the lesser bourgeoisie-第74节

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〃Oh！　how　good　monsieur　is！　I　pray　God　to　bless　him；〃　said　the　pious
woman；　clasping　her　hands。

〃Bless　me！　do　you　have　business　with　Madame　Lambert？〃　said　Cerizet；
〃you　never　told　me　that。　Are　you　Pere　Picot's　counsel？〃

〃No；　unfortunately；〃　said　Madame　Lambert；　〃my　master　won't　take　any
counsel；　he　is　so　self…willed；　so　obstinate！　But；　my　good　monsieur；
what　I　came　to　ask　is　whether　the　family　council　is　to　meet。〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃and　not　later　than　to…morrow。〃

〃But　monsieur；　I　hear　those　gentlemen　of　the　Royal　court　said　the
family　had　no　rights〃

〃Yes；　that's　so；〃　said　the　clerk；　〃the　lower　court　and　the　Royal　court
have　both；　on　the　petition　of　the　relatives；　rejected　their　demand　for
a　commission。〃

〃I　should　hope　so！〃　said　the　woman；　〃to　think　of　making　him　out　a
lunatic！　him　so　full　of　wisdom　and　learning！〃

〃But　the　relations　don't　mean　to　give　up；　they　are　going　to　try　the
matter　again　under　a　new　form；　and　ask　for　the　appointment　of　a
judicial　counsel。　That's　what　the　family　council　meets　for　to…morrow；
and　I　think；　this　time；　my　dear　Madame　Lambert；　your　old　Picot　will
find　himself　restrained。　There　are　serious　allegations；　I　can　tell
you。　It　was　all　very　well　to　take　the　eggs；　but　to　pluck　the　hen　was
another　thing。〃

〃Is　it　possible　that　monsieur　can　suppose〃　began　the　devote；
clasping　her　hands　under　her　chin。

〃I　suppose　nothing；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃I　am　not　the　judge　of　this　affair。
But　the　relations　declare　that　you　have　pocketed　considerable　sums；
and　made　investments　about　which　they　demand　inquiry。〃

〃Oh！　heavens！〃　said　the　woman；　casting　up　her　eyes；　〃they　can　inquire；
I　am　poor；　I　have　not　a　deed；　nor　a　note；　nor　a　share；　not　the
slightest　security　of　any　kind　in　my　possession。〃

〃I　dare　say　not；〃　said　Cerizet；　glancing　at　la　Peyrade　out　of　the
corner　of　his　eye；　〃but　there　are　always　friends　to　take　care　of　such
things。　However；　that　is　none　of　my　business；　every　one　must　settle
his　own　affairs　in　his　own　way。　Now；　then；　say　what　you　have　to　say；
distinctly。〃

〃I　came；　monsieur；〃　she　replied；　〃to　implore　you；　monsieur；　to　implore
Monsieur　the　judge's　clerk；　to　speak　in　our　favor　to　Monsieur　the
justice…of…peace。　Monsieur　the　vicar　of　Saint…Jacques　is　also　to　speak
to　him。　That　poor　Monsieur　Picot！〃　she　went　on；　weeping；　〃they'll　kill
him　if　they　continue　to　worry　him　in　this　way。〃

〃I　sha'n't　conceal　from　you；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃that　the　justice…of…peace
is　very　ill…disposed　to　your　cause。　You　must　have　seen　that　the　other
day；　when　he　refused　to　receive　you。　As　for　Monsieur　Dutocq　and
myself；　our　assistance　won't　help　you　much；　and　besides；　my　good
woman；　you　are　too　close…mouthed。〃

〃Monsieur　asked　me　if　I　had　laid　by　a　few　little　savings；　and　I
couldn't　tell　him　that　I　had；　bebecause　they　have　gone　to　keep　the
hhouse　of　that　poor　Monsieur　Piicot；　and　now　they　accuse　me　of
rrobbing　him！〃

