the lesser bourgeoisie-第105章

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Christian　may　be　in　the　eyes　of　God　an　idolator；　and　another　who　is
thought　a　pagan　may；　by　his　feelings　and　his　actions　be；　without　his
own　knowledge；　a　Christian。　Our　holy　religion　has　this　that　is　divine
about　it；　all　grandeur；　all　heroism　are　but　the　practice　of　its
precepts。　I　was　saying　yesterday　to　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade　that　pure
souls　must　be；　in　course　of　time；　its　inevitable　conquest。　It　is　all…
important　to　give　them　their　just　credit；　that　is　a　confidence　which
returns　great　dividends；　and；　besides；　charity　commands　it。〃

〃Ah！　my　God！〃　cried　Celeste；　〃to　learn　that　too　late！　I；　who　could
have　chosen　between　Felix　and　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade；　and　did　not　dare
to　follow　the　ideas　of　my　heart！　Oh！　Monsieur　l'abbe；　couldn't　you
speak　to　my　mother？　Your　advice　is　always　listened　to。〃

〃Impossible；　my　dear　child；〃　replied　the　vicar。　〃If　I　had　the
direction　of　Madame　Colleville's　conscience　I　might　perhaps　say　a
word；　but　we　are　so　often　accused　of　meddling　imprudently　in　family
matters！　Be　sure　that　my　intervention　here；　without　authority　or
right；　would　do　you　more　harm　than　good。　It　is　for　you　and　for　those
who　love　you；〃　he　added；　giving　a　look　to　Madame　Thuillier；　〃to　see　if
these　arrangements；　already　so　far　advanced；　could　be　changed　in　the
direction　of　your　wishes。〃

It　was　written　that　the　poor　child　was　to　drink　to　the　dregs　the　cup
she　had　herself　prepared　by　her　intolerance。　As　the　abbe　finished
speaking；　his　housekeeper　came　in　to　ask　if　he　would　receive　Monsieur
Felix　Phellion。　Thus；　like　the　Charter　of　1830；　Madame　de　Godollo's
officious　falsehood　was　turned　into　truth。

〃Go　this　way；〃　he　said　hastily；　showing　his　two　penitents　out　by　a
private　corridor。

Life　has　such　strange　encounters　that　it　does　sometimes　happen　that
the　same　form　of　proceeding　must　be　used　by　courtesans　and　by　the　men
of　God。

〃Monsieur　l'abbe；〃　said　Felix　to　the　young　vicar　as　soon　as　they　met；
〃I　have　heard　of　the　kind　manner　in　which　you　were　so　very　good　as　to
speak　of　me　in　Monsieur　Thuillier's　salon　last　night；　and　I　should
have　hastened　to　express　my　gratitude　if　another　interest　had　not
drawn　me　to　you。〃

The　Abbe　Gondrin　passed　hastily　over　the　compliments；　eager　to　know　in
what　way　he　could　be　useful　to　his　fellow…man。

〃With　an　intention　that　I　wish　to　think　kindly；〃　replied　Felix；　〃you
were　spoken　to　yesterday　about　the　state　of　my　soul。　Those　who　read　it
so　fluently　know　more　than　I　do　about　my　inner　being；　for；　during　the
last　few　days　I　have　felt　strange；　inexplicable　feelings　within　me。
Never　have　I　doubted　God；　but；　in　contact　with　that　infinitude　where
he　has　permitted　my　thought　to　follow　the　traces　of　his　work　I　seem　to
have　gathered　a　sense　of　him　less　vague；　more　immediate；　and　this　has
led　me　to　ask　myself　whether　an　honest　and　upright　life　is　the　only
homage　which　his　omnipotence　expects　of　me。　Nevertheless；　there　are
numberless　objections　rising　in　my　mind　against　the　worship　of　which
you　are　the　minister；　while　sensible　of　the　beauty　of　its　external
form　in　many　of　its　precepts　and　practices；　I　find　myself　deterred　by
my　reason。　I　shall　have　paid　dearly；　perhaps　by　the　happiness　of　my
whole　life；　for　the　slowness　and　want　of　vigor　which　I　have　shown　in
seeking　the　solution　of　my　doubts。　I　have　now　decided　to　search　to　the
bottom　of　them。　No　one　so　well　as　you；　Monsieur　l'abbe；　can　help　me　to
solve　them。　I　have　come　with　confidence　to　lay　them　before　you；　to　ask
you　to　listen　to　me；　to　answer　me；　and　to　tell　me　by　what　studies　I
can　pursue　the　search　for　light。　It　is　a　cruelly　afflicted　soul　that
appeals　to　you。　Is　not　that　a　good　ground　for　the　seed　of　your　word？〃

The　Abbe　Gondrin　eagerly　protested　the　joy　with　which；　notwithstanding
his　own　insufficiency；　he　would　undertake　to　reply　to　the　scruples　of
conscience　in　the　young　savant。　After　asking　him　for　a　place　in　his
friendship；　and　telling　him　to　come　at　certain　hours　for　conversation；
he　asked　him　to　read；　as　a　first　step；　the　〃Thoughts〃　of　Pascal。　A
natural　affinity；　on　the　side　of　science；　would；　he　believed；　be
established　between　the　spirit　of　Pascal　and　that　of　the　young
mathematician。

