the lesser bourgeoisie-第95节

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our　poverty；　for；　after　all；　we　have　never　asked　you　for　anything；　and
we　pay　our　rent　punctually；　and　as　for　the　'dot；'　Monsieur　Felix
Phellion　is　quite　ready　to　take　Celeste　with　no　more　than　a　bank…
messenger　could　carry　in　his　BAG。〃

And　she　emphasized　the　last　word　by　her　way　of　pronouncing　it。

〃Ha！　so　you　too　are　going　to　meddle　in　this；　are　you？〃　cried　Brigitte。
〃Very　good；　go　and　fetch　him；　your　Felix。　I　know；　my　little　woman；
that　this　marriage　has　never　suited　you；　it　IS　disagreeable　to　be
nothing　more　than　a　mother　to　your　son…in…law。〃

Flavie　had　recovered　the　coolness　she　had　lost　for　an　instant；　and
without　replying　to　this　speech　she　merely　shrugged　her　shoulders。

At　this　moment　Thuillier　returned；　his　air　of　beatitude　had　deserted
him。

〃My　dear　Brigitte；〃　he　said　to　his　sister；　〃you　have　a　most　excellent
heart；　but　at　times　you　are　so　violent〃

〃Ho！〃　said　the　old　maid；　〃am　I　to　be　arraigned　on　this　side　too？〃

〃I　certainly　do　not　blame　you　for　the　cause　of　the　trouble；　and　I　have
just　rebuked　Celeste　for　her　assumption；　but　there　are　proper　forms
that　must　be　kept。〃

〃Forms！　what　are　you　talking　about？　What　forms　have　I　neglected？〃

〃But；　my　dear　friend；　to　raise　your　hand　against　your　sister！〃

〃I；　raise　my　hand　against　that　imbecile？　What　nonsense　you　talk！〃

〃And　besides；〃　continued　Thuillier；　〃a　woman　of　Celeste's　age　can't　be
kept　in　prison。〃

〃Your　wife！have　I　put　her　in　prison？〃

〃You　can't　deny　it；　for　I　found　the　door　of　her　room　double…locked。〃

〃Parbleu！　all　this　because　in　my　anger　at　the　infamous　things　she　was
spitting　at　me　I　may　have　turned　the　key　of　the　door　without　intending
it。〃

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃these　are　not　proper　actions　for　people
of　our　class。〃

〃Oh！　so　it　is　I　who　am　to　blame；　is　it？　Well；　my　lad；　some　day　you'll
remember　this；　and　we　shall　see　how　your　household　will　get　along　when
I　have　stopped　taking　care　of　it。〃

〃You'll　always　take　care　of　it；〃　said　Thuillier。　〃Housekeeping　is　your
very　life；　you　will　be　the　first　to　get　over　this　affair。〃

〃We'll　see　about　that；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃after　twenty　years　of
devotion；　to　be　treated　like　the　lowest　of　the　low！〃

And　rushing　to　the　door；　which　she　slammed　after　her　with　violence；
she　went　away。

Thuillier　was　not　disturbed　by　this　exit。

〃Were　you　there；　Flavie；〃　he　asked；　〃when　the　scene　took　place？〃

〃No；　it　happened　in　Celeste's　room。　What　did　she　do　to　her？〃

〃What　I　said；raised　her　hand　to　her　and　locked　her　in　like　a　child。
Celeste　may　certainly　be　rather　dull…minded；　but　there　are　limits　that
must　not　be　passed。〃

〃She　is　not　always　pleasant；　that　good　Brigitte；〃　said　Flavie；　〃she
and　I　have　just　had　a　little　set…to。〃

〃Oh；　well；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃it　will　all　pass　off。　I　want　to　tell　you；
my　dear　Flavie；　what　fine　success　we　have　had　this　morning。　The
'National'　quotes　two　whole　paragraphs　of　an　article　in　which　there
were　several　sentences　of　mine。〃