Madame　Lambert　sobbed。

〃My　opinion　is；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃that　you　are　making　yourself　out　much
poorer　than　you　are；　and　if　friend　Peyrade　here；　who　seems　to　be　more
in　your　confidence；　hadn't　his　tongue　tied　by　the　rules　of　his
profession〃

〃I！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　hastily；　〃I　don't　know　anything　of　madame's
affairs。　She　asked　me　to　draw　up　a　petition　on　a　matter　in　which　there
was　nothing　judicial　or　financial。〃

〃Ah！　that's　it；　is　it？〃　said　Cerizet。　〃Madame　had　doubtless　gone　to
see　you　about　this　petition　the　day　Dutocq　met　her　at　your　office；　the
morning　after　our　dinner　at　the　Rocher　de　Cancalewhen　you　were　such
a　Roman；　you　know。〃

Then；　without　seeming　to　attach　any　importance　to　the　reminiscence；　he
added：

〃Well；　my　good　Madame　Lambert；　I'll　ask　my　patron　to　speak　to　the
justice…of…peace；　and；　if　I　get　a　chance；　I'll　speak　to　him　myself；
but；　I　repeat　it；　he　is　very　much　prejudiced　against　you。〃

Madame　Lambert　retired　with　many　curtseys　and　protestations　of
gratitude。　When　she　was　fairly　gone　la　Peyrade　remarked：

〃You　don't　seem　to　believe　that　that　woman　came　to　me　about　a
petition；　and　yet　nothing　was　ever　truer。　She　is　thought　a　saint　in
the　street　she　lives　in；　and　that　old　man　they　accuse　her　of　robbing
is　actually　kept　alive　by　her　devotion；　so　I'm　told。　Consequently；　the
neighbors　have　put　it　into　the　good　woman's　head　to　apply　for　the
Montyon　prize；　and　it　was　for　the　purpose　of　putting　her　claims　in
legal　shape　that　she　applied　to　me。〃

〃Dear！　dear！　the　Montyon　prize！〃　cried　Cerizet；　〃well；　that's　an　idea！
My　good　fellow；　we　ought　to　have　cultivated　it　before；I；　especially；
as　banker　of　the　poor；　and　you；　their　advocate。　As　for　this　client　of
yours；　it　is　lucky　for　her　Monsieur　Picot's　relatives　are　not　members
of　the　French　academy；　it　is　in　the　correctional　police…court；　sixth
chamber；　where　they　mean　to　give　her　the　reward　of　virtue。　However；　to
come　back　to　what　we　were　talking　about。　I　tell　you　that　after　all
your　tergiversations　you　had　better　settle　down　peaceably；　and　I
advise　you；　as　your　countess　did；　to　go　and　see　du　Portail。〃

〃Who　and　what　is　he？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。

〃He　is　a　little　old　man；〃　replied　Cerizet；　〃as　shrewd　as　a　weasel。　He
gives　me　the　idea　of　having　dealings　with　the　devil。　Go　and　see　him！
Sight；　as　they　say；　costs　nothing。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃perhaps　I　will；　but；　first　of　all；　I　want　you
to　find　out　for　me　about　this　Comtesse　de　Godollo。〃

〃What　do　you　care　about　her？　She　is　nothing　but　a　supernumerary；　that
countess。〃

〃I　have　my　reasons；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃you　can　certainly　get　some
information　about　her　in　three　days；　I'll　come　and　see　you　then。〃

〃My　good　fellow；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃you　seem　to　me　to　be　amusing　yourself
with　things　that　don't　pay；　you　haven't　fallen　in　love　with　that　go…
between；　have　you？〃

〃Plague　take　him！〃　thought　la　Peyrade；　〃he　spies　everything；　there's
no　hiding　anything　from　him！　No；〃　he　said；　aloud；　〃I　am　not　in　love；
on　the　contrary；　I　am　very　cautious。　I　must　admit　that　this　marriage
with　a　crazy　girl　doesn't　attract　me；　and　before　I　go　a　step　into　it　I
want　to　know　where　I　put　my　feet。　These　crooked　proceedings　are　not
reassuring；　and　as　so　many　influences　are　being　brought　to　bear；　I
choose　to　control　one　by　another。　Therefore　don't　play　sly；　but　give
me　all　the　information　you　get　into　your　pouch　about　Madame　la
Comtesse　Torna　de　Godollo。　I　warn　you　I　know　enough　to　test　the
veracity　of　your　report；　and　if　I　see　you　are　trying　to　overreach　me
I'll　break　off　short　with　your　du　Portail。〃

