the lesser bourgeoisie-第114章

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Corentin　a　visit　from　Madame　Lambert；　now　become　an　exacting　and
importunate　creditor；　should　come　to　bear　its　weight　on　la　Peyrade's
determination？　As　the　great　chief　had　pointed　out　to　him　the　night
before；　was　there　not　in　his　nature；　in　his　mind；　in　his　aspirations；
in　the　mistakes　and　imprudences　of　his　past　life；　a　sort　of
irresistible　incline　which　drew　him　down　toward　the　strange　solution
of　existence　thus　suddenly　offered　to　him？

Fatality；　if　we　may　so　call　it；　was　lavish　of　the　inducements　to　which
he　was　destined　to　succumb。　This　day　was　the　31st　of　October；　the
vacation　of　the　Palais　was　just　over。　The　2nd　of　November　was　the　day
on　which　the　courts　reopened；　and　as　Madame　Lambert　left　his　room　he
received　a　summons　to　appear　on　that　day　before　the　Council　of　his
order。

To　Madame　Lambert；　who　pressed　him　sharply　to　repay　her；　under
pretence　that　she　was　about　to　leave　Monsieur　Picot　and　return　to　her
native　place；　he　replied：　〃Come　here　the　day　after　to…morrow；　at　the
same　hour；　and　your　money　will　be　ready　for　you。〃

To　the　summons　to　give　account　of　his　actions　to　his　peers　he　replied
that　he　did　not　recognize　the　right　of　the　Council　to　question　him　on
the　facts　of　his　private　life。　That　was　an　answer　of　one　sort；
certainly。　Inevitably　it　would　result　in　his　being　stricken　from　the
roll　of　the　barristers　of　the　Royal　courts；　but；　at　least；　it　had　an
air　of　dignity　and　protestation　which　saved；　in　a　measure；　his　self…
love。

Finally；　he　wrote　a　letter　to　Thuillier；　in　which　he　said　that　his
visit　to　du　Portail　had　resulted　in　his　being　obliged　to　accept
another　marriage。　He　therefore　returned　to　Thuillier　his　promise；　and
took　back　his　own。　All　this　was　curtly　said；　without　the　slightest
expression　of　regret　for　the　marriage　he　renounced。　In　a　postscript　he
added：　〃We　shall　be　obliged　to　discuss　my　position　on　the　newspaper；〃
indicating　that　it　might　enter　into　his　plans　not　to　retain　it。

He　was　careful　to　make　a　copy　of　this　letter；　and　an　hour　later；　when；
in　Corentin's　study；　he　was　questioned　as　to　the　result　of　his　night's
reflections；　he　gave　that　great　general；　for　all　answer；　the
matrimonial　resignation　he　had　just　despatched。

〃That　will　do；〃　said　Corentin。　〃But　as　for　your　position　on　the
newspaper；　you　may　perhaps　have　to　keep　it　for　a　time。　The　candidacy
of　that　fool　interferes　with　the　plans　of　the　government；　and　we　must
manage　in　some　way　to　trip　up　the　heels　of　the　municipal　councillor。
In　your　position　as　editor…in…chief　you　may　find　a　chance　to　do　it；
and　I　think　your　conscience　won't　kick　at　the　mission。〃

〃No；　indeed！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃the　thought　of　the　humiliations　to
which　I　have　been　so　long　subjected　will　make　it　a　precious　joy　to
lash　that　bourgeois　brood。〃

〃Take　care！〃　said　Corentin；　〃you　are　young；　and　you　must　watch　against
those　revengeful　emotions。　In　our　austere　profession　we　love　nothing
and　we　hate　nothing。　Men　are　to　us　mere　pawns　of　wood　or　ivory；
according　to　their　qualitywith　which　we　play　our　game。　We　are　like
the　blade　that　cuts　what　is　given　it　to　cut；　but；　careful　only　to　be
delicately　sharpened；　wishes　neither　harm　nor　good　to　any　one。　Now　let
us　speak　of　your　cousin；　to　whom；　I　suppose；　you　have　some　curiosity
to　be　presented。〃

La　Peyrade　was　not　obliged　to　pretend　to　eagerness；　that　which　he　felt
was　genuine。

〃Lydie　de　la　Peyrade；〃　said　Corentin；　〃is　nearly　thirty；　but　her
innocence；　joined　to　a　gentle　form　of　insanity；　has　kept　her　apart
from　all　those　passions；　ideas；　and　impressions　which　use　up　life；　and
has；　if　I　may　say　so；　embalmed　her　in　a　sort　of　eternal　youth。　You
would　not　think　her　more　than　twenty。　She　is　fair　and　slender；　her
face；　which　is　very　delicate；　is　especially　remarkable　for　an
expression　of　angelic　sweetness。　Deprived　of　her　full　reason　by　a
terrible　catastrophe；　her　monomania　has　something　touching　about　it。
She　always　carries　in　her　arms　or　keeps　beside　her　a　bundle　of　linen
which　she　nurses　and　cares　for　as　though　it　were　a　sick　child；　and；
excepting　Bruneau　and　myself；　whom　she　recognizes；　she　thinks　all
other　men　are　doctors；　whom　she　consults　about　the　child；　and　to　whom
she　listens　as　oracles。　A　crisis　which　lately　happened　in　her　malady
has　convinced　Horace　Bianchon；　that　prince　of　science；　that　if　the
reality　could　be　substituted　for　this　long　delusion　of　motherhood；　her
reason　would　assert　itself。　It　is　surely　a　worthy　task　to　bring　back
light　to　a　soul　in　which　it　is　scarcely　veiled；　and　the　existing　bond
of　relationship　has　seemed　to　me　to　point　you　out　as　specially
designated　to　effect　this　cure；　the　success　of　which　Bianchon　and　two
other　eminent　doctors　who　have　consulted　with　him　declare　to　be　beyond
a　doubt。　Now；　I　will　take　you　to　Lydie's　presence；　remember　to　play
the　part　of　doctor；　for　the　only　thing　that　makes　her　lose　her
customary　serenity　is　not　to　enter　into　her　notion　of　medical
consultation。〃

