the lesser bourgeoisie-第82节

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〃How　you　run　on！〃　said　Thuillier。　〃La　Peyrade；　my　dear；　is　so　far　only
accused。　He　must　be　heard　in　his　defence。　And　besides；　there's　a　deed
that　binds　us。〃

〃Ah；　very　good！〃　said　Brigitte；　〃I　see　how　it　will　be；　you'll　let　that
man　twist　you　round　his　finger　again。　A　deed　with　a　spy！　As　if　there
could　be　deeds　with　such　fellows。〃

〃Come；　come；　be　calm；　my　good　Brigitte；〃　returned　Thuillier。　〃We
mustn't　do　anything　hastily。　Certainly；　if　la　Peyrade　cannot　furnish　a
justification；　clear；　categorical；　and　convincing；　I　shall　decide　to
break　with　him；　and　I'll　prove　to　you　that　I　am　no　milksop。　But
Cerizet　himself　is　not　certain；　these　are　mere　inductions；　and　I　only
came　to　consult　you　as　to　whether　I　ought；　or　ought　not；　to　demand　an
explanation　outright。〃

〃Not　a　doubt　about　it；〃　replied　Brigitte。　〃You　ought　to　demand　an
explanation　and　go　to　the　bottom　of　this　thing；　if　you　don't；　I　cast
you　off　as　my　brother。〃

〃That　suffices；〃　said　Thuillier；　leaving　the　room　with　solemnity；　〃you
shall　see　that　we　will　come　to　an　understanding。〃



CHAPTER　XI

EXPLANATIONS　AND　WHAT　CAME　OF　THEM

On　his　return　to　the　office　after　his　conference　with　Brigitte；
Thuillier　found　la　Peyrade　at　his　post　as　editor…in…chief；　and　in　a
position　of　much　embarrassment；　caused　by　the　high　hand　he　had
reserved　for　himself　as　the　sole　selector　of　articles　and
contributors。　At　this　moment；　Phellion；　instigated　by　his　family；　and
deeply　conscious　of　his　position　on　the　reading…committee　of　the
Odeon；　had　come　to　offer　his　services　as　dramatic　critic。

〃My　dear　monsieur；〃　he　said；　continuing　his　remarks　to　la　Peyrade；
after　inquiring　of　Thuillier　about　his　health；　〃I　was　a　great　student
of　the　theatre　in　my　youth；　the　stage　and　its　scenic　effects　continue
to　have　for　me　peculiar　attractions；　and　the　white　hairs　which　crown
my　brow　to…day　seem　to　me　no　obstacle　to　my　allowing　your　interesting
publication　to　profit　by　the　fruit　of　my　studies　and　my　experience。　As
member　of　the　reading…committee　of　the　Odeon　theatre；　I　am　conversant
with　the　modern　drama；　andif　I　may　be　quite　sure　of　your　discretion
I　will　even　confide　to　you　that　among　my　papers　it　would　not　be
impossible　for　me　to　find　a　certain　tragedy　entitled　'Sapor；'　which　in
my　young　days　won　me　some　fame　when　read　in　salons。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　endeavoring　to　gild　the　refusal　he　should　be
forced　to　give；　〃why　not　try　to　have　it　put　upon　the　stage？　We　might
be　able　to　help　you　in　that　direction。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃the　director　of　any　theatre　to　whom　we
should　recommend〃

〃No；〃　replied　Phellion。　〃In　the　first　place；　as　member　of　the　reading…
committee　of　the　Odeon；　having　to　sit　in　judgment　upon　others；　it
would　not　become　me　to　descend　into　the　arena　myself。　I　am　an　old
athlete；　whose　business　it　is　to　judge　of　blows　he　can　no　longer　give。
In　this　sense；　criticism　is　altogether　within　my　sphere；　and　all　the
more　because　I　have　certain　views　on　the　proper　method　of　composing
dramatic　feuilletons　which　I　think　novel。　The　'castigat　ridendo　mores'
ought　to　be；　according　to　my　humble　lights；　the　great　law；　I　may　say
the　only　law　of　the　stage。　I　should　therefore　show　myself　pitiless　for
those　works；　bred　of　imagination；　in　which　morality　has　no　part；　and
to　which　mothers　of　families〃

