the lesser bourgeoisie-第15章

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〃That　is　heresy；　monsieur；〃　replied　Theodose。　〃Religion　is　one；　it
requires；　above　all　things；　faith。〃

Old　Phellion；　nonplussed　by　that　remark；　nodded　to　his　wife：

〃It　is　getting　late；　my　dear；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　clock。

〃Oh；　Monsieur　Felix；〃　said　Celeste　in　a　whisper　to　the　candid
mathematician；　〃Couldn't　you　be；　like　Pascal　and　Bossuet；　learned　and
pious　both？〃

The　Phellions；　on　departing；　carried　the　Collevilles　with　them。　Soon
no　one　remained　in　the　salon　but　Dutocq；　Theodose；　and　the　Thuilliers。

The　flattery　administered　by　Theodose　to　Flavie　seems　at　the　first
sight　coarsely　commonplace；　but　we　must　here　remark；　in　the　interests
of　this　history；　that　the　barrister　was　keeping　himself　as　close　as
possible　to　these　vulgar　minds；　he　was　navigating　their　waters；　he
spoke　their　language。　His　painter　was　Pierre　Grassou；　and　not　Joseph
Bridau；　his　book　was　〃Paul　and　Virginia。〃　The　greatest　living　poet　for
him　was　Casimire　de　la　Vigne；　to　his　eyes　the　mission　of　art　was；
above　all　things；　utility。　Parmentier；　the　discoverer　of　the　potato；
was　greater　to　him　that　thirty　Raffaelles；　the　man　in　the　blue　cloak
seemed　to　him　a　sister　of　charity。　These　were　Thuillier's　expressions；
and　Theodose　remembered　them　allon　occasion。

〃That　young　Felix　Phellion；〃　he　now　remarked；　〃is　precisely　the
academical　man　of　our　day；　the　product　of　knowledge　which　sends　God　to
the　rear。　Heavens；　what　are　we　coming　to？　Religion　alone　can　save
France；　nothing　but　the　fear　of　hell　will　preserve　us　from　domestic
robbery；　which　is　going　on　at　all　hours　in　the　bosom　of　families；　and
eating　into　the　surest　fortunes。　All　of　you　have　a　secret　warfare　in
your　homes。〃

After　this　shrewd　tirade；　which　made　a　great　impression　upon　Brigitte；
he　retired；　followed　by　Dutocq；　after　wishing　good　evening　to　the
three　Thuilliers。

〃That　young　man　has　great　capacity；〃　said　Thuillier；　sententiously。

〃Yes；　that　he　has；〃　replied　Brigitte；　extinguishing　the　lamps。

〃He　has　religion；〃　said　Madame　Thuillier；　as　she　left　the　room。

〃Monsieur；〃　Phellion　was　saying　to　Colleville　as　they　came　abreast　of
the　Ecole　de　Mines；　looking　about　him　to　see　that　no　one　was　near；　〃it
is　usually　my　custom　to　submit　my　insight　to　that　of　others；　but　it　is
impossible　for　me　not　to　think　that　that　young　lawyer　plays　the　master
at　our　friend　Thuillier's。〃

〃My　own　opinion；〃　said　Colleville；　who　was　walking　with　Phellion
behind　his　wife；　Madame　Phellion；　and　Celeste；　〃is　that　he's　a　Jesuit；
and　I　don't　like　Jesuits；　the　best　of　them　are　no　good。　To　my　mind　a
Jesuit　means　knavery；　and　knavery　for　knavery's　sake；　they　deceive　for
the　pleasure　of　deceiving；　and；　as　the　saying　is；　to　keep　their　hand
in。　That's　my　opinion；　and　I　don't　mince　it。〃

〃I　understand　you；　monsieur；〃　said　Phellion；　who　was　arm…in…arm　with
Colleville。

〃No；　Monsieur　Phellion；〃　remarked　Flavie　in　a　shrill　voice；　〃you　don't
understand　Colleville；　but　I　know　what　he　means；　and　I　think　he　had
better　stop　saying　it。　Such　subjects　are　not　to　be　talked　of　in　the
street；　at　eleven　o'clock　at　night；　and　before　a　young　lady。〃

〃You　are　right；　wife；〃　said　Colleville。

When　they　reached　the　rue　des　Deux…Eglises；　which　Phellion　was　to
take；　they　all　stopped　to　say　good…night；　and　Felix　Phellion；　who　was
bring　up　the　rear；　said　to　Colleville：

〃Monsieur；　your　son　Francois　could　enter　the　Ecole　Polytechnique　if　he
were　well…coached；　I　propose　to　you　to　fit　him　to　pass　the
examinations　this　year。〃

〃That's　an　offer　not　to　be　refused！　Thank　you；　my　friend；〃　said
Colleville。　〃We'll　see　about　it。〃

〃Good！〃　said　Phellion　to　his　son；　as　they　walked　on。

〃Not　a　bad　stroke！〃　said　the　mother。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　asked　Felix。

〃You　are　very　cleverly　paying　court　to　Celeste's　parents。〃

〃May　I　never　find　the　solution　of　my　problem　if　I　even　thought　of　it！〃
cried　the　young　professor。　〃I　discovered；　when　talking　with　the　little
Collevilles；　that　Francois　has　a　strong　turn　for　mathematics；　and　I
thought　I　ought　to　enlighten　his　father。〃

