the lesser bourgeoisie-第21章

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when　he　dined　at　his　table。　In　short；　he　intrigued　in　a　dumb　sort　of
way；　but　had　never　yet　obtained　a　look　in　return　from　the　king　of　his
choice。　The　worthy　man　had　more　than　once　thought；　but　was　not　yet
decided；　to　beg　Monsieur　Minard　to　assist　him　in　obtaining　his　secret
desire。

Phellion；　a　man　of　passive　obedience；　was　stoical　in　the　matter　of
duty；　and　iron　in　all　that　touched　his　conscience。　To　complete　this
picture　by　a　sketch　of　his　person；　we　must　add　that　at　fifty…nine
years　of　age　Phellion　had　〃thickened；〃　to　use　a　term　of　the　bourgeois
vocabulary。　His　face；　of　one　monotonous　tone　and　pitted　with　the
small…pox；　had　grown　to　resemble　a　full　moon；　so　that　his　lips；
formerly　large；　now　seemed　of　ordinary　size。　His　eyes；　much　weakened；
and　protected　by　glasses；　no　longer　showed　the　innocence　of　their
light…blue　orbs；　which　in　former　days　had　often　excited　a　smile；　his
white　hair　now　gave　gravity　to　much　that　twelve　years　earlier　had
looked　like　silliness；　and　lent　itself　to　ridicule。　Time；　which　does
such　damage　to　faces　with　refined　and　delicate　features；　only　improves
those　which；　in　their　youth；　have　been　course　and　massive。　This　was
the　case　with　Phellion。　He　occupied　the　leisure　of　his　old　age　in
making　an　abridgment　of　the　History　of　France；　for　Phellion　was　the
author　of　several　works　adopted　by　the　University。

When　la　Peyrade　presented　himself；　the　family　were　all　together。
Madame　Barniol　was　just　telling　her　mother　about　one　of　her　babies；
which　was　slightly　indisposed。　They　were　dressed　in　their　Sunday
clothes；　and　were　sitting　before　the　fireplace　of　the　wainscoted　salon
on　chairs　bought　at　a　bargain；　and　they　all　felt　an　emotion　when
Genevieve；　the　cook　and　portress；　announced　the　personage　of　whom　they
were　just　then　speaking　in　connection　with　Celeste；　whom；　we　must　here
state；　Felix　Phellion　loved；　to　the　extent　of　going　to　mass　to　behold
her。　The　learned　mathematician　had　made　that　effort　in　the　morning；
and　the　family　were　joking　him　about　it　in　a　pleasant　way；　hoping　in
their　hearts　that　Celeste　and　her　parents　might　understand　the
treasure　that　was　thus　offered　to　them。

〃Alas！　the　Thuilliers　seem　to　me　infatuated　with　a　very　dangerous
man；〃　said　Madame　Phellion。　〃He　took　Madame　Colleville　by　the　arm　this
morning　after　church；　and　they　went　together　to　the　Luxembourg。〃

〃There　is　something　about　that　lawyer；〃　remarked　Felix　Phellion；　〃that
strikes　me　as　sinister。　He　might　be　found　to　have　committed　some　crime
and　I　shouldn't　be　surprised。〃

〃That's　going　too　far；〃　said　old　Phellion。　〃He　is　cousin…germain　to
Tartuffe；　that　immortal　figure　cast　in　bronze　by　our　honest　Moliere；
for　Moliere；　my　children；　had　honesty　and　patriotism　for　the　basis　of
his　genius。〃

It　was　at　that　instant　that　Genevieve　came　in　to　say；　〃There's　a
Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade　out　there；　who　wants　to　see　monsieur。〃

〃To　see　me！〃　exclaimed　Phellion。　〃Ask　him　to　come　in；〃　he　added；　with
that　solemnity　in　little　things　which　gave　him　even　now　a　touch　of
absurdity；　though　it　always　impressed　his　family；　which　accepted　him
as　king。

Phellion；　his　two　sons；　and　his　wife　and　daughter；　rose　and　received
the　circular　bow　made　by　the　lawyer。

〃To　what　do　we　owe　the　honor　of　your　visit；　monsieur？〃　asked　Phellion；
stiffly。

〃To　your　importance　in　this　arrondissement；　my　dear　Monsieur　Phellion；
and　to　public　interests；〃　replied　Theodose。

〃Then　let　us　go　into　my　study；〃　said　Phellion。

〃No；　no；　my　friend；〃　said　the　rigid　Madame　Phellion；　a　small　woman；
flat　as　a　flounder；　who　retained　upon　her　features　the　grim　severity
with　which　she　taught　music　in　boarding…schools　for　young　ladies；　〃we
will　leave　you。〃

An　upright　Erard　piano；　placed　between　the　two　windows　and　opposite　to
the　fireplace；　showed　the　constant　occupation　of　a　proficient。

