the lesser bourgeoisie-第79节

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seasoned　with　Mademoiselle　Brigitte's　vinegar；　every　self…respecting
man　would　have　acted　as　I　did。　Give　and　keep　don't　pass；　as　the　old
legal　saying　is；　but　that　is　precisely　what　you　persist　in　doing。〃

〃I！I　think　you　took　offence　very　unreasonably；　but　the　engagement
might　be　renewed。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃but　I　will　not　put　myself　at　the
mercy　of　either　the　success　of　the　election　or　Mademoiselle　Celeste's
caprices。　I　claim　the　right　to　something　positive　and　certain。　Give
and　take；　short　accounts　make　good　friends。〃

〃I　perfectly　agree　with　you；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃and　I　have　always
treated　you　with　too　much　good　faith　to　fear　any　of　these　precautions
you　now　want　to　take。　But　what　guarantees　do　you　want？〃

〃I　want　that　the　husband　of　Celeste　should　manage　your　election；　and
not　Theodose　de　la　Peyrade。〃

〃By　hurrying　things　as　much　as　possible；　so　Brigitte　said；　it　would
still　take　fifteen　days；　and　just　think；　with　the　elections　only　eight
weeks　off；　to　lose　two　of　them　doing　nothing！〃

〃Day　after　to…morrow；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃the　banns　can　be　published
for　the　first　time　at　the　mayor's　office；　in　the　intervals　of
publication　some　things　could　be　done；　for　though　the　publishing　of
the　banns　is　not　a　step　from　which　there　is　no　retreat；　it　is　at　least
a　public　pledge　and　a　long　step　taken；　after　that　we　can　get　your
notary　to　draw　the　contract　at　once。　Moreover；　if　you　decide　on　buying
this　newspaper；　I　shouldn't　be　afraid　that　you　would　go　back　on　me；
for　you　don't　want　a　useless　horse　in　your　stable；　and　without　me　I　am
certain　you　can't　manage　him。〃

〃But；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　Thuillier；　going　back　to　his　objections；
〃suppose　that　affair　proves　too　onerous？〃

〃There's　no　need　to　say　that　you　are　the　sole　judge　of　the　conditions
of　the　purchase。　I　don't　wish　any　more　than　you　do　to　buy　a　pig　in　a
poke。　If　to…morrow　you　authorize　me；　I　won't　say　to　buy；　but　to　let
these　people　know　that　you　may　possibly　make　the　purchase；　I'll　confer
with　one　of　them　on　your　behalf；　and　you　may　be　certain　that　I'll
stand　up　for　your　interests　as　if　they　were　my　own。〃

〃Very　good；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃go　ahead！〃

〃And　as　soon　as　the　paper　is　purchased　we　are　to　fix　the　day　for
signing　the　contract？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Thuillier；　〃but　will　you　bind　yourself　to　use　your
utmost　influence　on　the　election？〃

〃As　if　it　were　my　own；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃which；　by　the　bye；　is　not
altogether　an　hypothesis。　I　have　already　received　suggestions　about　my
own　candidacy；　and　if　I　were　vindictive〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Thuillier；　with　humility；　〃you　would　make　a　better
deputy　than　I；　〃but　you　are　not　of　the　required　age；　I　think。〃

〃There's　a　better　reason　than　that；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃you　are　my
friend；　I　find　you　again　what　you　once　were；　and　I　shall　keep　the
pledges　I　have　given　you。　As　for　the　election；　I　prefer　that　people
say　of　me；　'He　makes　deputies；　but　will　be　none　himself。'　Now　I　must
leave　you　and　keep　my　appointment。　To…morrow　in　my　own　rooms；　come　and
see　me；　I　shall　have　something　to　announce。〃

Whoso　has　ever　been　a　newspaper　man　will　ever　be　one；　that　horoscope
is　as　sure　and　certain　as　that　of　drunkards。　Whoever　has　tasted　that
feverishly　busy　and　relatively　lazy　and　independent　life；　whoever　has
exercised　that　sovereignty　which　criticises　intellect；　art；　talent；
fame；　virtue；　absurdity；　and　even　truth；　whoever　has　occupied　that
tribune　erected　by　his　own　hands；　fulfilled　the　functions　of　that
magistracy　to　which　he　is　self…appointed；in　short；　whosoever　has
been；　for　however　brief　a　span；　that　proxy　of　public　opinion；　looks
upon　himself　when　remanded　to　private　life　as　an　exile；　and　the　moment
a　chance　is　offered　to　him　puts　out　an　eager　hand　to　snatch　back　his
crown。

For　this　reason　when　Etienne　Lousteau　went　to　la　Peyrade；　a　former
journalist；　with　an　offer　of　the　weapon　entitled　the　〃Echo　de　la
Bievre；〃　all　the　latter's　instincts　as　a　newspaper　man　were　aroused；
in　spite　of　the　very　inferior　quality　of　the　blade。　The　paper　had
failed；　la　Peyrade　believed　he　could　revive　it。　The　subscribers；　on
the　vendor's　own　showing；　were　few　and　far　between；　but　he　would
exercise　upon　them　a　〃compelle　intrare〃　both　powerful　and
irresistible。　In　the　circumstances　under　which　the　affair　was
presented　to　him　it　might　surely　be　considered　provincial。　Threatened
with　the　loss　of　his　position　at　the　bar；　he　was　thus　acquiring；　as　we
said　before；　a　new　position　and　that　of　a　〃detached　fort〃；　compelled；
as　he　might　be；　to　defend　himself；　he　could　from　that　vantage…ground
take　the　offensive　and　oblige　his　enemies　to　reckon　with　him。

