the lesser bourgeoisie-第120章

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　　were　about　to　do　so　when　Monsieur　Picot　received　a　letter　such　as
　　none　but　an　Englishwoman　could　write。　It　told　him　that　the　writer
　　had　read　his　〃Theory　of　Perpetual　Motion；〃　and　had　also　heard　of
　　his　magnificent　discovery　of　a　star；　that　she　regarded　him　as　a
　　genius　only　second　to　Newton；　and　that　if　the　hand　of　her　who
　　addressed　him；　joined　to　eighty　thousand　pounds　sterlingthat　is；
　　two　millionsof　〃dot；〃　was　agreeable　to　him　it　was　at　his
　　disposal。　The　first　thought　of　the　good　man　was　to　make　his　pupil
　　marry　her；　but　finding　that　impossible；　he　told　her；　before
　　accepting　on　his　own　account；　that　he　was　old　and　three…quarters
　　blind；　and　had　never　discovered　a　star；　and　did　not　own　a　penny。
　　The　Englishwoman　replied　that　Milton　was　not　young　either；　and　was
　　altogether　blind；　that　Monsieur　Picot　seemed　to　her　to　have
　　nothing　worse　than　a　cataract；　for　she　knew　all　about　it；　being
　　the　daughter　of　a　great　oculist；　and　she　would　have　him　operated
　　upon；　that　as　for　the　star；　she　did　not　care　so　very　much　about
　　that；　it　was　the　author　of　the　〃Theory　of　Perpetual　Motion〃　who　
　　was　the　man　of　her　dreams；　and　to　whom　she　again　offered　her　hand
　　with　eighty　thousand　pounds　sterling　（two　millions）　of　〃dot。〃
　　Monsieur　Picot　replied　that　if　his　sight　were　restored　and　she
　　would　consent　to　live　in　Paris；　for　he　hated　England；　he　would　let
　　himself　be　married。　The　operation　was　performed　and　was
　　successful；　and；　at　the　end　of　three　weeks　the　newly　married　pair
　　arrived　in　the　capital。　These　details　I　obtained　from　the　lady's
　　maid；　with　whom　I　am　on　the　warmest　terms。

〃Oh！　the　puppy！〃　said　Corentin；　laughing。

　　The　above　is　therefore　hearsay；　but　what　remains　to　be　told　to
　　Monsieur　le　directeur　are　facts　of　which　I　can　speak　〃de　visu；〃
　　and　to　which　I　am；　consequently；　in　a　position　to　certify。　As
　　soon　as　Monsieur　and　Madame　Picot　had　installed　themselves；　which
　　was　done　in　the　most　sumptuous　and　comfortable　manner；　my　master
　　gave　me　a　number　of　invitations　to　dinner　to　carry　to　the
　　Thuillier　family；　the　Colleville　family；　the　Minard　family；　the
　　Abbe　Gondrin；　vicar　of　the　Madeleine；　and　nearly　all　the　guests
　　who　were　present　at　another　dinner　a　few　months　earlier；　when　he
　　had　an　encounter　with　Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　and　behaved；　I　must
　　say；　in　a　rather　singular　manner。　All　the　persons　who　received
　　these　invitations　were　so　astonished　to　learn　that　the　old　man
　　Picot　had　married　a　rich　wife　and　was　living　in　the　Thuilliers'
　　old　apartment　that　most　of　them　came　to　inquire　of　Monsieur
　　Pascal；　the　porter；　to　see　if　they　were　hoaxed。　The　information
　　they　obtained　being　honest　and　honorable；　the　whole　society
　　arrived　punctually　on　time；　but　Monsieur　Picot　did　not　appear。
　　The　guests　were　received　by　Madame　Picot；　who　does　not　speak
　　French　and　could　only　say；　〃My　husband　is　coming　soon〃；　after
　　which；　not　being　able　to　make　further　conversation；　the　company
　　were　dull　and　ill　at　ease。　At　last　Monsieur　Picot　arrived；　and　all
　　present　were　stupefied　on　seeing；　instead　of　an　old　blind　man；
　　shabbily　dressed；　a　handsome　young　elderly　man；　bearing　his　years
　　jauntily；　like　Monsieur　Ferville　of　the　Gymnase；　who　said　with　a
　　lively　air：

　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　mesdames；　for　not　being　here　at　the　moment　of
　　your　arrival；　but　I　was　at　the　Academy　of　Sciences；　awaiting　the
　　result　of　an　election；that　of　Monsieur　Felix　Phellion；　who　has
　　been　elected　unanimously　less　three　votes。〃

　　This　news　seemed　to　have　a　great　effect　upon　the　company。　So　then
　　Monsieur　Picot　resumed：

