at the sign of the cat and racket-第7章

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Notwithstanding　this　debauch；　the　old　cloth…merchant　was　shaving
himself　at　six　next　morning；　put　on　his　maroon…colored　coat；　of　which
the　glowing　lights　afforded　him　perennial　enjoyment；　fastened　a　pair
of　gold　buckles　on　the　knee…straps　of　his　ample　satin　breeches；　and
then；　at　about　seven　o'clock；　while　all　were　still　sleeping　in　the
house；　he　made　his　way　to　the　little　office　adjoining　the　shop　on　the
first　floor。　Daylight　came　in　through　a　window；　fortified　by　iron
bars；　and　looking　out　on　a　small　yard　surrounded　by　such　black　walls
that　it　was　very　like　a　well。　The　old　merchant　opened　the　iron…lined
shutters；　which　were　so　familiar　to　him；　and　threw　up　the　lower　half
of　the　sash　window。　The　icy　air　of　the　courtyard　came　in　to　cool　the
hot　atmosphere　of　the　little　room；　full　of　the　odor　peculiar　to
offices。

The　merchant　remained　standing；　his　hand　resting　on　the　greasy　arm　of
a　large　cane　chair　lined　with　morocco；　of　which　the　original　hue　had
disappeared；　he　seemed　to　hesitate　as　to　seating　himself。　He　looked
with　affection　at　the　double　desk；　where　his　wife's　seat；　opposite　his
own；　was　fitted　into　a　little　niche　in　the　wall。　He　contemplated　the
numbered　boxes；　the　files；　the　implements；　the　cash　boxobjects　all
of　immemorial　origin；　and　fancied　himself　in　the　room　with　the　shade
of　Master　Chevrel。　He　even　pulled　out　the　high　stool　on　which　he　had
once　sat　in　the　presence　of　his　departed　master。　This　stool；　covered
with　black　leather；　the　horse…hair　showing　at　every　corneras　it　had
long　done；　without；　however；　coming　outhe　placed　with　a　shaking　hand
on　the　very　spot　where　his　predecessor　had　put　it；　and　then；　with　an
emotion　difficult　to　describe；　he　pulled　a　bell；　which　rang　at　the
head　of　Joseph　Lebas'　bed。　When　this　decisive　blow　had　been　struck；
the　old　man；　for　whom；　no　doubt；　these　reminiscences　were　too　much；
took　up　three　or　four　bills　of　exchange；　and　looked　at　them　without
seeing　them。

Suddenly　Joseph　Lebas　stood　before　him。

〃Sit　down　there；〃　said　Guillaume；　pointing　to　the　stool。

As　the　old　master　draper　had　never　yet　bid　his　assistant　be　seated　in
his　presence；　Joseph　Lebas　was　startled。

〃What　do　you　think　of　these　notes？〃　asked　Guillaume。

〃They　will　never　be　paid。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Well；　I　heard　the　day　before　yesterday　Etienne　and　Co。　had　made　their
payments　in　gold。〃

〃Oh；　oh！〃　said　the　draper。　〃Well；　one　must　be　very　ill　to　show　one's
bile。　Let　us　speak　of　something　else。Joseph；　the　stock…taking　is
done。〃

〃Yes；　monsieur；　and　the　dividend　is　one　of　the　best　you　have　ever
made。〃

〃Do　not　use　new…fangled　words。　Say　the　profits；　Joseph。　Do　you　know；
my　boy；　that　this　result　is　partly　owing　to　you？　And　I　do　not　intend
to　pay　you　a　salary　any　longer。　Madame　Guillaume　has　suggested　to　me
to　take　you　into　partnership。'Guillaume　and　Lebas；'　will　not　that
make　a　good　business　name？　We　might　add；　'and　Co。'　to　round　off　the
firm's　signature。〃

Tears　rose　to　the　eyes　of　Joseph　Lebas；　who　tried　to　hide　them。

〃Oh；　Monsieur　Guillaume；　how　have　I　deserved　such　kindness？　I　only　do
my　duty。　It　was　so　much　already　that　you　should　take　an　interest　in　a
poor　orph〃

He　was　brushing　the　cuff　of　his　left　sleeve　with　his　right　hand；　and
dared　not　look　at　the　old　man；　who　smiled　as　he　thought　that　this
modest　young　fellow　no　doubt　needed；　as　he　had　needed　once　on　a　time；
some　encouragement　to　complete　his　explanation。

〃To　be　sure；〃　said　Virginie's　father；　〃you　do　not　altogether　deserve
this　favor；　Joseph。　You　have　not　so　much　confidence　in　me　as　I　have　in
you。〃　（The　young　man　looked　up　quickly。）　〃You　know　all　the　secrets　of
the　cash…box。　For　the　last　two　years　I　have　told　you　almost　all　my
concerns。　I　have　sent　you　to　travel　in　our　goods。　In　short；　I　have
nothing　on　my　conscience　as　regards　you。　But　youyou　have　a　soft
place；　and　you　have　never　breathed　a　word　of　it。〃　Joseph　Lebas
blushed。　〃Ah；　ha！〃　cried　Guillaume；　〃so　you　thought　you　could　deceive
an　old　fox　like　me？　When　you　knew　that　I　had　scented　the　Lecocq
bankruptcy？〃

〃What；　monsieur？〃　replied　Joseph　Lebas；　looking　at　his　master　as
keenly　as　his　master　looked　at　him；　〃you　knew　that　I　was　in　love？〃

