the brotherhood of consolation-第32章

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inscriptions　than　the　Academy　of　Belles…lettres　has　yet　composed。　The
portress　stopped　on　the　first　landing。

〃Here；　monsieur；　are　two　rooms　adjoining　each　other　and　every　clean；
which　open　opposite　to　those　of　Monsieur　Bernard；　that's　the　old
gentleman　I　told　you　of；quite　a　proper　person。　He　is　decorated；　but
it　seems　he　has　had　misfortunes；　for　he　never　wears　his　ribbon。　They
formerly　had　a　servant　from　the　provinces；　but　they　sent　him　away
about　three　years　ago；　and　now　the　young　son　of　the　lady　does
everything；　housework　and　all。〃

Godefroid　made　a　gesture。

〃Oh！〃　cried　the　Portress；　〃don't　you　be　afraid；　they　won't　say
anything　to　you；　they　never　speak　to　any　one。　They　came　here　after　the
Revolution　of　July；　in　1830。　I　think　they're　provincial　folk　ruined　by
the　change　of　government；　they　are　proud；　I　tell　you！　and　dumb　as
fishes。　For　three　years；　monsieur；　I　declare　they　have　not　let　me　do
the　smallest　thing　for　them　for　fear　they　should　have　to　pay　for　it。　A
hundred　sous　on　New　Year's　day；　that's　all　I　get　out　of　them。　Talk　to
me　of　authors；　indeed！〃

This　gossip　made　Godefroid　hope　he　should　get　some　assistance　out　of
the　woman；　who　presently　said；　while　praising　the　healthfulness　of　the
two　rooms　she　offered　him；　that　she　was　not　a　portress；　but　the
confidential　agent　of　the　proprietor；　for　whom　she　managed　many　of　the
affairs　of　the　house。

〃You　may　have　confidence　in　me；　monsieur；　that　you　may！　Madame
Vauthier；　it　is　well　known；　would　rather　have　nothing　than　a　single
penny　that　ought　to　go　to　others。〃

＇A　Vauthier　was　one　of　the　accomplices　of　Bryond　in　the　trial！JB。＇

Madame　Vauthier　soon　came　to　terms　with　Godefroid　who　would　not　take
the　rooms　unless　he　could　have　them　by　the　single　month　and　furnished。
These　miserable　rooms　of　students　and　unlucky　authors　were　rented
furnished　or　unfurnished　as　the　case　might　be。　The　vast　garret　which
extended　over　the　whole　building　was　filled　with　such　furniture。　But
Monsieur　Bernard；　she　said；　had　furnished　his　own　rooms。

In　making　Madame　Vauthier　talk；　Godefroid　discovered　she　had　intended
to　keep　boarders　in　the　building；　but　for　the　last　five　years　had　not
obtained　a　single　lodger　of　that　description。　She　lived　herself　on　the
ground…floor　facing　towards　the　boulevard；　and　looked　after　the　whole
house；　by　the　help　of　a　huge　mastiff；　a　stout　servant…girl；　and　a　lad
who　blacked　the　boots；　took　care　of　the　rooms；　and　did　the　errands。

These　two　servants　were；　like　herself；　in　keeping　with　the　poverty　of
the　house；　that　of　the　tenants；　and　the　wild　and　tangled　look　of　the
garden。　Both　were　children　abandoned　by　their　parents　to　whom　the
widow　gave　food　for　wages；and　what　food！　The　lad；　whom　Godefroid
caught　a　glimpse　of；　wore　a　ragged　blouse　and　list　slippers　instead　of
shoes；　and　sabots　when　he　went　out。　With　his　tousled　head；　looking
like　a　sparrow　when　it　takes　a　bath；　and　his　black　hands；　he　went　to
measure　wood　at　a　wood…yard　on　the　boulevard　as　soon　as　he　had
finished　the　morning　work　of　the　house；　and　after　his　day's　labor
（which　ends　in　wood…yards　at　half…past　four　in　the　afternoon）　he
returned　to　his　domestic　avocations。　He　went　to　the　fountain　of　the
Observatoire　for　the　water　used　in　the　house；　which　the　widow　supplied
to　the　tenants；　together　with　bundles　of　kindling；　sawed　and　tied　up
by　him。

Nepomucene；　such　was　the　name　of　the　widow　Vauthier's　slave；　brought
the　daily　journal　to　his　mistress。　In　summer　the　poor　forsaken　lad　was
a　waiter　in　the　wine…shops　at　the　barrier；　and　then　his　mistress
dressed　him　properly。

As　for　the　stout　girl；　she　cooked　under　direction　of　the　widow；　and
helped　her　in　another　department　of　industry　during　the　rest　of　the
day；　for　Madame　Vauthier　had　a　business；she　made　list　shoes；　which
were　bought　and　sold　by　pedlers。

Godefroid　learned　all　these　details　in　about　an　hour's　time；　for　the
widow　took　him　everywhere；　and　showed　him　the　whole　building；
explaining　its　transformation　into　a　dwelling。　Until　1828　it　had　been
a　nursery　for　silk…worms；　less　for　the　silk　than　to　obtain　what　they
call　the　eggs。　Eleven　acres　planted　with　mulberries　on　the　plain　of
Montrouge；　and　three　acres　on　the　rue　de　l'Ouest；　afterwards　built
over；　had　supplied　this　singular　establishment。

