the lesser bourgeoisie-第85节

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〃Madame；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　gaily；　〃excuse　me　for　thus　frightening　you；
the　notary　Dupuis　is　still　a　very　saintly　man；　and　quite　incapable　of
doing　an　injury　to　his　clients。　As　for　monsieur　here；　it　was　necessary
that　I　should　prove　to　him　that　you　had　really　placed　that　money　in　my
hands；　he　is；　however；　another　myself；　and　your　secret；　though　known
to　him；　is　as　safe　as　it　is　with　me。〃

〃Oh；　very　good；　monsieur！〃　said　Madame　Lambert。　〃I　suppose　these
gentlemen　have　no　further　need　of　me？〃

〃No；　my　dear　madame；　and　I　beg　you　to　pardon　me　for　the　little　terror
I　was　compelled　to　occasion　you。〃

Madame　Lambert　turned　to　leave　the　room　with　all　the　appearance　of
respectful　humility；　but　when　she　reached　the　door；　she　retraced　her
steps；　and　coming　close　to　la　Peyrade　said；　in　her　smoothest　tones：

〃When　does　monsieur　expect　to　be　able　to　refund　me　that　money？〃

〃But　I　told　you；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　stiffly；　〃that　notaries　never
return　on　demand　the　money　placed　in　their　hands。〃

〃Does　monsieur　think　that　if　I　went　to　see　Monsieur　Dupuis　himself　and
asked　him〃

〃I　think；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　interrupting　her；　〃that　you　would　do　a
most　ridiculous　thing。　He　received　the　money　from　me　in　my　own　name；
as　you　requested；　and　he　knows　only　me　in　the　matter。〃

〃Then　monsieur　will　be　so　kind；　will　he　not；　as　to　get　back　that　money
for　me　as　soon　as　possible？　I　am　sure　I　would　not　wish　to　press
monsieur；　but　in　two　or　three　months　from　now　I　may　want　it；　I　have
heard　of　a　little　property　it　would　suit　me　to　buy。〃

〃Very　good；　Madame　Lambert；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　with　well…concealed
irritation；　〃it　shall　be　done　as　you　wish；　and　in　less　time；　perhaps；
than　you　have　stated　I　shall　hope　to　return　your　money　to　you。〃

〃That　won't　inconvenience　monsieur；　I　trust；〃　said　the　woman；　〃he　told
me　that　at　the　first　indiscretion　I　committed〃

〃Yes；　yes；　that　is　all　understood；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　interrupting　her。

〃Then　I　have　the　honor　to　be　the　very　humble　servant　of　these
gentlemen；〃　said　Madame　Lambert；　now　departing　definitively。

〃You　see；　my　friend；　the　trouble　you　have　got　me　into；〃　said　la
Peyrade　to　Thuillier　as　soon　as　they　were　alone；　〃and　to　what　I　am
exposed　by　my　kindness　in　satisfying　your　diseased　mind。　That　debt　was
dormant；　it　was　in　a　chronic　state；　and　you　have　waked　it　up　and　made
it　acute。　The　woman　brought　me　the　money　and　insisted　on　my　keeping
it；　at　a　good　rate　of　interest。　I　refused　at　first；　then　I　agreed　to
place　it　in　Dupuis's　hands；　explaining　to　her　that　it　couldn't　be
withdrawn　at　once；　but　subsequently；　when　Dutocq　pressed　me；　I
decided；　after　all；　to　keep　it　myself。〃

〃I　am　dreadfully　sorry；　dear　friend；　for　my　silly　credulity。　But　don't
be　uneasy　about　the　exactions　of　that　woman；　we　will　manage　to　arrange
all　that；　even　if　I　have　to　make　you　an　advance　upon　Celeste's　'dot。'〃

