the lesser bourgeoisie-第30部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


him；　and　mounting　the　stairs　to　the　bedroom；　from　which　Claparon　had
only　just　departed　on　his　road　to　Havre。

The　two　adversaries　had　been　speaking；　we　should　here　remark；　in　a
manner　not　to　be　overheard；　and　every　time　that　Theodose　raised　his
voice　Cerizet　would　make　a　gesture；　intimating　that　Claparon；　from
above；　might　be　listening。　The　five　minutes　during　which　Theodose
heard　what　seemed　to　be　the　murmuring　of　two　voices　were　torture　to
him；　for　he　had　staked　his　very　life　upon　the　issue。　Cerizet　at　last
came　down；　with　a　smile　upon　his　lips；　his　eyes　sparkling　with
infernal　mischief；　his　whole　frame　quivering　in　his　joy；　a　Lucifer　of
gaiety！

〃I　know　nothing；　so　it　seems！〃　he　cried；　shaking　his　shoulders；　〃but
Claparon　knows　a　great　deal；　he　has　worked　with　the　big…wig　bankers；
and　when　I　told　what　you　wanted　he　began　to　laugh；　and　said；　'I
thought　as　much！'　You　will　have　to　bring　me　the　twenty…five　thousand
you　offer　me　to…morrow　morning；　my　lad；　and　as　much　more　before　you
can　recover　your　notes。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Theodose；　feeling　his　spinal　column　liquidizing　as　if　the
discharge　of　some　inward　electric　fluid　had　melted　it。

〃The　house　is　ours。〃

〃How？〃

〃Claparon　has　bit　it　in　under　the　name　of　one　of　his　creditors；　a
little　toad　named　Sauvaignou。　Desroches；　the　lawyer；　has　taken　the
case；　and　you'll　get　a　notice　to…morrow。　This　affair　will　oblige
Claparon；　Dutocq；　and　me　to　raise　funds。　What　would　become　of　me
without　Claparon！　So　I　forgive　himyes；　I　forgave　him；　and　though　you
may　not　believe　it；　my　dear　friend；　I　actually　kissed　him！　Change　your
terms。〃

The　last　three　words　were　horrible　to　hear；　especially　when
illustrated　by　the　face　of　the　speaker；　who　amused　himself　by　playing
a　scene　from　the　〃Legataire；〃　all　the　while　studying　attentively　the
Provencal's　character。

〃Oh；　Cerizet！〃　cried　Theodose；　〃I；　who　wished　to　do　you　so　much　good！〃

〃Don't　you　see；　my　dear　fellow；〃　returned　Cerizet；　〃that　between　you
and　me　there　ought　to　be　THIS；〃　and　he　struck　his　heart；〃of　which
you　have　none。　As　soon　as　you　thought　you　had　a　lever　on　us；　you　have
tried　to　knock　us　over。　I　saved　you　from　the　horrors　of　starvation　and
vermin！　You'll　die　like　the　idiot　you　are。　We　put　you　on　the　high…road
to　fortune；　we　gave　you　a　fine　social　skin　and　a　position　in　which　you
could　grasp　the　futureand　look　what　you　do！　NOW　I　know　you！　and　from
this　time　forth；　we　shall　go　armed。〃

〃Then　it　is　war　between　us！〃　exclaimed　Theodose。

〃You　fired　first；〃　returned　Cerizet。

〃If　you　pull　me　down；　farewell　to　your　hopes　and　plans；　if　you　don't
pull　me　down；　you　have　in　me　an　enemy。〃

〃That's　just　what　I　said　yesterday　to　Dutocq；　but；　how　can　we　help　it？
We　are　forced　to　choose　between　two　alternativeswe　must　go　according
to　circumstances。　I'm　a　good…natured　fellow　myself；〃　he　added；　after　a
pause；　〃bring　me　your　twenty…five　thousand　francs　to…morrow　morning
and　Thuillier　shall　keep　the　house。　We'll　continue　to　help　you　at　both
ends；　but　you'll　have　to　pay　up；　my　boy。　After　what　has　just　happened
that's　pretty　kind；　isn't　it？〃

