the lesser bourgeoisie-第97节

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him　ready…made。

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

〃Tiens！　so　you　know　her；　too；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃and　you　let　us　consort
with　such　vermin？〃

〃No；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃on　the　contrary。　Without　scandal；　without
saying　a　word　to　any　one；　I　removed　her　from　your　house。　You　remember
how　suddenly　the　woman　left　it？　It　was　I　who　compelled　her　to　do　so；
having　discovered　what　she　was；　I　gave　her　two　days　to　leave　the
premises；　threatening　her；　in　case　she　hesitated；　to　tell　you　all。〃

〃My　dear　Theodose；〃　said　Thuillier；　pressing　his　hand；　〃you　acted　with
as　much　prudence　as　decision。　This　is　one　more　obligation　that　we　owe
to　you。〃

〃You　see；　mademoiselle；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　addressing　Celeste；　〃the
strange　protectress　whom　a　friend　of　yours　selected。〃

〃Thank　God；〃　said　Madame　Thuillier。　〃Felix　Phellion　is　above　such　vile
things。〃

〃Ah　ca！　papa　Minard；　we'll　keep　quiet　about　all　this；　silence　is　the
word。　Will　you　take　a　cup　of　tea？〃

〃Willingly；〃　replied　Minard。

〃Celeste；〃　said　the　old　maid；　〃ring　for　Henri；　and　tell　him　to　put　the
large　kettle　on　the　fire。〃

Though　the　visit　to　the　notary　was　not　to　be　made　till　two　in　the
afternoon；　Brigitte　began　early　in　the　morning　of　the　next　day　what
Thuillier　called　her　RAMPAGE；　a　popular　term　which　expresses　that
turbulent；　nagging；　irritating　activity　which　La　Fontaine　has
described　so　well　in　his　fable　of　〃The　Old　Woman　and　her　Servants。〃
Brigitte　declared　that　if　you　didn't　take　time　by　the　forelock　no　one
would　be　ready。　She　prevented　Thuillier　from　going　to　his　office；
insisting　that　if　he　once　got　off　she　never　should　see　him　again；　she
plagued　Josephine；　the　cook；　about　hurrying　the　breakfast；　and　in
spite　of　what　had　happened　the　day　before　she　scarcely　restrained
herself　from　nagging　at　Madame　Thuillier；　who　did　not　enter；　as　she
thought　she　should　have　done；　into　her　favorite　maxim；　〃Better　be
early　than　late。〃

Presently　down　she　went　to　the　Collevilles'　to　make　the　same
disturbance；　and　there　she　put　her　veto　on　the　costume；　far　too
elegant；　which　Flavie　meditated　wearing；　and　told　Celeste　the　hat　and
gown　she　wished　her　to　appear　in。　As　for　Colleville；　who　could　not；　he
declared；　stay　away　all　the　morning　from　his　official　duties；　she
compelled　him　to　put　on　his　dress…suit　before　he　went　out；　made　him
set　his　watch　by　hers；　and　warned　him　that　if　he　was　late　no　one　would
wait　for　him。

The　amusing　part　of　it　was　that　Brigitte　herself；　after　driving　every
one　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet；　came　very　near　being　late　herself。
Under　pretext　of　aiding　others；　independently　of　minding　her　own
business；　which；　for　worlds；　she　would　never　have　spared　herself；　she
had　put　her　fingers　and　eyes　into　so　many　things　that　they　ended　by
overwhelming　her。　However；　she　ascribed　the　delay　in　which　she　was
almost　caught　to　the　hairdresser；　whom　she　had　sent　for　to　make；　on
this　extraordinary　occasion；　what　she　called　her　〃part。〃　That　artist
having；　unadvisedly；　dressed　her　hair　in　the　fashion；　he　was
compelled；　after　she　had　looked　at　herself　in　the　glass；　to　do　his
work　over　again；　and　conform　to　the　usual　style　of　his　client；　which
consisted　chiefly　in　never　being　〃done〃　at　all；　a　method　that　gave　her
head　a　general　air　of　what　is　vulgarly　called　〃a　cross　cat。〃

