the lesser bourgeoisie-第96节

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reflected；　mademoiselle；　on　the　great　event　which　has　just　taken　place
in　his　life？〃

〃Undoubtedly；　and　that　is　not　a　reason　to　think　less　of　him。〃

〃No；　but　it　is　a　reason　why　he　should　think　more　of　himself。　For　the
modesty　which　was　once　the　chief　charm　of　his　nature；　he　is　likely　to
substitute　great　assumption；　and　you　must　remember；　mademoiselle；　that
he　who　has　discovered　one　world　will　want　to　discover　two；　you　will
have　the　whole　firmament　for　rival；　in　short；　could　you　ever　be　happy
with　a　man　so　entirely　devoted　to　science？〃

〃You　plead　your　cause　with　such　adroitness；〃　said　Celeste；　smiling；
〃that　I　think　you　might　be　as　a　lawyer　more　disquieting　than　an
astronomer。〃

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃let　us　speak　seriously；　there　is
another　and　far　more　serious　aspect　to　the　situation。　Do　you　know
that；　at　this　moment；　in　this　house；　and　without；　I　am　sure；　desiring
it；　you　are　the　cause　of　most　distressing　and　regrettable　scenes？〃

〃I；　monsieur！〃　said　Celeste；　in　a　tone　of　surprise　that　was　mingled
with　fear。

〃Yes；　concerning　your　godmother。　Through　the　extreme　affection　that
she　has　for　you　she　seems　to　have　become　another　woman；　for　the　first
time　in　her　life　she　has　shown　a　mind　of　her　own。　With　an　energy　of
will　which　comes　at　times　to　those　who　have　never　expended　any；　she
declares　that　she　will　not　make　her　proposed　liberal　gift　to　you　in
the　contract；　and　I　need　not　tell　you　who　is　the　person　aimed　at　in
this　unexpected　refusal。〃

〃But；　monsieur；　I　entreat　you　to　believe　that　I　knew　nothing　of　this
idea　of　my　godmother。〃

〃I　know　that；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃and　the　matter　itself　would　be　of
small　importance　if　Mademoiselle　Brigitte　had　not　taken　this　attitude
of　your　godmother；　whom　she　has　always　found　supple　to　her　will；　as　a
personal　insult　to　herself。　Very　painful　explanations；　approaching　at
last　to　violence；　have　taken　place。　Thuillier；　placed　between　the
hammer　and　the　anvil；　has　been　unable　to　stop　the　affair；　on　the
contrary；　he　has；　without　intending　it；　made　matters　worse；　till　they
have　now　arrived　at　such　a　point　that　Mademoiselle　Brigitte　is　packing
her　trunks　to　leave　the　house。〃

〃Monsieur！　what　are　you　telling　me？〃　cried　Celeste；　horrified。

〃The　truth；　and　the　servants　will　confirm　it　to　youfor　I　feel　that
my　revelations　are　scarcely　believable。〃

〃But　it　is　impossible！　impossible！〃　said　the　poor　child；　whose
agitation　increased　with　every　word　of　the　adroit　Provencal。　〃I　cannot
be　the　cause　of　such　dreadful　harm。〃

〃That　is；　you　did　not　intend　to　be；　for　the　harm　is　done；　and　I　pray
Heaven　it　may　not　be　irremediable。〃

〃But　what　am　I　to　do；　good　God！〃　cried　Celeste；　wringing　her　hands。

〃I　should　answer；　without　hesitation；　sacrifice　yourself；
mademoiselle；　if　it　were　not　that　I　should　then　be　forced　to　play　the
painful　part　of　victimizer。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Celeste；　〃you　interpret　ill　the　resistance　that　I
have　made；　though；　in　fact；　I　have　scarcely　expressed　it。　I　have
certainly　had　a　preference；　but　I　have　never　considered　myself　in　the
light　of　a　victim；　and　whatever　it　is　necessary　to　do　to　restore　peace
in　this　house　to　which　I　have　brought　trouble；　I　shall　do　it　without
repugnance；　and　even　willingly。〃

〃That　would　be　for　me；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　humbly；　〃more　than　I　could
dare　ask　for　myself；　but；　for　the　result　which　we　both　seek；　I　must
tell　you　frankly　that　something　more　is　needed。　Madame　Thuillier　has
not　changed　her　nature　to　instantly　change　back　again　on　the　mere
assurance　by　others　of　your　compliance。　It　is　necessary　that　she
should　hear　from　your　own　lips　that　you　accede　to　my　suit；　and　that
you　do　so　with　eagerness；assumed；　indeed；　but　sufficiently　well
assumed　to　induce　her　to　believe　in　it。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　said　Celeste。　〃I　shall　know　how　to　seem　smiling　and　happy。
My　godmother；　monsieur；　has　been　a　mother　to　me；　and　for　such　a
mother；　what　is　there　that　I　would　not　endure？〃

The　position　was　such；　and　Celeste　betrayed　so　artlessly　the　depth
and；　at　the　same　time；　the　absolute　determination　of　her　sacrifice；
that　with　any　heart　at　all　la　Peyrade　would　have　loathed　the　part　he
was　playing；　but　Celeste；　to　him；　was　a　means　of　ascent；　and　provided
the　ladder　can　hold　you　and　hoist　you；　who　would　ever　ask　if　it　cared
to　or　not？　It　was　therefore　decided　that　Celeste　should　go　to　her
godmother　and　convince　her　of　the　mistake　she　had　made　in　supposing　an
objection　to　la　Peyrade　which　Celeste　had　never　intended　to　make。
Madame　Thuillier's　opposition　overcome；　all　was　once　more　easy。　La
Peyrade　took　upon　himself　the　duty　of　making　peace　between　the　two
sisters…in…law；　and　we　can　well　imagine　that　he　was　not　at　a　loss　for
fine　phrases　with　which　to　assure　the　artless　girl　of　the　devotion　and
love　which　would　take　from　her　all　regret　for　the　moral　compulsion　she
had　now　undergone。