On　the　Thuillier　side；　the　newspaper　would　undoubtedly　make　him　a
personage　of　considerable　importance；　he　would　have　more　power　on　the
election；　and　by　involving　their　capital　in　an　enterprise　which；
without　him；　they　would　feel　a　gulf　and　a　snare；　he　bound　them　to　him
by　self…interests　so　firmly　that　there　was　nothing　to　fear　from　their
caprice　or　ingratitude。

This　horizon；　rapidly　taken　in　during　Etienne　Lousteau's　visit；　had
fairly　dazzled　the　Provencal；　and　we　have　seen　the　peremptory　manner
in　which　Thuillier　was　forced　into　accepting　with　some　enthusiasm　the
discovery　of　this　philosopher's…stone。

The　cost　of　the　purchase　was　ridiculously　insignificant。　A　bank…note
for　five　hundred　francs；　for　which　Etienne　Lousteau　never　clearly
accounted　to　the　share…holders；　put　Thuillier　in　possession　of　the
name；　property；　furniture；　and　good…will　of　the　newspaper；　which　he
and　la　Peyrade　at　once　busied　themselves　in　reorganizing。



CHAPTER　X

IN　WHICH　CERIZET　PRACTISES　THE　HEALING　ART　AND
THE　ART　OF　POISONING　ON　THE　SAME　DAY

While　this　regeneration　was　going　on；　Cerizet　went　one　morning　to　see
du　Portail；　with　whom　la　Peyrade　was　now　more　than　ever　determined　to
hold　no　communication。

〃Well；〃　said　the　little　old　man　to　the　poor　man's　banker；　〃what　effect
did　the　news　we　gave　to　the　president　of　the　bar　produce　on　our　man？
Did　the　affair　get　wind　at　the　Palais？〃

〃Phew！〃　said　Cerizet；　whose　intercourse；　no　doubt　pretty　frequent；
with　du　Portail　had　put　him　on　a　footing　of　some　familiarity　with　the
old　man；　〃there's　no　question　of　that　now。　The　eel　has　wriggled　out　of
our　hands；　neither　softness　nor　violence　has　any　effect　upon　that
devil　of　a　man。　He　has　quarrelled　with　the　bar；　and　is　in　better　odor
than　ever　with　Thuillier。　'Necessity；'　says　Figaro；　'obliterates
distance。'　Thuillier　needs　him　to　push　his　candidacy　in　the　quartier
Saint…Jacques；　so　they　kissed　and　made　up。〃

〃And　no　doubt；〃　said　du　Portail；　without　much　appearance　of　feeling；
〃the　marriage　is　fixed　for　an　early　day？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Cerizet；　〃but　there's　another　piece　of　work　on　hand。
That　crazy　fellow　has　persuaded　Thuillier　to　buy　a　newspaper；　and
he'll　make　him　sink　forty　thousand　francs　in　it。　Thuillier；　once
involved；　will　want　to　get　his　money　back；　and　in　my　opinion　they　are
bound　together　for　the　rest　of　their　days。〃

〃What　paper　is　it？〃

〃Oh；　a　cabbage…leaf　that　calls　itself　the　'Echo　de　la　Bievre'！〃　replied
Cerizet　with　great　scorn；　〃a　paper　which　an　old　hack　of　a　journalist
on　his　last　legs　managed　to　set　up　in　the　Mouffetard　quarter　by　the
help　of　a　lot　of　tannersthat；　you　know；　is　the　industry　of　the
quarter。　From　a　political　and　literary　point　of　view　the　affair　is
nothing　at　all；　but　Thuillier　has　been　made　to　think　it　a　masterly
stroke。〃

〃Well；　for　local　service　to　the　election　the　instrument　isn't　so　bad；〃
remarked　du　Portail。　〃La　Peyrade　has　talent；　activity；　and　much
resource　of　mind；　he　may　make　something　out　of　that　'Echo。'　Under　what
political　banner　will　Thuillier　present　himself？〃

〃Thuillier；〃　replied　the　beggars'　banker；　〃is　an　oyster；　he　hasn't　any
opinions。　Until　the　publication　of　his　pamphlet　he　was；　like　all　those
bourgeois；　a　rabid　conservative；　but　since　the　seizure　he　has　gone
over　to　the　Opposition。　His　first　stage　will　probably　be　the　Left…
centre；　but　if　the　election　wind　should　blow　from　another　quarter；
he'll　go　straight　before　it　to　the　extreme　left。　Self…interest；　for
those　bourgeois；　that's　the　measure　of　their　convictions。〃

〃Dear；　dear！〃　said　du　Portail；　〃this　new　combination　of　la　Peyrade's
may　assume　the　importance　of　a　political　danger　from　the　point　of　view
of　my　opinions；　which　are　extremely　conservative　and　governmental。〃
Then；　after　a　moment's　reflection；　he　added；　〃I　think　you　did
newspaper　work　once　upon　a　time；　I　remember　'the　courageous　Cerizet。'〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　usurer；　〃I　even　managed　one　with　la　Peyrade；an
evening　paper；　and　a　pretty　piece　of　work　we　did；　for　which　we　were
finely　recompensed。〃

〃Well；〃　said　du　Portail；　〃why　don't　you　do　it　again；journalism；　I
mean；with　la　Peyrade。〃

Cerizet　looked　at　du　Portail　in　amazement。

〃Ah　ca！〃　he　cried；　〃are　you　the　devil；　monsieur？　Can　nothing　ever　be
hidden　from　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　du　Portail；　〃I　know　a　good　many　things。　But　what　has　been
settled　between　you　and　la　Peyrade？〃

〃Well；　remembering　my　experience　in　the　business；　and　not　knowing　whom
else　to　get；　he　offered　to　make　me　manager　of　the　paper。〃

〃I　did　not　know　that；〃　said　du　Portail；　〃but　it　was　quit