the lesser bourgeoisie-第81节

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〃Listen　to　me；　Monsieur　Cerizet；〃　said　du　Portail；　in　a　tone　of
authority；　〃if　the　marriage　of　la　Peyrade　to　my　ward　takes　place　it　is
my　intention　to　reward　your　services；　and　the　sum　of　thirty　thousand
francs　will　be　your　perquisite。　Now；　thirty　thousand　from　one　side　and
twenty…five　thousand　from　the　other　makes　precisely　fifty…five
thousand　francs　that　the　matrimonial　vicissitudes　of　your　friend　la
Peyrade　will　have　put　into　your　pocket。　But；　as　country　people　do　at
the　shows　of　a　fair；　I　shall　not　pay　till　I　come　out。　If　you　take　that
money　out　of　your　own　hoard　I　shall　feel　no　anxiety；　you　will　know　how
to　keep　it　from　the　clutches　of　your　creditors。　If；　on　the　contrary；
my　money　is　at　stake；　you　will　have　neither　the　same　eagerness　nor　the
same　intelligence　in　keeping　it　out　of　danger。　Therefore　arrange　your
affairs　so　that　you　can　pay　down　your　own　thirty…three　thousand；　in
case　of　success；　that　sum　will　bring　you　in　pretty　nearly　a　hundred
per　cent。　That's　my　last　word；　and　I　shall　not　listen　to　any
objections。〃

Cerizet　had　no　time　to　make　any；　for　at　that　moment　the　door　of　du
Portail's　study　opened　abruptly；　and　a　fair；　slender　woman；　whose　face
expressed　angelic　sweetness；　entered　the　room　eagerly。　On　her　arm；
wrapped　in　handsome　long　clothes；　lay　what　seemed　to　be　the　form　of　an
infant。

〃There！〃　she　said；　〃that　naughty　Katte　insisted　that　the　doctor　was
not　here。　I　knew　perfectly　well　that　I　had　seen　him　enter。　Well；
doctor；〃　she　continued；　addressing　Cerizet；　〃I　am　not　satisfied　with
the　condition　of　my　little　one；　not　satisfied　at　all；　she　is　very
pallid；　and　has　grown　so　thin。　I　think　she　must　be　teething。〃

Du　Portail　made　Cerizet　a　sign　to　accept　the　role　so　abruptly　thrust
upon　him。

〃Yes；　evidently；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　the　teeth；　children　always　turn　pale
at　that　crisis；　but　there's　nothing　in　that；　my　dear　lady；　that　need
make　you　anxious。〃

〃Do　you　really　think　so；　doctor；〃　said　the　poor　crazed　girl；　whom　our
readers　have　recognized　as　du　Portail's　ward；　Lydie　de　la　Peyrade；
〃but　see　her　dear　little　arms；　how　thin　they　are　getting。〃

Then　taking　out　the　pins　that　fastened　the　swathings；　she　exhibited　to
Cerizet　a　bundle　of　linen　which　to　her　poor　distracted　mind
represented　a　baby。

〃Why；　no；　no；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃she　is　a　trifle　thin；　it　is　true；　but
the　flesh　is　firm　and　her　color　excellent。〃

〃Poor　darling！〃　said　Lydie；　kissing　her　dream　lovingly。　〃I　do　think
she　is　better　since　morning。　What　had　I　better　give　her；　doctor？　Broth
disgusts　her；　and　she　won't　take　soup。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃try　panada。　Does　she　like　sweet　things？〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　cried　the　poor　girl；　her　face　brightening；　〃she　adores
them。　Would　chocolate　be　good　for　her？〃

〃Certainly；〃　replied　Cerizet；　〃but　without　vanilla；　vanilla　is　very
heating。〃

〃Then　I'll　get　what　they　call　health…chocolate；〃　said　Lydie；　with　all
the　intonations　of　a　mother；　listening　to　the　doctor　as　to　a　god　who
reassured　her。　〃Uncle；〃　she　added；　〃please　ring　for　Bruneau；　and　tell
him　to　go　to　Marquis　at　once　and　get　some　pounds　of　that　chocolate。〃

