the lesser bourgeoisie-第113章

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〃Yes；　monsieur；　and　you　see　that　in　telling　you　that　secret　I　lay　my
hand　upon　you；　and　enlist　you。　Corentin！　'the　greatest　man　of　the
police　in　modern　times；'　as　the　author　of　an　article　in　the
'Biographies　of　Living　Men'　has　said　of　meas　to　whom　I　ought　in
justice　to　remark　that　he　doesn't　know　a　thing　about　my　life。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃I　can　assure　you　that　I　shall　keep　that
secret；　but　the　place　which　you　offer　me　near　youin　your　employ〃

〃That　frightens　you；　or；　at　least；　it　makes　you　uneasy；〃　said
Corentin；　quickly。　〃Before　you　have　even　considered　the　thing　the　word
scares　you；　does　it？　The　police！　POLICE！　you　are　afraid　to　encounter
the　terrible　prejudice　that　brands　it　on　the　brow。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃it　is　a　necessary　institution；　but　I　do
not　think　that　it　is　always　calumniated。　If　the　business　of　those　who
manage　it　is　honorable　why　do　they　conceal　themselves　so　carefully？〃

〃Because　all　that　threatens　society；　which　it　is　the　mission　of　the
police　to　repress；〃　replied　Corentin；　〃is　plotted　and　prepared　in
hiding。　Do　thieves　and　conspirators　put　upon　their　hats；　'I　am
Guillot；　the　shepherd　of　this　flock'？　And　when　we　are　after　them　must
we　ring　a　bell　to　let　them　know　we　are　coming？〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃when　a　sentiment　is　universal　it　ceases
to　be　a　prejudice；　it　becomes　an　opinion；　and　this　opinion　ought　to　be
a　law　to　every　man　who　desires　to　keep　his　own　esteem　and　that　of
others。〃

〃And　when　you　robbed　that　notary　to　enrich　the　Thuilliers　for　your　own
advantage；〃　said　Corentin；　〃did　you　keep　your　own　esteem　and　that　of
the　Council　of　barristers？　And　who　knows；　monsieur；　if　in　your　life
there　are　not　still　blacker　actions　than　that？　I　am　a　more　honorable
man　than　you；　because；　outside　of　my　functions；　I　have　not　one
doubtful　act　upon　my　conscience；　and　when　the　opportunity　for　GOOD　has
been　presented　to　me　I　have　done　italways　and　everywhere。　Do　you
think　that　the　guardianship　of　that　poor　insane　girl　in　my　home　has
been　all　roses？　But　she　was　the　daughter　of　my　old　friend；　your　uncle；
and　when；　feeling　the　years　creep　on　me；　I　propose　to　you；　between
sacks　of　money；　to　fit　yourself　to　take　my　place〃

〃What！〃　cried　la　Peyrade；　〃is　that　girl　my　uncle's　daughter？〃

〃Yes；　the　girl　I　wish　you　to　marry　is　the　daughter　of　your　uncle
Peyrade；for　he　democratized　his　name；or；　if　you　like　it　better；
she　was　the　daughter　of　Pere　Canquoelle；　a　name　he　took　from　the
little　estate　on　which　your　father　lived　and　starved　with　eleven
children。　You　see；　in　spite　of　the　secrecy　your　uncle　always　kept
about　his　family；　that　I　know　all　about　it。　Do　you　suppose　that　before
selecting　you　as　your　cousin's　husband　I　had　not　obtained　every
possible　information　about　you？　And　what　I　have　learned　need　not　make
you　quite　so　supercilious　to　the　police。　Besides；　as　the　vulgar　saying
is；　the　best　of　your　nose　is　made　of　it。　Your　uncle　belonged　to　the
police；　and；　thanks　to　that；　he　became　the　confidant；　I　might　almost
say　the　friend；　of　Louis　XVIII。；　who　took　the　greatest　pleasure　in　his
companionship。　And　you；　by　nature　and　by　mind；　also　by　the　foolish
position　into　which　you　have　got　yourself；　in　short；　by　your　whole
being；　have　gravitated　steadily　to　the　conclusion　I　propose　to　you；
namely；　that　of　succeeding　me；of　succeeding　Corentin。　That　is　the
question　between　us；　Monsieur。　Do　you　really　believe　now　that　I　have
not　a　grasp　or　a　'seizin；'　as　you　call　it；　upon　you；　and　that　you　can
manage　to　escape　me　for　any　foolish　considerations　of　bourgeois
vanity？〃

La　Peyrade　could　not　have　been　at　heart　so　violently　opposed　to　this
proposal　as　he　seemed；　for　the　vigorous　language　of　the　great　master
of　the　police　and　the　species　of　appropriation　which　he　made　of　his
person　brought　a　smile　to　the　young　man's　lips。

Corentin　had　risen；　and　was　walking　up　and　down　the　room；　speaking；
apparently；　to　himself。

