the lesser bourgeoisie-第22部分

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and　the　beauty　of　this　little　circle　of　the　petty　bourgeoisie；　it　is
this　superiority　which　led　me　in　the　first　instance　to　worship　you。　I
have　since　longed　to　drag　you　out　of　it；　for　I　love　you　sincerely
more　in　friendship　than　in　love；　though　a　great　deal　of　love　is
gliding　into　it；〃　he　added；　pressing　her　to　his　heart　under　cover　of
the　recess　of　a　window　to　which　he　had　taken　her。

〃Madame　Phellion　will　play　the　piano；〃　cried　Colleville。　〃We　must　all
dance　to…nightbottles　and　Brigitte's　francs　and　all　the　little
girls！　I'll　go　and　fetch　my　clarionet。〃

He　gave　his　empty　coffee…cup　to　his　wife；　smiling　to　see　her　so
friendly　with　la　Peyrade。

〃What　have　you　said　and　done　to　my　husband？〃　asked　Flavie；　when
Colleville　had　left　them。

〃Must　I　tell　you　all　our　secrets？〃

〃Ah！　you　don't　love　me；〃　she　replied；　looking　at　him　with　the
coquettish　slyness　of　a　woman　who　is　not　quite　decided　in　her　mind。

〃Well；　since　you　tell　me　yours；〃　he　said；　letting　himself　go　to　the
lively　impulse　of　Provencal　gaiety；　always　so　charming　and　apparently
so　natural；　〃I　will　not　conceal　from　you　an　anxiety　in　my　heart。〃

He　took　her　back　to　the　same　window　and　said；　smiling：

〃Colleville；　poor　man；　has　seen　in　me　the　artist　repressed　by　all
these　bourgeois；　silent　before　them　because　I　feel　misjudged；
misunderstood；　and　repelled　by　them。　He　has　felt　the　heat　of　the
sacred　fire　that　consumes　me。　Yes　I　am；〃　he　continued；　in　a　tone　of
conviction；　〃an　artist　in　words　after　the　manner　of　Berryer；　I　could
make　juries　weep；　by　weeping　myself；　for　I'm　as　nervous　as　a　woman。
Your　husband；　who　detests　the　bourgeoisie；　began　to　tease　me　about
them。　At　first　we　laughed；　then；　in　becoming　serious；　he　found　out
that　I　was　as　strong　as　he。　I　told　him　of　the　plan　concocted　to　make
SOMETHING　of　Thuillier；　and　I　showed　him　all　the　good　he　could　get
himself　out　of　a　political　puppet。　'If　it　were　only；'　I　said　to　him；
'to　make　yourself　Monsieur　DE　Colleville；　and　to　put　your　charming
wife　where　I　should　like　to　see　her；　as　the　wife　of　a　receiver…
general；　or　deputy。　To　make　yourself　all　that　you　and　she　ought　to　be；
you　have　only　to　go　and　live　a　few　years　in　the　Upper　or　Lower　Alps；
in　some　hole　of　a　town　where　everybody　will　like　you；　and　your　wife
will　seduce　everybody；　and　this；'　I　added；　'you　cannot　fail　to　obtain；
especially　if　you　give　your　dear　Celeste　to　some　man　who　can　influence
the　Chamber。'　Good　reasons；　stated　in　jest；　have　the　merit　of
penetrating　deeper　into　some　minds　than　if　they　were　given　soberly。　So
Colleville　and　I　became　the　best　friends　in　the　world。　Didn't　you　hear
him　say　to　me　at　table；　'Rascal！　you　have　stolen　my　speech'？　To…night
we　shall　be　theeing　and　thouing　each　other。　I　intend　to　have　a　choice
little　supper…party　soon；　where　artists；　tied　to　the　proprieties　at
home；　always　compromise　themselves。　I'll　invite　him；　and　that　will
make　us　as　solidly　good　friends　as　he　is　with　Thuillier。　There；　my
dear　adorned　one；　is　what　a　profound　sentiment　gives　a　man　the　courage
to　produce。　Colleville　must　adopt　me；　so　that　I　may　visit　your　house
by　his　invitation。　But　what　couldn't　you　make　me　do？　lick　lepers；
swallow　live　toads；　seduce　Brigitteyes；　if　you　say　so；　I'll　impale
my　own　heart　on　that　great　picket…rail　to　please　you。〃

〃You　frightened　me　this　morning；〃　she　said。

〃But　this　evening　you　are　reassured。　Yes；〃　he　added；　〃no　harm　will
ever　happen　to　you　through　me。〃