Just　as　the　widow　was　explaining　to　Godefroid　how　Monsieur　Barbet；
having　lent　money　to　an　Italian　named　Fresconi；　the　manager　of　the
business；　could　recover　his　money　only　by　foreclosing　a　mortgage　on
the　building　and　seizing　the　three　acres　on　the　rue　Notre…Dame　des
Champs；　a　tall；　spare　old　man　with　snow…white　hair　appeared　at　the　end
of　the　street　which　leads　into　the　square　of　the　rue　de　l'Ouest。

〃Ah！　here　he　comes；　just　in　time！〃　cried　the　Vauthier；　〃that's　your
neighbor　Monsieur　Bernard。　Monsieur　Bernard！〃　she　called　out　as　soon
as　the　old　man　was　within　hearing；　〃you　won't　be　alone　any　longer；
here　is　a　gentleman　who　has　hired　the　rooms　opposite　to　yours。〃

Monsieur　Bernard　turned　his　eyes　on　Godefroid　with　an　apprehension　it
was　easy　to　fathom；　the　look　seemed　to　say：　〃The　misfortune　I　feared
has　come　to　pass。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　he　said　aloud；　〃do　you　intend　to　live　here？〃

〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　said　Godefroid；　honestly。　〃It　is　not　a　resort　for　the
fortunate　of　this　earth　and　it　is　the　least　expensive　place　I　can　find
in　the　quarter。　Madame　Vauthier　does　not　pretend　to　lodge
millionnaires。　Adieu；　for　the　present；　my　good　Madame　Vauthier；　and
have　everything　ready　for　me　at　six　o'clock　this　evening；　I　shall
return　punctually。〃

Godefroid　turned　toward　the　square　of　the　rue　de　l'Ouest；　walking
slowly；　for　the　anxiety　depicted　on　the　face　of　the　tall　old　man　made
him　think　that　he　would　follow　him　and　come　to　an　explanation。　And；　in
fact；　after　an　instant's　hesitation　Monsieur　Bernard　turned　round　and
retraced　his　steps　so　as　to　overtake　Godefroid。

〃The　old　villain！　he'll　prevent　him　from　returning；〃　thought　Madame
Vauthier；　〃that's　the　second　time　he　has　played　me　the　same　trick。
Patience！　patience！　five　days　hence　he　owes　his　rent；　and　if　he
doesn't　pay　sharp　up　I'll　turn　him　out。　Monsieur　Barbet　is　a　kind　of　a
tiger　one　mustn't　offend；　andBut　I　would　like　to　know　what　he's
telling　him。　Felicite！　Felicite；　you　great　gawk！　where　are　you？〃　cried
the　widow　in　her　rasping；　brutal　voice；she　had　been　using　her　dulcet
tones　to　Godefroid。

The　servant…girl；　stout；　squint…eyed；　and　red…haired；　ran　out。

〃Keep　your　eye　on　things；　do　you　hear　me？　I　shall　be　back　in　five
minutes。〃

And　Madame　Vauthier；　formerly　cook　to　the　publisher　Barbet；　one　of　the
hardest　lenders　of　money　by　the　week；　slipped　along　behind　her　two
tenants　so　as　to　be　able　to　overtake　Godefroid　as　soon　as　his
conversation　with　Monsieur　Bernard　came　to　an　end。

＇The　term　〃lender　by　the　week〃　was　explained　in　The　Lesser　Bourgeoisie
in　relation　to　Cerizet。　Oddly；　just　looking　it　up；　Barbet　is　mentioned
as　being　higher　in　the　scale　of　usury　than　Cerizet；　there　is　a　level
between　them　for　pawn　shops　and　the　like。JB。＇

Monsieur　Bernard　walked　slowly；　like　a　man　who　is　undecided；　or　like　a
debtor　seeking　for　excuses　to　placate　a　creditor　who　has　just　left　him
with　threats。　Godefroid；　though　some　distance　in　front；　saw　him　while
pretending　to　look　about　and　examine　the　locality。　It　was　not；
therefore；　till　they　reached　the　middle　of　the　great　alley　of　the
garden　of　the　Luxembourg　that　Monsieur　Bernard　came　up　to　the　young
man。

〃Pardon　me；　monsieur；〃　said　Monsieur　Bernard；　bowing　to　Godefroid；　who
returned　his　bow。　〃A　thousand　pardons　for　stopping　you　without　having
the　honor　of　your　acquaintance；　but　is　it　really　your　intention　to
take　lodgings　in　that　horrible　house　you　have　just　left？〃

〃But；　monsieur〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　the　old　man；　interrupting　Godefroid；　with　a　gesture
of　authority。　〃I　know　that　you　may　well　ask　me　by　what　right　I　meddle
in　your　affairs　and　presume　to　question　you。　Hear　me；　monsieur；　you
are　young　and　I　am　old；　I　am　older　than　my　years；　and　they　are　sixty…
seven；　people　take　me　for　eighty。　Age　and　misfortunes　justify　many
things；　but　I　will　not　make　a　plea　of　my　whitened　head；　I　wish　to
speak　of　yourself。　Do　you　know　that　this　quarter　in　which　you　propose