〃My　excellent　friend；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃it　is　absolutely　necessary
that　we　should　talk　over　our　private　arrangements；　to　tell　you　the
truth；　I　have　no　fancy　for　being　hauled　up　every　morning　and
questioned　as　to　my　conduct。　Just　now；　while　waiting　for　that　woman；　I
drew　up　a　little　agreement；　which　you　and　I　will　discuss　and　sign；　if
you　please；　before　the　first　number　of　the　paper　is　issued。〃

〃But；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃our　deed　of　partnership　seems　to　me　to
settle〃

〃that　by　a　paltry　forfeit　of　five　thousand　francs；　as　stated　in
Article　14；〃　interrupted　Theodose；　〃you　can　put　me；　when　you　choose；
out　of　doors。　No；　I　thank　you！　After　my　experience　to…day；　I　want　some
better　security　than　that。〃

At　this　moment　Cerizet　with　a　lively　and　all…conquering　air；　entered
the　room。

〃My　masters！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I've　brought　the　money；　and　we　can　now
sign　the　bond。〃

Then；　remarking　that　his　news　was　received　with　extreme　coldness；　he
added：

〃Well？　what　is　it？〃

〃It　is　this；〃　replied　Thuillier：　〃I　refuse　to　be　associated　with
double…face　men　and　calumniators。　We　have　no　need　of　you　or　your
money；　and　I　request　you　not　to　honor　these　precincts　any　longer　with
your　presence。〃

〃Dear！　dear！　dear！〃　said　Cerizet；　〃so　papa　Thuillier　has　let　the　wool
be　pulled　over　his　eyes　again！〃

〃Leave　the　room！〃　said　Thuillier；　〃you　have　nothing　more　to　do　here。〃

〃Hey；　my　boy！〃　said　Cerizet；　turning　to　la　Peyrade；　〃so　you've　twisted
the　old　bourgeois　round　your　finger　again？　Well；　well；　no　matter！　I
think　you　are　making　a　mistake　not　to　go　and　see　du　Portail；　and　I
shall　tell　him〃

〃Leave　this　house！〃　cried　Thuillier；　in　a　threatening　tone。

〃Please　remember；　my　dear　monsieur；　that　I　never　asked　you　to　employ
me；　I　was　well　enough　off　before　you　sent　for　me；　and　I　shall　be
after。　But　I'll　give　you　a　piece　of　advice：　don't　pay　the　twenty…five
thousand　francs　out　of　your　own　pocket；　for　that's　hanging　to　your
nose。〃

So　saying；　Cerizet　put　his　thirty…three　thousand　francs　in　banknotes
back　into　his　wallet；　took　his　hat　from　the　table；　carefully　smoothed
the　nap　with　his　forearm　and　departed。

Thuillier　had　been　led　by　Cerizet　into　what　proved　to　be　a　most
disastrous　campaign。　Now　become　the　humble　servant　of　la　Peyrade；　he
was　forced　to　accept　his　conditions；　which　were　as　follows：　five
hundred　francs　a　month　for　la　Peyrade's　services　in　general；　his
editorship　of　the　paper　to　be　paid　at　the　rate　of　fifty　francs　a
column；which　was　simply　enormous；　considering　the　small　size　of　the
sheet；　a　binding　pledge　to　continue　the　publication　of　the　paper　for
six　months；　under　pain　of　the　forfeiture　of　fifteen　thousand　francs；
an　absolute　omnipotence　in　the　duties　of　editor…in…chief；that　is　to
say；　the　sovereign　right　of　inserting；　controlling；　and　rejecting　all
articles　without　being　called　to　explain　the　reasons　of　his　actions；
such　were　the　stipulations　of　a　treaty　in　duplicate　made　openly；　〃in
good　faith；〃　between　the　contracting　parties。　BUT；　in　virtue　of
another　and　secret　agreement；　Thuillier　gave　security　for　the　payment
of　the　twenty…five　thousand　francs　for　which　la　Peyrade　was
accountable　to　Madame　Lambert；　binding　the　said　Sieur　de　la　Peyrade；
in　case　the　payment　were　required　before　his　marriage　with　Celeste
Colleville　could　take　place；　to　acknowledge　the　receipt　of　said　sum
advanced　upon　the　dowry。