〃You　are；　I　must　acknowledge；　a　most　extraordinary　man。〃

〃Why；　no！　the　smallest　as　well　as　the　greatest　of　my　efforts　are
merely　the　reflections　of　the　flame　which　you　have　kindled。　I　intend
to　be　your　son…in…law　that　we　may　never　part。　My　wife；　heavens！　what
could　she　be　to　me　but　a　machine　for　child…bearing？　whereas　the
divinity；　the　sublime　being　will　beyou；〃　he　whispered　in　her　ear。

〃You　are　Satan！〃　she　said；　in　a　sort　of　terror。

〃No；　I　am　something　of　a　poet；　like　all　the　men　of　my　region。　Come；　be
my　Josephine！　I'll　go　and　see　you　to…morrow。　I　have　the　most　ardent
desire　to　see　where　you　live　and　how　you　live；　the　furniture　you　use；
the　color　of　your　stuffs；　the　arrangement　of　all　things　about　you。　I
long　to　see　the　pearl　in　its　shell。〃

He　slipped　away　cleverly　after　these　words；　without　waiting　for　an
answer。

Flavie；　to　whom　in　all　her　life　love　had　never　taken　the　language　of
romance；　sat　still；　but　happy；　her　heart　palpitating；　and　saying　to
herself　that　it　was　very　difficult　to　escape　such　influence。　For　the
first　time　Theodose　had　appeared　in　a　pair　of　new　trousers；　with　gray
silk　stockings　and　pumps；　a　waistcoat　of　black　silk；　and　a　cravat　of
black　satin　on　the　knot　of　which　shone　a　plain　gold　pin　selected　with
taste。　He　wore　also　a　new　coat　in　the　last　fashion；　and　yellow　gloves；
relieved　by　white　shirt…cuffs；　he　was　the　only　man　who　had　manners；　or
deportment　in　that　salon；　which　was　now　filling　up　for　the　evening。

Madame　Pron；　nee　Barniol；　arrived　with　two　school…girls；　aged
seventeen；　confided　to　her　maternal　care　by　families　residing　in
Martinique。　Monsieur　Pron；　professor　of　rhetoric　in　a　college　presided
over　by　priests；　belonged　to　the　Phellion　class；　but；　instead　of
expanding　on　the　surface　in　phrases　and　demonstrations；　and　posing　as
an　example；　he　was　dry　and　sententious。　Monsieur　and　Madame　Pron；　the
flowers　of　the　Phellion　salon；　received　every　Monday。　Though　a
professor；　the　little　man　danced。　He　enjoyed　great　influence　in　the
quarter　enclosed　by　the　boulevard　du　Mont…Parnasse；　the　Luxembourg；
and　the　rue　de　Sevres。　Therefore；　as　soon　as　Phellion　saw　his　friend；
he　took　him　by　the　arm　into　a　corner　to　inform　him　of　the　Thuillier
candidacy。　After　ten　minutes'　consultation　they　both　went　to　find
Thuillier；　and　the　recess　of　a　window；　opposite　to　that　where　Flavie
still　sat　absorbed　in　her　reflections；　no　doubt；　heard　a　〃trio〃
worthy；　in　its　way；　of　that　of　the　Swiss　in　〃Guillaume　Tell。〃

〃Do　you　see；〃　said　Theodose；　returning　to　Flavie；　〃the　pure　and　honest
Phellion　intriguing　over　there？　Give　a　personal　reason　to　a　virtuous
man　and　he'll　paddle　in　the　slimiest　puddle；　he　is　hooking　that　little
Pron；　and　Pron　is　taking　it　all　in；　solely　to　get　your　little　Celeste
for　Felix　Phellion。　Separate　them；　and　in　ten　minutes　they'll　get
together　again；　and　that　young　Minard　will　be　growling　round　them　like
an　angry　bulldog。〃

Felix；　still　under　the　strong　emotion　imparted　to　him　by　Celeste's
generous　action　and　the　cry　that　came　from　the　girl's　heart；　though　no
one　but　Madame　Thuillier　still　thought　of　it；　became　inspired　by　one
of　those　ingenuous　artfulnesses　which　are　the　honest　charlatanism　of
true　love；　but　he　was　not　to　the　manner　born　of　it；　and　mathematics；
moreover；　made　him　somewhat　absent…minded。　He　stationed　himself　near
Madame　Thuillier；　imagining　that　Madame　Thuillier　would　attract
Celeste　to　her　side。　This　astute　calculation　succeeded　all　the　better
because　young　Minard；　who　saw　in　Celeste　nothing　more　than　a　〃dot；〃
had　no　such　sudden　inspiration；　and　was　drinking　his　coffee　and
talking　politics　with　Laudigeois；　Monsieur　Barniol；　and　Dutocq　by
order　of　his　father；　who　was　thinking　and　planning　for　the　general
election　of　the　legislature　in　1842。