Thuillier　was　again　interrupted　in　the　tale　of　his　great　political　and
literary　success；this　time　by　the　entrance　of　Josephine　the　cook。

〃Can　monsieur　tell　me　where　to　find　the　key　of　the　great　trunk？〃　she
said。

〃What　do　you　want　with　it？〃　asked　Thuillier。

〃Mademoiselle　told　me　to　take　it　to　her　room。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃Mademoiselle　must　be　going　to　make　a　journey。　She　is　getting　her
linen　out　of　the　drawers；　and　her　gowns　are　on　the　bed。〃

〃Another　piece　of　nonsense！〃　said　Thuillier。　〃Flavie；　go　and　see　what
she　has　in　her　head。〃

〃Not　I；〃　said　Madame　Colleville；　〃go　yourself。　In　her　present　state　of
exasperation　she　might　beat　me。〃

〃And　my　stupid　wife；　who　must　needs　raise　a　fuss　about　the　contract！〃
cried　Thuillier。　〃She　really　must　have　said　something　pretty　sharp　to
turn　Brigitte　off　her　hinges　like　this。〃

〃Monsieur　has　not　told　me　where　to　find　the　key；〃　persisted　Josephine。

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　it；〃　said　Thuillier；　crossly；　〃go　and
look　for　it；　or　else　tell　her　it　is　lost。〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　Josephine；　〃it　is　likely　I'd　dare　to　go　and　tell　her
that。〃

Just　then　the　outer　door…bell　rang。

〃No　doubt　that's　la　Peyrade；〃　said　Thuillier；　in　a　tone　of
satisfaction。

The　Provencal　appeared　a　moment　later。

〃Faith；　my　dear　friend；〃　cried　Thuillier；　〃it　is　high　time　you　came；
the　house　is　in　revolution；　all　about　you；　and　it　needs　your　silvery
tongue　to　bring　it　back　to　peace　and　quietness。〃

Then　he　related　to　his　assistant　editor　the　circumstances　of　the　civil
war　which　had　broken　out。

La　Peyrade　turned　to　Madame　Colleville。

〃I　think；〃　he　said；　〃that　under　the　circumstances　in　which　we　now
stand　there　is　no　impropriety　in　my　asking　for　an　interview　of　a　few
moments　with　Mademoiselle　Colleville。〃

In　this　the　Provencal　showed　his　usual　shrewd　ability；　he　saw　that　in
the　mission　of　pacification　thus　given　to　him　Celeste　Colleville　was
the　key　of　the　situation。

〃I　will　send　for　her；　and　we　will　leave　you　alone　together；〃　said
Flavie。

〃My　dear　Thuillier；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃you　must；　without　any　violence；
let　Mademoiselle　Celeste　know　that　her　consent　must　be　given　without
further　delay；　make　her　think　that　this　was　the　purpose　for　which　you
have　sent　for　her；　then　leave　us；　I　will　do　the　rest。〃

The　man…servant　was　sent　down　to　the　entresol　with　orders　to　tell
Celeste　that　her　godfather　wished　to　speak　to　her。　As　soon　as　she
appeared；　Thuillier　said；　to　carry　out　the　programme　which　had　been
dictated　to　him：

〃My　dear；　your　mother　has　told　us　things　that　astonish　us。　Can　it　be
true　that　with　your　contract　almost　signed；　you　have　not　yet　decided
to　accept　the　marriage　we　have　arranged　for　you？〃

〃Godfather；〃　said　Celeste；　rather　surprised　at　this　abrupt　summons；　〃I
think　I　did　not　say　that　to　mamma。〃

〃Did　you　not　just　now；〃　said　Flavie；　〃praise　Monsieur　Felix　Phellion
to　me　in　the　most　extravagant　manner？〃

〃I　spoke　of　Monsieur　Phellion　as　all　the　world　is　speaking　of　him。〃

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Thuillier；　with　authority；　〃let　us　have　no
equivocation；　do　you　refuse；　yes　or　no；　to　marry　Monsieur　de　la
Peyrade？〃

