the lesser bourgeoisie-第97章

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fear　as　without　reproachhowever　much　he　might　expect　that　this
refusal　would　injure　his　son　in　his　dearest　interests；　he　bravely
refrained　from　signing　it。

This　trial　kite　had　the　happiest　effect。　The　ten　or　a　dozen　names　thus
put　forward　were　considered　to　express　the　will　of　the　electors　and
were　called　〃the　voice　of　the　quarter。〃　Thus　Thuillier's　candidacy
made　from　the　start　such　rapid　progress　that　Minard　hesitated　to　put
his　own　claims　in　opposition。

Delighted　now　with　the　course　of　events；　Brigitte　was　the　first　to　say
that　the　time　had　come　to　attend　to　the　marriage；　and　Thuillier　was
all　the　more　ready　to　agree　because；　from　day　to　day；　he　feared　he
might　be　called　upon　to　pay　the　twenty…five　thousand　francs　to　Madame
Lambert　for　which　he　had　pledged　himself。　A　thorough　explanation　now
took　place　between　la　Peyrade　and　the　old　maid。　She　told　him　honestly
of　the　fear　she　felt　as　to　the　maintenance　of　her　sovereign　authority
when　a　SON…IN…LAW　of　his　mind　and　character　was　established　in　the
household。

〃If　we；〃　she　ended　by　saying；　〃are　to　oppose　each　other　for　the　rest
of　our　days；　it　would　be　much　better；　from　the　beginning；　to　make　two
households；　we　shouldn't　be　the　less　friends　for　that。〃

La　Peyrade　replied　that　nothing　under　the　sun　would　induce　him　to
consent　to　such　a　plan；　on　the　contrary；　he　regarded　as　amongst　his
happiest　prospects　for　the　future　the　security　he　should　feel　about
the　wise　management　of　the　material　affairs　of　the　home　in　such　hands
as　hers。　He　should　have　enough　to　do　in　the　management　of　outside
interests；　and　he　could　not　comprehend；　for　his　part；　how　she　could
suppose　he　had　ever　had　the　thought　of　interfering　in　matters　that
were　absolutely　out　of　his　province。　In　short；　he　reassured　her　so
completely　that　she　urged　him　to　take　immediate　steps　for　the
publication　of　the　banns　and　the　signature　of　the　marriage　contract；
declaring　that　she　reserved　to　herself　all　the　preparations　relating
to　Celeste；　whose　acceptance　of　this　sudden　conclusion　she　pledged
herself　to　secure。

〃My　dear　child；〃　she　said　to　Celeste　the　next　morning；　〃I　think　you
have　given　up　all　idea　of　being　Felix　Phellion's　wife。　In　the　first
place；　he　is　more　of　an　atheist　than　ever；　and；　besides；　you　must　have
noticed　yourself　that　his　mind　is　quite　shaky。　You　have　seen　at　Madame
Minard's　that　Madame　Marmus；　who　married　a　savant；　officer　of　the
Legion　of　honor；　and　member　of　the　Institute。　There's　not　a　more
unhappy　woman；　her　husband　has　taken　her　to　live　behind　the
Luxembourg；　in　the　rue　Duguay…Trouin；　a　street　that　is　neither　paved
nor　lighted。　When　he　goes　out；　he　doesn't　know　where　he　is　going；　he
gets　to　the　Champ　de　Mars　when　he　wants　to　go　to　the　Faubourg
Poissoniere；　he　isn't　even　capable　of　giving　his　address　to　the　driver
of　a　street　cab；　and　he　is　so　absent…minded　he　couldn't　tell　if　it
were　before　dinner　or　after。　You　can　imagine　what　sort　of　time　a　woman
must　have　with　a　man　whose　nose　is　always　at　a　telescope　snuffing
stars。〃

〃But　Felix；〃　said　Celeste；　〃is　not　as　absent…minded　as　that。〃

〃Of　course　not；　because　he　is　younger；　but　with　years　his　absent…
mindedness　and　his　atheism　will　both　increase。　We　have　therefore
decided　that　he　is　not　the　husband　you　want；　and　we　all；　your　mother；
father；　Thuillier　and　myself；　have　determined　that　you　shall　take　la
Peyrade；　a　man　of　the　world；　who　will　make　his　way；　and　one　who　has
done　us　great　services　in　the　past；　and　who　will；　moreover；　make　your
godfather　deputy。　We　are　disposed　to　give　you；　in　consideration　of
him；　a　much　larger　'dot'　than　we　should　give　to　any　other　husband。　So；
my　dear；　it　is　settled；　the　banns　are　to　be　published　immediately；　and
this　day　week　we　sign　the　contract。　There's　to　be　a　great　dinner　for
the　family　and　intimates；　and　after　that　a　reception；　at　which　the
contract　will　be　signed　and　your　trousseau　and　corbeille　exhibited。　As
I　take　all　that　into　my　own　hands　I'll　answer　for　it　that　everything
shall　be　of　the　best　kind；　especially　if　you　are　not　babyish；　and　give
in　pleasantly　to　our　ideas。〃

