the lesser bourgeoisie-第115章

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As　she　went　towards　la　Peyrade；　carrying　her　precious　bundle　with　one
hand；　with　the　other　she　was　arranging　the　imaginary　cap　of　her
〃little　darling；〃　having　no　eyes　except　for　the　sad　creation　of　her
disordered　brain。　Step　by　step；　as　she　advanced；　la　Peyrade；　pale；
trembling；　and　with　staring　eyes；　retreated　backwards；　until　he　struck
against　a　seat；　into　which；　losing　his　equilibrium；　he　fell。

A　man　of　Corentin's　power　and　experience；　and　who；　moreover；　knew　to
its　slightest　detail　the　horrible　drama　in　which　Lydie　had　lost　her
reason；　had　already；　of　course；　taken　in　the　situation；　but　it　suited
his　purpose　and　his　ideas　to　allow　the　clear　light　of　evidence　to
pierce　this　darkness。

〃Look；　doctor；〃　said　Lydie；　unfastening　the　bundle；　and　putting　the
pins　in　her　mouth　as　she　did　so；　〃don't　you　see　that　she　is　growing
thinner　every　day？〃

La　Peyrade　could　not　answer；　he　kept　his　handkerchief　over　his　face；
and　his　breath　came　so　fast　from　his　chest　that　he　was　totally　unable
to　utter　a　word。

Then；　with　one　of　those　gestures　of　feverish　impatience；　to　which　her
mental　state　predisposed　her；　she　exclaimed；　hastily：

〃But　look　at　her　doctor；　look！〃　taking　his　arm　violently　and　forcing
him　to　show　his　features。　〃My　God！〃　she　cried；　when　she　had　looked　him
in　the　face。

Letting　fall　the　linen　bundle　in　her　arms；　she　threw　herself　hastily
backwards；　and　her　eyes　grew　haggard。　Passing　her　white　hands　rapidly
over　her　forehead　and　through　her　hair；　tossing　it　into　disorder；　she
seemed　to　be　making　an　effort　to　obtain　from　her　memory　some　dormant
recollection。　Then；　like　a　frightened　mare；　which　comes　to　smell　an
object　that　has　given　it　a　momentary　terror；　she　approached　la　Peyrade
slowly；　stooping　to　look　into　his　face；　which　he　kept　lowered；　while；
in　the　midst　of　a　silence　inexpressible；　she　examined　him　steadily　for
several　seconds。　Suddenly　a　terrible　cry　escaped　her　breast；　she　ran
for　refuge　into　the　arms　of　Corentin；　and　pressing　herself　against　him
with　all　her　force；　she　exclaimed：

〃Save　me！　save　me！　It　is　he！　the　wretch！　It　is　he　who　did　it！〃

And；　with　her　finger　pointed　at　la　Peyrade；　she　seemed　to　nail　the
miserable　object　of　her　terror　to　his　place。

After　this　explosion；　she　muttered　a　few　disconnected　words；　and　her
eyes　closed；　Corentin　felt　the　relaxing　of　all　the　muscles　by　which
she　had　held　him　as　in　a　vice　the　moment　before；　and　he　took　her　in
his　arms　and　laid　her　on　the　sofa；　insensible。

〃Do　not　stay　here；　monsieur；〃　said　Corentin。　〃Go　into　my　study；　I　will
come　to　you　presently。〃

A　few　minutes　later；　after　giving　Lydie　into　the　care　of　Katte　and
Bruneau；　and　despatching　Perrache　for　Doctor　Bianchon；　Corentin
rejoined　la　Peyrade。

〃You　see　now；　monsieur；〃　he　said　with　solemnity；　〃that　in　pursuing
with　a　sort　of　passion　the　idea　of　this　marriage；　I　was　following；　in
a　sense；　the　ways　of　God。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　with　compunction；　〃I　will　confess　to
you〃

〃Useless；〃　said　Corentin；　〃you　can　tell　me　nothing　that　I　do　not　know；
I；　on　the　contrary；　have　much　to　tell　you。　Old　Peyrade；　your　uncle；　in
the　hope　of　earning　a　POT　for　this　daughter　whom　he　idolized；　entered
into　a　dangerous　private　enterprise；　the　nature　of　which　I　need　not
explain。　In　it　he　made　enemies；　enemies　who　stopped　at　nothing；
murder；　poison；　rape。　To　paralyze　your　uncle's　action　by　attacking　him
in　his　dearest　spot；　Lydie　was；　not　abducted；　but　enticed　from　her
home　and　taken　to　a　house　apparently　respectable；　where　for　ten　days
she　was　kept　concealed。　She　was　not　much　alarmed　by　this　detention；
being　told　that　it　was　done　at　her　father's　wish；　and　she　spent　her
time　with　her　musicyou　remember；　monsieur；　how　she　sang？〃

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　la　Peyrade；　covering　his　face　with　his　hands。

