the lesser bourgeoisie-第98节

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〃Heavens！　Colleville；　how　vulgar　you　are！〃　cried　the　tardy　one；
hastening　to　cast　a　stone　in　the　other's　garden　to　avoid　the　throwing
of　one　into　hers。　〃Well；　are　you　all　ready？〃　she　added；　arranging　her
mantle　before　a　mirror。　〃What　o'clock　is　it？　it　won't　do　to　get　there
before　the　time；　like　provincials。〃

〃Ten　minutes　to　two；〃　said　Colleville；　〃I　go　by　the　Tuileries。〃

〃Well；　then　we　are　just　right；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃it　will　take　about
that　time　to　get　to　the　rue　Caumartin。　Josephine；〃　she　cried；　going　to
the　door　of　the　salon；　〃we'll　dine　at　six；　therefore　be　sure　you　put
the　turkey　to　roast　at　the　right　time；　and　mind　you　don't　burn　it；　as
you　did　the　other　day。　Bless　me！　who's　that？〃　and　with　a　hasty　motion
she　shut　the　door；　which　she　had　been　holding　open。　〃What　a　nuisance！
I　hope　Henri　will　have　the　sense　to　tell　him　we　are　out。〃

Not　at　all；　Henri　came　in　to　say　that　an　old　gentleman；　with　a　very
genteel　air；　had　asked　to　be　received　on　urgent　business。

〃Why　didn't　you　say　we　were　all　out？〃

〃That's　what　I　should　have　done　if　mademoiselle　had　not　opened　the
door　of　the　salon　so　that　the　gentleman　could　see　the　whole　family
assembled。〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　Brigitte；　〃you　are　never　in　the　wrong；　are　you？〃

〃What　am　I　to　say　to　him？〃　asked　the　man。

〃Say；〃　replied　Thuillier；　〃that　I　am　very　sorry　not　to　be　able　to
receive　him；　but　I　am　expected　at　a　notary's　office　about　a　marriage
contract；　but　that　if　he　could　return　two　hours　hence〃

〃I　have　told　him　all　that；〃　said　Henri；　〃and　he　answered　that　that
contract　was　precisely　what　he　had　come　about；　and　that　his　business
concerned　you　more　than　himself。〃

〃You　had　better　go　and　see　him；　Thuillier；　and　get　rid　of　him　in
double…quick；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃that's　shorter　than　talking　to　Henri；
who　is　always　an　orator。〃

If　la　Peyrade　had　been　consulted　he　might　not　have　joined　in　that
advice；　for　he　had　had　more　than　one　specimen　of　the　spokes　some
occult　influence　was　putting　into　the　wheels　of　his　marriage；　and　the
present　visit　seemed　to　him　ominous。

〃Show　him　into　my　study；〃　said　Thuillier；　following　his　sister's
advice；　and；　opening　the　door　which　led　from　the　salon　to　the　study；
he　went　to　receive　his　importunate　visitor。

Brigitte　immediately　applied　her　eye　to　the　keyhole。

〃Goodness！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃there's　my　imbecile　of　a　Thuillier
offering　him　a　chair！　and　away　in　a　corner；　too；　where　I　can't　hear　a
word　they　say！〃

La　Peyrade　was　walking　about　the　room　with　an　inward　agitation　covered
by　an　appearance　of　great　indifference。　He　even　went　up　to　the　three
women；　and　made　a　few　lover…like　speeches　to　Celeste；　who　received
them　with　a　smiling；　happy　air　in　keeping　with　the　role　she　was
playing。　As　for　Colleville；　he　was　killing　the　time　by　composing　an
anagram　on　the　six　words　of　〃le　journal　'l'Echo　de　la　Bievre；'〃　for
which　he　had　found　the　following　version；　little　reassuring　（as　far　as
it　went）　for　the　prospects　of　that　newspaper：　〃O　d'Echo；　jarni！　la
bevue　reell〃but　as　the　final　〃e〃　was　lacking　to　complete　the　last
word；　the　work　was　not　altogether　as　satisfactory　as　it　should　have
been。