〃Bruneau　has　just　gone　out；〃　said　her　guardian；　〃but　there's　no　hurry；
he　shall　go　in　the　course　of　the　day。〃

〃There；　she　is　going　to　sleep；〃　said　Cerizet；　anxious　to　put　an　end　to
the　scene；　which；　in　spite　of　his　hardened　nature；　he　felt　to　be
painful。

〃True；〃　said　the　girl；　replacing　the　bandages　and　rising；　〃I'll　put
her　to　bed。　Adieu；　doctor；　it　is　very　kind　of　you　to　come　sometimes
without　being　sent　for。　If　you　knew　how　anxious　we　poor　mothers　are；
and　how；　with　a　word　or　two；　you　can　do　us　such　good。　Ah；　there　she　is
crying！〃

〃She　is　so　sleepy；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃she'll　be　much　better　in　her
cradle。〃

〃Yes；　and　I'll　play　her　that　sonata　of　Beethoven　that　dear　papa　was　so
fond　of；　it　is　wonderful　how　calming　it　is。　Adieu；　doctor；〃　she　said
again；　pausing　on　the　threshold　of　the　door。　〃Adieu；　kind　doctor！〃　And
she　sent　him　a　kiss。

Cerizet　was　quite　overcome。

〃You　see；〃　said　du　Portail；　〃that　she　is　an　angel；never　the　least
ill…humor；　never　a　sharp　word；　sad　sometimes；　but　always　caused　by　a
feeling　of　motherly　solicitude。　That　is　what　first　gave　the　doctors
the　idea　that　if　reality　could　take　the　place　of　her　constant
hallucination　she　might　recover　her　reason。　Well；　this　is　the　girl
that　fool　of　a　Peyrade　refuses；　with　the　accompaniment　of　a
magnificent　'dot。'　But　he　must　come　to　it；　or　I'll　forswear　my　name。
Listen；〃　he　added　as　the　sound　of　a　piano　came　to　them；　〃hear！　what
talent！　Thousands　of　sane　women　can't　compare　with　her；　they　are　not
as　reasonable　as　she　is；　except　on　the　surface。〃

When　Beethoven's　sonata；　played　from　the　soul　with　a　perfection　of
shades　and　tones　that　filled　her　hardened　hearer　with　admiration；　had
ceased　to　sound；　Cerizet　said：

〃I　agree　with　you；　monsieur；　la　Peyrade　refuses　an　angel；　a　treasure；
a　pearl；　and　if　I　were　in　his　placeBut　we　shall　bring　him　round　to
your　purpose。　Now　I　shall　serve　you　not　only　with　zeal；　but　with
enthusiasm；　I　may　say　fanaticism。〃

As　Cerizet　was　concluding　this　oath　of　fidelity　at　the　door　of　the
study；　he　heard　a　woman's　voice　which　was　not　that　of　Lydie。

〃Is　he　in　his　study；　the　dear　commander？〃　said　that　voice；　with　a
slightly　foreign　accent。

〃Yes；　madame；　but　please　come　into　the　salon。　Monsieur　is　not　alone；　I
will　tell　him　you　are　here。〃

This　was　the　voice　of　Katte；　the　old　Dutch　maid。

〃Stop；　go　this　way；〃　said　du　Portail　quickly　to　Cerizet。

And　he　opened　a　hidden　door　which　led　through　a　dark　corridor　directly
to　the　staircase；　whence　Cerizet　betook　himself　to　the　office　of　the
〃Echo　de　la　Bievre；〃　where　a　heated　discussion　was　going　on。