〃Who　wouldn't　love　Celeste？〃　said　Felix　to　Madame　Thuillier。

〃Little　darling；　no　one　in　the　world　loves　me　as　she　does；〃　replied
the　poor　slave；　with　difficulty　restraining　her　tears。

〃Ah！　madame；　we　both　love　you；〃　said　the　candid　professor；　sincerely。

〃What　are　you　saying　to　each　other？〃　asked　Celeste；　coming　up。

〃My　child；〃　said　the　pious　woman；　drawing　her　god…daughter　down　to　her
and　kissing　her　on　the　forehead。　〃He　said　that　you　both　loved　me。〃

〃Do　not　be　angry　with　my　presumption；　mademoiselle。　Let　me　do　all　I
can　to　prove　it；〃　murmured　Felix。　〃Ah！　I　cannot　help　it；　I　was　made
this　way；　injustice　revolts　me　to　the　soul！　Yes；　the　Saviour　of　men
was　right　to　promise　the　future　to　the　meek　heart；　to　the　slain　lamb！
A　man　who　did　not　love　you；　Celeste；　must　have　adored　you　after　that
sublime　impulse　of　yours　at　table。　Ah；　yes！　innocence　alone　can
console　the　martyr。　You　are　a　kind　young　girl；　you　will　be　one　of
those　wives　who　make　the　glory　and　the　happiness　of　a　family。　Happy　be
he　whom　you　will　choose！〃

〃Godmamma；　with　what　eyes　do　you　think　Monsieur　Felix　sees　me？〃

〃He　appreciates　you；　my　little　angel；　I　shall　pray　to　God　for　both　of
you。〃

〃If　you　knew　how　happy　I　am　that　my　father　can　do　a　service　to
Monsieur　Thuillier；　and　how　I　wish　I　could　be　useful　to　your
brother〃

〃In　short；〃　said　Celeste；　laughing；　〃you　love　us　all。〃

〃Well；　yes；〃　replied　Felix。

True　love　wraps　itself　in　the　mysteries　of　reserve；　even　in　its
expression；　it　proves　itself　by　itself；　it　does　not　feel　the
necessity；　as　a　false　love　does；　of　lighting　a　conflagration。　By　an
observer　（if　such　a　being　could　have　glided　into　the　Thuillier　salon）
a　book　might　have　been　made　in　comparing　the　two　scenes　of　love…
making；　and　in　watching　the　enormous　preparations　of　Theodose　and　the
simplicity　of　Felix：　one　was　nature；　the　other　was　society；the　true
and　the　false　embodied。　Noticing　her　daughter　glowing　with　happiness；
exhaling　her　soul　through　the　pores　of　her　face；　and　beautiful　with
the　beauty　of　a　young　girl　gathering　the　first　roses　of　an　indirect
declaration；　Flavie　had　an　impulse　of　jealousy　in　her　heart。　She　came
across　to　Celeste　and　said　in　her　ear：

〃You　are　not　behaving　well；　my　daughter；　everybody　is　observing　you；
you　are　compromising　yourself　by　talking　so　long　to　Monsieur　Felix
without　knowing　whether　we　approve　of　it。〃

〃But；　mamma；　my　godmother　is　here。〃

〃Ah！　pardon　me；　dear　friend；〃　said　Madame　Colleville；　〃I　did　not
notice　you。〃

〃You　do　as　others　do；〃　said　the　poor　nonentity。

That　reply　stung　Madame　Colleville；　who　regarded　it　as　a　barbed　arrow。
She　cast　a　haughty　glance　at　Felix　and　said　to　Celeste；　〃Sit　there；　my
daughter；〃　seating　herself　at　the　same　time　beside　Madame　Thuillier
and　pointing　to　a　chair　on　the　other　side　of　her。

〃I　will　work　myself　to　death；〃　said　Felix　to　Madame　Thuillier。　〃I'll
be　a　member　of　the　Academy　of　Sciences；　I'll　make　some　great
discovery；　and　win　her　hand　by　force　of　fame。〃

〃Ah！〃　thought　the　poo