〃Dear；　good　friend；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　intervening；　〃your　way　of
putting　the　question　is　rather　too　abrupt；　and；　in　my　presence；
especially；　it　seems　to　me　out　of　place。　In　my　position　as　the　most
interested　person；　will　you　allow　me　to　have　an　interview　with
mademoiselle；　which；　indeed；　has　now　become　necessary？　This　favor　I　am
sure　will　not　be　refused　by　Madame　Colleville。　Under　present
circumstances；　there　can　surely　be　nothing　in　my　request　to　alarm　her
maternal　prudence。〃

〃I　would　certainly　yield　to　it；〃　said　Flavie；　〃if　I　did　not　fear　that
these　discussions　might　seem　to　open　a　question　which　is　irrevocably
decided。〃

〃But；　my　dear　madame；　I　have　the　strongest　desire　that　Mademoiselle
Celeste　shall　remain；　until　the　very　last　moment；　the　mistress　of　her
own　choice。　I　beg　you；　therefore；　to　grant　my　request。〃

〃So　be　it！〃　said　Madame　Colleville；　〃you　think　yourself　very　clever；
but　if　you　let　that　girl　twist　you　round　her　finger；　so　much　the　worse
for　you。　Come；　Thuillier；　since　we　are　'de　trop'　here。〃

As　soon　as　the　pair　were　alone　together；　la　Peyrade　drew　up　a　chair
for　Celeste；　and　took　one　himself；　saying：

〃You　will；　I　venture　to　believe；　do　me　the　justice　to　say　that　until
to…day　I　have　never　annoyed　you　with　the　expression　of　my　sentiments。
I　was　aware　of　the　inclinations　of　your　heart；　and　also　of　the
warnings　of　your　conscience。　I　hoped；　after　a　time；　to　make　myself
acceptable　as　a　refuge　from　those　two　currents　of　feeling；　but；　at　the
point　which　we　have　now　reached；　I　think　it　is　not　either　indiscreet
or　impatient　to　ask　you　to　let　me　know　plainly　what　course　you　have
decided　upon。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　replied　Celeste；　〃as　you　speak　to　me　so　kindly　and
frankly；　I　will　tell　you；　what　indeed　you　know　already；　that；　brought
up　as　I　was　with　Monsieur　Felix　Phellion；　knowing　him　far　longer　than
I　have　known　you；　the　idea　of　marrying　alarmed　me　less　in　regard　to
him　than　it　would　in　regard　to　others。〃

〃At　one　time；　I　believe；〃　remarked　la　Peyrade；　〃you　were　permitted　to
choose　him　if　you　wished。〃

〃Yes；　but　at　that　time　difficulties　grew　up　between　us　on　religious
ideas。〃

〃And　to…day　those　difficulties　have　disappeared？〃

〃Nearly；〃　replied　Celeste。　〃I　am　accustomed　to　submit　to　the　judgment
of　those　who　are　wiser　than　myself；　monsieur；　and　you　heard　yesterday
the　manner　in　which　the　Abbe　Gondrin　spoke　of　Monsieur　Phellion。〃

〃God　forbid；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃that　I　should　seek　to　invalidate　the
judgment　of　so　excellent　a　man；　but　I　venture　to　say　to　you；
mademoiselle；　that　there　are　great　differences　among　the　clergy；　some
are　thought　too　stern；　some　far　too　indulgent；　moreover；　the　Abbe
Gondrin　is　more　of　a　preacher　than　a　casuist。〃

〃But；　Monsieur　Felix；〃　said　Celeste；　eagerly；　〃seems　to　wish　to　fulfil
Monsieur　l'abbe's　hopes　of　him；　for　I　know　that　he　went　to　see　him
this　morning。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　with　a　touch　of　irony；　〃so　he　really　decided　to
go　to　Pere　Anselme！　But；　admitting　that　on　the　religious　side　Monsieur
Phellion　may　now　become　all　that　you　expect　of　him；　have　you
reflected；　mademoiselle；　on　the　great　event　which　h