the two brothers-第13章

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law　office。　Left　orphans　and　very　poor；　and　devoted　to　each　other；　the

brother　and　sister　had　seen　life　such　as　it　is　in　Paris。　The　one

wished　to　be　a　lawyer　that　he　might　support　his　sister；　and　he　lived

on　ten　sous　a　day；　the　other　had　coldly　resolved　to　be　a　dancer；　and

to　profit　by　her　beauty　as　much　as　by　her　legs　that　she　might　buy　a

practice　for　her　brother。　Outside　of　their　feeling　for　each　other；　and

of　their　mutual　life　and　interests；　everything　was　to　them；　as　it　once

was　to　the　Romans　and　the　Hebrews；　barbaric；　outlandish；　and　hostile。

This　generous　affection；　which　nothing　ever　lessened；　explained

Mariette　to　those　who　knew　her　intimately。



The　brother　and　sister　were　living　at　this　time　on　the　eighth　floor　of

a　house　in　the　Vieille　rue　du　Temple。　Mariette　had　begun　her　studies

when　she　was　ten　years　old；　she　was　now　just　sixteen。　Alas！　for　want

of　becoming　clothes；　her　beauty；　hidden　under　a　coarse　shawl；　dressed

in　calico；　and　ill…kept；　could　only　be　guessed　by　those　Parisians　who

devote　themselves　to　hunting　grisettes　and　the　quest　of　beauty　in

misfortune；　as　she　trotted　past　them　with　mincing　step；　mounted　on

iron　pattens。　Philippe　fell　in　love　with　Mariette。　To　Mariette；

Philippe　was　commander　of　the　dragoons　of　the　Guard；　a　staff…officer

of　the　Emperor；　a　young　man　of　twenty…seven；　and　above　all；　the　means

of　proving　herself　superior　to　Florentine　by　the　evident　superiority

of　Philippe　over　Giroudeau。　Florentine　and　Giroudeau；　the　one　to

promote　his　comrade's　happiness；　the　other　to　get　a　protector　for　her

friend；　pushed　Philippe　and　Mariette　into　a　〃mariage　en　detrempe；〃a

Parisian　term　which　is　equivalent　to　〃morganatic　marriage；〃　as　applied

to　royal　personages。　Philippe　when　they　left　the　house　revealed　his

poverty　to　Giroudeau；　but　the　old　roue　reassured　him。



〃I'll　speak　to　my　nephew　Finot；〃　he　said。　〃You　see；　Philippe；　the

reign　of　phrases　and　quill…drivers　is　upon　us；　we　may　as　well　submit。

To…day；　scribblers　are　paramount。　Ink　has　ousted　gunpowder；　and　talk

takes　the　place　of　shot。　After　all；　these　little　toads　of　editors　are

pretty　good　fellows；　and　very　clever。　Come　and　see　me　to…morrow　at　the

newspaper　office；　by　that　time　I　shall　have　said　a　word　for　you　to　my

nephew。　Before　long　you'll　have　a　place　on　some　journal　or　other。

Mariette；　who　is　taking　you　at　this　moment　（don't　deceive　yourself）

because　she　literally　has　nothing；　no　engagement；　no　chance　of

appearing　on　the　stage；　and　I　have　told　her　that　you　are　going　on　a

newspaper　like　myself；Mariette　will　try　to　make　you　believe　she　is

loving　you　for　yourself；　and　you　will　believe　her！　Do　as　I　do；keep

her　as　long　as　you　can。　I　was　so　much　in　love　with　Florentine　that　I

begged　Finot　to　write　her　up　and　help　her　to　a　debut；　but　my　nephew

replied；　'You　say　she　has　talent；　well；　the　day　after　her　first

appearance　she　will　turn　her　back　on　you。'　Oh；　that's　Finot　all　over！

You'll　find　him　a　knowing　one。〃



The　next　day；　about　four　o'clock；　Philippe　went　to　the　rue　de　Sentier；

where　he　found　Giroudeau　in　the　entresol；caged　like　a　wild　beast　in

a　sort　of　hen…coop　with　a　sliding　panel；　in　which　was　a　little　stove；

a　little　table；　two　little　chairs；　and　some　little　logs　of　wood。　This

establishment　bore　the　magic　words；　SUBSCRIPTION　OFFICE；　painted　on

the　door　in　black　letters；　and　the　word　〃Cashier；〃　written　by　hand　and

fastened　to　the　grating　of　the　cage。　Along　the　wall　that　lay　opposite

to　the　cage；　was　a　bench；　where；　at　this　moment；　a　one…armed　man　was

breakfasting；　who　was　called　Coloquinte　by　Giroudeau；　doubtless　from

the　Egyptian　colors　of　his　skin。



〃A　pretty　hole！〃　exclaimed　Philippe；　looking　round　the　room。　〃In　the

name　of　thunder！　what　are　you　doing　here；　you　who　charged　with　poor

Colonel　Chabert　at　Eylau？　Youa　gallant　officer！〃



〃Well；　yes！　broum！　broum！a　gallant　officer　keeping　the　accounts　of　a

little　newspaper；〃　said　Giroudeau；　settling　his　black　silk　skull…cap。

