the lesser bourgeoisie-第32章

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failed　to　take　Capri。　Therefore；　nothing　must　be　omitted　from　the
memorable　scene　which　was　now　to　take　place；　all　things　about　it　had
their　own　importance；inflections　of　the　voice；　pauses；　glances；
lowered　eyes。

〃But；〃　rejoined　Brigitte；　〃you　have　already　proved　to　us　your
affection。〃

〃Your　brother　has　told　you？〃

〃No；　he　merely　told　me　that　you　had　something　to　tell　me。〃

〃Yes；　mademoiselle；　I　have；　for　you　are　the　man　of　the　family。　In
reflecting　on　this　matter；　I　find　many　dangers　for　myself；　such　as　a
man　only　risks　for　his　nearest　and　dearest。　It　involves　a　fortune；
thirty　to　forty　thousand　francs　a　year；　and　not　the　slightest
speculationa　piece　of　landed　property。　The　hope　of　helping　Thuillier
to　win　such　a　fortune　enticed　me　from　the　first。　'It　fascinates　me；'　I
said　to　himfor；　unless　a　man　is　an　absolute　fool；　he　can't　help
asking　himself：　'Why　should　he　care　to　do　us　all　this　good？'　So　I　told
him　frankly　that　in　working　for　his　interests；　I　flattered　myself　I
was　working　for　my　own；　as　I'll　explain　to　you　later。　If　he　wishes　to
be　deputy；　two　things　are　absolutely　necessary：　to　comply　with　the　law
as　to　property；　and　to　win　for　his　name　some　sort　of　public　celebrity。
If　I　myself　push　my　devotion　to　the　point　of　helping　him　to　write　a
book　on　public　financieringor　anything　else；　no　matter　whatwhich
would　give　him　that　celebrity；　I　ought　also　to　think　of　the　other
matter；　his　propertyit　would　be　absurd　to　expect　you　to　give　him
this　house〃

〃For　my　brother？　Why；　I'd　put　it　in　his　name　to…morrow；〃　cried
Brigitte。　〃You　don't　know　me。〃

〃I　don't　know　you　thoroughly；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃but　I　do　know　things
about　you　which　now　make　me　regret　that　I　did　not　tell　you　the　whole
affair　from　its　origin；　I　mean　from　the　moment　when　I　conceived　the
plan　to　which　Thuillier　will　owe　his　nomination。　He　will　be　hunted
down　by　envy　and　jealousy；　and　the　task　of　upholding　him　will　be　a
hard　one；　we　must；　however；　get　the　better　of　his　rivals　and　take　the
wind　out　of　their　sails。〃

〃But　this　affair；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃what　are　the　difficulties？〃

〃Mademoiselle；　the　difficulties　lie　within　my　own　conscience。
Assuredly；　I　could　not　serve　you　in　this　matter　without　first
consulting　my　confessor。　From　a　worldly　point　of　viewoh！　the　affair
is　perfectly　legal；　and　I　amyou'll　understand　me？a　barrister
inscribed　on　the　panel；　that　is；　member　of　a　bar　controlled　by　the
strictest　rules。　I　am　therefore　incapable　of　proposing　an　enterprise
which　might　give　occasion　for　blame。　In　the　first　place；　I　myself
don't　make　a　penny　by　it。〃

Brigitte　was　on　thorns；　her　face　was　flaming；　she　broke　her　wool；
mended　it；　broke　it　again；　and　did　not　know　which　way　to　look。

〃One　can't　get；〃　she　said；　〃in　these　days；　forty　thousand　francs　a
year　from　landed　property　unless　it　is　worth　one　million　eight　hundred
thousand。〃

〃Well；　I　will　undertake　that　you　shall　see　a　piece　of　property　and
estimate　yourself　its　probable　revenue；　which　I　can　make　Thuillier　the
owner　of　for　fifty　thousand　francs　down。〃

〃Oh！　if　you　can　make　us　obtain　that！〃　cried　Brigitte；　worked　up　to　the
highest　excitement　by　the　spur　of　her　natural　cupidity。　〃Go　on；　my
dear　Monsieur　Theodose；　and〃

She　stopped　short。

〃Well；　mademoiselle？〃

〃You　will；　perhaps；　have　done　yourself　a　service。〃

〃Ah！　if　Thuillier　has　told　you　my　secret；　I　must　leave　this　house。〃

Brigitte　looked　up。

〃Did　he　tell　you　that　I　love　Celeste？〃

〃No；　on　my　word　of　honor！〃　cried　Brigitte；　〃but　I　myself　was　just
about　to　speak　of　her。〃