Matters　being　thus　arranged　and　accepted　by　the　candidate；　who　saw　no
chance　of　election　if　he　lost　la　Peyrade；　Thuillier　was　seized　with　a
happy　thought。　He　went　to　the　Cirque…Olympique；　where　he　remembered　to
have　seen　in　the　ticket…office　a　former　employee　in　his　office　at　the
ministry　of　Finance；a　man　named　Fleury；　to　whom　he　proposed　the　post
of　manager。　Fleury；　being　an　old　soldier；　a　good　shot；　and　a　skilful
fencer；　would　certainly　make　himself　an　object　of　respect　in　a
newspaper　office。　The　working…staff　of　the　paper　being　thus
reconstituted；　with　the　exception　of　a　few　co…editors　or　reporters　to
be　added　later；　but　whom　la　Peyrade；　thanks　to　the　facility　of　his
pen；　was　able　for　the　present　to　do　without；　the　first　number　of　the
new　paper　was　launched　upon　the　world。

Thuillier　now　recommenced　the　explorations　about　Paris　which　we　saw
him　make　on　the　publication　of　his　pamphlet。　Entering　all　reading…
rooms　and　cafes；　he　asked　for　the　〃Echo　de　la　Bievre；〃　and　when
informed；　alas；　very　frequently；　that　the　paper　was　unknown　in　this　or
that　establishment；　〃It　is　incredible！〃　he　would　exclaim；　〃that　a
house　which　respects　itself　does　not　take　such　a　widely　known　paper。〃

On　that；　he　departed　disdainfully；　not　observing　that　in　many　places；
where　this　ancient　trick　of　commercial　travellers　was　well　understood；
they　were　laughing　behind　his　back。

The　evening　of　the　day　when　the　inauguration　number　containing　the
〃profession　of　faith〃　appeared；　Brigitte's　salon；　although　the　day　was
not　Sunday；　was　filled　with　visitors。　Reconciled　to　la　Peyrade；　whom
her　brother　had　brought　home　to　dinner；　the　old　maid　went　so　far　as　to
tell　him　that；　without　flattery；　she　thought　his　leading　article　was　a
famous　HIT。　For　that　matter；　all　the　guests　as　they　arrived；　reported
that　the　public　seemed　enchanted　with　the　first　number　of　the　new
journal。

The　public！　everybody　knows　what　that　is。　To　every　man　who　launches　a
bit　of　writing　into　the　world；　the　public　consists　of　five　or　six
intimates　who　cannot；　without　offending　the　author；　avoid　knowing
something　more　or　less　of　his　lucubrations。

〃As　for　me！〃　cried　Colleville；　〃I　can　truthfully　declare　that　it　is
the　first　political　article　I　ever　read　that　didn't　send　me　to　sleep。〃

〃It　is　certain；〃　said　Phellion；　〃that　the　leading　article　seems　to　me
to　be　stamped　with　vigor　joined　to　an　atticism　which　we　may　seek　in
vain　in　the　columns　of　the　other　public　prints。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃the　matter　is　very　well　presented；　and　besides；
there's　a　turn　of　phrase；　a　clever　diction；　that　doesn't　belong　to
everybody。　However；　we　must　wait　and　see　how　it　keeps　on。　I　fancy　that
to…morrow　the　'Echo　de　la　Bievre'　will　be　strongly　attacked　by　the
other　papers。〃

〃Parbleu！〃　cried　Thuillier；　〃that's　what　we　are　hoping　for；　and　if　the
government　would　only　do　us　the　favor　to　seize　us〃

〃No；　thank　you；〃　said　Fleury；　whom　Thuillier　had　also　brought　home　to
dinner；　〃I　don't　want　to　enter　upon　t