the lesser bourgeoisie-第52章

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it　is　unnecessary　for　me　to　warn　you　that　there　is　not　a　moment　to
lose　in　putting　our　irons　into　the　fire。〃

〃Two　days　hence　I　have　an　appointment　with　la　Peyrade；〃　said　Cerizet。
〃We　have　a　little　matter　of　business　of　our　own　to　settle。　Don't　you
think　it　would　be　best　to　wait　till　then；　when　I　can　introduce　the
proposal　incidentally？　In　case　of　resistance；　I　think　that　arrangement
would　best　conduce　to　OUR　dignity。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　said　du　Portail；　〃it　isn't　much　of　a　delay。　Remember；
monsieur；　that　if　you　succeed　you　have；　in　place　of　a　man　able　to
bring　you　to　a　stern　account　for　your　IMPRUDENT　ASSISTANCE　to　Madame
Cardinal；　a　greatly　obliged　person；　who　will　be　ready　at　all　times　to
serve　you；　and　whose　influence　is　greater　than　is　generally　supposed。〃

After　these　friendly　words；　the　pair　separated　with　a　thoroughly　good
understanding；　and　well　satisfied　with　each　other。



CHAPTER　XVII

IN　WHICH　THE　LAMB　DEVOURS　THE　WOLF

The　evening　before　the　day　already　agreed　upon；　Theodose　received　from
Cerizet　the　following　note：

〃To…morrow；　lease　or　no　lease；　Rocher　de　Cancale；　half…past　six
o'clock。〃

As　for　Dutocq；　Cerizet　saw　him　every　day；　for　he　was　still　his　copying
clerk；　he　therefore　gave　him　his　invitation　by　word　of　mouth；　but　the
attentive　reader　must　remark　a　difference　in　the　hour　named：　〃Quarter…
past…six；　Rocher　de　Cancale；〃　said　Cerizet。　It　was　evident；　therefore；
that　he　wanted　that　fifteen　minutes　with　Dutocq　before　the　arrival　of
la　Peyrade。

These　minutes　the　usurer　proposed　to　employ　in　jockeying　Dutocq　in　the
purchase　of　the　notes；　he　fancied　that　if　the　proposition　to　buy　them
were　suddenly　put　before　him　without　the　slightest　preparation　it
might　be　more　readily　received。　By　not　leaving　the　seller　time　to
bethink　himself；　perhaps　he　might　lead　him　to　loosen　his　grasp；　and
the　notes　once　bought　below　par；　he　could　consider　at　his　leisure
whether　to　pocket　the　difference　or　curry　favor　with　du　Portail　for
the　discount　he　had　obtained。　Let　us　say；　moreover；　that　apart　from
self…interest；　Cerizet　would　still　have　endeavored　to　scrape　a　little
profit　out　of　his　friend；　'twas　an　instinct　and　a　need　of　his　nature。
He　had　as　great　a　horror　for　straight　courses　as　the　lovers　of　English
gardens　show　in　the　lines　of　their　paths。

Dutocq；　having　still　a　portion　of　the　cost　of　his　practice　to　pay　off；
was　forced　to　live　very　sparingly；　so　that　a　dinner　at　the　Rocher　de
Cancale　was　something　of　an　event　in　the　economy　of　his　straitened
existence。　He　arrived；　therefore；　with　that　punctuality　which
testifies　to　an　interest　in　the　occasion；　and　precisely　at　a　quarter
past　six　he　entered　the　private　room　of　the　restaurant　where　Cerizet
awaited　him。

〃It　is　queer；〃　he　said；　〃here　we　are　returned　to　precisely　the
situation　in　which　we　began　our　business　relationship　with　la　Peyrade；
except；　to　be　sure；　that　this　present　place　of　meeting　of　the　three
emperors　is　more　comfortable；　I　prefer　the　Tilsit　of　the　rue
Montgorgeuil　to　the　Tilsit　of　the　Cheval　Rouge。〃

〃Faith！〃　said　Cerizet；　〃I　don't　know　that　the　results　justify　the
change；　for；　to　be　frank；　where　are　the　profits　to　US　in　the　scheme　of
our　triumvirate？〃

〃But；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃it　was　a　bargain　with　a　long　time　limit。　It　can't
be　said　that　la　Peyrade　has　lost　much　time　in　getting　installed
forgive　the　punat　the　Thuilleries。　The　scamp　has　made　his　way　pretty
fast；　you　must　own　that。〃

〃Not　so　fast　but　what　his　marriage；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃is　at　the　present
moment　a　very　doubtful　thing。〃

〃Doubtful！〃　cried　Dutocq；　〃why　doubtful？〃

〃Well；　I　am　commissioned　to　propose　to　him　another　wife；　and　I'm　not
sure　that　any　choice　is　left　to　him。〃

〃What　the　devil　are　you　about；　my　dear　fellow；　lending　your　hand　in
this　way　to　another　marriage　when　you　know　we　have　a　mortgage　on　the
first？〃

〃One　isn't　always　master　of　circumstances；　my　friend；　I　saw　at　once
when　the　new　affair　was　laid　before　me　that　the　one　we　had　settled　on
must　infallibly　go　by　the　board。　Consequently；　I've　tried　to　work　it
round　in　our　interests；　yours　and　mine。〃