〃He's　taking　snuff！〃　said　Brigitte；　her　eye　still　glued　to　the
keyhole；　〃his　gold　snuff…box　beats　Minard'sthough；　perhaps；　it　is
only　silver…gilt；〃　she　added；　reflectively。　〃He's　doing　the　talking；
and　Thuillier　is　sitting　there　listening　to　him　like　a　buzzard。　I
shall　go　in　and　tell　them　they　can't　keep　ladies　waiting　that　way。〃

But　just　as　she　put　her　hand　on　the　lock　she　heard　Thuillier's　visitor
raise　his　voice；　and　that　made　her　look　through　the　keyhole　again。

〃He　is　standing　up；　he's　going；〃　she　said　with　satisfaction。

But　a　moment　later　she　saw　she　had　made　a　mistake；　the　little　old　man
had　only　left　his　chair　to　walk　up　and　down　the　room　and　continue　the
conversation　with　greater　freedom。

〃My　gracious！　I　shall　certainly　go　in；〃　she　said；　〃and　tell　Thuillier
we　are　going　without　him；　and　he　can　follow　us。〃

So　saying；　the　old　maid　gave　two　little　sharp　and　very　imperious　raps
on　the　door；　after　which　she　resolutely　entered　the　study。

La　Peyrade；　goaded　by　anxiety；　had　the　bad　taste　to　look　through　the
keyhole　himself　at　what　was　happening。　Instantly　he　thought　he
recognized　the　small　old　man　he　had　seen　under　the　name　of　〃the
commander〃　on　that　memorable　morning　when　he　had　waited　for　Madame　de
Godollo。　Then　he　saw　Thuillier　addressing　his　sister　with　impatience
and　with　gestures　of　authority　altogether　out　of　his　usual　habits　of
deference　and　submission。

〃It　seems；〃　said　Brigitte；　re…entering　the　salon；　〃that　Thuillier
finds　some　great　interest　in　that　creature's　talk；　for　he　ordered　me
bluntly　to　leave　them；　though　the　little　old　fellow　did　say；　rather
civilly；　that　they　would　soon　be　through。　But　Jerome　added：　'MIND；　you
are　to　wait　for　me。'　Really；　since　he　has　taken　to　making　newspapers　I
don't　know　him；　he　has　set　up　an　air　as　if　he　were　leading　the　world
with　his　wand。〃

〃I　am　very　much　afraid　he　is　being　entangled　by　some　adventurer；〃　said
la　Peyrade。　〃I　am　pretty　sure　I　saw　that　old　man　at　Madame　de
Godollo's　the　day　I　went　to　warn　her　off　the　premises；　he　must　be　of
the　same　stripe。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me？〃　cried　Brigitte。　〃I'd　have　asked　him　for　news
of　the　countess；　and　let　him　see　we　knew　what　we　knew　of　his
Hungarian。〃

Just　then　the　sound　of　moving　chairs　was　heard；　and　Brigitte　darted
back　to　the　keyhole。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃he　is　really　going；　and　Thuillier　is　bowing　him　out
respectfully！〃

As　Thuillier　did　not　immediately　return；　Colleville　had　time　to　go　to
the　window　and　exclaim　at　seeing　the　little　old　gentleman　driving　away
in　an　elegant　coupe；　of　which　the　reader　has　already　heard。

〃The　deuce！〃　cried　Colleville；　〃what　an　ornate　livery！　If　he　is　an
adventurer　he　is　a　number　one。〃

At　last　Thuillier　re…entered　the　room；　his　face　full　of　care；　his
manner　extremely　grave。

〃My　dear　la　Peyrade；〃　he　said；　〃you　did　not　tell　us　that　another
proposal　of　marriage　had　been　seriously　considered　by　you。〃

〃Yes；　I　did；　I　told　you　that　a　very　rich　heiress　had　been　offered　to
me；　but　that　my　inclinations　were　here；　and　that　I　had　not　given　any
encouragement　to　the　affair；　consequently；　of　course；　there　was　no
serious　engagement。〃