〃The　police！〃　he　cried；　〃one　may　say　of　it；　as　Basile　said　of　calumny
to　Batholo；　'The　police；　monsieur！　you　don't　know　what　you　despise！'
And；　after　all；〃　he　continued；　after　a　pause；　〃who　are　they　who
despise　it？　Imbeciles；　who　don't　know　any　better　than　to　insult　their
protectors。　Suppress　the　police；　and　you　destroy　civilization。　Do　the
police　ask　for　the　respect　of　such　people？　No；　they　want　to　inspire
them　with　one　sentiment　only：　fear；　that　great　lever　with　which　to
govern　mankind；an　impure　race　whose　odious　instincts　God；　hell；　the
executioner；　and　the　gendarmes　can　scarcely　restrain！〃

Stopping　short　before　la　Peyrade；　and　looking　at　him　with　a　disdainful
smile；　he　continued：

〃So　you　are　one　of　those　ninnies　who　see　in　the　police　nothing　more
than　a　horde　of　spies　and　informers？　Have　you　never　suspected　the
statesmen；　the　diplomats；　the　Richelieus　it　produces？　Mercury；
monsieur；Mercury；　the　cleverest　of　the　gods　of　paganism；what　was
he　but　the　police　incarnate？　It　is　true　that　he　was　also　the　god　of
thieves。　We　are　better　than　he；　for　we　don't　allow　that　junction　of
forces。〃

〃And　yet；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃Vautrin；　or；　I　should　say；　Jacques
Collin；　the　famous　chief　of　the　detective　police〃

〃Yes；　yes！　but　that's　in　the　lower　ranks；〃　replied　Corentin；　resuming
his　walk；　〃there's　always　a　muddy　place　somewhere。　Still；　don't　be
mistaken　even　in　that。　Vautrin　is　a　man　of　genius；　but　his　passions；
like　those　of　your　uncle；　dragged　him　down。　But　go　up　higher　（for
there　lies　the　whole　question；　namely；　the　rung　of　the　ladder　on　which
a　man　has　wits　enough　to　perch）。　Take　the　prefect；　for　instance；　that
honored　minister；　flattered　and　respected；　is　he　a　spy？　Well；　I；
monsieur；　am　the　prefect　of　the　secret　police　of　diplomacyof　the
highest　statesmanship。　And　you　hesitate　to　mount　that　throne！to　seem
small　and　do　great　things；　to　live　in　a　cave　comfortably　arranged　like
this；　and　command　the　light；　to　have　at　your　orders　an　invisible　army；
always　ready；　always　devoted；　always　submissive；　to　know　the　OTHER
SIDE　of　everything；　to　be　duped　by　no　intrigue　because　you　hold　the
threads　of　all　within　your　fingers；　to　see　through　all　partitions；　to
penetrate　all　secrets；　search　all　hearts；　all　consciences；these　are
the　things　you　fear！　And　yet　you　were　not　afraid　to　go　and　wallow　in　a
Thuillier　bog；　you；　a　thoroughbred；　allowed　yourself　to　be　harnessed
to　a　hackney…coach；　to　the　ignoble　business　of　electing　that　parvenu
bourgeois。〃

〃A　man　does　what　he　can；〃　said　la　Peyrade。

〃Here's　a　very　remarkable　thing；〃　pursued　Corentin；　replying　to　his
own　thought；　〃the　French　language；　more　just　than　public　opinion；　has
given　us　our　right　place；　for　it　has　made　the　word　police　the　synonym
of　civilization　and　the　antipodes　of　savage　life；　when　it　said　and
wrote：　'l'Etat　police；'　from　the　Greek　words　state　and　city。　So；　I　can
assure　you；　we　care　little　for　the　prejudice　that　tries　to　brand　us；
none　know　men　as　we　do；　and　to　know　them　brings　contempt　for　their
contempt　as　well　as　for　their　esteem。〃

〃There　is　certainly　much　truth　in　what　you　say　with　such　warmth；〃　said
la　Peyrade；　finally。

〃Much　truth！〃　exclaimed　Corentin；　going　back　to　his　chair；　〃say；
rather；　that　it　is　all　true；　and　nothing　but　the　truth；　yet　it　is　not
the　whole　truth。　But　enough　for　to…day；　monsieur。　To　succeed　me　in　my
functions；　and　to　marry　your　cousin　with　a　'dot'　that　will　not　be　less
than　five　hundred　thousand　francs；　that　is　my　offer。　I　do　not　ask　you
for　an　answer　now。　I　should　have　no　confidence　in　a　determination　not
seriously　reflected　upon。　To…morrow；　I　shall　be　at　home　all　the
morning。　I　trust　that　my　conviction　may　then　have　formed　yours。〃

Dismissing　his　visitor　with　a　curt　little　bow；　he　added：　〃I　do　not　bid
you　adieu；　but　au　revoir；　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade。〃

Whereupon　Corentin　went　to　a　side…table；　where　he　found　all　that　he
needed　to　prepare　a　glass　of　〃eau　sucree；〃　which　he　had　certainly
earned；　and；　without　looking　at　la　Peyrade；　who　left　the　room　rather
stunned；　he　seemed　to　have　no　other　interest　on　his　mind　than　that
prosaic　preparation。

Was　it；　indeed；　necessary　that　the　morning　after　this　meeting　with
Corentin　a　visit　from　Madame　Lambert；　now　become　an　exacting　and
importunate　creditor；　should