when　the
sword　of　justice　is　hanging　over　my　head。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　ironically；　〃so　now　you　are　going　to　make　the
most　of　your　interesting　position　of　accused　person！　I　knew　very　well
how　it　would　be；　I　was　certain　that　as　soon　as　your　pamphlet　appeared
the　old　cry　of　not　getting　what　you　expected　out　of　me　would　come　up。〃

〃Parbleu！　your　pamphlet！〃　cried　Thuillier。　〃I　think　you　are　a　fine
fellow　to　boast　of　that　when；　on　the　contrary；　it　has　caused　the　most
deplorable　complications。〃

〃Deplorable？　how　so？　you　have　just　said　your　political　fortune　was
made。〃

〃Well；　truly；　my　dear　Theodose；〃　said　Thuillier；　with　feeling；　〃I
should　never　have　thought　that　you　would　choose　the　hour　of　adversity
to　come　and　put　your　pistol　at　our　throats　and　make　me　the　object　of
your　sneers　and　innuendoes。〃

〃Well　done！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃now　it　is　the　hour　of　adversity！　A
minute　ago　you　were　flinging　yourself　into　my　arms　as　a　man　to　whom
some　signal　piece　of　luck　had　happened。　You　ought　really　to　choose
decidedly　between　being　a　man　who　needs　pity　and　a　glorious　victor。〃

〃It　is　all　very　well　to　be　witty；〃　returned　Thuillier；　〃but　you　can't
controvert　what　I　say。　I　am　logical；　if　I　am　not　brilliant。　It　is　very
natural　that　I　should　console　myself　by　seeing　that　public　opinion
decides　in　my　favor；　and　by　reading　in　its　organs　the　most　honorable
assurances　of　sympathy；　but　do　you　suppose　I　wouldn't　rather　that
things　had　taken　their　natural　course？　Besides；　when　I　see　myself　the
object　of　unworthy　vengeance　on　the　part　of　persons　as　influential　as
the　Vinets；　how　can　I　help　measuring　the　extent　of　the　dangers　to
which　I　am　exposed？〃

〃Well；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　with　pitiless　persistency；　〃I　see　that　you
prefer　to　play　the　part　of　Jeremiah。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Thuillier；　in　a　solemn　tone。　〃Jeremiah　laments　over　a
friendship　I　did　think　true　and　devoted；　but　which　I　find　has　only
sarcasms　to　give　me　when　I　looked　for　services。〃

〃What　services？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。　〃Did　you　not　tell　me　positively；　no
later　than　yesterday；　that　you　would　not　accept　my　help　under　any　form
whatever？　I　offered　to　plead　your　case；　and　you　answered　that　you
would　take　a　better　lawyer。〃

〃Yes；　in　the　first　shock　of　surprise　at　such　an　unexpected　blow；　I　did
say　that　foolish　thing；　but；　on　reflection；　who　can　explain　as　well　as
you　can　the　intention　of　the　words　you　wrote　with　your　own　pen？
Yesterday　I　was　almost　out　of　my　mind；　but　you；　with　your　wounded
self…love；　which　can't　forgive　a　momentary　impatience；　you　are　very
caustic　and　cruel。〃

〃So；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃you　formally　request　me　to　defend　you　before
the　jury？〃

〃Yes；　my　dear　fellow；　and　I　don't　know　any　other　hands　in　which　I
could　better　place　my　case。　I　should　have　to　pay　a　monstrous　sum　to
some　great　legal　luminary；　and　he　wouldn't　defend　me　as　ably　as　you。〃

〃Well；　I　refuse。　Roles　have　changed；　as　you　see；　diametrically。
Yesterday；　I　thought；　as　you　do；　that　I　was　the　man　to　defend　you。
To…day；　I　see　that　you　had　better　take　the　legal　luminary；　because；
with　Vinet's　antagonism　against　you　the　affair　is　taking　such
proportions　that　whoever　defends　it　assumes　a　fearful　responsibility。〃

〃I　understand；〃　said　Thuillier；　sarcastically。　〃Monsieur　has　his　eye
on　the　magistracy；　and　he　doesn't　want　to　quarrel　with　a　man　who　is
already　talked　of　for　Keeper　of　the　Seals。　It　is　prudent；　but　I　don't
know　that　it　is　going　to　help　on　your　marriage。〃

〃You　mean；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　seizing　the　ball　in　its　bound；　〃that　to
get　you　out　of　the　claws　of　that　jury　is　a　thirteenth　labor　of
Hercules；　imposed　upon　me　to　earn　the　hand　of　Mademoiselle　Colleville？
I　expected　that　demands　would　multiply　in　proportion　to　the　proofs　of
my　devotion。　But　that　is　the　very　thing　that　has　worn　me　out；　and　I
have　come　here　to…day　to　put　an　end　to　this　slave　labor　by　giving　back
to　you　your　pledges。　You　may　dispose　of　Celeste's　hand；　for　my　part；　I
am　no　longer　a　suitor　for　it。〃

The　unexpectedness　and　squareness　of　this　declaration　left　Thuillier
without　words　or　voice；　all　the　more　because　at　this　moment　entered
Brigitte。　The　temper　of　the　old　maid　had　also　greatly　moderated　since
the　previous　evening；　and　her　greeting　was　full　of　the　most　amicable
familiarity。

