the lesser bourgeoisie-第50章

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Cardinal　may　have　given　to　her　uncle。　I　have　no　doubt　committed　a
great　piece　of　thoughtlessness　in　assisting　this　woman　to　obtain　an
inheritance　to　which　she　assured　me　she　had　legal　rights；　but　as　to
attempting　the　life　of　that　old　pauper；　I　am　quite　incapable　of　such　a
thing；　nothing　of　the　kind　ever　entered　my　mind。〃

〃You　wrote　me　this　letter；　I　think；〃　said　du　Portail；　abruptly；　taking
from　beneath　a　bohemian　glass　bowl　a　paper　which　he　offered　to
Cerizet。

〃A　letter？〃　replied　Cerizet；　with　the　hesitation　of　a　man　who　doesn't
know　whether　to　lie　or　speak　the　truth。

〃I　am　quite　sure　of　what　I　say；〃　continued　du　Portail。　〃I　have　a　mania
for　autographs；　and　I　possess　one　of　yours；　obtained　at　the　period
when　the　Opposition　exalted　you　to　the　glorious　rank　of　martyr。　I　have
compared　the　two　writings；　and　I　find　that　you　certainly　wrote　me；
yesterday；　the　letter　which　you　hold　in　your　hand；　informing　me　of　the
money　embarrassments　of　young　la　Peyrade　at　the　present　moment。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃knowing　that　you　had　given　a　home　to
Mademoiselle　de　la　Peyrade；　who　is　probably　cousin　of　Theodose；　I
thought　I　recognized　in　you　the　mysterious　protector　from　whom；　on
more　than　one　occasion；　my　friend　has　received　the　most　generous
assistance。　Now；　as　I　have　a　sincere　affection　for　that　poor　fellow；
it　was　in　his　interests　that　I　permitted　myself〃

〃You　did　quite　right；〃　interrupted　du　Portail。　〃I　am　delighted　to　have
fallen　in　with　a　friend　of　la　Peyrade。　I　ought　not　to　conceal　from　you
that　it　was　this　particular　fact　which　protected　you　last　night。　But
tell　me；　what　is　this　about　notes　for　twenty…five　thousand　francs？　Is
our　friend　so　badly　off　in　his　affairs？　Is　he　leading　a　dissipated
life？〃

〃On　the　contrary；〃　replied　Cerizet；　〃he's　a　puritan。　Given　to　the
deepest　piety；　he　did　not　choose　to　take；　as　a　barrister；　any　other
cases　but　those　of　the　poor。　He　is　now　on　the　point　of　making　a　rich
marriage。〃

〃Ah！　is　he　going　to　be　married？　and　to　whom？〃

〃To　a　Demoiselle　Colleville；　daughter　of　the　secretary　of　the　mayor　of
the　12th　arrondissement。　In　herself；　the　girl　has　no　fortune；　but　a
certain　Monsieur　Thuillier；　her　godfather；　member　of　the　Council…
general　of　the　Seine；　has　promised　her　a　suitable　'dot。'〃

〃Who　has　handled　this　affair？〃

〃La　Peyrade　has　been　devoted　to　the　Thuillier　family；　into　which　he
was　introduced　by　Monsieur　Dutocq；　clerk　of　the　justice…of…peace　of
their　arrondissement。〃

〃But　you　wrote　me　that　these　notes　were　signed　in　favor　of　Monsieur
Dutocq。　The　affair　is　a　bit　of　matrimonial　brokerage；　in　short？〃

〃Well；　something　of　that　kind；〃　replied　Cerizet。　〃You　know；　monsieur；
that　in　Paris　such　transactions　are　very　common。　Even　the　clergy　won't
disdain　to　have　a　finger　in　them。〃

〃Is　the　marriage　a　settled　thing？〃

〃Yes；　and　within　the　last　few　days　especially。〃

〃Well；　my　good　sir；　I　rely　on　you　to　put　an　end　to　it。　I　have　other
views　for　Theodose；another　marriage　to　propose　to　him。〃

〃Excuse　me！〃　said　Cerizet；　〃to　break　up　this　marriage　would　make　it
impossible　for　him　to　pay　his　notes；　and　I　have　the　honor　to　call　your
attention　to　the　fact　that　these　particular　bills　of　exchange　are
serious　matters。　Monsieur　Dutocq　is　in　the　office　of　the　justice…of…
peace；　in　other　words；　he　couldn't　be　easily　defeated　in　such　a
matter。〃

〃The　debt　to　Monsieur　Dutocq　you　shall　buy　off　yourself；〃　replied　du
Portail。　〃Make　arrangements　with　him　to　that　effect。　Should　Theodose
prove　reluctant　to　carry　out　my　plans；　those　notes　may　become　a　useful
weapon　in　our　hands。　You　will　take　upon　yourself　to　sue　him　for　them；
and　you　shall　have　no　money　responsibility　in　the　matter。　I　will　pay
you　the　amount　of　the　notes　for　Dutocq；　and　your　costs　in　suing
Theodose。〃

〃You　are　square　in　business；　monsieur；〃　said　Cerizet。　〃There's　some
pleasure　in　being　your　agent。　Now；　if　you　think　the　right　moment　has
come；　I　should　be　glad　if　you　would　give　me　some　better　light　on　the
mission　you　are　doing　me　the　honor　to　place　in　my　hands。〃

