the lesser bourgeoisie-第90节

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〃I　am　afraid　I　shall　not　see　him；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃as　my　black　gown
would　be　out　of　place　in　the　midst　of　the　more　earthly　gaiety　that
will　soon　fill　this　salon。　But　I　know；　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade；　that
you　are　a　man　of　sincerely　pious　convictions；　and　as；　without　any
doubt；　you　feel　as　much　interest　in　the　young　man's　welfare　as　I　do
myself；　I　shall　say　to　you　in　parting：　Do　not　be　uneasy　about　him；
sooner　or　later；　such　choice　souls　come　back　to　us；　and　if　the　return
of　these　prodigals　should　be　long　delayed　I　should　not　fear；　on　seeing
them　go　to　God；　that　His　infinite　mercy　would　fail　them。〃

So　saying；　the　abbe　looked　about　to　find　his　hat；　and　proceeded　to
slip　quietly　away。

Suddenly　a　fearful　uproar　was　heard。　Rushing　into　the　dining…room；
whence　came　a　sound　of　furniture　overturned　and　glasses　breaking；
Brigitte　found　Colleville　occupied　in　adjusting　his　cravat　and　looking
himself　over　to　be　sure　that　his　coat；　cruelly　pulled　awry；　bore　no
signs　of　being　actually　torn。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　cried　Brigitte。

〃It　is　that　old　idiot；〃　replied　Colleville；　〃who　is　in　a　fury。　I　came
to　take　my　coffee　with　him；　just　to　keep　him　company；　and　he　took　a
joke　amiss；　and　collared　me；　and　knocked　over　two　chairs　and　a　tray　of
glasses　because　Josephine　didn't　get　out　of　his　way　in　time。〃

〃It　is　all　because　you've　been　teasing　him；〃　said　Brigitte；　crossly；
〃why　couldn't　you　stay　in　the　salon　instead　of　coming　here　to　play
your　jokes；　as　you　call　them？　You　think　you　are　still　in　the　orchestra
of　the　Opera…Comique。〃

This　sharp　rebuke　delivered；　Brigitte；　like　the　resolute　woman　that
she　was；　saw　that　she　absolutely　must　get　rid　of　the　ferocious　old　man
who　threatened　her　household　with　flames　and　blood。　Accordingly；　she
approached　pere　Picot；　who　was　tranquilly　engaged　in　burning　brandy　in
his　saucer。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　at　the　top　of　her　lungs；　as　if　she　were　speaking
to　a　deaf　person　（evidently　thinking　that　a　blind　one　ought　to　be
treated　in　the　same　manner）；　〃I　have　come　to　tell　you　something　that
may　annoy　you。　Monsieur　and　Madame　Phellion　have　just　arrived；　and
they　inform　me　that　their　son；　Monsieur　Felix；　is　not　coming。　He　has　a
cold　and　a　sore…throat。〃

〃Then　he　got　it　this　afternoon　reading　that　lecture；〃　cried　the
professor；　joyfully。　〃That's　justice！Madame；　where　do　you　get　your
brandy？〃

〃Why；　at　my　grocer's；〃　replied　Brigitte；　taken　aback　by　the　question。

〃Well；　madame；　I　ought　to　tell　you　that　in　a　house　where　one　can　drink
such　excellent　champagne；　which　reminds　me　of　that　we　used　to　quaff　at
the　table　of　Monsieur　de　Fontanes；　grand…master　of　the　University；　it
is　shameful　to　keep　such　brandy。　I　tell　you；　with　the　frankness　I　put
into　everything；　that　it　is　good　only　to　wash　your　horses'　feet；　and
if　I　had　not　the　resource　of　burning　it〃

〃He　is　the　devil　in　person；〃　thought　Brigitte；　〃not　a　word　of　excuse
about　all　that　glass；　but　he　must　needs　fall　foul　of　my　brandy　too！
Monsieur；〃　she　resumed；　in　the　same　raised　diapason；　〃as　Monsieur
Felix　is　not　coming；　don't　you　think　your　family　will　be　uneasy　at
your　absence？〃

