the lesser bourgeoisie-第95章

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〃Yes；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃the　law　of　the　vanquished。〃

Soon　after　this；　the　porter　opened　the　door　and　introduced　Madame
Lambert；　whom　he　had　found　at　home；　and　who　arrived　looking　rather
frightened。

〃You　are　Madame　Lambert？〃　asked　Thuillier；　magisterially。

〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　said　the　woman；　in　an　anxious　voice。

After　requesting　her　to　be　seated　and　noticing　that　the　porter　was
still　there　as　if　awaiting　further　orders　he　said　to　the　man：

〃That　will　do；　you　may　go；　and　don't　let　any　one　disturb　us。〃

The　gravity　and　the　lordly　tone　assumed　by　Thuillier　only　increased
Madame　Lambert's　uneasiness。　She　came　expecting　to　see　only　la
Peyrade；　and　she　found　herself　received　by　an　unknown　man　with　a
haughty　manner；　while　the　barrister；　who　had　merely　bowed　to　her；　said
not　a　word；　moreover；　the　scene　took　place　in　a　newspaper　office；　and
it　is　a　well…known　fact　that　to　pious　persons　especially　all　that
relates　to　the　press　is　infernal　and　diabolical。

〃Well；〃　said　Thuillier　to　the　barrister；　〃it　seems　to　me　that　nothing
hinders　you　from　explaining　to　madame　why　you　have　sent　for　her。〃

In　order　to　leave　no　loophole　for　suspicion　in　Thuillier's　mind　la
Peyrade　knew　that　he　must　put　his　question　bluntly　and　without　the
slightest　preparation；　he　therefore　said　to　her　〃ex　abrupto〃：

〃We　wish　to　ask　you；　madame；　if　it　is　not　true　that　about　two　and　a
half　months　ago　you　placed　in　my　hands；　subject　to　interest；　the　sum；
in　round　numbers；　of　twenty…five　thousand　francs。〃

Though　she　felt　the　eyes　of　Thuillier　and　those　of　la　Peyrade　upon
her；　Madame　Lambert；　under　the　shock　of　this　question　fired　at　her
point…blank；　could　not　restrain　a　start。

〃Heavens！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃twenty…five　thousand　francs！　and　where
should　I　get　such　a　sum　as　that？〃

La　Peyrade　gave　no　sign　on　his　face　of　the　vexation　he　might　be
supposed　to　feel。　As　for　Thuillier；　who　now　looked　at　him　with
sorrowful　commiseration；　he　merely　said：

〃You　see；　my　friend！〃

〃So；〃　resumed　la　Peyrade；　〃you　are　very　certain　that　you　did　not　place
in　my　hands　the　sum　of　twenty…five　thousand　francs；　you　declare　this；
you　affirm　it？〃

〃Why；　monsieur！　did　you　ever　hear　of　such　a　sum　as　that　in　the　pocket
of　a　poor　woman　like　me？　The　little　that　I　had；　as　everybody　knows；
has　gone　to　eke　out　the　housekeeping　of　that　poor　dear　gentleman　whose
servant　I　have　been　for　more　than　twenty　years。〃

〃This；〃　said　Thuillier；　pompously；　〃seems　to　me　categorical。〃

La　Peyrade　still　did　not　show　the　slightest　sign　of　annoyance；　on　the
contrary；　he　seemed　to　be　playing　into　Thuillier's　hand。

〃You　hear；　my　dear　Thuillier；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　necessary　I　shall　call
for　your　testimony；　that　madame　here　declares　that　she　did　not　possess
twenty…five　thousand　francs　and　could　not　therefore　have　placed　them
in　my　hands。　Now；　as　the　notary　Dupuis；　in　whose　hands　I　fancied　I　had
placed　them；　left　Paris　this　morning　for　Brussels　carrying　with　him
the　money　of　all　his　clients；　I　have　no　account　with　madame；　by　her
own　showing；　and　the　absconding　of　the　notary〃

〃Has　the　notary　Dupuis　absconded？〃　screamed　Madame　Lambert；　driven　by
this　dreadful　news　entirely　out　of　her　usual　tones　of　dulcet　sweetness
and　Christian　resignation。　〃Ah；　the　villain！　it　was　only　this　morning
that　he　was　taking　the　sacrament　at　Saint…Jacques　du　Haut…Pas。〃

〃To　pray　for　a　safe　journey；　probably；〃　said　la　Peyrade。

〃Monsieur　talks　lightly　enough；〃　continued　Madame　Lambert；　〃though
that　brigand　has　carried　off　my　savings。　But　I　gave　them　to　monsieur；
and　monsieur　is　answerable　to　me　for　them；　he　is　the　only　one　I　know
in　this　transaction。〃

〃Hey？〃　said　la　Peyrade　to　Thuillier；　pointing　to　Madame　Lambert；　whose
whole　demeanor　had　something　of　the　mother…wolf　suddenly　bereft　of　her
cubs；　〃is　that　nature？　tell　me！　Do　you　think　now　that　madame　and　I　are
playing　a　comedy　for　your　benefit？〃