〃Ah！　so　here　you　are；　you　good　old　barrister；〃　she　said。

〃Mademoiselle；　your　servant；〃　he　replied；　gravely。

〃Well；〃　she　continued；　paying　no　attention　to　the　stiffness　of　his
manner；　〃the　government　has　got　itself　into　a　pretty　mess　by　seizing
your　pamphlet。　You　ought　to　see　how　the　morning　papers　lash　it！　Here；〃
she　added；　giving　Thuillier　a　small　sheet　printed　on　sugar…paper；　in
coarse　type；　and　almost　illegible；〃here's　another；　you　didn't　read；
the　porter　has　just　brought　it　up。　It　is　a　paper　from　our　old　quarter；
'L'Echo　de　la　Bievre。'　I　don't　know；　gentlemen；　if　you'll　be　of　my
opinion；　but　I　think　nothing　could　be　better　written。　It　is　droll；
though；　how　inattentive　these　journalists　are！　most　of　them　write　your
name　without　the　H；　I　think　you　ought　to　complain　of　it。〃

Thuillier　took　the　paper；　and　read　the　article　inspired　to　the
reviewer　of　the　tanner's　organ　by　stomach　gratitude。　Never　in　her　life
had　Brigitte　paid　the　slightest　attention　to　a　newspaper；　except　to
know　if　it　was　the　right　size　for　the　packages　she　wrapped　up　in　it；
but　now；　suddenly；　converted　to　a　worship　of　the　press　by　the　ardor　of
her　sisterly　love；　she　stood　behind　Thuillier　and　re…read；　over　his
shoulder；　the　more　striking　passages　of　the　page　she　thought　so
eloquent；　pointing　her　finger　to　them。

〃Yes；〃　said　Thuillier；　folding　up　the　paper；　〃that's　warm；　and　very
flattering　to　me。　But　here's　another　matter！　Monsieur　has　come　to　tell
me　that　he　refuses　to　plead　for　me；　and　renounces　all　claim　to
Celeste's　hand。〃

〃That　is　to　say；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃he　renounces　her　if；　after　having
pleaded；　the　marriage　does　not　take　place　'subito。'　Well；　poor　fellow；
I　think　that's　a　reasonable　demand。　When　he　has　done　that　for　us　there
ought　to　be　no　further　delay；　and　whether　Mademoiselle　Celeste　likes
it　or　not；　she　must　accept　him；　because；　you　know；　there's　an　end　to
all　things。〃

〃Do　you　hear　that；　my　good　fellow？〃　said　la　Peyrade；　seizing　upon
Brigitte's　speech。　〃When　I　have　pleaded；　the　marriage　is　to　take
place。　Your　sister　is　frankness　itself；　she；　at　least；　doesn't
practise　diplomacy。〃

〃Diplomacy！〃　echoed　Brigitte。　〃I'd　like　to　see　myself　creeping
underground　in　matters。　I　say　things　as　I　think　them。　The　workman　has
worked；　and　he　ought　to　have　his　pay。〃

〃Do　be　silent；〃　cried　Thuillier；　stamping　his　foot；　〃you　don't　say　a
word　that　doesn't　turn　the　knife　in　the　wound。〃

〃The　knife　in　the　wound？〃　said　Brigitte；　inquiringly。　〃Ah　ca！　are　you
two　quarrelling？〃

〃I　told　you；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃that　la　Peyrade　had　returned　our
promises；　and　the　reason　he　gives　is　that　we　are　asking　him　another
service　for　Celeste's　hand。　He　thinks　he　has　done　us　enough　without
it。〃

〃He　has　done　us　some　services；　no　doubt；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃but　it　seems
to　me　that　we　have　not　been　ungrateful　to　him。　Besides；　it　was　he　who
made　the　blunder；　and　I　think　it　rather　odd　he　should　now　wish　to
leave　us　in　the　lurch。〃

〃Your　reasoning；　mademoiselle；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃might　have　some
appearance　of　justice　if　I　were　the　only　barrister　in　Paris；　but　as
the　streets　are　black　with　them；　and　as；　only　yesterday；　Thuillier
himself　spoke　of　engaging　some　more　important　lawyer　than　myself；　I
have　not　the　slightest　scruple　in　refusing　to　defend　him。　Now；　as　to
the　marriage；　in　order　that　it　may　not　be　made　the　object　of　another
brutal　and　forcible　demand　upon　me；　I　here　renounce　it　in　the　most
formal　manner；　and　nothing　now　prevents　Mademoiselle　Colleville　from
accepting　Monsieur　Felix　Phellion　and　all　his　advantages。〃

〃As　you　please；　my　dear　monsieur；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃if　that's　your　last
word。　We　shall　not　be　at　a　loss　to　find　a　husband　for　Celeste；Felix
Phellion　or　another。　But　you　must　permit　me　to　tell　you　that　the
reason　you　give　is　not　the　true　one。　We　can't　go　faster　than　the
fiddles。　If　the　marriage　were　settled　to…day；　there　are　the　banns　to
publish；　you　have　sense　enough　to　know　that　Monsieur　le　maire　can't
marry　you　before　the　formalities　are　complied　with；　and　before　then
Thuillier's　case　will　have　been　tried。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃and　if　I　lose　the　case　it　will　be　I　who　have
sent　him　to　prison；just　as　yesterday　it　was　I　who　brought　about　the
seizure。〃

〃As　for　that；　it　seems　to　me　that　if　you　had　written　nothing　the
police　would　have　found　nothing　to　bite。〃

〃My　dear　Brigitte；〃　said　Thuillier；　seeing　la　Peyrade　shrug