〃I　told　you　yesterday　that　you　might　perhaps　have　more　upon　your
conscience　than　the　Thuillier　house。　But　you　were　young；　you　had　just
come　from　your　province；　with　that　brutality；　that　frenzy　of　Southern
blood　in　your　veins　which　flings　itself　upon　such　an　occasion。
Besides；　your　relationship　became　known　to　those　who　were　preparing
the　ruin　of　this　new　Clarissa　Harlowe；　and　I　am　willing　to　believe
than　an　abler　and　better　man　than　you　might　not　have　escaped　the
entanglement　into　which　you　fell。　Happily；　Providence　has　granted　that
there　is　nothing　absolutely　irreparable　in　this　horrible　history。　The
same　poison；　according　to　the　use　that　is　made　of　it；　may　give　either
death　or　health。〃

〃But；　monsieur；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃shall　I　not　always　be　to　her　an
object　of　horror？〃

〃The　doctor；　monsieur；〃　said　Katte；　opening　the　door。

〃How　is　Mademoiselle　Lydie？〃　asked　la　Peyrade；　eagerly。

〃Very　calm；〃　replied　Katte。　〃Just　now；　when　we　put　her　to　bed；though
she　did　not　want　to　go；　saying　she　felt　well；I　took　her　the　bundle
of　linen；　but　she　told　me　to　take　it　away；　and　asked　what　I　meant　her
to　do　with　it。〃

〃You　see；〃　said　Corentin；　grasping　the　Provencal's　hand；　〃you　are　the
lance　of　Achilles。〃

And　he　left　the　room　with　Katte　to　receive　Doctor　Bianchon。

Left　alone；　Theodose　was　a　prey　to　thoughts　which　may　perhaps　be
imagined。　After　a　while　the　door　opened；　and　Bruneau；　the　old　valet；
ushered　in　Cerizet。　Seeing　la　Peyrade；　the　latter　exclaimed：

〃Ha！　ha！　I　knew　it！　I　knew　you　would　end　by　seeing　du　Portail。　And　the
marriage；how　does　that　come　on？〃

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。

〃Something　that　concerns　you；　or　rather；　something　that　we　must　do
together。　Du　Portail；　who　is　too　busy　to　attend　to　business　just　now；
has　sent　me　in　here　to　see　you；　and　consult　as　to　the　best　means　of
putting　a　spoke　in　Thuillier's　election；　it　seems　that　the　government
is　determined　to　prevent　his　winning　it。　Have　you　any　ideas　about　it？〃

〃No；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃and　I　don't　feel　in　the　mood　just　now　to　be
imaginative。〃

〃Well；　here's　the　situation；〃　said　Cerizet。　〃The　government　has
another　candidate；　which　it　doesn't　yet　produce；　because　the
ministerial　negotiations　with　him　have　been　rather　difficult。　During
this　time　Thuillier's　chances　have　been　making　headway。　Minard；　on
whom　they　counted　to　create　a　diversion；　sits；　the　stupid　fool；　in　his
corner；　the　seizure　of　that　pamphlet　has　given　your　blockhead　of　a
protege　a　certain　perfume　of　popularity。　In　short；　the　ministry　are
afraid　he'll　be　elected；　and　nothing　could　be　more　disagreeable　to
them。　Pompous　imbeciles；　like　Thuillier；　are　horribly　embarrassing　in
the　Opposition；　they　are　pitchers　without　handles；　you　can't　take　hold
of　them　anywhere。〃

〃Monsieur　Cerizet；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　beginning　to　assume　a　protecting
tone；　and　wishing　to　discover　his　late　associate's　place　in　Corentin's
confidence；　〃you　seem　to　know　a　good　deal　about　the　secret　intentions
of　the　government；　have　you　found　your　way　to　a　certain　desk　in　the
rue　de　Grenelle？〃

〃No。　All　that　I　tell　you；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃I　get　from　du　Portail。〃

〃Ah　ca！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　lowering　his　voice；　〃who　IS　du　Portail？　You
seem　to　have　known　him　for　some　time。　A　man　of　your　force　ought　to
have　discovered　the　real　character　of　a　man　who　seems　to　me　to　be
rather　mysterious。〃

〃My　friend；〃　replied　Cerizet；　〃du　Portail　is　a　pretty　strong　man。　He's
an　old　slyboots；　who　has　had　some　post；　I　fancy；　in　the　administration
of　the　national　domain；　or　something　of　that　kind；　under　government；
in　which；　I　think；　he　must　have　been　employed　in　the　departments
suppressed　under　the　Empire。〃

〃Yes？〃　said　la　Peyrade。

〃That's　where　I　think　he　made　his　money；〃　continued　Cerizet；　〃and
being　a　shrewd　old　fellow；　and　having　a　natural　daughter　to　marry；　he
has　concocted　this　philanthropic　tale　of　her　being　the　daughter　of　an
old　friend　named　Peyrade；　and　your　name　being　the　same　may　have　given
him　the　idea　of　fastening　upon　youfor；　after　all；　he　has　to　marry
her　to　somebody。〃

〃Yes；　that's　all　very　well；　but　his　close　relations　with　the
government；　and　the　interest　he　takes　in　elections；　how　do　you　explain
all　that？〃

〃Naturally　enough；〃　replied　Cerizet。　〃Du　Portail　is　a　man　who　loves
money；　and　likes　to　handle　it；　he　has　done　Rastignac；　that　great
manipulator　of　elections；　who　is；　I　think；　his　compatriot；　seve