the lesser bourgeoisie-第31章

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none　for　me；　I　shall　be　thought　to　have　business　with　my　copying…
clerk；　and　I'll　go　and　tell　him　to　come　and　dine　with　us；　this　is
court　day；　so　we　can't　have　him　to　breakfast。　I'll　tell　him　to　meet　us
at　the　'Chaumiere'　in　one　of　the　garden　dining…rooms。〃

〃Bad；　anybody　could　listen　to　us　there　without　being　seen；〃　said　la
Peyrade。　〃I　prefer　the　'Petit　Rocher　de　Cancale'；　we　can　go　into　a
private　room　and　speak　low。〃

〃But　suppose　you　are　seen　with　Cerizet？〃

〃Well；　then；　let's　go　to　the　'Cheval　Rouge；'　quai　de　la　Tournelle。〃

〃That's　best；　seven　o'clock；　nobody　will　be　there　then。〃

Dutocq　advanced　alone　into　the　midst　of　that　congress　of　beggars；　and
he　heard　his　own　name　repeated　from　mouth　to　mouth；　for　he　could
hardly　fail　to　encounter　among　them　some　jail…bird　familiar　with　the
judge's　office；　just　as　Theodose　was　certain　to　have　met　a　client。

In　these　quarters　the　justice…of…peace　is　the　supreme　authority；　all
legal　contests　stop　short　at　his　office；　especially　since　the　law　was
passed　giving　to　those　judges　sovereign　power　in　all　cases　of
litigation　involving　not　over　one　hundred　and　forty　francs。　A　way　was
made　for　the　judge's　clerk；　who　was　not　less　feared　than　the　judge
himself。　He　saw　women　seated　on　the　staircase；　a　horrible　display　of
pallor　and　suffering　of　many　kinds。　Dutocq　was　almost　asphyxiated　when
he　opened　the　door　of　the　room　in　which　already　sixty　persons　had　left
their　odors。

〃Your　number？　your　number？〃　cried　several　voices。

〃Hold　your　jaw！〃　cried　a　gruff　voice　from　the　street；　〃that's　the　pen
of　the　judge。〃

Profound　silence　followed。　Dutocq　found　his　copying　clerk　clothed　in　a
jacket　of　yellow　leather　like　that　of　the　gloves　of　the　gendarmerie；
beneath　which　he　wore　an　ignoble　waistcoat　of　knitted　wool。　The　reader
must　imagine　the　man's　diseased　head　issuing　from　this　species　of
scabbard　and　covered　with　a　miserable　Madras　handkerchief；　which；
leaving　to　view　the　forehead　and　neck；　gave　to　that　head；　by　the　gleam
of　a　tallow　candle　of　twelve　to　the　pound；　its　naturally　hideous　and
threatening　character。

〃It　can't　be　done　that　way；　papa　Lantimeche；〃　Cerizet　was　saying　to　a
tall　old　man；　seeming　to　be　about　seventy　years　of　age；　who　was
standing　before　him　with　a　red　woollen　cap　in　his　hand；　exhibiting　a
bald　head；　and　a　breast　covered　with　white　hairs　visible　through　his
miserable　linen　jacket。　〃Tell　me　exactly　what　you　want　to　undertake。
One　hundred　francs；　even　on　condition　of　getting　back　one　hundred　and
twenty；　can't　be　let　loose　that　way；　like　a　dog　in　a　church〃

The　five　other　applicants；　among　whom　were　two　women；　both　with
infants；　one　knitting；　the　other　suckling　her　child；　burst　out
laughing。

When　Cerizet　saw　Dutocq；　he　rose　respectfully　and　went　rather　hastily
to　meet　him；　adding　to　his　client：

〃Take　time　to　reflect；　for；　don't　you　see？　it　makes　me　doubtful　to
have　such　a　sum　as　that；　one　hundred　francs！　asked　for　by　an　old
journeyman　locksmith！〃

〃But　I　tell　you　it　concerns　an　invention；〃　cried　the　old　workman。

〃An　invention　and　one　hundred　francs！〃　said　Dutocq。　〃You　don't　know
the　laws；　you　must　take　out　a　patent；　and　that　costs　two　thousand
francs；　and　you　want　influence。〃

〃All　that　is　true；〃　said　Cerizet；　who；　however；　reckoned　a　good　deal
on　such　chances。　〃Come　to…morrow　morning；　papa　Lantimeche；　at　six
o'clock；　and　we'll　talk　it　over；　you　can't　talk　inventions　in　public。〃

Cerizet　then　turned　to　Dutocq　whose　first　words　were：

〃If　the　thing　turns　out　well；　half　profits！〃

〃Why　did　you　get　up　at　this　time　in　the　morning　to　come　here　and　say
that　to　me？〃　demanded　the　distrustful　Cerizet；　already　displeased　with
the　mention　of　〃half　profits。〃　〃You　could　have　seen　me　as　usual　at　the
office。〃

And　he　looked　askance　at　Dutocq；　the　latter；　while　telling　him　his
errand　and　speaking　of　Claparon　and　the　necessity　of　pushing　forward
in　the　Theodose　affair；　seemed　confused。

〃All　the　same　you　could　have　seen　me　this　morning　at　the　office；〃
repeated　Cerizet；　conducting　his　visitor　to　the　door。