〃Good；　my　son！〃　repeated　Phellion。　〃I　wouldn't　have　you　otherwise。　My
prayers　are　granted！　I　have　a　son　whose　honor；　probity；　and　private
and　civic　virtues　are　all　that　I　could　wish。〃

Madame　Colleville；　as　soon　as　Celeste　had　gone　to　bed；　said　to　her
husband：

〃Colleville；　don't　utter　those　blunt　opinions　about　people　without
knowing　something　about　them。　When　you　talk　of　Jesuits　I　know　you　mean
priests；　and　I　wish　you　would　do　me　the　kindness　to　keep　your　opinions
on　religion　to　yourself　when　you　are　in　company　with　your　daughter。　We
may　sacrifice　our　own　souls；　but　not　the　souls　of　our　children。　You
don't　want　Celeste　to　be　a　creature　without　religion？　And　remember；　my
dear；　that　we　are　at　the　mercy　of　others；　we　have　four　children　to
provide　for；　and　how　do　you　know　that；　some　day　or　other；　you　may　not
need　the　services　of　this　one　or　that　one？　Therefore　don't　make
enemies。　You　haven't　any　now；　for　you　are　a　good…natured　fellow；　and；
thanks　to　that　quality；　which　amounts　in　you　to　a　charm；　we　have　got
along　pretty　well　in　life；　so　far。〃

〃That's　enough！〃　said　Colleville；　flinging　his　coat　on　a　chair　and
pulling　off　his　cravat。　〃I'm　wrong；　and　you　are　right；　my　beautiful
Flavie。〃

〃And　on　the　next　occasion；　my　dear　old　sheep；〃　said　the　sly　creature；
tapping　her　husband's　cheek；　〃you　must　try　to　be　polite　to　that　young
lawyer；　he　is　a　schemer　and　we　had　better　have　him　on　our　side。　He　is
playing　comedywell！　play　comedy　with　him；　be　his　dupe　apparently；　if
he　proves　to　have　talent；　if　he　has　a　future　before　him；　make　a　friend
of　him。　Do　you　think　I　want　to　see　you　forever　in　the　mayor's　office？〃

〃Come；　wife　Colleville；〃　said　the　former　clarionet；　tapping　his　knee
to　indicate　the　place　he　wished　his　wife　to　take。　〃Let　us　warm　our
toes　and　talk。When　I　look　at　you　I　am　more　than　ever　convinced　that
the　youth　of　women　is　in　their　figure。〃

〃And　in　their　heart。〃

〃Well；　both；〃　assented　Colleville；　〃waist　slender；　heart　solid〃

〃No；　you　old　stupid；　deep。〃

〃What　is　good　about　you　is　that　you　have　kept　your　fairness　without
growing　fat。　But　the　fact　is；　you　have　such　tiny　bones。　Flavie；　it　is
a　fact　that　if　I　had　life　to　live　over　again　I　shouldn't　wish　for　any
other　wife　than　you。〃

〃You　know　very　well　I　have　always　preferred　you　to　OTHERS。　How　unlucky
that　monseigneur　is　dead！　Do　you　know　what　I　covet　for　you？〃

〃No；　what？〃

〃Some　office　at　the　Hotel　de　Ville；an　office　worth　twelve　thousand
francs　a　year；　cashier；　or　something　of　that　kind；　either　there；　or　at
Poissy；　in　the　municipal　department；　or　else　as　manufacturer　of
musical　instruments〃

〃Any　one　of　them　would　suit　me。〃

〃Well；　then！　if　that　queer　barrister　has　power；　and　he　certainly　has
plenty　of　intrigue；　let　us　manage　him。　I'll　sound　him；　leave　me　to　do
the　thingand；　above　all；　don't　thwart　his　game　at　the　Thuilliers'。〃

Theodose　had　laid　a　finger　on　a　sore　sport　in　Flavie　Colleville's
heart；　and　this　requires　an　explanation；　which　may；　perhaps；　have　the
value　of　a　synthetic　glance　at　women's　life。

At　forty　years　of　age　a　woman；　above　all；　if　she　has　tasted　the
poisoned　apple　of　passion；　undergoes　a　solemn　shock；　she　sees　two
deaths　before　her：　that　of　the　body　and　that　of　the　heart。　Dividing
women　into　two　great　categories　which　respond　to　the　common　ideas；　and
calling　them　either　virtuous　or　guilty；　it　is　allowable　to　say　that
after　that　fatal　period　they　both　suffer　pangs　of　terrible　intensity。
If　virtuous；　and　disappointed　in　the　deepest　hopes　of　their　nature
whether　they　have　had　the　courage　to　submit；　whether　they　have　buried
their　revolt　in　their　hearts　or　at　the　foot　of　the　altarthey　never
admit　to　themselves　that　all　is　over　for　them　without　horror。　That
thought　has　such　strange　and　diabolical　depths　that　in　it　lies　the
reason　of　some　of　those　apostasies　which　have；　at　times；　amazed　the
world　and　horrified　it。　If　guilty；　women　of　that　age　fall　into　one　of
several　delirious　conditions　which　often　turn；　alas！　to　madness；　or
end　in　suicide；　or　terminate　in　some　with　passion　greater　than　the
situation　itself。

The　following　is　the　〃dilemmatic〃　meaning　of　this　crisis。　Either　the