the lesser bourgeoisie-第88节

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seems　to　me　we　have　got　enough　of　them　as　it　is。〃

〃Bravo；　Brigitte！〃　said　Colleville；　getting　loose　again；　〃you　are
right；　my　girl；　and　I　think；　as　you　do；　that　the　man　who　discovers　a
new　dish　deserves　better　of　humanity。〃

〃Colleville；〃　said　Flavie；　〃I　must　say　that　your　style　of　behavior　is
in　the　worst　taste。〃

〃My　dear　lady；〃　said　the　Abbe　Gondrin；　addressing　Brigitte；　〃you　might
be　right　if　we　were　formed　of　matter　only；　and　if；　bound　to　our　body；
there　were　not　a　soul　with　instincts　and　appetites　that　must　be
satisfied。　Well；　I　think　that　this　sense　of　the　infinite　which　is
within　us；　and　which　we　all　try　to　satisfy　each　in　our　own　way；　is
marvellously　well　helped　by　the　labors　of　astronomy；　that　reveal　to　us
from　time　to　time　new　worlds　which　the　hand　of　the　Creator　has　put
into　space。　The　infinite　in　you　has　taken　another　course；　this　passion
for　the　comfort　of　those　about　you；　this　warm；　devoted；　ardent
affection　which　you　feel　for　your　brother；　are　equally　the
manifestation　of　aspirations　which　have　nothing　material　about　them；
and　which；　in　seeking　their　end　and　object；　never　think　of　asking；
'What　good　does　that　do？　what　is　the　use　of　this？'　Besides；　I　must
assure　you　that　the　stars　are　not　as　useless　as　you　seem　to　think。
Without　them　how　would　navigators　cross　the　sea？　They　would　be　puzzled
to　get　you　the　vanilla　with　which　you　have　flavored　the　delicious
cream　I　am　now　eating。　So；　as　Monsieur　Colleville　has　perceived；　there
is　more　affinity　than　you　think　between　a　dish　and　a　star；　no　one
should　be　despised；neither　an　astronomer　nor　a　good　housekeeper〃

The　abbe　was　here　interrupted　by　the　noise　of　a　lively　altercation　in
the　antechamber。

〃I　tell　you　that　I　will　go　in；〃　said　a　loud　voice。

〃No；　monsieur；　you　shall　not　go　in；〃　said　another　voice；　that　of　the
man…servant。　〃The　company　are　at　table；　I　tell　you；　and　nobody　has　the
right　to　force　himself　in。〃

Thuillier　turned　pale；　ever　since　the　seizure　of　his　pamphlet；　he
fancied　all　sudden　arrivals　meant　the　coming　of　the　police。

Among　the　various　social　rules　imparted　to　Brigitte　by　Madame　de
Godollo；　the　one　that　most　needed　repeating　was　the　injunction　never；
as　mistress　of　the　house；　to　rise　from　the　table　until　she　gave　the
signal　for　retiring。　But　present　circumstances　appeared　to　warrant　the
infraction　of　the　rule。

〃I'll　go　and　see　what　it　is；〃　she　said　to　Thuillier；　whose　anxiety　she
noticed　at　once。　〃What　IS　the　matter？〃　she　said　to　the　servant　as　soon
as　she　reached　the　scene　of　action。

〃Here's　a　gentleman　who　wants　to　come　in；　and　says　that　no　one　is　ever
dining　at　eight　o'clock　at　night。〃

〃But　who　are　you；　monsieur？〃　said　Brigitte；　addressing　an　old　man　very
oddly　dressed；　whose　eyes　were　protected　by　a　green　shade。

〃Madame；　I　am　neither　a　beggar　nor　a　vagabond；〃　replied　the　old　man；
in　stentorian　tones；　〃my　name　is　Picot；　professor　of　mathematics。〃