〃But；　aunt　Brigitte；〃　began　Celeste；　timidly。

〃There's　no　'but；'　in　the　matter；〃　said　the　old　maid；　imperiously；　〃it
is　all　arranged；　and　will　be　carried　out；　unless；　mademoiselle；　you
pretend　to　have　more　wisdom　than　your　elders。〃

〃I　will　do　as　you　choose；　aunt；〃　replied　Celeste；　feeling　as　if　a
thunder…cloud　had　burst　upon　her　head；　and　knowing　but　too　well　that
she　had　no　power　to　struggle　against　the　iron　will　which　had　just
pronounced　her　doom。

She　went　at　once　to　pour　her　sorrows　into　Madame　Thuillier's　soul；　but
when　she　heard　her　godmother　advising　patience　and　resignation　the
poor　child　felt　that　from　that　feeble　quarter　she　could　get　no　help
for　even　the　slightest　effort　of　resistance；　and　that　her　sacrifice
was　virtually　accomplished。

Precipitating　herself　with　a　sort　of　frenzy　into　the　new　element　of
activity　thus　introduced　into　her　life；　Brigitte　took　the　field　in　the
making　of　the　trousseau　and　the　purchase　of　the　corbeille。　Like　many
misers；　who　on　great　occasions　come　out　of　their　habits　and　their
nature；　the　old　maid　now　thought　nothing　too　good　for　her　purpose；　and
she　flung　her　money　about　so　lavishly　that　until　the　day　appointed　for
the　signing　of　the　contract；　the　jeweller；　dressmaker；　milliner；
lingere；　etc。　（all　chosen　from　the　best　establishments　in　Paris）；
seemed　to　occupy　the　house。

〃It　is　like　a　procession；〃　said　Josephine；　the　cook；　admiringly；　to
Francoise；　the　Minards'　maid；　〃the　bell　never　stops　ringing　from
morning　till　night。〃



CHAPTER　XII

A　STAR

The　dinner　on　the　great　occasion　was　ordered　from　Chabot　and　Potel；
and　not　from　Chevet；　by　which　act　Brigitte　intended　to　prove　her
initiative　and　her　emancipation　from　the　late　Madame　de　Godollo。　The
invited　guests　were　as　follows：　three　Collevilles；　including　the
bride；　la　Peyrade　the　groom；　Dutocq　and　Fleury；　whom　he　had　asked　to
be　his　witnesses；　the　extremely　limited　number　of　his　relatives
leaving　him　no　choice；　Minard　and　Rabourdin；　chosen　as　witnesses　for
Celeste；　Madame　and　Mademoiselle　Minard　and　Minard　junior；　two　of
Thuillier's　colleagues　in　the　Council…general；　the　notary　Dupuis；
charged　with　the　duty　of　drawing　up　the　contract；　and　lastly；　the　Abbe
Gondrin；　director　of　the　consciences　of　Madame　Thuillier　and　Celeste；
who　was　to　give　the　nuptial　blessing。

The　latter　was　the　former　vicar　of　Saint…Jacques　du　Haut…Pas；　whose
great　refinement　of　manner　and　gift　of　preaching　had　induced　the
archbishop　to　remove　him　from　the　humble　parish　where　his　career　had
begun　to　the　aristocratic　church　of　the　Madeleine。　Since　Madame
Thuillier　and　Celeste　had　again　become　his　parishioners；　the　young
abbe　visited　them　occasionally；　and　Thuillier；　who　had　gone　to　him　to
explain；　after　his　own　fashion；　the　suitableness　of　the　choice　made
for　Celeste　in　the　person　of　la　Peyrade　（taking　pains　as　he　did　so　to
cast　reflections　on　the　religious　opinions　of　Felix　Phellion）；　had
easily　led　him　to　contribute　by　his　persuasive　words　to　the
resignation　of　the　victim。

When　the　time　came　to　sit　down　to　table　three　guests　were　missing；
two　Minards；　father　and　son；　and　the　notary　Dupuis。　The　latter　had
written　a　note　to　Thuillier　in　the　morning；　excusing　himself　from　the
dinner；　but　saying　that　at　nine　o'clock　precisely　he　would　bring　the
contract　and　place　himself　at　the　orders　of　Mademoiselle　Thuillier。　As
for　Julien　Minard；　his　mother　excused　him　as　being　confined　to　his
room　with　a　sore…throat。　The　absence　of　Minard　senior　remained
unexplained；　but　Madame　Minard　insisted　that　they　should　sit　down　to
table　without　him；　which　was　done；　Brigitte　ordering　that　the　soup　be
kept　hot　for　him；　because　in　the　bourgeois　code　of　manners　and　customs
a　dinner　without　soup　is　no　dinner　at　all。

The　repast　was　far　from　gay；　and　though　the　fare　was　better；　the
vivacity　and　the　warmth　of　the　conversation　was　far；　indeed；　from　that
of　the　famous　improvised　banquet　at　the　time　of　the　election　to　the
Council…general。　The　gaps　occasioned　by　the　absence　of　three　guests
may　have　been　one　reason；　then　Flavie　was　glum；　she　had　had　an
interview　with　la　Peyrade　i