〃Moreover；　I'm　the　working　editor　of　all　that　rubbish；〃　he　added；

pointing　to　the　newspaper　itself。



〃And　I；　who　went　to　Egypt；　I'm　obliged　to　stamp　it；〃　said　the　one…

armed　man。



〃Hold　your　tongue；　Coloquinte；〃　said　Giroudeau。　〃You　are　in　presence

of　a　hero　who　carried　the　Emperor's　orders　at　the　battle　of

Montereau。〃



Coloquinte　saluted。　〃That's　were　I　lost　my　missing　arm！〃　he　said。



〃Coloquinte；　look　after　the　den。　I'm　going　up　to　see　my　nephew。〃



The　two　soldiers　mounted　to　the　fourth　floor；　where；　in　an　attic　room

at　the　end　of　a　passage；　they　found　a　young　man　with　a　cold　light　eye；

lying　on　a　dirty　sofa。　The　representative　of　the　press　did　not　stir；

though　he　offered　cigars　to　his　uncle　and　his　uncle's　friend。



〃My　good　fellow；〃　said　Giroudeau　in　a　soothing　and　humble　tone；　〃this

is　the　gallant　cavalry　officer　of　the　Imperial　Guard　of　whom　I　spoke

to　you。〃



〃Eh！　well？〃　said　Finot；　eyeing　Philippe；　who；　like　Giroudeau；　lost　all

his　assurance　before　the　diplomatist　of　the　press。



〃My　dear　boy；〃　said　Giroudeau；　trying　to　pose　as　an　uncle；　〃the

colonel　has　just　returned　from　Texas。〃



〃Ah！　you　were　taken　in　by　that　affair　of　the　Champ　d'Asile；　were　you？

Seems　to　me　you　were　rather　young　to　turn　into　a　Soldier…laborer。〃



The　bitterness　of　this　jest　will　only　be　understood　by　those　who

remember　the　deluge　of　engravings；　screens；　clocks；　bronzes；　and

plaster…casts　produced　by　the　idea　of　the　Soldier…laborer；　a　splendid

image　of　Napoleon　and　his　heroes；　which　afterwards　made　its　appearance

on　the　stage　in　vaudevilles。　That　idea；　however；　obtained　a　national

subscription；　and　we　still　find；　in　the　depths　of　the　provinces；　old

wall…papers　which　bear　the　effigy　of　the　Soldier…laborer。　If　this

young　man　had　not　been　Giroudeau's　nephew；　Philippe　would　have　boxed

his　ears。



〃Yes；　I　was　taken　in　by　it；　I　lost　my　time；　and　twelve　thousand　francs

to　boot；〃　answered　Philippe；　trying　to　force　a　grin。



〃You　are　still　fond　of　the　Emperor？〃　asked　Finot。



〃He　is　my　god；〃　answered　Philippe　Bridau。



〃You　are　a　Liberal？〃



〃I　shall　always　belong　to　the　Constitutional　Opposition。　Oh　Foy！　oh

Manuel！　oh　Laffitte！　what　men　they　are！　They'll　rid　us　of　these

others；these　wretches；　who　came　back　to　France　at　the　heels　of　the

enemy。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Finot　coldly；　〃you　ought　to　make　something　out　of　your

misfortunes；　for　you　are　the　victim　of　the　Liberals；　my　good　fellow。

Stay　a　Liberal；　if　you　really　value　your　opinions；　but　threaten　the

party　with　the　follies　in　Texas　which　you　are　ready　to　show　up。　You

never　got　a　farthing　of　the　national　subscription；　did　you？　Well；　then

you　hold　a　fine　position：　demand　an　account　of　that　subscription。　I'll

tell　you　how　you　can　do　it。　A　new　Opposition　journal　is　just　starting；

under　the　auspices　of　the　deputies　of　the　Left；　you　shall　be　the

cashier；　with　a　salary　of　three　thousand　francs。　A　permanent　place。

All　you　want　is　some　one　to　go　security　for　you　in　twenty　thousand

francs；　find　that；　and　you　shall　be　installed　within　a　week。　I'll

advise　the　Liberals　to　silence　you　by　giving　you　the　place。　Meantime；

talk；　threaten；threaten　loudly。〃



Giroudeau　let　Philippe；　who　was　profuse　in　his　thanks；　go　down　a　few

steps　before　him；　and　then　he　turned　back　to　say　to　his　nephew；　〃Well；

you　are　a　queer　fellow！　you　keep　me　here　on　twelve　hundred　francs〃



〃That　journal　won't　live　a　year；〃　said　Finot。　〃I've　got　something

better　for　you。〃



〃Thunder！〃　cried　Philippe　to　Giroudeau。　〃He's　no　fool；　that　nephew　of

yours。　I　never　once　thought　of　making　something；　as　he　calls　it；　out

of　my　position。〃



That　night　at　the　cafe　Lemblin　and　the　cafe　Minerve　Colonel　Philippe

fulminated　against　the　Liberal　party；　which　had　raised　subscriptions；

sent　heroes　to　Texas；　talked　hypocritically　of　Soldier…laborers；　and

left　them　to　starve；　after　taking　the　money　they　had　put　into　it；　and

keeping　them　in　exile　for　two　years。



〃I　am　going　to　demand　an　account　of　the　moneys　colle