〃Family？　I　haven't　any；　madame；　owing　to　the　fact　that　they　want　to
make　me　out　a　lunatic。　But　I　have　a　housekeeper；　Madame　Lambert；　and　I
dare　say　she　will　be　surprised　not　to　see　me　home　by　this　time。　I
think　I　had　better　go　now；　if　I　stay　later；　the　scene　might　be　more
violent。　But　I　must　own　that　in　this　strange　quarter　I　am　not　sure　if
I　can　find　my　way。〃

〃Then　take　a　carriage。〃

〃Carriage　here；　carriage　there；　indeed！　my　spiteful　relations　wouldn't
lose　the　chance　of　calling　me　a　spendthrift。〃

〃I　have　an　important　message　to　send　into　your　quarter；〃　said
Brigitte；　seeing　she　must　resolve　to　make　the　sacrifice；　〃and　I　have
just　told　my　porter　to　take　a　cab　and　attend　to　it。　If　you　would　like
to　take　advantage　of　that　convenience〃

〃I　accept　it；　madame；〃　said　the　old　professor；　rising；　〃and；　if　it
comes　to　the　worst；　I　hope　you　will　testify　before　the　judge　that　I
was　niggardly　about　a　cab。〃

〃Henri；〃　said　Brigitte　to　the　man…servant；　〃take　monsieur　down　to　the
porter　and　tell　him　to　do　the　errand　I　told　him　about　just　now；　and　to
take　monsieur　to　his　own　door；　and　be　very　careful　of　him。〃

〃Careful　of　him！〃　echoed　the　old　man。　〃Do　you　take　me　for　a　trunk；
madame；　or　a　bit　of　cracked　china？〃

Seeing　that　she　had　got　her　man　fairly　to　the　door；　Brigitte　allowed
herself　to　turn　upon　him。

〃What　I　say；　monsieur；　is　for　your　good。　You　must　allow　me　to　observe
that　you　have　not　an　agreeable　nature。〃

〃Careful　of　him！　careful　of　him！〃　repeated　the　old　man。　〃Don't　you
know；　madame；　that　by　the　use　of　such　words　you　may　get　people　put
into　lunatic　asylums？　However；　I　will　not　reply　rudely　to　the　polite
hospitality　I　have　received；all　the　more　because；　I　think；　I　have
put　Monsieur　Felix；　who　missed　me　intentionally；　in　his　right　place。〃

〃Go；　go；　go；　you　old　brute！〃　cried　Brigitte；　slamming　the　door　behind
him。

Before　returning　to　the　salon　she　was　obliged　to　drink　a　whole
glassful　of　water；　the　restraint　she　had　been　forced　to　put　upon
herself　in　order　to　get　rid　of　this　troublesome　guest　having；　to　use
her　own　expression；　〃put　her　all　about。〃



CHAPTER　XIII

THE　MAN　WHO　THINKS　THE　STAR　TOO　BRIGHT

The　next　morning　Minard　paid　a　visit　to　Phellion　in　his　study。　The
great　citizen　and　his　son　Felix　were　at　that　moment　engaged　in　a
conversation　which　seemed　to　have　some　unusual　interest　for　them。

〃My　dear　Felix；〃　cried　the　mayor　of　the　eleventh　arrondissement；
offering　his　hand　warmly　to　the　young　professor；　〃it　is　you　who　bring
me　here　this　morning；　I　have　come　to　offer　you　my　congratulations。〃

〃What　has　occurred？〃　asked　Phellion。　〃Have　the　Thuilliers〃

〃It　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　Thuilliers；〃　interrupted　the　mayor。
〃But；〃　he　added；　looking　hard　at　Felix；　〃can　that　sly　fellow　have
concealed　the　thing　even　from　you？〃

〃I　do　not　think；〃　said　Phellion；　〃that　ever；　in　his　life；　has　my　son
concealed　a　thing　from　me。〃

〃Then　you　know　about　the　sublime　astronomical　discovery　which　he
communicated　to　the　Academy　of　Sciences　yesterday？〃