〃There's　a　man；〃　thought　he；　as　he　returned　to　his　seat；　〃who　seems　to
me　to　have　breathed　on　his　lantern　so　that　I　may　not　see　clear。　Well；
well；　I'll　give　up　that　place　of　copying　clerk。　Ha！　your　turn；　little
mother！〃　he　cried；　〃you　invent　children！　That's　amusing　enough；　though
the　trick　is　well　known。〃

It　is　all　the　more　useless　to　relate　the　conversation　which　took　place
between　the　three　confederates　at　the　〃Cheval　Rouge；〃　because　the
arrangements　there　concluded　were　the　basis　of　certain　confidences
made；　as　we　shall　see；　by　Theodose　to　Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　but　it
is　necessary　to　remark　that　the　cleverness　displayed　by　la　Peyrade
seemed　almost　alarming　to　Cerizet　and　Dutocq。　After　this　conference；
the　banker　of　the　poor；　finding　himself　in　company　with　such　powerful
players；　had　it　in　mind　to　make　sure　of　his　own　stake　at　the　first
chance。　To　win　the　game　at　any　price　over　the　heads　of　the　ablest
gamblers；　by　cheating　if　necessary；　is　the　inspiration　of　a　special
sort　of　vanity　peculiar　to　friends　of　the　green　cloth。　Hence　came　the
terrible　blow　which　la　Peyrade　was　about　to　receive。

He　knew　his　two　associates　well；　and　therefore；　in　spite　of　the
perpetual　activity　of　his　intellectual　forces；　in　spite　of　the
perpetual　watchfulness　his　personality　of　ten　faces　required；　nothing
fatigued　him　as　much　as　the　part　he　had　to　play　with　his　two
accomplices。　Dutocq　was　a　great　knave；　and　Cerizet　had　once　been　a
comic　actor；　they　were　both　experts　in　humbug。　A　motionless　face　like
Talleyrand's　would　have　made　then　break　at　once　with　the　Provencal；
who　was　now　in　their　clutches；　it　was　necessary；　therefore；　that　he
should　make　a　show　of　ease　and　confidence　and　of　playing　above　board
the　very　height　of　art　in　such　affairs。　To　delude　the　pit　is　an　every…
day　triumph；　but　to　deceive　Mademoiselle　Mars；　Frederic　Lemaitre；
Potier；　Talma；　Monrose；　is　the　acme　of　art。

This　conference　at　the　〃Cheval　Rouge〃　had　therefore　the　result　of
giving　to　la　Peyrade；　who　was　fully　as　sagacious　as　Cerizet；　a　secret
fear；　which；　during　the　latter　period　of　this　daring　game；　so　fired
his　blood　and　heated　his　brain　that　there　came　moments　when　he　fell
into　the　morbid　condition　of　the　gambler；　who　follows　with　his　eye　the
roll　of　the　ball　on　which　he　has　staked　his　last　penny。　The　senses
then　have　a　lucidity　in　their　action　and　the　mind　takes　a　range；　which
human　knowledge　has　no　means　of　measuring。



CHAPTER　X

HOW　BRIGITTE　WAS　WON

The　day　after　this　conference　at　the　〃Cheval　Rouge；〃　la　Peyrade　went
to　dine　with　the　Thuilliers；　and　on　the　commonplace　pretext　of　a　visit
to　pay；　Thuillier　carried　off　his　wife；　leaving　Theodose　alone　with
Brigitte。　Neither　Thuillier；　nor　his　sister；　nor　Theodose；　were　the
dupes　of　this　comedy；　but　the　old　beau　of　the　Empire　considered　the
manoeuvre　a　piece　of　diplomacy。

〃Young　man；　do　not　take　advantage　of　my　sister's　innocence；　respect
it；〃　said　Thuillier　solemnly；　as　he　departed。

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Theodose；　drawing　his　chair　closer　to　the　sofa
where　Brigitte　sat　knitting；　〃have　you　thought　of　inducing　the
business　men　of　the　arrondissement　to　support　Thuillier's　interests？〃

〃How　can　I？〃　she　asked。

〃Why！　you　are　in　close　relations　with　Barbet　and　Metivier。〃

〃Ah！　you　are　right！　Faith！　you　are　no　blunderer！〃　she　said　after　a
pause。

〃When　we　love　our　friends；　we　serve　them；〃　he　replied；　sententiously。

To　capture　Brigitte　would　be　like　carrying　the　redoubt　of　the　Moskowa；
the　culminating　strategic　point。　But　it　was　necessary　to　possess　that
old　maid　as　the　devil　was　supposed　in　the　middle　ages　to　possess　men；
and　in　a　way　to　make　any　awakening　impossible　for　her。　For　the　last
three　days　la　Peyrade　had　been　measuring　himself　for　the　task；　he　had
carefully　reconnoitred　the　ground　to　see　all　difficulty。　Flattery；
that　almost　infallible　means　in　able　hands；　would　certainly　miscarry
with　a　woman　who　for　years　had　known　she　had　no　beauty。　But　a　man　of
strong　will　finds　nothing　impregnable；　the　Lamarques　could　never　have
failed　to　take　Capri。　Therefore；　nothing　must　be　omitted　from　the
memorable　scene　which　was　now　to　take　place；