〃And　offer　her　to　me？　Oh！　may　God　forgive　us！　I　can　only　win　her　of
herself；　her　parents；　by　a　free　choiceNo；　no；　all　I　ask　of　you　is
your　good…will；　your　protection。　Promise　me；　as　Thuillier　has；　in
return　for　my　services　your　influence；　your　friendship；　tell　me　that
you　will　treat　me　as　a　son。　If　you　will　do　that；　I　will　abide　by　your
decision　in　this　matter；　I　can　trust　it；　I　need　not　speak　to　my
confessor。　For　the　last　two　years；　ever　since　I　have　seen　much　of　this
family；　to　whom　I　would　fain　give　my　powers　and　devote　my　utmost
energyfor；　I　shall　succeed！　surely　I　shall！I　have　observed　that
your　integrity；　your　honor　is　that　of　the　olden　time；　your　judgment
righteous　and　inflexible。　Also；　you　have　a　knowledge　of　business；　and
these　qualities　combined　are　precious　helps　to　a　man。　With　a　mother…
in…law；　as　I　may　say；　of　your　powers；　I　should　find　my　home　life
relieved　of　a　crowd　of　cares　and　details　as　to　property；　which　hinder
a　man's　advance　in　a　political　career　if　he　is　forced　to　attend　to
them。　I　admired　you　deeply　on　Sunday　evening。　Ah！　you　were　fine！　How
you　did　manage　matters！　In　ten　minutes　that　dining…room　was　cleared！
And；　without　going　outside　of　your　own　apartment；　you　had　everything
at　hand　for　the　refreshments；　for　the　supper！　'There；'　I　said　to
myself；　as　I　watched　you；　'is　a　true　〃maitresse…femme〃a　masterly
woman！'〃

Brigitte's　nostrils　dilated；　she　breathed　in　the　words　of　the　young
lawyer。　He　gave　her　a　side…long　glance　to　enjoy　his　triumph；　he　had
touched　the　right　chord　in　her　breast。

At　this　moment　he　was　standing；　but　he　now　resumed　his　seat　beside
her；　and　said：

〃Now　here　is　our　affair；　dear　auntfor　you　will　be　a　sort　of　aunt〃

〃Hush！　you　naughty　fellow！〃　said　Brigitte；　〃and　go　on。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　the　matter　roughlyand　remark；　if　you　please；　that　I
compromise　myself　in　telling　it　to　you；　for　these　secrets　are
entrusted　to　me　as　a　lawyer。　Therefore　understand　that　you　and　I　are
both　committing　a　crime；　so　to　speak；　of　leze…confidence！　A　notary　of
Paris　was　in　partnership　with　an　architect；　they　bought　land　and　built
upon　it；　at　the　present　moment；　property　has　come　down　with　a　rush；
they　find　themselves　embarrassedbut　all　that　doesn't　concern　us。
Among　the　houses　built　by　this　illegal　partnershipfor　notaries；　you
know；　are　sworn　to　have　nothing　to　do　with　enterprisesis　a　very　good
one　which；　not　being　finished；　must　be　sold　at　a　great　sacrifice；　so
great　that　they　now　ask　only　one　hundred　thousand　francs　for　it；
although　the　cost　of　the　land　and　the　building　was　at　least　four
hundred　thousand。　As　the　whole　interior　is　still　unfinished；　the　value
of　what　is　still　to　do　is　easily　appraised；　it　will　probably　not　be
more　than　fifty　thousand　francs。　Now；　owing　to　its　excellent　position；
this　house；　when　finished；　will　certainly　bring　in　a　rental；　over　and
above　the　taxes；　of　forty　thousand　francs　a　year。　It　is　built　of
freestone；　the　corners　and　copings　of　cut　granite；　the　facade　is
covered　with　handsome　carvings；　on　which　they　spent　more　than　twenty
thousand　francs；　the　windows　are　plate　glass　with　a　new　style　of
fastening　called　'cremona。'〃

〃Well；　where　is　the　difficulty？〃

〃Just　here：　the　notary　wants　to　reserve　to　himself　this　bit　of　the
cake　he　is　forced　to　surrender；　he　is；　under　the　name　of　a　friend；　the
creditor　who　requests　the　sale　of　the　property　by　the　assignee　of　the
bankruptcy。　The　case　has　not　been　brought　into　court；　for　legal
proceedings　cost　so　much　money。　The　sale　is　to　be　made　by　voluntary
agreement。　Now；　this　notary　has　applied　to　one　of　my　clients　to　lend
him　his　name　for　this　purchase。　My　client；　a　poor　devil；　says　to　me：
'There's　a　fortune　to　made　out　of　that　house　by　fooling　the　notary。'〃

〃And　they　do　that　sort　of　thing　in　business！〃　said　Brigitte；　quickly。

〃If　that　were　the　only　difficulty；〃　continued　Theodose；　〃it　would　be；
as　a　friend　of　mine　said　to　his　pupil；　who　was　complaining　of　the
length　of　time　it　took　to　produce　masterpieces　in　painting：　'My　dear
young　fellow；　if　it　were　not　so；　our　valets　would　be　painting
pictures。'　But；　mademoiselle；　if　we　now　get　the　better　of　this　notary；
who　certainly　deserves　it；　for　he　has　compromised　a　number　of　private
fortunes；　yet；　as　he　is　a　very　shrewd　man　（though　a　notary）；　it　might
perhaps　be　very　difficult　to　do　it　a　second　time；　and　here's　the　rub：
When　a　piece　of　landed　property　is　bought　at　a　forced　sale；　if　those
who　have　lent　money　on　that　property　see　that　is　likely　to　be　sold　so
low　as　not　to　cover　the　sum　loaned　upon　it；　they　have　the　right；　until
the　expiration　of　a　certain　time；　to　bid　it　in；　that　is；　to　offer　more
and　keep　the　property　i