And　Cerizet　patted　Theodose　on　the　shoulder；　with　a　cynicism　that
seemed　to　brand　him　more　than　the　iron　of　the　galleys。

〃Well；　give　me　till　to…morrow　at　mid…day；〃　replied　the　Provencal；　〃for
there'll　be；　as　you　said；　some　manipulation　to　do。〃

〃I'll　try　to　keep　Claparon　quiet；　he's　in　such　a　hurry；　that　man！〃

〃To…morrow　then；〃　said　Theodose；　in　the　tone　of　a　man　who　decides　his
course。

〃Good…night；　friend；〃　said　Cerizet；　in　his　nasal　tone；　which　degraded
the　finest　word　in　the　language。　〃There's　one　who　has　got　a　mouthful
to　suck！〃　thought　Cerizet；　as　he　watched　Theodose　going　down　the
street　with　the　step　of　a　dazed　man。

When　la　Peyrade　reached　the　rue　des　Postes　he　went　with　rapid　strides
to　Madame　Colleville's　house；　exciting　himself　as　he　walked　along；　and
talking　aloud。　The　fire　of　his　roused　passions　and　the　sort　of　inward
conflagration　of　which　many　Parisians　are　conscious　（for　such
situations　abound　in　Paris）　brought　him　finally　to　a　pitch　of　frenzy
and　eloquence　which　found　expression；　as　he　turned　into　the　rue　des
Deux…Eglises；　in　the　words：

〃I　will　kill　him！〃

〃There's　a　fellow　who　is　not　content！〃　said　a　passing　workman；　and　the
jesting　words　calmed　the　incandescent　madness　to　which　Theodose　was　a
prey。

As　he　left　Cerizet's　the　idea　came　to　him　to　go　to　Flavie　and　tell　her
all。　Southern　natures　are　born　thusstrong　until　certain　passions
arise；　and　then　collapsed。　He　entered　Flavie's　room；　she　was　alone；
and　when　she　saw　Theodose　she　fancied　her　last　hour　had　come。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　cried。

〃II〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　love　me；　Flavie？〃

〃Oh！　how　can　you　doubt　it？〃

〃Do　you　love　me　absolutely？if　I　were　criminal；　even？〃

〃Has　he　murdered　some　one？〃　she　thought；　replying　to　his　question　by　a
nod。

Theodose；　thankful　to　seize　even　this　branch　of　willow；　drew　a　chair
beside　Flavie's　sofa；　and　there　gave　way　to　sobs　that　might　have
touched　the　oldest　judge；　while　torrents　of　tears　began　to　flow　from
his　eyes。

Flavie　rose　and　left　the　room　to　say　to　her　maid：　〃I　am　not　at　home　to
any　one。〃　Then　she　closed　all　doors　and　returned　to　Theodose；　moved　to
the　utmost　pitch　of　maternal　solicitude。　She　found　him　stretched　out；
his　head　thrown　back；　and　weeping。　He　had　taken　out　his　handkerchief；
and　when　Flavie　tried　to　move　it　from　his　face　it　was　heavy　with
tears。

〃But　what　is　the　matter？〃　she　asked；　〃what　ails　you？〃

Nature；　more　impressive　than　art；　served　Theodose　well；　no　longer　was
he　playing　a　part；　he　was　himself；　this　nervous　crisis　and　these　tears
were　the　winding　up　of　his　preceding　scenes　of　acted　comedy。

〃You　are　a　child；〃　she　said；　in　a　gentle　voice；　stroking　his　hair
softly。

〃I　have　but　you；　you　only；　in　all　the　world！〃　he　replied；　kissing　her
hands　with　a　sort　of　passion；　〃and　if　you　are　true　to　me；　if　you　are
mine；　as　the　body　belongs　to　the　soul　and　the　soul　to　the　body；
then〃　he　added；　recovering　himself　with　infinite　grace；　〃THEN　I　can
have　courage。〃