〃Am　I　so　unfortunate　as　to　put　you　to　flight？〃　said　Theodose；　smiling
in　a　kindly　way　at　the　mother　and　daughter。　〃You　have　a　delightful
retreat　here；〃　he　continued。　〃You　only　lack　a　pretty　daughter…in…law
to　pass　the　rest　of　your　days　in　this　'aurea　mediocritas；'　the　wish　of
the　Latin　poet；　surrounded　by　family　joys。　Your　antecedents；　my　dear
Monsieur　Phellion；　ought　surely　to　win　you　such　rewards；　for　I　am　told
that　you　are　not　only　a　patriot　but　a　good　citizen。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Phellion；　embarrassed；　〃monsieur；　I　have　only　done　my
duty。〃　At　the　word　〃daughter…in…law；〃　uttered　by　Theodose；　Madame
Barniol；　who　resembled　her　mother　as　much　as　one　drop　of　water　is　like
another；　looked　at　Madame　Phellion　and　at　Felix　as　if　she　would　say；
〃Were　we　mistaken？〃

The　desire　to　talk　this　incident　over　carried　all　four　personages　into
the　garden；　for；　in　March；　1840；　the　weather　was　spring…like；　at　least
in　Paris。

〃Commander；〃　said　Theodose；　as　soon　as　he　was　alone　with　Phellion；　who
was　always　flattered　by　that　title；　〃I　have　come　to　speak　to　you　about
the　election〃

〃Yes；　true；　we　are　about　to　nominate　a　municipal　councillor；〃　said
Phellion；　interrupting　him。

〃And　it　is　apropos　of　that　candidacy　that　I　have　come　to　disturb　your
Sunday　joys；　but　perhaps　in　so　doing　we　shall　not　go　beyond　the　limits
of　the　family　circle。〃

It　would　be　impossible　for　Phellion　to　be　more　Phellion　than　Theodose
was　Phellion　at　that　moment。

〃I　shall　not　let　you　say　another　word；〃　replied　the　commander；
profiting　by　the　pause　made　by　Theodose；　who　watched　for　the　effect　of
his　speech。　〃My　choice　is　made。〃

〃We　have　had　the　same　idea！〃　exclaimed　Theodose；　〃men　of　the　same
character　agree　as　well　as　men　of　the　same　mind。〃

〃In　this　case　I　do　not　believe　in　that　phenomenon；〃　replied　Phellion。
〃This　arrondissement　had　for　its　representative　in　the　municipal
council　the　most　virtuous　of　men；　as　he　was　the　noblest　of
magistrates。　I　allude　to　the　late　Monsieur　Popinot；　the　deceased　judge
of　the　Royal　courts。　When　the　question　of　replacing　him　came　up；　his
nephew；　the　heir　to　his　benevolence；　did　not　reside　in　this　quarter。
He　has　since；　however；　purchased；　and　now　occupies；　the　house　where
his　uncle　lived　in　the　rue　de　la　Montagne…Sainte…Genevieve；　he　is　the
physician　of　the　Ecole　Polytechnique　and　that　of　our　hospitals；　he
does　honor　to　this　quarter；　for　these　reasons；　and　to　pay　homage　in
the　person　of　the　nephew　to　the　memory　of　the　uncle；　we　have　decided
to　nominate　Doctor　Horace　Bianchon；　member　of　the　Academy　of　Sciences；
as　you　are　aware；　and　one　of　the　most　distinguished　young　men　in　the
illustrious　faculty　of　Paris。　A　man　is　not　great　in　our　eyes　solely
because　he　is　celebrated；　to　my　mind　the　late　Councillor　Popinot　was
almost　another　Saint　Vincent　de　Paul。〃

〃But　a　doctor　is　not　an　administrator；〃　replied　Theodose；　〃and；
besides；　I　have　come　to　ask　your　vote　for　a　man　to　whom　your　dearest
interests　require　that　you　should　sacrifice　a　predilection；　which；
after　all；　is　quite　unimportant　to　the　public　welfare。〃

〃Monsieur！〃　cried　Phellion；　rising　and　striking　an　attitude　like　that
of　Lafon　in　〃Le　Glorieux；〃　〃Do　you　despise　me　sufficiently　to　suppose
that　my　personal　interests　could　ever　influence　my　political
conscience？　When　a　matter　concerns　the　public　welfare；　I　am　a　citizen
nothing　more；　and　nothing　less。〃

Theodose　smiled　to　himself　at　the　thought　of　the　battle　which　was　now
to　take　place　between　the　father　and　the　citizen。

〃Do　not　bind　yourself　to　your　present　ideas；　I　entreat　you；〃　he　said；
〃for　this　matter　concerns　the　happiness　of　your　dear　Felix。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　those　words？〃　asked　Phellion；　stopping　short　in
the　middle　of　the　salon　and　posing；　with　his　hand　thrust　through　the
bosom　of　his　waistcoat　from　right　to　left；　in　the　well…known　attitude
of　Odilon　Barrot。

〃I　have　come　in　behalf　of　our　mutual　friend；　the　worthy　and　excellent
Monsieur　Thuillier；　whose　influence　on　the　destiny　of　that　beautiful
Celeste　Colleville　must　be　well　known　to　you。　If；　as　I　think；　your
son；　whose　merits　are　incontestable；　and　of　whom　both　families　may
well　be　proud；　if；　I　say；　he　is　courting　Celeste　with　a　view　to　a
marriage　in　which　all　expediencies　may　be　combined；　you　cannot　do　more
to　promote　that　end　than　to　obtain　Thuillier's　eternal　gratitude　by
proposing　your　worthy　friend　to　t