modeste mignon-第56章

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Modeste　the　night　before；　and　did　not　see　how　he　could　get　out　of

them。



〃Monsieur　knows　my　attachment　to　him；〃　said　Germain；　perceiving　that

the　poet　was　quite　thrown　off　his　balance；　〃he　will　not　be　surprised

if　I　give　him　a　word　of　advice。　There　is　that　clerk；　try　to　get　the

truth　out　of　him。　Perhaps　he'll　unbutton　after　a　bottle　or　two　of

champagne；　or　at　any　rate　a　third。　It　would　be　strange　indeed　if

monsieur；　who　will　one　day　be　ambassador；　as　Philoxene　has　heard

Madame　la　duchesse　say　time　and　time　again；　couldn't　turn　a　little

notary's　clerk　inside　out。〃







CHAPTER　XXIII



BUTSCHA　DISTINGUISHES　HIMSELF



At　this　instant　Butscha；　the　hidden　prompter　of　the　fishing　part；　was

requesting　the　secretary　to　say　nothing　about　his　trip　to　Paris；　and

not　to　interfere　in　any　way　with　what　he；　Butscha；　might　do。　The　dwarf

had　already　made　use　of　an　unfavorable　feeling　lately　roused　against

Monsieur　Mignon　in　Havre　in　consequence　of　his　reserve　and　his

determination　to　keep　silence　as　to　the　amount　of　his　fortune。　The

persons　who　were　most　bitter　against　him　even　declared　calumniously

that　he　had　made　over　a　large　amount　of　property　to　Dumay　to　save　it

from　the　just　demands　of　his　associates　in　China。　Butscha　took

advantage　of　this　state　of　feeling。　He　asked　the　fishermen；　who　owed

him　many　a　good　turn；　to　keep　the　secret　and　lend　him　their　tongues。

They　served　him　well。　The　captain　of　the　fishing…smack　told　Germain

that　one　of　his　cousins；　a　sailor；　had　just　returned　from　Marseilles；

where　he　had　been　paid　off　from　the　brig　in　which　Monsieur　Mignon

returned　to　France。　The　brig　had　been　sold　to　the　account　of　some

other　person　than　Monsieur　Mignon；　and　the　cargo　was　only　worth　three

or　four　hundred　thousand　francs　at　the　utmost。



〃Germain；〃　said　Canalis；　as　the　valet　was　leaving　the　room；　〃serve

champagne　and　claret。　A　member　of　the　legal　fraternity　of　Havre　must

carry　away　with　him　proper　ideas　of　a　poet's　hospitality。　Besides；　he

has　got　a　wit　that　is　equal　to　Figaro's；〃　added　Canalis；　laying　his

hand　on　the　dwarf's　shoulder；　〃and　we　must　make　it　foam　and　sparkle

with　champagne；　you　and　I；　Ernest；　will　not　spare　the　bottle　either。

Faith；　it　is　over　two　years　since　I've　been　drunk；〃　he　added；　looking

at　La　Briere。



〃Not　drunk　with　wine；　you　mean；〃　said　Butscha；　looking　keenly　at　him；

〃yes；　I　can　believe　that。　You　get　drunk　every　day　on　yourself；　you

drink　in　so　much　praise。　Ha；　you　are　handsome；　you　are　a　poet；　you　are

famous　in　your　lifetime；　you　have　the　gift　of　an　eloquence　that　is

equal　to　your　genius；　and　you　please　all　women；even　my　master's

wife。　Admired　by　the　finest　sultana…valide　that　I　ever　saw　in　my　life

（and　I　never　saw　but　her）　you　can；　if　you　choose；　marry　Mademoiselle

de　La　Bastie。　Goodness！　the　mere　inventory　of　your　present　advantages；

not　to　speak　of　the　future　（a　noble　title；　peerage；　embassy！）；　is

enough　to　make　me　drunk　already；like　the　men　who　bottle　other　men's

wine。〃



〃All　such　social　distinctions；〃　said　Canalis；　〃are　of　little　use

without　the　one　thing　that　gives　them　value；wealth。　Here　we　can　talk

as　men　with　men；　fine　sentiments　only　do　in　verse。〃



〃That　depends　on　circumstances；〃　said　the　dwarf；　with　a　knowing

gesture。



〃Ah！　you　writer　of　conveyances；〃　said　the　poet；　smiling　at　the

interruption；　〃you　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　'cottage'　rhymes　with