While　this　scene　was　passing；　a　scene　to　which　the　greatness　of　the
interests　in　question　and　the　moral　and　intellectual　elevation　of　the
personages　concerned　in　it　gave　a　character　of　grandeur　which；　like
all　reposeful；　tranquil　aspects；　is　easier　far　to　comprehend　than　to
reproduce；　another　scene；　of　sharp　and　bitter　discord；　that　chronic
malady　of　bourgeois　households；　where　the　pettiness　of　minds　and
passions　gives　open　way　to　it；　was　taking　place　in　the　Thuillier　home。

Mounted　upon　her　chair；　her　hair　in　disorder　and　her　face　and　fingers
dirty；　Brigitte；　duster　in　hand；　was　cleaning　the　shelves　of　the
closet；　where　she　was　replacing　her　library　of　plates；　dishes；　and
sauce…boats；　when　Flavie　came　in　and　accosted　her。

〃Brigitte；〃　she　said；　〃when　you　have　finished　what　you　are　about　you
had　better　come　down　to　our　apartment；　or　else　I'll　send　Celeste　to
you；　she　seems　to　me　to　be　inclined　to　make　trouble。〃

〃In　what　way？〃　asked　Brigitte；　continuing　to　dust。

〃I　think　she　and　Madame　Thuillier　went　to　see　the　Abbe　Gondrin　this
morning；　and　she　has　been　attacking　me　about　Felix　Phellion；　and　talks
of　him　as　if　he　were　a　god；　from　that　to　refusing　to　marry　la　Peyrade
is　but　a　step。〃

〃Those　cursed　skull…caps！〃　said　Brigitte；　〃they　meddle　in　everything！
I　didn't　want　to　invite　him；　but　you　would　insist。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Flavie；　〃it　was　proper。〃

〃Proper！　I　despise　proprieties！〃　cried　the　old　maid。　〃He's　a　maker　of
speeches；　he　said　nothing　last　night　that　wasn't　objectionable。　Send
Celeste　to　me；　I'll　settle　her。〃

At　this　instant　a　servant　announced　to　Brigitte　the　arrival　of　a　clerk
from　the　office　of　the　new　notary　chosen；　in　default　of　Dupuis；　to
draw　up　the　contract。　Without　considering　her　disorderly　appearance；
Brigitte　ordered　him　to　be　shown　in；　but　she　made　him　the
condescension　of　descending　from　her　perch　instead　of　talking　from　the
height　of　it。

〃Monsieur　Thuillier；〃　said　the　clerk；　〃came　to　our　office　this　morning
to　explain　to　the　master　the　clauses　of　the　contract　he　has　been　so
good　as　to　entrust　to　us。　But　before　writing　down　the　stipulations；　we
are　in　the　habit　of　obtaining　from　the　lips　of　each　donor　a　direct
expression　of　his　or　her　intentions。　In　accordance　with　this　rule；
Monsieur　Thuillier　told　us　that　he　gives　to　the　bride　the　reversion；
at　his　death；　of　the　house　he　inhabits；　which　I　presume　to　be　this
one？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃that　is　the　understanding。　As　for　me；　I　give
three　hundred　thousand　francs　a　year　in　the　Three…per…cents；　capital
and　interest；　but　the　bride　is　married　under　the　dotal　system。〃

〃That　is　so；〃　said　the　clerk；　consulting　his　notes。　〃Mademoiselle
Brigitte；　three　thousand　francs　a　year。　Now；　there　is　Madame　Celeste
Thuillier；　wife　of　Louis…Jerome　Thuillier；　who　gives　six　thousand　in
the　Three…per…cents；　capital　and　interest；　and　six　thousand　more　at
her　death。〃

〃All　that　is　just　as　if　the　notary　had　written　it　down；〃　said
Brigitte；　〃but　if　it　is　your　custom　you　can　see　my　sister…in…law；　they
will　show　you　the　way。〃

So　saying；　the　old　maid　ordered　the　〃male　domestic〃　to　take　the　clerk
to　Madame　Thuillier。

A　moment　later　the　clerk　returned；　saying　there　was　certainly　some
misunderstanding；　and　that　Madame　Thuillier　declared　she　had　no
intention　of　making　any　agreement　in　favor　of　the　marriage。

〃That's　a　pretty　thing！〃　cried　Brigitte。　〃Come　with　me；　monsieur。〃

Then；　like　a　hurricane；　she　rushed　into　Madame　Thuillier's　chamber；
the　latter　was　pale　and　trembling。

〃What's　this　you　have　told　monsieur？that　you　give　nothing　to
Celeste's　'dot'？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　slave；　declaring　insurrection；　although　in　a　shaking
voice；　〃my　intention　is　to　do　nothing。〃

〃Your　intention；〃　said　Brigitte；　scarlet　with　anger；　〃is　something
new。〃

〃That　is　my　intention；〃　was　all　the　rebel　replied。

〃At　least　you　will　give　your　reasons？〃

〃The　marriage　does　not　please　me。〃

〃Ha！　and　since　when？〃

〃It　is　not　necessary　that　monsieur　should　listen　to　our　discussion；〃
said　Madame　Thuillier；