〃I　am　thunderstruck　at　Cerizet's　audacity；〃　said　Thuillier。　〃I　am
overwhelmed　with　my　own　stupidity；　there　is　nothing　for　me　to　do　but
to　submit　myself　entirely　to　your　discretion。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　gaily；　〃excuse　me　for　thus　frightening　you；
the　notary　Dupuis　is　still　a　very　saintly　man；　and　quite　incapable　of
doing　an　injury　to　his　clients。　As　for　monsieur　here；　it　was　necessary
that　I　should　prove　to　him　that　you　had　really　placed　that　money　in　my
hands；　he　is；　however；　another　myself；　and　your　secret；　though　known
to　him；　is　as　safe　as　it　is　with　me。〃

〃Oh；　very　good；　monsieur！〃　said　Madame　Lambert。　〃I　suppose　these
gentlemen　have　no　further　need　of　me？〃

〃No；　my　dear　madame；　and　I　beg　you　to　pardon　me　for　the　little　terror
I　was　compelled　to　occasion　you。〃

Madame　Lambert　turned　to　leave　the　room　with　all　the　appearance　of
respectful　humility；　but　when　she　reached　the　door；　she　retraced　her
steps；　and　coming　close　to　la　Peyrade　said；　in　her　smoothest　tones：

〃When　does　monsieur　expect　to　be　able　to　refund　me　that　money？〃

〃But　I　told　you；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　stiffly；　〃that　notaries　never
return　on　demand　the　money　placed　in　their　hands。〃

〃Does　monsieur　think　that　if　I　went　to　see　Monsieur　Dupuis　himself　and
asked　him〃

〃I　think；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　interrupting　her；　〃that　you　would　do　a
most　ridiculous　thing。　He　received　the　money　from　me　in　my　own　name；
as　you　requested；　and　he　knows　only　me　in　the　matter。〃

〃Then　monsieur　will　be　so　kind；　will　he　not；　as　to　get　back　that　money
for　me　as　soon　as　possible？　I　am　sure　I　would　not　wish　to　press
monsieur；　but　in　two　or　three　months　from　now　I　may　want　it；　I　have
heard　of　a　little　property　it　would　suit　me　to　buy。〃

〃Very　good；　Madame　Lambert；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　with　well…concealed
irritation；　〃it　shall　be　done　as　you　wish；　and　in　less　time；　perhaps；
than　you　have　stated　I　shall　hope　to　return　your　money　to　you。〃

〃That　won't　inconvenience　monsieur；　I　trust；〃　said　the　woman；　〃he　told
me　that　at　the　first　indiscretion　I　committed〃

〃Yes；　yes；　that　is　all　understood；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　interrupting　her。

〃Then　I　have　the　honor　to　be　the　very　humble　servant　of　these
gentlemen；〃　said　Madame　Lambert；　now　departing　definitively。

〃You　see；　my　friend；　the　trouble　you　have　got　me　into；〃　said　la
Peyrade　to　Thuillier　as　soon　as　they　were　alone；　〃and　to　what　I　am
exposed　by　my　kindness　in　satisfying　your　diseased　mind。　That　debt　was
dormant；　it　was　in　a　chronic　state；　and　you　have　waked　it　up　and　made
it　acute。　The　woman　brought　me　the　money　and　insisted　on　my　keeping
it；　at　a　good　rate　of　interest。　I　refused　at　first；　then　I　agreed　to
place　it　in　Dupuis's　hands；　explaining　to　her　that　it　couldn't　be
withdrawn　at　once；　but　subsequently；　when　Dutocq　pressed　me；　I
decided；　after　all；　to　keep　it　myself。〃

〃I　am　dreadfully　sorry；　dear　friend；　for　my　silly　credulity。　But　don't
be　uneasy　about　the　exactions　of　that　woman；　we　will　manage　to　arrange
all　that；　even　if　I　have　to　make　you　an　advance　upon　Celeste's　'dot。'〃

〃My　excellent　friend；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃it　is　absolutely　necessary
that　we　should　talk　over　our　private　arrangements；　to　tell　you　the
truth；　I　have　no　fancy　for　being　hauled　up　every　morning　and
questioned　as　to　my　conduct。　Just　now；　while　waiting　for　that　woman；　I
drew　up　a　little　agreement；　which　you　and　I　will　discuss　and　sign；　if
you　please；　before　the　first　number　of　the　paper　is　issued。〃

〃But；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃our　deed　of　partnership　seems　to　me　to
settle〃

〃that　by　a　paltry　forfeit　of　five　thousand　francs；　as　stated　in
Article　14；〃　interrupted　Theodose；　〃you　can　put　me；　when　you　choose；
out　of　doors。　No；　I　thank　you！　After　my　experience　to…day；　I　want　some
better　security　than　that。〃

At　this　moment　Cerizet　with　a　lively　and　all…conquering　air；　entered
the　room。

〃My　masters！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I've　brought　the　money；　and　we　can　now
sign　the　bond。〃

Then；　remarking　that　his　news　was　received　with　extreme　coldness；　he
added：

〃Well？　what　is　it？〃

〃It　is　this；〃　replied　Thuillier：　〃I　refuse　to　be　associated　with
double…face　men　and　calumniators。　We　have　no　need　of　you　or　your
money；　and　I　request　you　not　to　honor　these　precincts　any　longer　with
your　presence。〃

〃Dear！　dear！　dear！〃　said　Cerizet；　〃so　papa　Thuillier　has　let　the　wool