〃Excuse　me；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃for　interrupting　you；　but　before
allowing　you　to　take　the　trouble　to　develop　your　poetical　ideas；　I
ought　to　tell　you　that　we　have　already　made　arrangements　for　our
dramatic　criticism。〃

〃Ah！　that's　another　thing；〃　said　Phellion；　〃an　honest　man　must　keep
his　word。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃we　have　our　dramatic　critic；　little　thinking
that　you　would　offer　us　your　valuable　assistance。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Phellion；　suddenly　becoming　crafty；for　there　is
something　in　the　newspaper　atmosphere；　impossible　to　say　what；　which
flies　to　the　head；　the　bourgeois　head　especially；〃since　you　are　good
enough　to　consider　my　pen　capable　of　doing　you　some　service；　perhaps　a
series　of　detached　thoughts　on　different　subjects；　to　which　I　should
venture　to　give　the　name　of　'Diversities；'　might　be　of　a　nature　to
interest　your　readers。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　with　a　maliciousness　that　was　quite　lost　upon
Phellion；　〃thoughts；　especially　in　the　style　of　la　Rochefoucauld　or　la
Bruyere；　might　do。　What　do　you　think　yourself；　Thuillier？〃

He　reserved　to　himself　the　right　to　leave　the　responsibility　of
refusals；　as　far　as　he　could；　to　the　proprietor　of　the　paper。

〃But　I　imagine　that　thoughts；　especially　if　detached；　cannot　be　very
consecutive；〃　said　Thuillier。

〃Evidently　not；〃　replied　Phellion；　〃detached　thoughts　imply　the　idea
of　a　very　great　number　of　subjects　on　which　the　author　lets　his　pen
stray　without　the　pretension　of　presenting　a　whole。〃

〃You　will　of　course　sign　them？〃　said　la　Peyrade。

〃Oh；　no！〃　replied　Phellion；　alarmed。　〃I　could　not　put　myself　on
exhibition　in　that　way。〃

〃Your　modesty；　which　by　the　bye　I　understand　and　approve；　settles　the
matter；〃　said　la　Peyrade。　〃Thoughts　are　a　subject　altogether
individual；　which　imperatively　require　to　be　personified　by　a　name。
You　must　be　conscious　of　this　yourself。　'Divers　Thoughts　by　Monsieur
Three…Stars'　says　nothing　to　the　public。〃

Seeing　that　Phellion　was　about　to　make　objections；　Thuillier；　who　was
in　a　hurry　to　begin　his　fight　with　la　Peyrade；　cut　the　matter　short
rather　sharply。

〃My　dear　Phellion；〃　he　said；　〃I　beg　your　pardon　for　not　being　able　to
enjoy　the　pleasure　of　your　conversation　any　longer；　but　we　have　to
talk；　la　Peyrade　and　I；　over　a　matter　of　much　importance；　and　in
newspaper　offices　this　devilish　time　runs　away　so　fast。　If　you　are
willing；　we　will　postpone　the　question　to　another　day。　Madame　Phellion
is　well；　I　trust？〃

〃Perfectly　well；〃　said　the　great　citizen；　rising；　and　not　appearing　to
resent　his　dismissal。　〃When　does　your　first　number　appear？〃　he　added；
〃it　is　eagerly　awaited　in　the　arrondissement。〃

〃To…morrow　I　think　our　confession　of　faith　will　make　its　appearance；〃
replied　Thuillier；　accompanying　him　to　the　door。　〃You　will　receive　a
copy；　my　dear　friend。　We　shall　meet　again　soon；　I　hope。　Come　and　see
us；　and　bring　that　manuscript；　la　Peyrade's　point　of　view　may　be　a
little　arbitrary。〃