〃I　know　everything；　you　rascal；〃　said　the　worthy　and　cunning　old
merchant；　pulling　the　assistant's　ear。　〃And　I　forgive　youI　did　the
same　myself。〃

〃And　you　will　give　her　to　me？〃

〃Yeswith　fifty　thousand　crowns；　and　I　will　leave　you　as　much　by
will；　and　we　will　start　on　our　new　career　under　the　name　of　a　new
firm。　We　will　do　good　business　yet；　my　boy！〃　added　the　old　man；
getting　up　and　flourishing　his　arms。　〃I　tell　you；　son…in…law；　there　is
nothing　like　trade。　Those　who　ask　what　pleasure　is　to　be　found　in　it
are　simpletons。　To　be　on　the　scent　of　a　good　bargain；　to　hold　your　own
on　'Change；　to　watch　as　anxiously　as　at　the　gaming…table　whether
Etienne　and　Co。　will　fail　or　no；　to　see　a　regiment　of　Guards　march
past　all　dressed　in　your　cloth；　to　trip　your　neighbor　uphonestly　of
course！to　make　the　goods　cheaper　than　others　can；　then　to　carry　out
an　undertaking　which　you　have　planned；　which　begins；　grows；　totters；
and　succeeds！　to　know　the　workings　of　every　house　of　business　as　well
as　a　minister　of　police；　so　as　never　to　make　a　mistake；　to　hold　up
your　head　in　the　midst　of　wrecks；　to　have　friends　by　correspondence　in
every　manufacturing　town；　is　not　that　a　perpetual　game；　Joseph？　That
is　life；　that　is！　I　shall　die　in　that　harness；　like　old　Chevrel；　but
taking　it　easy　now；　all　the　same。〃

In　the　heat　of　his　eager　rhetoric；　old　Guillaume　had　scarcely　looked
at　his　assistant；　who　was　weeping　copiously。　〃Why；　Joseph；　my　poor
boy；　what　is　the　matter？〃

〃Oh；　I　love　her　so！　Monsieur　Guillaume；　that　my　heart　fails　me；　I
believe〃

〃Well；　well；　boy；〃　said　the　old　man；　touched；　〃you　are　happier　than
you　know；　by　God！　For　she　loves　you。　I　know　it。〃

And　he　blinked　his　little　green　eyes　as　he　looked　at　the　young　man。

〃Mademoiselle　Augustine！　Mademoiselle　Augustine！〃　exclaimed　Joseph
Lebas　in　his　rapture。

He　was　about　to　rush　out　of　the　room　when　he　felt　himself　clutched　by
a　hand　of　iron；　and　his　astonished　master　spun　him　round　in　front　of
him　once　more。

〃What　has　Augustine　to　do　with　this　matter？〃　he　asked；　in　a　voice
which　instantly　froze　the　luckless　Joseph。

〃Is　it　not　she　thatthatI　love？〃　stammered　the　assistant。

Much　put　out　by　his　own　want　of　perspicacity；　Guillaume　sat　down
again；　and　rested　his　long　head　in　his　hands　to　consider　the
perplexing　situation　in　which　he　found　himself。　Joseph　Lebas；
shamefaced　and　in　despair；　remained　standing。

〃Joseph；〃　the　draper　said　with　frigid　dignity；　〃I　was　speaking　of
Virginie。　Love　cannot　be　made　to　order；　I　know。　I　know；　too；　that　you
can　be　trusted。　We　will　forget　all　this。　I　will　not　let　Augustine
marry　before　Virginie。Your　interest　will　be　ten　per　cent。〃

The　young　man；　to　whom　love　gave　I　know　not　what　power　of　courage　and
eloquence；　clasped　his　hand；　and　spoke　in　his　turnspoke　for　a
quarter　of　an　hour；　with　so　much　warmth　and　feeling；　that　he　altered
the　situation。　If　the　question　had　been　a　matter　of　business　the　old
tradesman　would　have　had　fixed　principles　to　guide　his　decision；　but；
tossed　a　thousand　miles　from　commerce；　on　the　ocean　of　sentiment；
without　a　compass；　he　floated；　as　he　told　himself；　undecided　in　the
face　of　such　an　unexpected　event。　Carried　away　by　his　fatherly
kindness；　he　began　to　beat　about　the　bush。

〃Deuce　take　it；　Joseph；　you　must　know　that　there　are　ten　years　between
my　two　children。　Mademoiselle　Chevrel　was　no　beauty；　still　she　has　had
nothing　to　complain　of　in　me。　Do　as　I　did。　Come；　come；　don't　cry。　Can
you　be　so　silly？　What　is　to　be　done？　It　can　be　managed　perhaps。　There
is　always　some　way　out　of　a　scrape。　And　we　men　are　not　always　devoted
Celadons　to　our　wivesyou　understand？　Madame　Guillaume　is　very　pious。
。　。　。　Come。　By　Gad；　boy；　give　your　arm　to　Augustine　this　morning　as　we
go　to　Mass。〃

These　were　the　phrases　spoken　at　random　by　the　old　draper；　and　their
conclusion　made　the　lover　happy。　He　was　already　thinking　of　a　friend
of　his　as　a　match　for　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　as　he　went　out　of　the
smoky　office；　pressing　his　future　father…in…law's　hand；　after　s