the lesser bourgeoisie-第40章
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〃Don't deposit the deed with Cardot till after twelve o'clock；〃
returned Desroches。
〃Hay！ comrade；〃 cried the barrister； in Provencal； following
Sauvaignou into the next room； 〃take your Margot to walk about
Belleville； and be sure you don't go home。〃
〃I hear；〃 said Sauvaignou。 〃I'm off to…morrow； adieu！〃
〃Adieu；〃 returned la Peyrade； with a Provencal cry。
〃There is something behind all this；〃 said Desroches in an undertone
to Godeschal； as la Peyrade followed Sauvaignou into the clerk's
office。
〃The Thuilliers get a splendid piece of property for next to nothing；〃
replied Godeschal； 〃that's all。〃
〃La Peyrade and Cerizet look to me like two divers who are fighting
under water；〃 replied Desroches。 〃What am I to say to Cerizet； who put
the matter into my hands？〃 he added； as the barrister returned to
them。
〃Tell him that Sauvaignou forced your hand；〃 replied la Peyrade。
〃And you fear nothing？〃 said Desroches； in a sudden manner。
〃I？ oh no！ I want to give Cerizet a lesson。〃
〃To…morrow； I shall know the truth；〃 said Desroches； in a low tone； to
Godeschal； 〃no one chatters like a beaten man。〃
La Peyrade departed； carrying with him the deed of relinquishment。 At
eleven o'clock he was in the courtroom of the justice…of…peace；
perfectly calm； and firm。 When he saw Cerizet come in； pale with rage；
his eyes full of venom； he said in his ear：
〃My dear friend； I'm a pretty good fellow myself； and I hold that
twenty…five thousand francs in good bank…bills at your disposal；
whenever you will return to me those notes of mine which you hold。〃
Cerizet looked at the advocate of the poor； without being able to say
one word in reply； he was green； the bile had struck in。
CHAPTER XIII
THE PERVERSITY OF DOVES
〃I am a non…dispossessable property…owner！〃 cried Thuillier； coming
home after visiting his notary。 〃No human power can get that house
away from me。 Cardot says so。〃
The bourgeoisie think much more of what their notary tells them than
of what their attorney says。 The notary is nearer to them than any
other ministerial officer。 The Parisian bourgeois never pays a visit
to his attorney without a sense of fear； whereas he mounts the stairs
with ever…renewed pleasure to see his notary； he admires that
official's virtue and his sound good sense。
〃Cardot； who is looking for an apartment for one of his clients； wants
to know about our second floor；〃 continued Thuillier。 〃If I choose
he'll introduce to me on Sunday a tenant who is ready to sign a lease
for eighteen years at forty thousand francs and taxes！ What do you say
to that； Brigitte？〃
〃Better wait；〃 she replied。 〃Ah！ that dear Theodose； what a fright he
gave me！〃
〃Hey！ my dearest girl； I must tell you that when Cardot asked who put
me in the way of this affair he said I owed him a present of at least
ten thousand francs。 The fact is； I owe it all to him。〃
〃But he is the son of the house；〃 responded Brigitte。
〃Poor lad！ I'll do him the justice to say that he asks for nothing。〃
〃Well； dear； good friend；〃 said la Peyrade； coming in about three
o'clock； 〃here you are； richissime！〃
〃And through you； Theodose。〃
〃And you； little aunt； have you come to life again？ Ah！ you were not
half as frightened as I was。 I put your interests before my own； I
haven't breathed freely till this morning at eleven o'clock； and yet I
am sure now of having two mortal enemies at my heels in the two men I
have tricked for your sake。 As I walked home； just now； I asked myself
what could be your influence over me to make me commit such a crime；
and whether the happiness of belonging to your family and becoming
your son could ever efface the stain I have put upon my conscience。〃
〃Bah！ you can confess it；〃 said Thuillier； the free…thinker。
〃And now；〃 said Theodose to Brigitte； 〃you can pay； in all security；
the cost of the house；eighty thousand francs； and thirty thousand to
Grindot； in all； with what you have paid in costs； one hundred and
twenty thousand； and this last twenty thousand added make one hundred
and forty thousand。 If you let the house outright to a single tenant
ask him for the last year's rent in advance； and reserve for my wife
and me the whole of the first floor above the entresol。 Make those
conditions and you'll still get your forty thousand francs a year。 If
you should want to leave this quarter so as to be nearer the Chamber；
you can always take up your abode with us on that vast first floor；
which has stables and coach…house belonging to it； in fact； everything
that is needful for a splendid life。 And now； Thuillier； I am going to
get the cross of the Legion of honor for you。〃
Hearing this last promise； Brigitte cried out in her enthusiasm：
〃Faith！ my dear boy； you've done our business so well that I'll leave
you to manage that of letting the house。〃
〃Don't abdicate； dear aunt；〃 replied Theodose。 〃God keep me from ever
taking a step without you！ You are the good genius of this family； I
think only of the day when Thuillier will take his seat in the
Chamber。 If you let the house you will come into possession of your
forty thousand francs for the last year of the lease in two months
from now； and that will not prevent Thuillier from drawing his
quarterly ten thousand of the rental。〃
After casting this hope into the mind of the old maid； who was
jubilant； Theodose drew Thuillier into the garden and said to him；
without beating round the bush：
〃Dear； good friend； find means to get ten thousand francs from your
sister； and be sure not to let her suspect that you pay them to me；
tell her that sum is required in the government office to facilitate
your appointment as chevalier of the Legion of honor； tell her； too；
that you know the persons among whom that sum should be distributed。〃
〃That's a good idea；〃 said Thuillier； 〃besides； I'll pay it back to
her when I get my rents。〃
〃Have the money ready this evening； dear friend。 Now I am going out on
business about your cross； to…morrow we shall know something
definitely about it。〃
〃What a man you are！〃 cried Thuillier。
〃The ministry of the 1st of March is going to fall； and we must get it
out of them beforehand；〃 said Theodose； shrewdly。
He now hurried to Madame Colleville； crying out as he entered her
room：
〃I've conquered！ We shall have a piece of landed property for Celeste
worth a million； a life…interest in which will be given to her by her
marriage…contract； but keep the secret； or your daughter will be
hunted down by peers of France。 Besides； this settlement will only be
made in my favor。 Now dress yourself； and let us go and call on Madame
du Bruel； she can get the cross for Thuillier。 While you are getting
under arms I'll do a little courting to Celeste； you and I can talk as
we drive along。〃
La Peyrade had seen； as he passed the door of the salon； Celeste and
Felix Phellion in close conversation。 Flavie had such confidence in
her daughter that she did not fear to leave them together。 Now that
the great success of the morning was secured； Theodose felt the
necessity of beginning his courtship of Celeste。 It was high time； he
thought； to bring about a quarrel between the lovers。 He did not；
therefore； hesitate to apply his ear to the door of the salon before
entering it； in order to discover what letters of the alphabet of love
they were spelling； he was even invited to commit this domestic
treachery by sounds from within； which seemed to say that they were
disputing。 Love； according to one of our poets； is a privilege which
two persons mutually take advantage of to cause each other；
reciprocally； a great deal of sorrow about nothing at all。
When Celeste knew that Felix was elected by her heart to be the
companion of her life； she felt a desire； not so much to study him as
to unite herself closely with him by that communion of souls which is
the basis of all affections； and leads； in youthful minds； to
involuntary examination。 The dispute to which Theodose was now to
listen took its rise in a disagreement which had sprung up within the
last few days between the mathematician and Celeste。 The young girl's
piety was real； she belonged to the flock of