〃Rue　du　Val…de…Grace？〃　asked　Brigitte。

〃Yes；　madame；No。　9；　next　to　the　print…shop。〃

〃Come　in；　monsieur；　come　in；　we　shall　be　only　too　happy　to　receive
you；〃　cried　Thuillier；　who；　on　hearing　the　name；　had　hurried　out　to
meet　the　savant。

〃Hein！　you　scamp；〃　said　the　learned　man；　turning　upon　the　man…servant；
who　had　retired；　seeing　that　the　matter　was　being　settled　amicably；　〃I
told　you　I　should　get　in。〃

Pere　Picot　was　a　tall　old　man；　with　an　angular；　stern　face；　who；
despite　the　corrective　of　a　blond　wig　with　heavy　curls；　and　that　of
the　pacific　green　shade　we　have　already　mentioned；　expressed　on　his
large　features；　upon　which　the　fury　of　study　had　produced　a　surface　of
leaden　pallor；　a　snappish　and　quarrelsome　disposition。　Of　this　he　had
already　given　proof　before　entering　the　dining…room；　where　every　one
now　rose　to　receive　him。

His　costume　consisted　of　a　huge　frock…coat；　something　between　a
paletot　and　a　dressing…gown；　between　which　an　immense　waistcoat　of
iron…gray　cloth；　fastened　from　the　throat　to　the　pit　of　the　stomach
with　two　rows　of　buttons；　hussar　fashion；　formed　a　sort　of　buckler。
The　trousers；　though　October　was　nearing　its　close；　were　made　of　black
lasting；　and　gave　testimony　to　long　service　by　the　projection　of　a
darn　on　the　otherwise　polished　surface　covering　the　knees；　the　polish
being　produced　by　the　rubbing　of　the　hands　upon　those　parts。　But；　in
broad　daylight；　the　feature　of　the　old　savant's　appearance　which
struck　the　eye　most　vividly　was　a　pair　of　Patagonian　feet；　imprisoned
in　slippers　of　beaver　cloth；　the　which；　moulded　upon　the　mountainous
elevations　of　gigantic　bunions；　made　the　spectator　think；
involuntarily；　of　the　back　of　a　dromedary　or　an　advanced　case　of
elephantiasis。

Once　installed　in　a　chair　which　was　hastily　brought　for　him；　and　the
company　having　returned　to　their　places　at　table；　the　old　man　suddenly
burst　out　in　thundering　tones；　amid　the　silence　created　by
curiosity：

〃Where　is　he；that　rogue；　that　scamp？　Let　him　show　himself；　let　him
dare　to　speak　to　me！〃

〃Who　is　it　that　offends　you；　my　dear　monsieur？〃　said　Thuillier；　in
conciliating　accents；　in　which　there　was　a　slight　tone　of　patronage。

〃A　scamp　whom　I　couldn't　find　in　his　own　home；　and　they　told　me　he　was
here；　in　this　house。　I'm　in　the　apartment；　I　think；　of　Monsieur
Thuillier　of　the　Council…general；　place　de　la　Madeleine；　first　story
above　the　entresol？〃

〃Precisely；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃and　allow　me　to　add；　monsieur；　that　you
are　surrounded　with　the　respect　and　sympathy　of　all。〃

〃And　you　will　doubtless　permit　me　to　add；〃　said　Minard；　〃that　the
mayor　of　the　arrondissement　adjoining　that　which　you　inhabit
congratulates　himself　on　being　here　in　presence　of　Monsieur　Picot；
THE　Monsieur　Picot；　no　doubt；　who　has　just　immortalized　his　name　by
the　discovery　of　a　star！〃

〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　replied　the　professor；　elevating　to　a　still　higher
pitch　the　stentorian　diapason　of　his　voice；　〃I　am　Picot　（Nepomucene）；
but　I　have　not　discovered　a　star；　I　don't　concern　myself　with　any　such
fiddle…faddle；　besides；　my　eyes　are　very　weak；　and　that　insolent　young
fellow　I　have　come　here　to　find　is　making　me　ridiculous　with　such
talk。　I　don't　see　him　here；　he　is　hiding　himself；　I　know；　he　dares　not
look　me　in　the　face。〃

