the lesser bourgeoisie-第15部分

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is　concerned　with　a　lot　of　contractors；　and　they　are　allnotary　and
masonson　the　point　of　ruin。　Claparon　is　going　headlong　into　it。　He
never　yet　was　bankrupt；　but　there's　a　first　time　for　everything。　He　is
hidden　now　in　my　hovel　in　the　rue　des　Poules；　where　no　one　will　ever
find　him。　He　is　desperate；　and　he　hasn't　a　penny。　Now；　among　the　five
or　six　houses　built　by　these　contractors；　which　have　to　be　sold；
there's　a　jewel　of　a　house；　built　of　freestone；　in　the　neighborhood　of
the　Madeleine；a　frontage　laced　like　a　melon；　with　beautiful
carvings；but　not　being　finished；　it　will　have　to　be　sold　for　what　it
will　bring；　certainly　not　more　than　a　hundred　thousand　francs。　By
spending　twenty…five　thousand　francs　upon　it　it　could　be　let；
undoubtedly；　for　ten　thousand。　Make　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　the
proprietor　of　that　house　and　you'll　win　her　love；　she'll　believe　that
you　can　put　such　chances　in　her　way　every　year。　There　are　two　ways　of
getting　hold　of　vain　people：　flatter　their　vanity；　OR　threaten　them；
and　there　are　also　two　ways　of　managing　misers：　fill　their　purse；　or
else　attack　it。　Now；　this　stroke　of　business；　while　it　does　good　to
Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　does　good　to　us　as　well；　and　it　would　be　a
pity　not　to　profit　by　the　chance。〃

〃But　why　does　the　notary　let　it　slip　through　his　fingers？〃　asked
Dutocq。

〃The　notary；　my　dear　fellow！　Why；　he's　the　very　one　who　saves　us。
Forced　to　sell　his　practice；　and　utterly　ruined　besides；　he　reserved
for　himself　this　crumb　of　the　cake。　Believing　in　the　honesty　of　that
idiot　Claparon；　he　has　asked　him　to　find　a　dummy　purchaser。　We'll　let
him　suppose　that　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　is　a　worthy　soul　who　allows
Claparon　to　use　her　name；　they'll　both　be　fooled；　Claparon　and　the
notary　too。　I　owe　this　little　trick　to　my　friend　Claparon；　who　left　me
to　bear　the　whole　weight　of　the　trouble　about　his　stock…company；　in
which　we　were　tricked　by　Conture；　and　I　hope　you　may　never　be　in　that
man's　skin！〃　he　added；　infernal　hatred　flashing　from　his　worn　and
withered　eyes。　〃Now；　I've　said　my　say；　gentlemen；〃　he　continued；
sending　out　his　voice　through　his　nasal　holes；　and　taking　a　dramatic
attitude；　for　once；　at　a　moment　of　extreme　penury；　he　had　gone　upon
the　stage。

As　he　finished　making　his　proposition　some　one　rang　at　the　outer　door；
and　la　Peyrade　rose　to　go　and　open　it。　As　soon　as　his　back　was　turned；
Cerizet　said；　hastily；　to　Dutocq：

〃Are　you　sure　of　him？　I　see　a　sort　of　air　about　himAnd　I'm　a　good
judge　of　treachery。〃

〃He　is　so　completely　in　our　power；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃that　I　don't　trouble
myself　to　watch；　but；　between　ourselves；　I　didn't　think　him　as　strong
as　he　proves　to　be。　The　fact　is；　we　thought　we　were　putting　a　barb
between　the　legs　of　a　man　who　didn't　know　how　to　ride；　and　the　rogue
is　an　old　jockey！〃

〃Let　him　take　care；〃　growled　Cerizet。　〃I　can　blow　him　down　like　a
house　of　cards　any　day。　As　for　you；　papa　Dutocq；　you　are　able　to　see
him　at　work　all　the　time；　watch　him　carefully。　Besides；　I'll　feel　his
pulse　by　getting　Claparon　to　propose　to　him　to　get　rid　of　us；　that
will　help　us　to　judge　him。〃

〃Pretty　good；　that！〃　said　Dutocq。　〃You　are　daring；　anyhow。〃

〃I've　got　my　hand　in；　that's　all；〃　replied　Cerizet。

These　words　were　exchanged　in　a　low　voice　during　the　time　that　it　took
Theodose　to　go　to　the　outer　door　and　return。　Cerizet　was　looking　at
the　books　when　the　lawyer　re…entered　the　room。

