the lesser bourgeoisie-第12章

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fortunes；　ministers　in　debt！　Whereas　the　bourgeoisie；　who　have　seized
upon　those　offices；　ought　to　dignify　them；　as　in　the　olden　time　when
aristocracy　dignified　them；　and　not　occupy　such　posts　solely　for　the
purpose　of　making　their　fortune；　as　scandalous　disclosures　have
proved。〃

〃Who　is　this　young　man？〃　thought　Olivier　Vinet。　〃Is　he　a　relative？
Cardot　ought　to　have　come　with　me　on　this　first　visit。〃

〃Who　is　that　little　monsieur？〃　asked　Minard　of　Barbet。　〃I　have　seen
him　here　several　times。〃

〃He　is　a　tenant；〃　replied　Metivier；　shuffling　the　cards。

〃A　lawyer；〃　added　Barbet；　in　a　low　voice；　〃who　occupies　a　small
apartment　on　the　third　floor　front。　Oh！　HE　doesn't　amount　to　much；　he
has　nothing。〃

〃What　is　the　name　of　that　young　man？〃　said　Olivier　Vinet　to　Thuillier。

〃Theodose　de　la　Peyrade；　he　is　a　barrister；〃　replied　Thuillier；　in　a
whisper。

At　that　moment　the　women　present；　as　well　as　the　men；　looked　at　the
two　young　fellows；　and　Madame　Minard　remarked　to　Colleville：

〃He　is　rather　good…looking；　that　stranger。〃

〃I　have　made　his　anagram；〃　replied　Colleville；　〃and　his　name；　Charles…
Marie…Theodose　de　la　Peyrade；　prophecies：　'Eh！　monsieur　payera；　de　la
dot；　des　oies　et　le　char。'　Therefore；　my　dear　Mamma　Minard；　be　sure
you　don't　give　him　your　daughter。〃

〃They　say　that　young　man　is　better…looking　than　my　son；〃　said　Madame
Phellion　to　Madame　Colleville。　〃What　do　you　think　about　it？〃

〃Oh！　in　the　matter　of　physical　beauty　a　woman　might　hesitate　before
choosing；〃　replied　Madame　Colleville。

At　that　moment　it　occurred　to　young　Vinet　as　he　looked　round　the
salon；　so　full　of　the　lesser　bourgeoisie；　that　it　might　be　a　shrewd
thing　to　magnify　that　particular　class；　and　he　thereupon　enlarged　upon
the　meaning　of　the　young　Provencal　barrister；　declaring　that　men　so
honored　by　the　confidence　of　the　government　should　imitate　royalty　and
encourage　a　magnificence　surpassing　that　of　the　former　court。　It　was
folly；　he　said；　to　lay　by　the　emoluments　of　an　office。　Besides；　could
it　be　done；　in　Paris　especially；　where　costs　of　living　had　trebled；
the　apartment　of　a　magistrate；　for　instance；　costing　three　thousand
francs　a　year？

〃My　father；〃　he　said　in　conclusion；　〃allows　me　three　thousand　francs　a
year；　and　that；　with　my　salary；　barely　allows　me　to　maintain　my　rank。〃

When　the　young　substitute　rode　boldly　into　this　bog…hole；　the
Provencal；　who　had　slyly　enticed　him　there；　exchanged；　without　being
observed；　a　wink　with　Dutocq；　who　was　just　then　waiting　for　the　place
of　a　player　at　bouillotte。

〃There　is　such　a　demand　for　offices；〃　remarked　the　latter；　〃that　they
talk　of　creating　two　justices　of　the　peace　to　each　arrondissement　in
order　to　make　a　dozen　new　clerkships。　As　if　they　could　interfere　with
our　rights　and　our　salaries；　which　already　require　an　exhorbitant
tax！〃

〃I　have　not　yet　had　the　pleasure　of　hearing　you　at　the　Palais；〃　said
Vinet　to　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade。

〃I　am　advocate　for　the　poor；　and　I　plead　only　before　the　justice　of
peace；〃　replied　la　Peyrade。

Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　as　she　listened　to　young　Vinet's　theory　of　the
necessity　of　spending　an　income；　assumed　a　distant　air　and　manner；　the
significance　of　which　was　well　understood　by　Dutocq　and　the　young
Provencal。　Vinet　left　the　house　in　company　with　Minard　and　Julien　the
advocate；　so　that　the　battle…field　before　the　fire…place　was　abandoned
to　la　Peyrade　and　Dutocq。

〃The　upper　bourgeoisie；〃　said　Dutocq　to　Thuillier；　〃will　behave；　in
future；　exactly　like　the　old　aristocracy。　The　nobility　wanted　girls
with　money　to　manure　their　lands；　and　the　parvenus　of　to…day　want　the
same　to　feather　their　nests。〃

〃That's　exactly　what　Monsieur　Thuillier　was　saying　to　me　this
morning；〃　remarked　la　Peyrade；　boldly。

〃Vinet's　father；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃married　a　Demoiselle　de　Chargeboeuf
and　has　caught　the　opinions　of　the　nobility；　he　wants　a　fortune　at　any
price；　his　wife　spends　money　regally。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Thuillier；　in　whom　the　jealousy　between　the　two　classes　of
the　bourgeoisie　was　fully　roused；　〃take　offices　away　from　those
fellows　and　they'd　fall　back　where　they　came。〃