About　half…past　one　o'clock　la　Peyrade；　Thuillier；　Colleville；　Madame
Thuillier；　and　Celeste　were　assembled　in　the　salon。　Flavie　joined　them
soon　after；　fastening　her　bracelets　as　she　came　along　to　avoid　a
rebuff；　and　having　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　that　she　was　ready
before　Brigitte。　As　for　the　latter；　already　furious　at　finding　herself
late；　she　had　another　cause　for　exasperation。　The　event　of　the　day
seemed　to　require　a　corset；　a　refinement　which　she　usually　discarded。
The　unfortunate　maid；　whose　duty　it　was　to　lace　her　and　to　discover
the　exact　point　to　which　she　was　willing　to　be　drawn　in；　alone　knew
the　terrors　and　storms　of　a　corset　day。

〃I'd　rather；〃　said　the　girl；　〃lace　the　obelisk；　I　know　it　would　lend
itself　to　being　laced　better　than　she　does；　and；　anyhow；　it　couldn't
be　bad…tongued。〃

While　the　party　in　the　salon　were　amusing　themselves；　under　their
breaths；　at　the　〃flagrante　delicto〃　of　unpunctuality　in　which　Queen
Elizabeth　was　caught；　the　porter　entered；　and　gave　to　Thuillier　a
sealed　package；　addressed　to　〃Monsieur　Thuillier；　director　of　the
'Echo　de　la　Bievre。'　IN　HASTE。〃

Thuillier　opened　the　envelope；　and　found　within　a　copy　of　a
ministerial　journal　which　had　hitherto　shown　itself　discourteous　to
the　new　paper　by　refusing　the　EXCHANGE　which　all　periodicals　usually
make　very　willingly　with　one　another。

Puzzled　by　the　fact　of　this　missive　being　sent　to　his　own　house　and
not　to　the　office　of　the　〃Echo；〃　Thuillier　hastily　opened　the　sheet；
and　read；　with　what　emotion　the　reader　may　conceive；　the　following
article；　commended　to　his　notice　by　a　circle　in　red　ink：

　　An　obscure　organ　was　about　to　expire　in　its　native　shade　when　an
　　ambitious　person　of　recent　date　bethought　himself　of　galvanizing
　　it。　His　object　was　to　make　it　a　foothold　by　which　to　climb　from
　　municipal　functions　to　the　coveted　position　of　deputy。　Happily
　　this　object；　having　come　to　the　surface；　will　end　in　failure。
　　Electors　will　certainly　not　be　inveigled　by　so　wily　a　manner　of
　　advancing　self…interests；　and　when　the　proper　time　arrives；　if
　　ridicule　has　not　already　done　justice　on　this　absurd　candidacy；　we
　　shall　ourselves　prove　to　the　pretender　that　to　aspire　to　the
　　distinguished　honor　of　representing　the　nation　something　more　is
　　required　than　the　money　to　buy　a　paper　and　pay　an　underling　to　put
　　into　good　French　the　horrible　diction　of　his　articles　and
　　pamphlets。　We　confine　ourselves　to…day　to　this　limited　notice；　but
　　our　readers　may　be　sure　that　we　shall　keep　them　informed　about
　　this　electoral　comedy；　if　indeed　the　parties　concerned　have　the
　　melancholy　courage　to　go　on　with　it。

Thuillier　read　twice　over　this　sudden　declaration　of　war；　which　was
far　from　leaving　him　calm　and　impassible；　then；　taking　la　Peyrade
aside；　he　said　to　him：