〃It　is　Thuillier；〃　said　Theodose。　〃I　thought　he'd　come；　he　is　in　the
salon。　He　mustn't　see　Cerizet's　frock…coat；　those　frogs　would　frighten
him。〃

〃Pooh！　you　receive　the　poor　in　your　office；　don't　you？　That's　in　your
role。　Do　you　want　any　money？〃　added　Cerizet；　pulling　a　hundred　francs
out　of　his　trousers'　pocket。　〃There　it　is；　it　won't　look　amiss。〃

And　he　laid　the　pile　on　the　chimney…piece。

〃And　now；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃we　had　better　get　out　through　the　bedroom。〃

〃Well；　good…bye；〃　said　Theodose；　opening　a　hidden　door　which
communicated　from　the　study　to　the　bedroom。　〃Come　in；　Monsieur
Thuillier；〃　he　called　out　to　the　beau　of　the　Empire。

When　he　saw　him　safely　in　the　study　he　went　to　let　out　his　two
associates　through　the　bedroom　and　kitchen　into　the　courtyard。

〃In　six　months；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃you'll　have　married　Celeste　and　got
your　foot　into　the　stirrup。　You　are　lucky；　you　are；　not　to　have　sat；
like　me；　in　the　prisoners'　dock。　I've　been　there　twice：　once　in　1825；
for　'subversive　articles'　which　I　never　wrote；　and　the　second　time　for
receiving　the　profits　of　a　joint…stock　company　which　had　slipped
through　my　fingers！　Come；　let's　warm　this　thing　up！　Sac…a…papier！
Dutocq　and　I　are　sorely　in　need　of　that　twenty…five　thousand　francs。
Good　courage；　old　fellow！〃　he　added；　holding　out　his　hand　to　Theodose；
and　making　the　grasp　a　test　of　faithfulness。

The　Provencal　gave　Cerizet　his　right　hand；　pressing　the　other's　hand
warmly：

〃My　good　fellow；〃　he　said；　〃be　very　sure　that　in　whatever　position　I
may　find　myself　I　shall　never　forget　that　from　which　you　have　drawn　me
by　putting　me　in　the　saddle　here。　I'm　simply　your　bait；　but　you　are
giving　me　the　best　part　of　the　catch；　and　I　should　be　more　infamous
than　a　galley…slave　who　turns　policeman　if　I　didn't　play　fair。〃

As　soon　as　the　door　was　closed；　Cerizet　peeped　through　the　key…hole；
trying　to　catch　sight　of　la　Peyrade's　face。　But　the　Provencal　had
turned　back　to　meet　Thuillier；　and　his　distrustful　associate　could　not
detect　the　expression　of　his　countenance。

That　expression　was　neither　disgust　nor　annoyance；　it　was　simply　joy；
appearing　on　a　face　that　now　seemed　freed。　Theodose　saw　the　means　of
success　approaching　him；　and　he　flattered　himself　that　the　day　would
come　when　he　might　get　rid　of　his　ignoble　associates；　to　whom　he　owed
everything。　Poverty　has　unfathomable　depths；　especially　in　Paris；
slimy　bottoms；　from　which；　when　a　drowned　man　rises　to　the　surface　of
the　water；　he　brings　with　him　filth　and　impurity　clinging　to　his
clothes；　or　to　his　person。　Cerizet；　the　once　opulent　friend　and
protector　of　Theodose；　was　the　muddy　mire　still　clinging　to　the
Provencal；　and　the　former　manager　of　the　joint…stock　company　saw　very
plainly　that　his　tool　wanted　to　brush　himself　on　entering　a　sphere
where　decent　clothing　was　a　necessity。

〃Well；　my　dear　Theodose；〃　began　Thuillier；　〃we　have　hoped　to　see　you
every　day　this　week；　and　every　evening　we　find　our　hopes　deceived。　As
this　is　our　Sunday　for　a　dinner；　my　sister　and　my　wife　have　sent　me
here　to　beg　you　to　come　to　us。〃

〃I　have　been　so　busy；〃　said　Theodose；　〃that　I　have　not　had　two　minutes
to　give　to　any　one；　not　even　to　you；　whom　I　count　among　my　friends；
and　with　whom　I　have　wished　to　talk　about〃

