the lesser bourgeoisie-第69章

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interview　to　which　the　countess　had　invited　him。

The　morning　had　been　rainy；　and　this　great　calculator　was；　of　course；
not　ignorant　how　much　a　spot　of　mud；　tarnishing　the　brilliancy　of
varnished　boots；　could　lower　a　man　in　the　opinion　of　some。　He
therefore　sent　his　porter　for　a　cabriolet；　and　about　three　o'clock　in
the　afternoon　he　drove　from　the　rue　Saint…Dominique　d'Enfer　toward　the
elegant　latitudes　of　the　Madeleine。　It　may　well　be　believed　that
certain　cares　had　been　bestowed　upon　his　toilet；　which　ought　to
present　a　happy　medium　between　the　negligent　ease　of　a　morning　costume
and　the　ceremonious　character　of　an　evening　suit。　Condemned　by　his
profession　to　a　white　cravat；　which　he　rarely　laid　aside；　and　not
venturing　to　present　himself　in　anything　but　a　dress…coat；　he　felt
himself　being　drawn；　of　necessity；　to　one　of　the　extremes　he　desired
to　avoid。　However　by　buttoning　up　his　coat　and　wearing　tan　instead　of
straw…colored　gloves；　he　managed　to　UNSOLEMNIZE　himself；　and　to　avoid
that　provincial　air　which　a　man　in　full　dress　walking　the　streets　of
Paris　while　the　sun　is　above　the　horizon　never　fails　to　convey。

The　wary　diplomatist　was　careful　not　to　drive　to　the　house　where　he
was　going。　He　was　unwilling　to　be　seen　from　the　countess'　entresol
issuing　from　a　hired　cab；　and　from　the　first　floor　he　feared　to　be
discovered　stopping　short　on　his　way　up　at　the　lower　floor；a
proceeding　which　could　not　fail　to　give　rise　to　countless　conjectures。

He　therefore　ordered　the　driver　to　pull　up　at　the　corner　of　the　rue
Royale；　whence；　along　a　pavement　that　was　now　nearly　dry；　he　picked
his　way　on　tiptoe　to　the　house。　It　so　chanced　that　he　was　not　seen　by
either　the　porter　or　his　wife；　the　former　being　beadle　of　the　church
of　the　Madeleine；　was　absent　at　a　service；　and　the　wife　had　just　gone
up　to　show　a　vacant　apartment　to　a　lodger。　Theodose　was　therefore　able
to　glide　unobserved　to　the　door　of　the　sanctuary　he　desired　to
penetrate。　A　soft　touch　of　his　hand　to　the　silken　bell…rope　caused　a
sound　which　echoed　from　the　interior　of　the　apartment。　A　few　seconds
elapsed；　and　then　another　and　more　imperious　bell　of　less　volume
seemed　to　him　a　notification　to　the　maid　that　her　delay　in　opening　the
door　was　displeasing　to　her　mistress。　A　moment　later；　a　waiting…woman；
of　middle　age；　and　too　well　trained　to　dress　like　a　〃soubrette〃　of
comedy；　opened　the　door　to　him。

The　lawyer　gave　his　name；　and　the　woman　ushered　him　into　a
dining…room；　severely　luxurious；　where　she　asked　him　to　wait。　A　moment
later；　however；　she　returned；　and　admitted　him　into　the　most
coquettish　and　splendid　salon　it　was　possible　to　insert　beneath　the
low　ceilings　of　an　entresol。　The　divinity　of　the　place　was　seated
before　a　writing…table　covered　with　a　Venetian　cloth；　in　which　gold
glittered　in　little　spots　among　the　dazzling　colors　of　the　tapestry。

〃Will　you　allow　me；　monsieur；　to　finish　a　letter　of　some　importance？〃
she　said。

The　barrister　bowed　in　sign　of　assent。　The　handsome　Hungarian　then
concluded　a　note　on　blue　English　paper；　which　she　placed　in　an
envelope；　after　sealing　it　carefully；　she　rang　the　bell。　The　maid
appeared　immediately　and　lighted　a　little　spirit　lamp；　above　the　lamp
was　suspended　a　sort　of　tiny　crucible；　in　which　was　a　drop　of　sealing…
wax；　as　soon　as　this　had　melted；　the　maid　poured　it　on　the　envelope；
presenting　to　her　mistress　a　seal　with　armorial　bearings。　This　the
countess　imprinted　on　the　wax　with　her　own　beautiful　hands；　and　then
said：

〃Take　the　letter　at　once　to　that　address。〃

The　woman　made　a　movement　to　take　the　letter；　but；　either　from　haste
or　inadvertence；　the　paper　fell　from　her　hand　close　to　la　Peyrade's
feet。　He　stooped　hastily　to　pick　it　up；　and　read　the　direction
involuntarily。　It　bore　the　words；　〃His　Excellency　the　Minister　of
Foreign　Affairs〃；　the　significant　words；　〃For　him　only；〃　written
higher　up；　seemed　to　give　this　missive　a　character　of　intimacy。