〃Trying　to　overreach　you；　monseigneur！〃　replied　Cerizet；　in　the　tone
and　manner　of　Frederic　Lemaitre。　〃Who　would　dare　attempt　it？〃

As　he　pronounced　those　words　in　a　slightly　mocking　tone；　Dutocq
appeared；　accompanied　by　his　little　clerk。

〃Bless　me！〃　he　exclaimed；　seeing　la　Peyrade　and　Cerizet　together；
〃here's　the　trinity　reconstituted！　but　the　object　of　the　alliance；　the
'casus　foederis；'　has　floated　off。　What　have　you　done　to　that　good
Brigitte；　la　Peyrade？　She　is　after　your　blood。〃

〃What　about　Thuillier？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。

Moliere　was　reversed；　here　was　Tartuffe　inquiring　for　Orgon。

〃Thuillier　began　by　not　being　very　hostile　to　you；　but　it　now　seems
that　the　seizure　business　has　taken　a　good　turn；　and　having　less　need
of　you　he　is　getting　drawn　into　his　sister's　waters；　and　if　the
tendency　continues；　I　haven't　a　doubt　that　he'll　soon　come　to　think
you　deserving　of　hanging。〃

〃Well；　I'm　out　of　it　all；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃and　if　anybody　ever
catches　me　in　such　a　mess　again！Well；　adieu；　my　friends；〃　he　added。
〃And　you；　Cerizet；　as　to　what　we　were　speaking　about；　activity；
safety；　and　discretion！〃

When　la　Peyrade　reached　the　courtyard　of　the　municipal　building；　he
was　accosted　by　Madame　Lambert；　who　was　lying　in　wait　for　him。

〃Monsieur　wouldn't　believe；　I　am　sure；〃　she　said；　in　a　deprecating
tone；　〃the　villainous　things　that　Monsieur　Cerizet　said　about　me；
monsieur　knows　it　was　the　little　property　I　received　from　my　uncle　in
England　that　I　placed　in　his　hands。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃but　you　must　understand　that　with　all
these　rumors　set　about　by　your　master's　relatives　the　prize　of　virtue
is　desperately　endangered。〃

〃If　it　is　God's　will　that　I　am　not　to　have　it〃

〃You　ought　also　to　understand　how　important　it　is　for　your　interests
to　keep　secret　the　other　service　which　I　did　for　you。　At　the　first
appearance　of　any　indiscretion　on　your　part　that　money；　as　I　told　you；
will　be　peremptorily　returned　to　you。〃

〃Oh！　monsieur　may　be　easy　about　that。〃

〃Very　well；　then　good…bye　to　you；　my　dear；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　in　a
friendly　tone。

As　he　turned　to　leave　her；　a　nasal　voice　was　heard　from　a　window　on
the　staircase。

〃Madame　Lambert！〃　cried　Cerizet；　who；　suspecting　the　colloquy；　had
gone　to　the　staircase　window　to　make　sure　of　it。　〃Madame　Lambert！
Monsieur　Dutocq　has　returned；　you　may　come　up　and　see　him；　if　you
like。〃

Impossible　for　la　Peyrade　to　prevent　the　conference；　although　he　knew
the　secret　of　that　twenty…five　thousand　francs　ran　the　greatest
danger。

〃Certainly；〃　he　said　to　himself　as　he　walked　away；　〃I'm　in　a　run　of
ill…luck；　and　I　don't　know　where　it　will　end。〃

In　Brigitte's　nature　there　was　such　an　all…devouring　instinct　of
domination；　that