With　this　balm　shed　upon　his　wound；　Phellion　departed；　and　Thuillier
rang　the　bell　for　the　porter。

〃Could　you　recognize　the　gentlemen　who　has　just　gone　out　the　next　time
you　see　him？〃　asked　Thuillier。

〃Oh；　yes；　m'sieu；　his　round　ball　of　a　head　is　too　funny　to　forget；
besides；　it　is　Monsieur　Phellion；　haven't　I　opened　the　door　to　him
hundreds　of　times？〃

〃Well；　whenever　he　comes　again　neither　I　nor　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade
will　be　here。　Remember　that's　a　positive　rule。　Now　leave　us。〃

〃The　devil！〃　cried　la　Peyrade；　when　the　two　partners　were　alone；　〃how
you　manage　bores。　But　take　care；　among　the　number　there　may　be
electors。　You　did　right　to　tell　Phellion　you　would　send　him　a　copy　of
the　paper；　he　has　a　certain　importance　in　the　quarter。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃we　can't　allow　our　time　to　be　taken　up　by　all
the　dull…heads　who　come　and　offer　their　services。　But　now　you　and　I
have　to　talk；　and　talk　very　seriously。　Be　seated　and　listen。〃

〃Do　you　know；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　laughing；　〃that
journalism　is　making　you　into　something　very　solemn？　'Be　seated；
Cinna；'Caesar　Augustus　couldn't　have　said　it　otherwise。〃

〃Cinnas；　unfortunately；　are　more　plentiful　than　people　think；〃　replied
Thuillier。

He　was　still　under　the　goad　of　the　promise　he　had　made　to　Brigitte；
and　he　meant　to　fulfil　it　with　cutting　sarcasm。　The　top　continued　the
whirling　motion　imparted　to　it　by　the　old　maid's　lash。

La　Peyrade　took　a　seat　at　the　round　table。　As　he　was　puzzled　to　know
what　was　coming；　he　endeavored　to　seem　unconcerned；　and　picking　up　the
large　scissors　used　for　the　loans　which　all　papers　make　from　the
columns　of　their　brethren　of　the　press；　he　began　to　snip　up　a　sheet　of
paper；　on　which；　in　Thuillier's　handwriting；　was　an　attempt　at　a
leading　article；　never　completed。

Though　la　Peyrade　was　seated　and　expectant；　Thuillier　did　not　begin
immediately；　he　rose　and　went　toward　the　door　which　stood　ajar；　with
the　intention　of　closing　it。　But　suddenly　it　was　flung　wide　open；　and
Coffinet　appeared。

〃Will　monsieur；〃　said　Coffinet　to　la　Peyrade；　〃receive　two　ladies？
They　are　very　well…dressed；　and　the　young　one　ain't　to　be　despised。〃

〃Shall　I　let　them　in？〃　said　la　Peyrade　to　Thuillier。

〃Yes；　since　they　are　here；〃　growled　Thuillier；　〃but　get　rid　of　them　as
soon　as　possible。〃

Coffinet's　judgment　on　the　toilet　of　the　two　visitors　needs　revision。
A　woman　is　well…dressed；　not　when　she　wears　rich　clothes；　but　when　her
clothes　present　a　certain　harmony　of　shapes　and　colors　which　form　an
appropriate　and　graceful　envelope　to　her　person。　Now　a　bonnet　with　a
flaring　brim；　surmounted　by　nodding　plumes；　an　immense　French　cashmere
shawl；　worn　with　the　awkward　inexperience　of　a　young　bride；　a　plaid
silk　gown　with　enormous　checks　and　a　triple　tier　of　flounces　with　far
too　many　chains　and　trinkets　（though　to　be　just；　the　boots　and　gloves
were　irreproachable）；　constituted　the　apparel　of　the　younger　of　t