〃Ah　ca！　do　you　mean　they　are　pulling　caps　for　this　Theodose？　Who　is
the　new　match？　Has　she　money？〃

〃The　'dot'　is　pretty　good；　quite　as　much　as　Mademoiselle
Colleville's。〃

〃Then　I　wouldn't　give　a　fig　for　it。　La　Peyrade　has　signed　those　notes
and　he　will　pay　them。〃

〃Will　he　pay　them？　that's　the　question。　You　are　not　a　business　man；
neither　is　Theodose；　it　may　come　into　his　head　to　dispute　the　validity
of　those　notes。　What　security　have　we　that　if　the　facts　about　their
origin　should　come　out；　and　the　Thuillier　marriage　shouldn't　come　off；
the　court　of　commerce　mightn't　annul　them　as　'obligations　without
cause。'　For　my　part；　I　should　laugh　at　such　a　decision；　I　can　stand
it；　and；　moreover；　my　precautions　are　taken；　but　you；　as　clerk　to　a
justice…of…peace；　don't　you　see　that　such　an　affair　would　give　the
chancellor　a　bone　to　pick　with　you？〃

〃But；　my　good　fellow；〃　said　Dutocq；　with　the　ill…humor　of　a　man　who
sees　himself　face　to　face　with　an　argument　he　can't　refute；　〃you　seem
to　have　a　mania　for　stirring　up　matters　and　meddling　with〃

〃I　tell　you　again；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃this　came　to　me；　I　didn't　seek　it；
but　I　saw　at　once　that　there　was　no　use　struggling　against　the
influence　that　is　opposing　us；　so　I　chose　the　course　of　saving
ourselves　by　a　sacrifice。〃

〃A　sacrifice！　what　sort　of　sacrifice？〃

〃Parbleu！　I've　sold　my　share　of　those　notes；　leaving　those　who　bought
them　to　fight　it　out　with　Master　barrister。〃

〃Who　is　the　purchaser？〃

〃Who　do　you　suppose　would　step　into　my　shoes　unless　it　were　the
persons　who　have　an　interest　in　this　other　marriage；　and　who　want　to
hold　a　power　over　Theodose；　and　control　him　by　force　if　necessary。〃

〃Then　my　share　of　the　notes　is　equally　important　to　them？〃

〃No　doubt；　but　I　couldn't　speak　for　you　until　I　had　consulted　you。〃

〃What　do　they　offer？〃

〃Hang　it！　my　dear　fellow；　the　same　that　I　accepted。　Knowing　better
than　you　the　danger　of　their　competition　I　sold　out　to　them　on　very
bad　terms。〃

〃Well；　but　what　are　they；　those　terms？〃

〃I　gave　up　my　shares　for　fifteen　thousand　francs。〃

〃Come；　come！〃　said　Dutocq；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃what　you　are
after　is　to　recover　a　loss　（if　you　made　it）　by　a　commission　on　my
shareand　perhaps；　after　all；　the　whole　thing　is　only　a　plot　between
you　and　la　Peyrade〃

〃At　any　rate；　my　good　friend；　you　don't　mince　your　words；　an　infamous
thought　comes　into　your　head　and　you　state　it　with　charming　frankness。
Luckily　you　shall　presently　hear　me　make　the　proposal　to　Theodose；　and
you　are　clever　enough　to　know　by　his　manner　if　there　has　been　any
connivance　between　us。〃

〃So　be　it！〃　said　Dutocq。　〃I　withdraw　the　insinuation；　but　I　must　say
your　employers　are　pirates；　I　call　their　proposal　throttling　people。　I
have　not；　like　you；　something　to　fall　back　upon。〃

〃Well；　you　poor　fellow；　this　is　how　I　reasoned：　I　said　to　myself；　That
good　Dutocq　is　terribly　pressed　for　the　last　payment　on　his　practice；
this　will　give　him　enough　to　pay　it　off　at　one　stroke；　events　have
proved　that　there　are　great　uncertainties　about　our　Theodose…and…
Thuillier　scheme；　here's　money　down；　live　money；　and　therefore　it
won't　be　so　bad　a　bargain　after　all。〃

〃It　is　a　loss　of　two…fifths！〃

〃Come；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃you　were　talking　just　now　of　commissions。　I　see
a　means　of　getting　one　for　you　if　you'll　engage　to　batter　down　this
Colleville　marriage。　If　you　will　cry　it　down　as　you　have　lately　cried
it　up　I　shouldn't　despair　of　getting　you　a　round　twenty　thousand　out
of　the　affair。〃

〃Then　you　think　that　this　new　proposal　will　not　be　agreeable　to　la
Peyrade；that　he'll　reject　it？　Is　it　some　heiress　on　whom　he　has
already　taken　a　mortgage？〃

〃All　that　I　can　tell　you　is　that　these　people　expect　some　difficulty
in　bringing　the　matter　to　a　conclusion。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　desire　better　than　to　follow　your　lead　and　do　what　is
disagreeable　to　la　Peyrade；　but　five　thousand　francsthink　of　it！it
is　too　much　to　lose。〃

At　this　moment　the　door　opened；　and　a　waiter　ushered　in　the　expected
guest。

〃You　can　serve　dinner；〃　said　Cerizet　to　the　waiter；　〃we　are　all　here。〃

It　was