〃Who　is　this　person　who　annoys　you？〃　asked　several　voices　at　once。

〃An　unnatural　pupil　of　mine；〃　replied　the　old　mathematician；　〃a　scamp；
but　full　of　ideas；　his　name　is　Felix　Phellion。〃

The　name　was　received；　as　may　well　be　imagined；　with　amazement。
Finding　the　situation　amusing；　Colleville　and　la　Peyrade　went　off　into
fits　of　laughter。

〃You　laugh；　fools！〃　cried　the　irate　old　man；　rising。　〃Yes；　come　and
laugh　within　reach　of　my　arm。〃

So　saying；　he　brandished　a　thick　stick　with　a　white　china　handle；
which　he　used　to　guide　himself；　thereby　nearly　knocking　over　a
candelabrum　on　the　dinner…table　upon　Madame　Minard's　head。

〃You　are　mistaken；　monsieur；〃　cried　Brigitte；　springing　forward　and
seizing　his　arm。　〃Monsieur　Felix　is　not　here。　He　will　probably　come
later　to　a　reception　we　are　about　to　give；　but　at　present　he　has　not
arrived。〃

〃They　don't　begin　early；　your　receptions；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃it　is
past　eight　o'clock。　Well；　as　Monsieur　Felix　is　coming　later；　you　must
allow　me　to　wait　for　him。　I　believe　you　were　eating　your　dinners；
don't　let　me　disturb　you。〃

And　he　went　back　peaceably　to　his　chair。

〃As　you　permit　it；　monsieur；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃we　will　continue；　or；　I
should　say；　finish　dinner；　for　we　are　now　at　the　dessert。　May　I　offer
you　anything；a　glass　of　champagne　and　a　biscuit？〃

〃I　am　very　willing；　madame；〃　replied　the　intruder。　〃No　one　ever
refuses　champagne；　and　I　am　always　ready　to　eat　between　my　meals；　but
you　dine　very　late。〃

A　place　was　made　for　him　at　table　between　Colleville　and　Mademoiselle
Minard；　and　the　former　made　it　his　business　to　fill　the　glass　of　his
new　neighbor；　before　whom　was　placed　a　dish　of　small　cakes。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　la　Peyrade　in　a　cajoling　tone；　〃you　saw　how　surprised
we　were　to　hear　you　complain　of　Monsieur　Felix　Phellion；so　amiable；
so　inoffensive　a　young　man。　What　has　he　done　to　you；　that　you　should
feel　so　angry　with　him？〃

With　his　mouth　full　of　cakes；　which　he　was　engulfing　in　quantities
that　made　Brigitte　uneasy；　the　professor　made　a　sign　that　he　would
soon　answer；　then；　having　mistaken　his　glass　and　swallowed　the
contents　of　Colleville's；　he　replied：

〃You　ask　what　that　insolent　young　man　had　done　to　me？　A　rascally
thing；　and　not　the　first；　either。　He　knows　that　I　cannot　abide　stars；
having　very　good　reason　to　hate　them；　as　you　shall　hear：　In　1807；
being　attached　to　the　Bureau　of　Longitudes；　I　was　part　of　the
scientific　expedition　sent　to　Spain；　under　the　direction　of　my　friend
and　colleague；　Jean…Baptiste　Biot；　to　determine　the　arc　of　the
terrestrial　meridian　from　Barcelona　to　the　Balearic　isles。　I　was　just
in　the　act　of　observing　a　star　（perhaps　the　very　one　my　rascally　pupil
has　discovered）；　when　suddenly；　war　having　broken　out　between　France
and　Spain；　the　peasants；　seeing　me　perched　with　a　telescope　on　Monte
Galazzo；　took　it　into　their　heads　that　I　was　making　signals　to　the
enemy。　A　mob　of　savages　broke　my　instruments；　and　talked　of　stringing
me　up。　They　were　just　going　to　do　it；　w