When　Celeste　went　to　her　godmother　she　found　her　by　no　means　as
difficult　to　convince　as　she　had　expected。　To　go　to　the　point　of
rebellion　which　Madame　Thuillier　had　actually　reached；　the　poor　woman；
who　was　acting　against　her　instincts　and　against　her　nature；　had
needed　a　tension　of　will　that；　in　her；　was　almost　superhuman。　No
sooner　had　she　received　the　false　confidences　of　her　goddaughter　than
the　reaction　set　in；　the　strength　failed　her　to　continue　in　the　path
she　had　taken。　She　was　therefore　easily　the　dupe　of　the　comedy　which
Celeste's　tender　heart　was　made　to　play　for　la　Peyrade's　benefit。

The　tempest　calmed　on　this　side；　the　barrister　found　no　difficulty　in
making　Brigitte　understand　that　in　quelling　the　rebellion　against　her
authority　she　had　gone　a　little　farther　than　was　proper。　This
authority　being　no　longer　in　danger；　Brigitte　ceased　to　be　incensed
with　the　sister…in…law　she　had　been　on　the　point　of　beating；　and　the
quarrel　was　settled　with　a　few　kind　words　and　a　kiss；　poor　Celeste
paying　the　costs　of　war。

After　dinner；　which　was　only　a　family　meal；　the　notary；　to　whose
office　they　were　to　go　on　the　following　day　to　sign　the　contract　（it
being　impossible　to　give　a　second　edition　of　the　abortive　party）；　made
his　appearance。　He　came；　he　said；　to　submit　the　contract　to　the
parties　interested　before　engrossing　it。　This　attention　was　not
surprising　in　a　man　who　was　just　entering　into　business　relations　with
so　important　a　person　as　the　municipal　councillor；　whom　it　was　his
interest　to　firmly　secure　for　a　client。

La　Peyrade　was　far　too　shrewd　to　make　any　objections　to　the　terms　of
the　contract；　which　was　now　read。　A　few　changes　requested　by　Brigitte；
which　gave　the　new　notary　a　high　idea　of　the　old　maid's　business
capacity；　showed　la　Peyrade　plainly　that　more　precautions　were　being
taken　against　him　than　were　altogether　becoming；　but　he　was　anxious
not　to　raise　difficulties；　and　he　knew　that　the　meshes　of　a　contract
are　never　so　close　that　a　determined　and　clever　man　cannot　get　through
them。　The　appointment　was　then　made　for　the　signing　of　the　contract
the　next　day；　at　two　o'clock；　in　the　notary's　office；　the　family　only
being　present。

During　the　rest　of　the　evening；　taking　advantage　of　Celeste's　pledge
to　seem　smiling　and　happy；　la　Peyrade　played；　as　it　were；　upon　the
poor　child；　forced　her；　by　a　specious　exhibition　of　gratitude　and
love；　to　respond　to　him　on　a　key　that　was　far；　indeed；　from　the　true
state　of　a　heart　now　wholly　filled　by　Felix。　Flavie；　seeing　the　manner
in　which　la　Peyrade　put　forth　his　seductions；　was　reminded　of　the
pains　he　had　formerly　taken　to　fascinate　herself。　〃The　monster！〃　she
said；　beneath　her　breath。　But　she　was　forced　to　bear　the　torture　with
a　good　grace；　la　Peyrade　was　evidently　approved　by　all；　and　in　the
course　of　the　evening　a　circumstance　came　to　light；　showing　a　past
service　done　by　him　to　the　house　of　Thuillier；　which　brought　his
influence　and　his　credit　to　the　highest　point。

Minard　was　announced。

〃My　dear　friends；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　come　to　make　a　little　revelation
which　will　greatly　surprise　you；　and　will；　I　think；　prove　a　lesson　to
all　of　us　when　a　question　arises　as　to　receiving　foreigners　in　our
homes。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　cried　Brigitte；　with　curiosity。

〃That　Hungarian　woman　you　were　so　delighted　with；　that　Madame　Torna；
Comtesse　de　Godollo〃

〃Well？〃　exclaimed　the　old　maid。

〃Well；〃　continued　Minard；　〃she　was　no　better　than　she　should　be；　you
were　petting　in　your　house　for　two　months　the　most　impudent　of　kept
women。〃

〃Who　told　you　that　tale？〃　asked　Brigitte；　not　willing　to　admit　that
she　had　fallen　into　such　a　snare。

〃Oh；　it　isn't　a　tale；〃　said　the　mayor；　eagerly。　〃I　know　the　thing
myself；　'de　visu。'〃

〃Dear　me！　do　you　frequent　such　women？〃　said　Brigitte；　resuming　the
offensive。　〃That's　a　pretty　thing！　what　would　Zelie　say　if　she　knew
it？〃

〃In　the　discharge　of　my　duties；〃　said　Minard；　stiffly；　provoked　at
this　reception　of　his　news；　〃I　have　seen　YOUR　FRIEND；　Madame　de
Godollo；　in　company　with　others　of　her　class。〃

〃How　do　you　know　it　was　she　if　you　only　saw　her？〃　demanded　Brigitte。

The　wily　Provencal　was　not　the　man　to　lose　an　occasion　that　fell　to
him　ready…made。

〃Monsieur　le　maire　is　not　mistaken；〃　he　said；　with　decision。

〃Tiens！　so　you　know　her；　too；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃and　you