〃Well；　I　think　you　do　wrong　to　treat　that　proposal　so　lightly。〃

〃What！　do　you　mean　to　say；　in　presence　of　these　ladies；　that　you　blame
me　for　remaining　faithful　to　my　first　desires　and　our　old　engagement？〃

〃My　friend；　the　conversation　that　I　have　just　had　has　been　a　most
instructive　one　to　me；　and　when　you　know　what　I　know；　with　other
details　personal　to　yourself；　which　will　be　confided　to　you；　I　think
that　you　will　enter　into　my　ideas。　One　thing　is　certain；　we　shall　not
go　to　the　notary　to…day；　and　as　for　you；　the　best　thing　that　you　can
do　is　to　go；　without　delay；　to　Monsieur　du　Portail。〃

〃That　name　again！　it　pursues　me　like　a　remorse；〃　exclaimed　la　Peyrade。

〃Yes；　go　at　once；　he　is　awaiting　you。　It　is　an　indispensable
preliminary　before　we　can　go　any　farther。　When　you　have　seen　that
excellent　man　and　heard　what　he　has　to　say　to　youwell；　THEN　if　you
persist　in　claiming　Celeste's　hand；　we　might　perhaps　carry　out　our
plans。　Until　then　we　shall　take　no　steps　in　the　matter。〃

〃But；　my　poor　Thuillier；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃you　have　let　yourself　be
gammoned　by　a　rascal；　that　man　belongs　to　the　Godollo　set。〃

〃Madame　de　Godollo；〃　replied　Thuillier；　〃is　not　at　all　what　you
suppose　her　to　be；　and　the　best　thing　this　house　can　do　is　never　to
say　one　word　about　her；　either　good　or　evil。　As　for　la　Peyrade；　as
this　is　not　the　first　time　he　has　been　requested　to　go　and　see
Monsieur　du　Portail；　I　am　surprised　that　he　hesitates　to　do　so。〃

〃Ah　ca！〃　said　Brigitte；　〃that　little　old　man　has　completely　befooled
you。〃

〃I　tell　you　that　that　little　old　man　is　all　that　he　appears　to　be。　He
wears　seven　crosses；　he　drives　in　a　splendid　equipage；　and　he　has　told
me　things　that　have　overwhelmed　me　with　astonishment。〃

〃Well；　perhaps　he's　a　fortune…teller　like　Madame　Fontaine；　who　managed
once　upon　a　time　to　upset　me　when　Madame　Minard　and　I；　just　to　amuse
ourselves；　went　to　consult　her。〃

〃Well；　if　he　is　not　a　sorcerer　he　certainly　has　a　very　long　arm；〃　said
Thuillier；　〃and　I　think　a　man　would　suffer　for　it　if　he　didn't　respect
his　advice。　As　for　you；　Brigitte；　he　saw　you　only　for　a　minute；　but　he
told　me　your　whole　character；　he　said　you　were　a　masterful　woman；　born
to　command。〃

〃The　fact　is；〃　said　Brigitte；　licking　her　chops　at　this　compliment；
like　a　cat　drinking　cream；　〃he　has　a　very　well…bred　air；　that　little
old　fellow。　You　take　my　advice；　my　dear；〃　she　said；　turning　to　la
Peyrade；　〃if　such　a　very　big…wig　as　that　wants　you　to　do　so；　go　and
see　this　du　Portail；　whoever　he　is。　That；　it　seems　to　me；　won't　bind
you　to　anything。〃

〃You　are　right；　Brigitte；〃　said　Colleville；　〃as　for　me；　I'd　follow　up
all　the　Portails；　or　PortERS；　or　PortENTS　for　the　matter　of　that；　if
they　asked　me　to。〃

The　scene　was　beginning　to　resemble　that　in　the　〃Barber　of　Seville；〃
where　everybody　tells　Basil　to　go　to　bed；　for　he　certainly　has　a
fever。　La　Peyrade；　thus　prodded；　picked　up　his　hat　in　som