The　article　by　which　the　new　editors　of　every　newspaper　lay　before　the
public　their　〃profession　of　faith；〃　as　the　technical　saying　is；　always
produces　a　laborious　and　difficult　parturition。　In　this　particular
case　it　was　necessary；　if　not　openly　to　declare　Thuillier's　candidacy；
to　at　least　make　it　felt　and　foreseen。　The　terms　of　the　manifesto；
after　la　Peyrade　had　made　a　rough　draft　of　it；　were　discussed　at　great
length。　This　discussion　took　place　in　Cerizet's　presence；　who；　acting
on　du　Portail's　advice；　accepted　the　management；　but　postponed　the
payment　of　the　security　till　the　next　day；　through　the　latitude
allowed　in　all　administrations　for　the　accomplishment　of　that
formality。

Cleverly　egged　on　by　this　master…knave；　who；　from　the　start；　made
himself　Thuillier's　flatterer；　the　discussion　became　stormy；　and
presently　bitter；　but　as；　by　the　deed　of　partnership　the　deciding　word
was　left　to　la　Peyrade　in　all　matters　concerning　the　editorship；　he
finally　closed　it　by　sending　the　manifesto；　precisely　as　he　had
written　it；　to　the　printing　office。

Thuillier　was　incensed　at　what　he　called　an　abuse　of　power；　and
finding　himself　alone　with　Cerizet　later　in　the　day；　he　hastened　to
pour　his　griefs　and　resentments　into　the　bosom　of　his　faithful
manager；　thus　affording　the　latter　a　ready…made　and　natural
opportunity　to　insinuate　the　calumnious　revelation　agreed　upon　with　du
Portail。　Leaving　the　knife　in　the　wound；　Cerizet　went　out　to　make
certain　arrangements　to　obtain　the　money　necessary　for　his　bond。

Tortured　by　the　terrible　revelation；　Thuillier　could　not　keep　it　to
himself；　he　felt　the　need　of　confiding　it；　and　of　talking　over　the
course　he　would　be　compelled　to　take　by　this　infernal　discovery。
Sending　for　a　carriage　he　drove　home；　and　half　an　hour　later　he　had
told　the　whole　story　to　his　Egeria。

Brigitte　had　from　the　first　very　vehemently　declared　against　all　the
determinations　made　by　Thuillier　during　the　last　few　days。　For　no
purpose　whatever；　not　even　for　the　sake　of　her　brother's　election；
would　she　agree　to　a　renewal　of　the　relation　to　la　Peyrade。　In　the
first　place；　she　had　treated　him　badly；　and　that　was　a　strong　reason
for　disliking　him；　then；　in　case　that　adventurer；　as　she　now　called
him；　married　Celeste；　the　fear　of　her　authority　being　lessened　gave
her　a　species　of　second…sight；　she　had　ended　by　having　an　intuitive
sense　of　the　dark　profundities　of　the　man's　nature；　and　now　declared
that　under　no　circumstances　and　for　no　possible　price　would　she　make
one　household　with　him。

〃Ruin　yourself　if　you　choose；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　the　master　of　that；
and　you　can　do　as　you　like；　a　fool　and　his　money　are　soon　parted。〃

When；　therefore；　she　listened　to　her　brother's　confidences　it　was　not
with　reproaches；　but；　on　the　contrary；　with　a　crow　of　triumph；
celebrating　the　probable　return　of　her　power；　that　she　welcomed　them。

〃So　much　the　better！〃　she　cried；　〃it　is　well　to　know　at　last　that　the
man　is　a　spy。　I　always　thought　so；　the　canting　bigot！　Turn　him　out　of
doors　without　an　explanation。　WE　don't　want　him　to　work　that
newspaper。　This　Monsieur　Cerizet　seems；　from　what　you　tell　me；　the
right　sort　of　man；　and　we　can　get　another　manager。　Besides；　when
Madame　de　Godollo　went　away　she　promised　to　write　to　me；　and　she　can
easily　put　us　in　the　way　of　finding　some　one。　Poor；　dear　Celeste！　what
a　fate　we　were　going　to　give　her！〃

〃How　you　run　on！〃　said　Thuillier。　〃La　Peyrade；　my　dear；　is　so　far　only
accused。　He　must　be　heard　in　his　defence。