〃You　spoke　just　now；〃　replied　du　Portail；　〃of　the　cousin　of　Theodose；
Mademoiselle　Lydie　de　la　Peyrade。　This　young　woman；　who　is　not　in　her
first　youth；　for　she　is　nearly　thirty；　is　the　natural　daughter　of　the
celebrated　Mademoiselle　Beaumesnil　of　the　Theatre　Francais　and
Peyrade；　the　commissary…general　of　police　under　the　Empire；　and　the
uncle　of　our　friend。　Until　his　death；　which　occurred　suddenly；　leaving
his　daughter；　whom　he　loved　tenderly；　without　means　of　support；　I　was
bound　to　that　excellent　man　with　the　warmest　friendship。〃

Glad　to　show　that　he　had　some　knowledge　of　du　Portail's　interior　life；
Cerizet　hastened　to　remark：

〃And　you　have　secretly　fulfilled　the　duties　of　that　friendship；
monsieur；　for；　in　taking　into　your　home　that　interesting　orphan　you
assumed　a　difficult　guardianship。　Mademoiselle　de　la　Peyrade's　state
of　health　requires；　I　am　told；　a　care　not　only　affectionate；　but
persevering。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　du　Portail；　〃the　poor　girl；　after　the　death　of　her
father；　was　so　cruelly　tried　that　her　mind　has　been　somewhat　affected；
but　a　fortunate　change　has　lately　occurred　in　her　condition；　and　only
yesterday　I　called　in　consultation　Doctor　Bianchon　and　the　two
physicians…in…charge　of　Bicetre　and　the　Salpetriere。　These　gentlemen
unanimously　declare　that　marriage　and　the　birth　of　a　first　child　would
undoubtedly　restore　her　to　perfect　health。　You　can　readily　understand
that　the　remedy　is　too　easy　and　agreeable　not　to　be　attempted。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃it　is　to　Mademoiselle　Lydie　de　la　Peyrade；　his
cousin；　that　you　wish　to　marry　Theodose。〃

〃You　have　said　it；〃　returned　du　Portail；　〃and　you　must　not　think　that
our　young　friend；　if　he　accepts　the　marriage；　will　be　called　upon　to
show　a　gratuitous　devotion。　Lydie　is　very　agreeable　in　person；　she　has
talents；　a　charming　disposition；　and　she　can　bring　to　bear；　in　her
husband's　interest；　a　strong　influence　in　public　life。　She　has；
moreover；　a　pretty　fortune；　consisting　of　what　her　mother　left　her；
and　of　my　entire　property；　which；　having　no　heirs　myself；　I　intend　to
secure　to　her　in　the　marriage　contract。　Besides　all　this；　she　has　this
very　night　acquired　a　not　inconsiderable　legacy。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Cerizet；　〃do　you　mean　that　old　Toupillier〃

〃By　a　will　in　his　own　handwriting；　which　I　have　here；　that　old　pauper
constitutes　her　his　sole　legatee。　You　see；　therefore；　that　I　showed
some　kindness　in　not　proceeding　against　you　and　Madame　Cardinal　for
your　little　attempt　last　night；　it　was　simply　our　property　that　you
were　trying　to　pillage。〃

〃Heavens！〃　cried　Cerizet；　〃I　won't　pretend　to　excuse　Madame　Cardinal's
misconduct；　and　yet；　as　one　of　the　legal　heirs；　dispossessed　by　a
stranger；　she　had；　it　seems　to　me；　some　right　to　the　indulgence　which
you　certainly　showed　to　her。〃

〃In　that　you　are　mistaken；〃　said　du　Portail；　〃the　apparent　liberality
of　the　old　beggar　to　Mademoiselle　de　la　Peyrade　happens　to　be　only　a
restitution。〃

〃A　restitution！〃　exclaimed　Cerizet；　in　a　tone　of　curiosity。

〃A　restitution；〃　repeated　du　Portail；　〃and　nothing　is　easier　than　to
prove　it。　Do　you　remember　the　robbery　of　some　diamonds　from　one　of　our
dramatic　celebrities　about　ten　years　ago？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Cerizet。　〃I　was　manager　of　one　of　my　newspapers　at　the
time；　and　I　used　to　write　the　'Paris　items。'　But　stay；　I　remember；　the
actress　who　lost　them　was　Mademoiselle　Beaumesnil。〃

〃Precisely；　the　mother　of　Mademoiselle　de　la　Peyrade。〃

〃Consequently；　this　miserable　old　Toupillierno；　I　remember　that　the
thief　was　convicted；　his　name　was　Charles　Crochard。　It　was　said；　under
the　rose；　that　he　was　the　natural　son　of　a　great　personage；　the　Comte
de　Granville；　attorney…general　under　the　Restoration。〃　＇See　〃A　Double
Life。〃＇

〃Well；〃　said　du　Portail；　〃this　is　how　it　happened。　The　robbery　was
committed　in　a　house　in　the　rue　de　Tournon；　occupied　by　Mademoiselle
Beaumesnil。　Charles　Crochard；　who　was　a　handsome　fellow；　was　said　to
have　the　run　of　it〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　cried　Cerizet；　〃I　remember　Mademoiselle　Beaumesnil's
embarrassment　when　she　gave　her　testimonyand　also　the　total
extinction　of　voice　that　attacked　her　when　the　judge　a