〃Pardon；　monsieur；〃　said　the　countess；　receiving　the　paper；　which　he
had　the　good　taste　to　return　to　her　own　hands　in　order　to　show　his
eagerness　to　serve　her。　〃Be　so　good；　mademoiselle；　as　to　carry　that　in
a　way　not　to　lose　it；〃　she　added　in　a　dry　tone　to　the　unlucky　maid。
The　countess　then　left　her　writing…table　and　took　her　seat　on　a　sofa
covered　with　pearl…gray　satin。

During　these　proceedings　la　Peyrade　had　the　satisfaction　of　making　an
inventory　of　all　the　choice　things　by　which　he　was　surrounded。
Paintings　by　good　masters　detached　themselves　from　walls　of　even　tone；
on　a　pier…table　stood　a　very　tall　Japanese　vase；　before　the　windows
the　jardinieres　were　filled　with　lilium　rubrum；　showing　its　handsome
reversely　curling　petals　surmounted　by　white　and　red　camellias　and　a
dwarf　magnolia　from　China；　with　flowers　of　sulphur　white　with　scarlet
edges。　In　a　corner　was　a　stand　of　arms；　of　curious　shapes　and　rich
construction；　explained；　perhaps；　by　the　lady's　Hungarian　nationality
always　that　of　the　hussar。　A　few　bronzes　and　statuettes　of　exquisite
selection；　chairs　rolling　softly　on　Persian　carpets；　and　a　perfect
anarchy　of　stuffs　of　all　kinds　completed　the　arrangement　of　this
salon；　which　the　lawyer　had　once　before　visited　with　Brigitte　and
Thuillier　before　the　countess　moved　into　it。　It　was　so　transformed
that　it　seemed　to　him　unrecognizable。　With　a　little　more　knowledge　of
the　world　la　Peyrade　would　have　been　less　surprised　at　the　marvellous
care　given　by　the　countess　to　the　decoration　of　the　room。　A　woman's
salon　is　her　kingdom；　and　her　absolute　domain；　there；　in　the　fullest
sense　of　the　word；　she　reigns；　she　governs；　there　she　offers　battle；
and　nearly　always　comes　off　victorious。

Coquettishly　lying　back　in　a　corner　of　the　sofa；　her　head　carelessly
supported　by　an　arm　the　form　and　whiteness　of　which　could　be　seen
nearly　to　the　elbow　through　the　wide；　open　sleeve　of　a　black　velvet
dressing…gown；　her　Cinderella　foot　in　its　dainty　slipper　of　Russia
leather　resting　on　a　cushion　of　orange　satin；　the　handsome　Hungarian
had　the　look　of　a　portrait　by　Laurence　or　Winterhalter；　plus　the
naivete　of　the　pose。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　with　the　slightly　foreign　accent　which　lent　an
added　charm　to　her　words；　〃I　cannot　help　thinking　it　rather　droll　that
a　man　of　your　mind　and　rare　penetration　should　have　thought　you　had　an
enemy　in　me。〃

〃But；　Madame　la　comtesse；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　allowing　her　to　read　in
his　eyes　an　astonishment　mingled　with　distrust；　〃all　the　appearances；
you　must　admit；　were　of　that　nature。　A　suitor　interposes　to　break　off
a　marriage　which　has　been　offered　to　me　with　every　inducement；　this
rival　does　me　the　service　of　showing　himself　so　miraculously　stupid
and　awkward　that　I　could　easily　have　set　him　aside；　when　suddenly　a
most　unlooked…for　and　able　auxiliary　devotes　herself　to　protecting　him
on　the　very　ground　where　he　shows　himself　most　vulnerable。〃

〃You　must　admit；〃　said　the　countess；　laughing；　〃that　the　protege
showed　himself　a　most　intelligent　man；　and　that　he　seconded　my　efforts
valiantly。〃

〃His　clumsiness　could　not　have　been；　I　think；　very　unexpected　to　you；〃
replied　la　Peyrade；　〃therefore　the　protection　you　have　deigned　to　give
him　is　the　more　cruel　to　me。〃

〃What　a　misfortune　it　would　be；〃　said　the　countess；　with　charmingly
affected　satire；　〃if　your　marriage　with　Mademoiselle　Celeste　were
prevented！　Do　you　really　care　so　much；　monsieur；　for　that　little
school…girl？〃

In　that　last　word；　especially　the　intonation　with　which　it　was
uttered；　there　was　more　than　contempt；　there　was　hatred。　This
expression　did　not　escape　an　observer　of　la　Peyrade's　strength；　but
not　being　a　man　to　advance　very　far　on　a　single　remark　he　merely
replied：

〃Madame；　the　vulgar　expression；　to　'settle　down；'　explains　this
situation；　in　which　a　man；　after　many　struggles　and　being　at　an　end　of
his　efforts　and　his　illusions；　makes　a　compromise　with　the　future。
When　this　compromise　takes　the　form　of　a　young　girl　with；　I　admit；
more　virtue　than　beauty；　but　one　who　brings　to　a　husband　the　fortune
which　is　indispensable　to　the　comfort　of　married　life；　what　is　there
so　astonishing　in　the　fact　that　his　heart　yields　to　gratitude　and　that
he　welcomes　the　prospect　of