After　crossing　several　rooms　Corentin　was　on　the　point　of　taking　la
Peyrade　into　that　usually　occupied　by　Lydie　when　employed　in　cradling
or　dandling　her　imaginary　child；　when　suddenly　they　were　stopped　by
the　sound　of　two　or　three　chords　struck　by　the　hand　of　a　master　on　a
piano　of　the　finest　sonority。

〃What　is　that？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。

〃That　is　Lydie；〃　replied　Corentin；　with　what　might　be　called　an
expression　of　paternal　pride；　〃she　is　an　admirable　musician；　and
though　she　no　longer　writes　down；　as　in　the　days　when　her　mind　was
clear；　her　delightful　melodies；　she　often　improvises　them　in　a　way
that　moves　me　to　the　soulthe　soul　of　Corentin！〃　added　the　old　man；
smiling。　〃Is　not　that　the　finest　praise　I　can　bestow　upon　her？　But
suppose　we　sit　down　here　and　listen　to　her。　If　we　go　in；　the　concert
will　cease　and　the　medical　consultation　begin。〃

La　Peyrade　was　amazed　as　he　listened　to　an　improvisation　in　which　the
rare　union　of　inspiration　and　science　opened　to　his　impressionable
nature　a　source　of　emotions　as　deep　as　they　were　unexpected。　Corentin
watched　the　surprise　which　from　moment　to　moment　the　Provencal
expressed　by　admiring　exclamations。

〃Hein！　how　she　plays！〃　said　the　old　man。　〃Liszt　himself　hasn't　a
firmer　touch。〃

To　a　very　quick　〃scherzo〃　the　performer　now　added　the　first　notes　of
an　〃adagio。〃

〃She　is　going　to　sing；〃　said　Corentin；　recognizing　the　air。

〃Does　she　sing　too？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。

〃Like　Pasta；　like　Malibran；　but　hush；　listen　to　her！〃

After　a　few　opening　bars　in　〃arpeggio〃　a　vibrant　voice　resounded；　the
tones　of　which　appeared　to　stir　the　Provencal　to　the　depths　of　his
being。

〃How　the　music　moves　you！〃　said　Corentin；　〃you　were　undoubtedly　made
for　each　other。〃

〃My　God！　the　same　air！　the　same　voice！〃

〃Have　you　already　met　Lydie　somewhere？〃　asked　the　great　master　of　the
police。

〃I　don't　knowI　think　not；〃　answered　la　Peyrade；　in　a　stammering
voice；　〃in　any　case；　it　was　long　agoBut　that　airthat　voiceI
think〃

〃Let　us　go　in；〃　said　Corentin。

Opening　the　door　abruptly；　he　entered；　pulling　the　young　man　after
him。

Sitting　with　her　back　to　the　door；　and　prevented　by　the　sound　of　the
piano　from　hearing　what　happened　behind　her；　Lydie　did　not　notice
their　entrance。

〃Now　have　you　any　remembrance　of　her？〃　said　Corentin。

La　Peyrade　advanced　a　step；　and　no　sooner　had　he　caught　a　glimpse　of
the　girl's　profile　than　he　threw　up　his　hands　above　his　head；　striking
them　together。

〃It　is　she！〃　he　cried。

Hearing　his　cry；　Lydie　turned　round；　and　fixing　her　attention　on
Corentin；　she　said：

〃How　naughty　and　troublesome　you　are　to　come　and　disturb　me；　you　know
very　well　I　don't　like　to　be　listened　to。　Ah！　but〃　she　added；
catching　sight　of　la　Peyrade's　black　coat；　〃you　have　brought　the
doctor；　that　is　very　kind　of　you；　I　was　just　going　to　ask　you　to　send
for　him。　The　baby　has　done　nothing　but　cry　since　morning；　I　was
singing　to　put　her　to　sleep；　but　nothing　can　do　that。〃

And　she　ran　to　fetch　what　she　called　her　child　from　a　corner　of　the
room；　where　with　two　chairs　laid　on　their　backs　and　the　cushions　of
the　sofa；　she　had　constructed　a　sort　of　cradle。

As　she　went　towards　la　Peyrade；　carrying　her　precious　bundle　with　one
hand；　with　the　other　she　was　arr