〃What？　have　you　really　been　thinking　seriously　over　what　you　said　to
me？〃　cried　Thuillier；　interrupting　him。

〃If　you　had　not　come　here　now　for　a　full　understanding；　I　shouldn't
respect　you　as　I　do；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　smiling。　〃You　have　been　a
sub…director；　and　therefore　you　must　have　the　remains　of　ambition
which　is　deucedly　legitimate　in　your　case！　Come；　now；　between
ourselves；　when　one　sees　a　Minard；　that　gilded　pot；　displaying　himself
at　the　Tuileries；　and　complimenting　the　king；　and　a　Popinot　about　to
become　a　minister　of　State；　and　then　look　at　you！　a　man　trained　to
administrative　work；　a　man　with　thirty　years'　experience；　who　has　seen
six　governments；　left　to　plant　balsams　in　a　little　garden！　Heavens　and
earth！I　am　frank；　my　dear　Thuillier；　and　I'll　say；　honestly；　that　I
want　to　advance　you；　because　you'll　draw　me　after　you。　Well；　here's　my
plan。　We　are　soon　to　elect　a　member　of　the　council…general　from　this
arrondissement；　and　that　member　must　be　you。　And；〃　he　added；　dwelling
on　the　word；　〃it　WILL　be　you！　After　that；　you　will　certainly　be　deputy
from　the　arrondissement　when　the　Chamber　is　re…elected；　which　must
surely　be　before　long。　The　votes　that　elect　you　to　the　municipal
council　will　stand　by　you　in　the　election　for　deputy；　trust　me　for
that。〃

〃But　how　will　you　manage　all　this？〃　cried　Thuillier；　fascinated。

〃You　shall　know　in　good　time；　but　you　must　let　me　conduct　this　long
and　difficult　affair；　if　you　commit　the　slightest　indiscretion　as　to
what　is　said；　or　planned；　or　agreed　between　us；　I　shall　have　to　drop
the　whole　matter；　and　good…bye　to　you！〃

〃Oh！　you　can　rely　on　the　absolute　dumbness　of　a　former　sub…director；
I've　had　secrets　to　keep。〃

〃That's　all　very　well；　but　these　are　secrets　to　keep　from　your　wife
and　sister；　and　from　Monsieur　and　Madame　Colleville。〃

〃Not　a　muscle　of　my　face　shall　reveal　them；〃　said　Thuillier；　assuming
a　stolid　air。

〃Very　good；〃　continued　Theodose。　〃I　shall　test　you。　In　order　to　make
yourself　eligible；　you　must　pay　taxes　on　a　certain　amount　of　property；
and　you　are　not　paying　them。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　I'm　all　right　for　the　municipal　council　at　any
rate；　I　pay　two　francs　ninety…six　centimes。〃

〃Yes；　but　the　tax　on　property　necessary　for　election　to　the　chamber　is
five　hundred　francs；　and　there　is　no　time　to　lose　in　acquiring　that
property；　because　you　must　prove　possession　for　one　year。〃

〃The　devil！〃　cried　Thuillier；　〃between　now　and　a　year　hence　to　be
taxed　five　hundred　francs　on　property　which〃

〃Between　now　and　the　end　of　July；　at　the　latest；　you　must　pay　that
tax。　Well；　I　feel　enough　interest　in　you　to　tell　you　the　secret　of　an
affair　by　which　you　might　make　from　thirty　to　forty　thousand　francs　a
year；　by　employing　a　capital　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　at
most。　I　know　that　in　your　family　it　is　your　sister　who　does　your
business；　I　am　far　from　thinking　that　a　mistake；　she　has；　they　tell
me；　excellent　judgment；　and　you　must　let　me　begin　by　obtaining　her
good…will　and　friendship；　and　proposing　this　investment　to　her。　And
this　is　why：　If　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　is　not　induced　to　put　faith　in
my　plan；　we　shall　certainly　have　difficulty　with　her。　Besides；　it
won't　do　for　YOU　to　propose　to　her　that　she　should　put　the　investment
of　her　money　in　your　name。　The　idea　had　better　come　from　me。　As　to　my
means　of　getting　you　elected　to　the　municipal　council；　they　are　these：
Phellion　controls　one　quarter　of　the　arrondissement；　he　and　Laudigeois
have　lived　in　it　these　thirty　years；　and　they　are　listened　to　like