Mademoiselle　was　knitting　with　such　precipitous　haste　that　she　seemed
to　be　propelled　by　a　steam…engine。

〃Take　my　place；　Monsieur　Dutocq；〃　said　Madame　Minard；　rising。　〃My　feet
are　cold；〃　she　added；　going　to　the　fire；　where　the　golden　ornaments　of
her　turban　made　fireworks　in　the　light　of　the　Saint…Aurora　wax…candles
that　were　struggling　vainly　to　light　the　vast　salon。

〃He　is　very　small　fry；　that　young　substitute；〃　said　Madame　Minard；
glancing　at　Mademoiselle　Thuillier。

〃Small　fry！〃　cried　la　Peyrade。　〃Ah；　madame！　how　witty！〃

〃But　madame　has　so　long　accustomed　us　to　that　sort　of　thing；〃　said　the
handsome　Thuillier。

Madame　Colleville　was　examining　la　Peyrade　and　comparing　him　with
young　Phellion；　who　was　just　then　talking　to　Celeste；　neither　of　them
paying　any　heed　to　what　was　going　on　around　them。　This　is；　certainly；
the　right　moment　to　depict　the　singular　personage　who　was　destined　to
play　a　signal　part　in　the　Thuillier　household；　and　who　fully　deserves
the　appellation　of　a　great　artist。



CHAPTER　V

A　PRINCIPAL　PERSONAGE

There　exists　in　Provence；　especially　about　Avignon；　a　race　of　men　with
blond　or　chestnut　hair；　fair　skin；　and　eyes　that　are　almost　tender；
their　pupils　calm；　feeble；　or　languishing；　rather　than　keen；　ardent；
or　profound；　as　they　usually　are　in　the　eyes　of　Southerners。　Let　us
remark；　in　passing；　that　among　Corsicans；　a　race　subject　to　fits　of
anger　and　dangerous　irascibility；　we　often　meet　with　fair　skins　and
physical　natures　of　the　same　apparent　tranquillity。　These　pale　men；
rather　stout；　with　somewhat　dim　and　hazy　eyes　either　green　or　blue；
are　the　worst　species　of　humanity　in　Provence；　and　Charles…Marie…
Theodose　de　la　Peyrade　presents　a　fine　type　of　that　race；　the
constitution　of　which　deserves　careful　examination　on　the　part　of
medical　science　and　philosophical　physiology。　There　rises；　at　times；
within　such　men；　a　species　of　bile；a　bitter　gall；　which　flies　to
their　head　and　makes　them　capable　of　ferocious　actions；　done；
apparently；　in　cold　blood。　Being　the　result　of　an　inward　intoxication；
this　sort　of　dumb　violence　seems　to　be　irreconcilable　with　their
quasi…lymphatic　outward　man；　and　the　tranquillity　of　their　benignant
glance。

Born　in　the　neighborhood　of　Avignon；　the　young　Provencal　whose　name　we
have　just　mentioned　was　of　middle　height；　well…proportioned；　and
rather　stout；　the　tone　of　his　skin　had　no　brilliancy；　it　was　neither
livid　nor　dead…white；　nor　colored；　but　gelatinous；that　word　can
alone　give　a　true　idea　of　the　flabby；　hueless　envelope；　beneath　which
were　concealed　nerves　that　were　less　vigorous　than　capable　of　enormous
resistance　at　certain　given　moments。　His　eyes；　of　a　pale　cold　blue；
expressed　in　their　ordinary　condition　a　species　of　deceptive　sadness；
which　must　have　had　great　charms　for　women。　The　forehead；　finely　cut；
was　not　without　dignity；　and　it　harmonized　well　with　the　soft；　light
chestnut　hair　curling　naturally；　but　slightly；　at　its　tips。　The　nose；
precisely　like　that　of　a　hunting　dog；　flat　and　furrowed　at　the　tip；
inquisitive；　intelligent；　searching；　always　on　the　scent；　instead　of
expressing　good…humor；　was　ironical　and　mocking；　but　this　particular
aspect　of　his　nature　never　showed　itself　openly；　the　young　man　must
have　ceased　to　watch　himself；　he　must　have　flown　into　fury　before　the
power　came　to　him　to　flash　out　the　sarcasm　and　the　wit　which
embittered；　tenfold；　his　infernal　humor。　The　mouth；　the　curving　lines
and　pomegranate…colored　lips　of　which　were　very　pleasing；　seemed　the
admirable　instrument　of　an　organ　that　was　almost　sweet　in　its　middle
tones；　where　its　owner　usually　kept　it；　but　which；　in　its　higher　key；
vibrated　on　the　ear　like　the　sound　of　a　gong。　This　falsetto　was　the
voice　of　his　nerves　and　his　anger。　His　face；　kept　expressionless　by　an
inward　command；　was　oval　in　form。　His　manners；　in　harmony　with　the
sacerdotal　calmness　of　the　face；　were　reserved　and　conventional；　but
he　had　supple；　pliant　ways　which；　though　they　never　descended　to
wheedling；　were　not　lacking　in　seduction；　although　as　soon　as　his　bac