〃Read　that；　it　is　serious。〃

〃Well？〃　said　la　Peyrade；　after　reading　the　article。

〃Well？　how　well？〃　exclaimed　Thuillier。

〃I　mean；　what　do　you　find　so　serious　in　that？〃

〃What　do　I　find　so　serious？〃　repeated　Thuillier。　〃I　don't　think
anything　could　be　more　insulting　to　me。〃

〃You　can't　doubt；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃that　the　virtuous　Cerizet　is　at
the　bottom　of　it；　he　has　thrown　this　firecracker　between　your　legs　by
way　of　revenge。〃

〃Cerizet；　or　anybody　else　who　wrote　that　diatribe　is　an　insolent
fellow；〃　cried　Thuillier；　getting　angry；　〃and　the　matter　shall　not
rest　there。〃

〃For　my　part；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃I　advise　you　to　make　no　reply。　You
are　not　named；　though；　of　course；　the　attack　is　aimed　at　you。　But　you
ought　to　let　our　adversary　commit　himself　farther；　when　the　right
moment　comes；　we'll　rap　him　over　the　knuckles。〃

〃No！〃　said　Thuillier；　〃I　won't　stay　quiet　one　minute　under　such　an
insult。〃

〃The　devil！〃　said　the　barrister；　〃what　a　sensitive　epidermis！　Do
reflect；　my　dear　fellow；　that　you　have　made　yourself　a　candidate　and　a
journalist；　and　therefore　you　really　must　harden　yourself　better　than
that。〃

〃My　good　friend；　it　is　a　principle　of　mine　not　to　let　anybody　step　on
my　toes。　Besides；　they　say　themselves　they　are　going　on　with　this
thing。　Therefore；　it　is　absolutely　necessary　to　cut　short　such
impertinence。〃

〃But　do　consider；〃　said　la　Peyrade。　〃Certainly　in　journalism；　as　in
candidacy；　a　hot　temper　has　its　uses；　a　man　makes　himself　respected；
and　stops　attacks〃

〃Just　so；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃'principiis　obsta。'　Not　to…day；　because　we
haven't　the　time；　but　to…morrow　I　shall　carry　that　paper　into　court。〃

〃Into　court！〃　echoed　la　Peyrade；　〃you　surely　wouldn't　go　to　law　in
such　a　matter　as　this？　In　the　first　place；　there　is　nothing　to　proceed
upon；　you　are　not　named　nor　the　paper　either；　and；　besides；　it　is　a
pitiable　business；　going　to　law；　you'll　look　like　a　boy　who　has　been
fighting；　and　got　the　worst　of　it；　and　runs　to　complain　to　his　mamma。
Now　if　you　had　said　that　you　meant　to　make　Fleury　intervene　in　the
matter；　I　could　understand　thatthough　the　affair　is　rather　personal
to　you；　and　it　might　be　difficult　to　make　it　seem〃

〃Ah　ca！〃　said　Thuillier；　〃do　you　suppose　I　am　going　to　commit　myself
with　a　Cerizet　or　any　other　newspaper　bully？　I　pique　myself；　my　dear
fellow；　on　possessing　civic　courage；　which　does　not　give　in　to
prejudices；　and　which；　instead　of　taking　justice　into　its　own　hands；
has　recourse　to　the　means　of　defence　that　are　provided　by　law。
Besides；　with　the　legal　authority　the　Court　of　Cassation　now　has　over
duelling；　I　have　no　desire　to　put　myself　in　the　way　of　being
expatriated；　or　spending　two　or　three　years　in　prison。〃

〃Well；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃we'll　talk　it　over　later；　here's　your
sister；　and　she　would　think　everything　lost　if　this　little　matter
reached　her　ears。〃

When　Brigitte　appeared　Colleville　shouted　〃Full！〃　and　proceeded　to
sing　the　chorus　of　〃La　Parisienne。〃

〃Heavens！　Colleville；　how　vulgar　you　are！〃　cried　the　tardy　one；
hastening　to　cast　a　stone　in　the　other's　gar