the two brothers-第44章
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news for the first time。 I have never written to my sister; my father
made me promise not to leave her any of my property; to leave it to
the Church sooner than to her。 Well; I won't receive my sister Agathe
to this house; or her sons〃
〃Your father was wrong; my dear Jean…Jacques; and Madame Brazier is
still more wrong;〃 answered Max。 〃Your father no doubt had his
reasons; but he is dead; and his hatred should die with him。 Your
sister is your sister; and your nephews are your nephews。 You owe it
to yourself to welcome them; and you owe it to us as well。 What would
people say in Issoudun? Thunder! I've got enough upon my shoulders as
it is; without hearing people say that we shut you up and don't allow
you a will of your own; or that we influence you against your
relations and are trying to get hold of your property。 The devil take
me if I don't pull up stakes and be off; if that sort of calumny is to
be flung at me! the other is bad enough! Let's eat our breakfast。〃
Flore; who was now as mild as a weasel; helped Vedie to set the table。
Old Rouget; full of admiration for Max; took him by both hands and led
him into the recess of a window; saying in a low voice:
〃Ah! Max; if I had a son; I couldn't love him better than I love you。
Flore is right: you two are my real family。 You are a man of honor;
Max; and what you have just said is true。〃
〃You ought to receive and entertain your sister and her son; but not
change the arrangements you have made about your property;〃 said Max。
〃In that way you will do what is right in the eyes of the world; and
yet keep your promise to your father。〃
〃Well! my dear loves!〃 cried Flore; gayly; 〃the salmi is getting cold。
Come; my old rat; here's a wing for you;〃 she said; smiling on Jean…
Jacques。
At the words; the long…drawn face of the poor creature lost its
cadaverous tints; the smile of a Theriaki flickered on his pendent
lips; but he was seized with another fit of coughing; for the joy of
being taken back to favor excited as violent an emotion as the
punishment itself。 Flore rose; pulled a little cashmere shawl from her
own shoulders; and tied it round the old man's throat; exclaiming:
〃How silly to put yourself in such a way about nothing。 There; you old
goose; that will do you good; it has been next my heart〃
〃What a good creature!〃 said Rouget to Max; while Flore went to fetch
a black velvet cap to cover the nearly bald head of the old bachelor。
〃As good as she is beautiful〃; answered Max; 〃but she is quick…
tempered; like all people who carry their hearts in their hands。〃
The baldness of this sketch may displease some; who will think the
flashes of Flore's character belong to the sort of realism which a
painter ought to leave in shadow。 Well! this scene; played again and
again with shocking variations; is; in its coarse way and its horrible
veracity; the type of such scenes played by women on whatever rung of
the social ladder they are perched; when any interest; no matter what;
draws them from their own line of obedience and induces them to grasp
at power。 In their eyes; as in those of politicians; all means to an
end are justifiable。 Between Flore Brazier and a duchess; between a
duchess and the richest bourgeoise; between a bourgeoise and the most
luxuriously kept mistress; there are no differences except those of
the education they have received; and the surroundings in which they
live。 The pouting of a fine lady is the same thing as the violence of
a Rabouilleuse。 At all levels; bitter sayings; ironical jests; cold
contempt; hypocritical complaints; false quarrels; win as much success
as the low outbursts of this Madame Everard of Issoudun。
Max began to relate; with much humor; the tale of Fario and his
barrow; which made the old man laugh。 Vedie and Kouski; who came to
listen; exploded in the kitchen; and as to Flore; she laughed
convulsively。 After breakfast; while Jean…Jacques read the newspapers
(for they subscribed to the 〃Constitutionel〃 and the 〃Pandore〃); Max
carried Flore to his own quarters。
〃Are you quite sure he has not made any other will since the one in
which he left the property to you?〃
〃He hasn't anything to write with;〃 she answered。
〃He might have dictated it to some notary;〃 said Max; 〃we must look
out for that。 Therefore it is well to be cordial to the Bridaus; and
at the same time endeavor to turn those mortgages into money。 The
notaries will be only too glad to make the transfers; it is grist to
their mill。 The Funds are going up; we shall conquer Spain; and
deliver Ferdinand VII。 and the Cortez; and then they will be above
par。 You and I could make a good thing out of it by putting the old
fellow's seven hundred and fifty thousand francs into the Funds at
eighty…nine。 Only you must try to get it done in your name; it will be
so much secured anyhow。〃
〃A capital idea!〃 said Flore。
〃And as there will be an income of fifty thousand francs from eight
hundred and ninety thousand; we must make him borrow one hundred and
forty thousand francs for two years; to be paid back in two
instalments。 In two years; we shall get one hundred thousand francs IN
Paris; and ninety thousand here; and risk nothing。〃
〃If it were not for you; my handsome Max; what would become of me
now?〃 she said。
〃Oh! to…morrow night at Mere Cognette's; after I have seen the
Parisians; I shall find a way to make the Hochons themselves get rid
of them。〃
〃Ah! what a head you've got; my angel! You are a love of a man。〃
The place Saint…Jean is at the centre of a long street called at the
upper end the rue Grand Narette; and at the lower the rue Petite
Narette。 The word 〃Narette〃 is used in Berry to express the same lay
of the land as the Genoese word 〃salita〃 indicates;that is to say; a
steep street。 The Grand Narette rises rapidly from the place Saint…
Jean to the port Vilatte。 The house of old Monsieur Hochon is exactly
opposite that of Jean…Jacques Rouget。 From the windows of the room
where Madame Hochon usually sat; it was easy to see what went on at
the Rouget household; and vice versa; when the curtains were drawn
back or the doors were left open。 The Hochon house was like the Rouget
house; and the two were doubtless built by the same architect。
Monsieur Hochon; formerly tax…collector at Selles in Berry; born;
however; at Issoudun; had returned to his native place and married the
sister of the sub…delegate; the gay Lousteau; exchanging his office at
Selles for another of the same kind at Issoudun。 Having retired before
1787; he escaped the dangers of the Revolution; to whose principles;
however; he firmly adhered; like all other 〃honest men〃 who howl with
the winners。 Monsieur Hochon came honestly by the reputation of miser。
but it would be mere repetition to sketch him here。 A single specimen
of the avarice which made him famous will suffice to make you see
Monsieur Hochon as he was。
At the wedding of his daughter; now dead; who married a Borniche; it
was necessary to give a dinner to the Borniche family。 The bridegroom;
who was heir to a large fortune; had suffered great mortification from
having mismanaged his property; and still more because his father and
mother refused to help him out。 The old people; who were living at the
time of the marriage; were delighted to see Monsieur Hochon step in as
guardian;for the purpose; of course; of making his daughter's dowry
secure。 On the day of the dinner; which was given to celebrate the
signing of the marriage contract; the chief relations of the two
families were assembled in the salon; the Hochons on one side; the
Borniches on the other;all in their best clothes。 While the contract
was being solemnly read aloud by young Heron; the notary; the cook
came into the room and asked Monsieur Hochon for some twine to truss
up the turkey;an essential feature of the repast。 The old man dove
into the pocket of his surtout; pulled