'pottage；'and　who　would　like　to　live　on　that　for　the　rest　of　his

days？〃



At　table　Butscha　played　the　part　of　Trigaudin；　in　the　〃Maison　en

loterie；〃　in　a　way　that　alarmed　Ernest；　who　did　not　know　the　waggery

of　a　lawyer's　office；　which　is　quite　equal　to　that　of　an　atelier。

Butscha　poured　forth　the　scandalous　gossip　of　Havre；　the　private

history　of　fortune　and　boudoirs；　and　the　crimes　committed　code　in

hand；　which　are　called　in　Normandy；　〃getting　out　of　a　thing　as　best

you　can。〃　He　spared　no　one；　and　his　liveliness　increased　with　the

torrents　of　wine　which　poured　down　his　throat　like　rain　through　a

gutter。



〃Do　you　know；　La　Briere；〃　said　Canalis；　filling　Butscha's　glass；　〃that

this　fellow　would　make　a　capital　secretary　to　the　embassy？〃



〃And　oust　his　chief！〃　cried　the　dwarf　flinging　a　look　at　Canalis　whose

insolence　was　lost　in　the　gurgling　of　carbonic　acid　gas。　〃I've　little

enough　gratitude　and　quite　enough　scheming　to　get　astride　of　your

shoulders。　Ha；　ha；　a　poet　carrying　a　hunchback！　that's　been　seen；

often　seenon　book…shelves。　Come；　don't　look　at　me　as　if　I　were

swallowing　swords。　My　dear　great　genius；　you're　a　superior　man；　you

know　that　gratitude　is　the　word　of　fools；　they　stick　it　in　the

dictionary；　but　it　isn't　in　the　human　heart；　pledges　are　worth

nothing；　except　on　a　certain　mount　that　is　neither　Pindus　nor

Parnassus。　You　think　I　owe　a　great　deal　to　my　master's　wife；　who

brought　me　up。　Bless　you；　the　whole　town　has　paid　her　for　that　in

praises；　respect；　and　admiration；the　very　best　of　coin。　I　don't

recognize　any　service　that　is　only　the　capital　of　self…love。　Men　make

a　commerce　of　their　services；　and　gratitude　goes　down　on　the　debit

side；that's　all。　As　to　schemes；　they　are　my　divinity。　What？〃　he

exclaimed；　at　a　gesture　of　Canalis；　〃don't　you　admire　the　faculty

which　enables　a　wily　man　to　get　the　better　of　a　man　of　genius？　it

takes　the　closest　observation　of　his　vices；　and　his　weaknesses；　and

the　wit　to　seize　the　happy　moment。　Ask　diplomacy　if　its　greatest

triumphs　are　not　those　of　craft　over　force？　If　I　were　your　secretary；

Monsieur　le　baron；　you'd　soon　be　prime…minister；　because　it　would　be

my　interest　to　have　you　so。　Do　you　want　a　specimen　of　my　talents　in

that　line？　Well　then；　listen；　you　love　Mademoiselle　Modeste

distractedly；　and　you've　good　reason　to　do　so。　The　girl　has　my　fullest

esteem；　she　is　a　true　Parisian。　Sometimes　we　get　a　few　real　Parisians

born　down　here　in　the　provinces。　Well；　Modeste　is　just　the　woman　to

help　a　man's　career。　She's　got　THAT　in　her；〃　he　cried；　with　a　turn　of

his　wrist　in　the　air。　〃But　you've　a　dangerous　competitor　in　the　duke；

what　will　you　give　me　to　get　him　out　of　Havre　within　three　days？〃



〃Finish　this　bottle；〃　said　the　poet；　refilling　Butscha's　glass。



〃You'll　make　me　drunk；〃　said　the　dwarf；　tossing　off　his　ninth　glass　of

champagne。　〃Have　you　a　bed　where　I　could　sleep　it　off？　My　master　is　as

sober　as　the　camel　that　he　is；　and　Madame　Latournelle　too。　They　are

brutal　enough；　both　of　them；　to　scold　me；　and　they'd　have　the　rights

of　it　toothere　are　those　deeds　I　ought　to　be　drawing！〃　Then；

suddenly　returning　to　his　previous　ideas；　after　the　fashion　of　a

drunken　man；　he　exclaimed；　〃and　I've　such　a　memory；　it　is　on　a　par

with　my　gratitude。〃



〃Butscha！〃　cried　the　poet；　〃you　said　just　now　you　had　no　gratitude；

you　contradict　yourself。〃



〃Not　at　all；〃　he　replied。　〃To　forget　a　thing　means　almost　always

recollecting　it。　Come；　come；　do　you　want　me　to　get　rid　of　the　duke？

I'm　cut　out　for　a　secretary。〃



〃How　could　you　manage　it？〃　said　Canalis；　delighted　to　find　the

conversation　taking　this　turn　of　its　own　accord。



〃That's　none　of　your　business；〃　said　the　dwarf；　with　a　portentous

hiccough。



Butscha's　head　rolled　between　his　shoulders；　and　his　eyes　turned　from

Germain　to　La　Briere；　and　from　La　Briere　to　Canalis；　after　the　manner

of　men　who；　knowing　they　are　tipsy；　wish　to　see　what　other　men　are

thinking　of　them；　for　in　the　shipwreck　of　drunkenness　it　is　noticeable

that　self…love　is　the　last　thing　that　goes　to　the　bottom。



〃Ha！　my　great　poet；　you're　a　pretty　good　trickster　yourself；　but　you

are　not　deep　enough。　What　do　you　mean　by　taking　me　for　one　of　your　own

readers；you　who　sent　your　friend　to　Paris；　full　gallop；　to　inquire

into　the　property　of　the　Mignon　family？　Ha；　ha！　I　hoax；　thou　hoaxest；

we　hoaxGood！　But　do　me　the　honor　to　believe　that　I'm　deep　enough　to

keep　the　secrets　of　my　own　business。　As　the　head…clerk　of　a　notary；　my

heart　is　a　locked　box；　padlocked！　My　mouth　never　opens　to　let　out

anyt