　　〃I　must　also；　mesdames；　ask　your　pardon　for　the　rather　improper
　　manner　in　which　I　behaved　a　short　time　ago　in　the　house　where　we
　　are　now　assembled。　My　excuse　must　be　my　late　infirmity；　the
　　annoyances　of　a　family　lawsuit；　and　of　an　old　housekeeper　who
　　robbed　me　and　tormented　me　in　a　thousand　ways；　from　whom　I　am
　　happily　delivered。　To…day　you　see　me　another　man；　rejuvenated　and
　　rich　with　the　blessings　bestowed　upon　me　by　the　amiable　woman　who
　　has　given　me　her　hand；　and　I　should　be　in　the　happiest　frame　of
　　mind　to　receive　you　if　the　recollection　of　my　young　friend；　whose
　　eminence　as　a　man　of　science　has　just　been　consecrated　by　the
　　Academy；　did　not　cast　upon　my　mind　a　veil　of　sadness。　All　here
　　present；〃　continued　Monsieur　Picot；　raising　his　voice；　which　is
　　rather　loud；　〃are　guilty　towards　him：　I；　for　ingratitude　when　he
　　gave　me　the　glory　of　his　discovery　and　the　reward　of　his　immortal
　　labors；　that　young　lady；　whom　I　see　over　there　with　tears　in　her
　　eyes；　for　having　foolishly　accused　him　of　atheism；　that　other
　　lady；　with　the　stern　face；　for　having　harshly　replied　to　the
　　proposals　of　his　noble　father；　whose　white　hairs　she　ought　rather
　　to　have　honored；　Monsieur　Thuillier；　for　having　sacrificed　him　to
　　ambition；　Monsieur　Colleville；　for　not　performing　his　part　of
　　father　and　choosing　for　his　daughter　the　worthiest　and　most
　　honorable　man；　Monsieur　Minard；　for　having　tried　to　foist　his　son
　　into　his　place。　There　are　but　two　persons　in　the　room　at　this
　　moment　who　have　done　him　full　justice；Madame　Thuillier　and
　　Monsieur　l'Abbe　Gondrin。　Well；　I　shall　now　ask　that　man　of　God
　　whether　we　can　help　doubting　the　divine　justice　when　this　generous
　　young　man；　the　victim　of　all　of　us；　is；　at　the　present　hour；　at
　　the　mercy　of　waves　and　tempests；　to　which　for　three　long　years　he
　　is　consigned。〃

　　〃Providence　is　very　powerful；　monsieur；〃　replied　the　Abbe　Gondrin。
　　〃God　will　protect　Monsieur　Felix　Phellion　wherever　he　may　be；　and
　　I　have　the　firmest　hope　that　three　years　hence　he　will　be　among
　　his　friends　once　more。〃

　　〃But　three　years！〃　said　Monsieur　Picot。　〃Will　it　still　be　time？
　　Will　Mademoiselle　Colleville　have　waited　for　him？〃

　　〃Yes；　I　swear　it！〃　cried　the　young　girl；　carried　away　by　an
　　impulse　she　could　not　control。

　　Then　she　sat　down　again；　quite　ashamed；　and　burst　into　tears。

　　〃And　you；　Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　and　you；　Madame　Colleville；　will
　　you　permit　this　young　lady　to　reserve　herself　for　one　who　is
　　worthy　of　her？〃

　　〃Yes！　Yes！〃　cried　everybody；　for　Monsieur　Picot's　voice；　which　is
　　very　full　and　sonorous；　seemed　to　have　tears　in　it　and　affected
　　everybody。

　　〃Then　it　is　time；〃　he　said；　〃to　forgive　Providence。〃

　　And　rushing　suddenly　to　the　door；　where　my　ear　was　glued　to　the
　　keyhole；　he　very　nearly　caught　me。

　　〃Announce；〃　he　said　to　me；　in　a　very　loud　tone　of　voice；　〃Monsieur
　　Felix　Phellion　and　his　family。〃

　　And　thereupon　the　door　of　a　side　room　opened；　and　five　or　six
　　persons　came　out；　who　were　led　by　Monsieur　Picot　into　the　salon。

　　At　the　sight　of　her　LOVER；　Mademoiselle　Colleville　was　taken　ill；
　　but　the　faint　lasted　only　a　minute；　seeing　Monsieur　Felix　at　her
　　feet　she　threw　herself　into　Madame　Thuillier's　arms；　crying　out：

　　〃Godmother！　you　always　told　me　to　hope。〃

　　Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　who；　in　spite　of　her　harsh　nature　and　want
　　of　education；　I　have　always　myself　thought　a　remarkable　woman；　now
　　had　a　fine　impulse。　As　the　company　were　about　to　go　into　the
　　dining…room；

　　〃One　moment！〃　she　said。

　　Then　going　up　to　Monsieur　Phellion；　senior；　she　said　to　him：

　　〃Monsieur　and　old　friend！　I　ask　you　for　the　hand　of　Monsieur　Felix
　　Phellion　for　our　adopted　daughter；　Mademoiselle　Colleville。〃

　　〃Bravo！　bravo！〃　they　call　cried　in　chorus。

　　〃My　God！〃　said　Monsieur　Phellion；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　〃what
　　have　I　done　to　deserve　such　happiness？〃

　　〃You　have　been　an　honest　man　and　a　Christian　without　knowing　it；〃
　　replied　the　Abbe　Gondrin。

Here　la　Peyrade　flung　down　the　manuscript。

〃You　did　not　finish　it；〃　said　Corentin；　taking　back　the　paper。
〃However；　there's　not　much　more。　Monsieur　Henri　confesses　to　me　that
the　scene　had　MOVED　HIM；　he　also　says　that；　knowing　the　interest　I　had
formerly　taken　in　the　marriage；　he　thought　he　ought　to　inform　me　of
its　conclusion；　ending　with　a　slightly　veiled　suggestion　of　a　fee。　No；
stay；〃　resumed　Corentin；　〃here　is　a　detail　of　some　importance：〃

　　The　English　woman　seems　to　have　made　it　known　during　dinner　that；
　　having　no　he