〃Your　kindness　for　me；　Monsieur　le　maire；〃　said　Felix；　hastily；　〃has
led　you　astray；　I　was　only　the　reader　of　the　communication。〃

〃Oh！　let　me　alone！〃　said　Minard；　〃reader；　indeed！　I　know　all　about
it。〃

〃But　see；〃　said　Felix；　offering　Minard　the　〃Constitutionnel；〃　〃here's
the　paper；　not　only　does　it　announce　that　Monsieur　Picot　is　the　maker
of　the　discovery；　but　it　mentions　the　rewards　which；　without　losing　a
moment；　the　government　has　bestowed　upon　him。〃

〃Felix　is　right；〃　said　Phellion；　〃that　journal　is　to　be　trusted。　On
this　occasion　I　think　the　government　has　acted　very　properly。〃

〃But；　my　dear　commander；　I　repeat　to　you　that　the　truth　of　the　affair
has　got　wind；　and　your　son　is　shown　to　be　a　most　admirable　fellow。　To
put　his　own　discovery　to　the　credit　of　his　old　professor　so　as　to
obtain　for　him　the　recognition　and　favor　of　the　authoritiesupon　my
word；　in　all　antiquity　I　don't　know　a　finer　trait！〃

〃Felix！〃　said　Phellion；　beginning　to　show　some　emotion；　〃these　immense
labors　to　which　you　have　devoted　so　much　time　of　late；　these　continual
visits　to　the　Observatory〃

〃But；　father；〃　interrupted　Felix；　〃Monsieur　Minard　has　been
misinformed。〃

〃Misinformed！〃　cried　Minard；　〃when　I　know　the　whole　affair　from
Monsieur　Picot　himself！〃

At　this　argument；　stated　in　a　way　to　leave　no　possible　doubt；　the
truth　began　to　dawn　upon　Phellion。

〃Felix；　my　son！〃　he　said；　rising　to　embrace　him。

But　he　was　obliged　to　sit　down　again；　his　legs　refused　to　bear　his
weight；　he　turned　pale；　and　that　nature；　ordinarily　so　impassible；
seemed　about　to　give　way　under　the　shock　of　this　happiness。

〃My　God！〃　said　Felix；　terrified；　〃he　is　ill；　ring　the　bell；　I　entreat
you；　Monsieur　Minard。〃

And　he　ran　to　the　old　man；　loosened　his　cravat　and　unfastened　the
collar　of　his　shirt；　striking　him　in　the　palms　of　his　hands。　But　the
sudden　faintness　was　but　momentary；　almost　immediately　himself　again；
Phellion　gathered　his　son　to　his　heart；　and　holding　him　long　in　his
embrace；　he　said；　in　a　voice　broken　by　the　tears　that　came　to　put　an
end　to　this　shock　of　joy：

〃Felix；　my　noble　son！　so　great　in　heart；　so　great　in　mind！〃

The　bell　had　been　rung　by　Minard　with　magisterial　force；　and　with　such
an　accent　that　the　whole　household　was　alarmed；　and　came　running　in。

〃It　is　nothing；　it　is　nothing；〃　said　Phellion　to　the　servants；　sending
them　away。　But　almost　at　the　same　moment；　seeing　his　wife；　who　now
entered　the　room；　he　resumed　his　habitual　solemnity。

〃Madame　Phellion；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　Felix；　〃how　many　years　is　it
since　you　brought　that　young　man　into　the　world？〃

Madame　Phellion；　bewildered　by　the　question；　hesitated　a　moment；　and
then　said：

〃Twenty…five　years　next　January。〃

〃Have　you　not　thought；　until　now；　that　God　had　amply　granted　your
maternal　desires　by　making　this　child　of　your　womb　an　honest　man；　a
pious　son；　and　by　gifting　him　for　mathematics；　that　Science　of
sciences；　with　an　aptitude　sufficiently　remarkable？〃

〃I　have；〃　said　Madame　Phellion；　understanding　less　and　less　what　her
husband　was　comi