He　rose；　and　walked　about　the　room。

〃Yes；　I　will　struggle；　I　will　recover　my　strength；　like　Antaeus；　from
a　fall；　I　will　strangle　with　my　own　hands　the　serpents　that　entwine
me；　that　kiss　with　serpent　kisses；　that　slaver　my　cheeks；　that　suck　my
blood；　my　honor！　Oh；　misery！　oh；　poverty！　Oh；　how　great　are　they　who
can　stand　erect　and　carry　high　their　heads！　I　had　better　have　let
myself　die　of　hunger；　there；　on　my　wretched　pallet；　three　and　a　half
years　ago！　A　coffin　is　a　softer　bed　to　lie　in　than　the　life　I　lead！　It
is　eighteen　months　that　I　have　FED　ON　BOURGEOIS！　and　now；　at　the
moment　of　attaining　an　honest；　fortunate　life；　a　magnificent　future；
at　the　moment　when　I　was　about　to　sit　down　to　the　social　banquet；　the
executioner　strikes　me　on　the　shoulder！　Yes；　the　monster！　he　struck　me
there；　on　my　shoulder；　and　said　to　me：　'Pay　thy　dues　to　the　devil；　or
die！'　And　shall　I　not　crush　them？　Shall　I　not　force　my　arm　down　their
throats　to　their　very　entrails？　Yes；　yes；　I　will；　I　will！　See；　Flavie；
my　eyes　are　dry　now。　Ha；　ha！　now　I　laugh；　I　feel　my　strength　come　back
to　me；　power　is　mine！　Oh！　say　that　you　love　me；　say　it　again！　At　this
moment　it　sounds　like　the　word　'Pardon'　to　the　man　condemned　to
death！〃

〃You　are　terrible；　my　friend！〃　cried　Flavie。　〃Oh！　you　are　killing　me。〃

She　understood　nothing　of　all　this；　but　she　fell　upon　the　sofa；
exhausted　by　the　spectacle。　Theodose　flung　himself　at　her　feet。

〃Forgive　me！　forgive　me！〃　he　said。

〃But　what　is　the　matter？　what　is　it？〃　she　asked　again。

〃They　are　trying　to　destroy　me。　Oh！　promise　to　give　me　Celeste；　and
you　shall　see　what　a　glorious　life　I　will　make　you　share。　If　you
hesitatevery　good；　that　is　saying　you　will　be　wholly　mine；　and　I
will　have　you！〃

He　made　so　rapid　a　movement　that　Flavie；　terrified；　rose　and　moved
away。

〃Oh！　my　saint！〃　he　cried；　〃at　thy　feet　I　falla　miracle！　God　is　for
me；　surely！　A　flash　of　light　has　come　to　mean　ideasuddenly！　Oh；
thanks；　my　good　angel；　my　grand　Saint…Theodose！　thou　hast　saved　me！〃

Flavie　could　not　help　admiring　that　chameleon　being；　one　knee　on　the
floor；　his　hands　crossed　on　his　breast；　and　his　eyes　raised　to　heaven
in　religious　ecstasy；　he　recited　a　prayer；　he　was　a　fervent　Catholic；
he　reverently　crossed　himself。　It　was　fine；　like　the　vision　of　Saint…
Jerome。

〃Adieu！〃　he　said；　with　a　melancholy　look　and　a　moving　tone　of　voice。

〃Oh！〃　cried　Flavie；　〃leave　me　this　handkerchief。〃

Theodose　rushed　away　like　one　possessed；　sprang　into　the　street；　and
darted　towards　the　Thuilliers'；　but　turned；　saw　Flavie　at　her　window；
and　made　her　a　little　sign　of　triumph。

〃What　a　man！〃　she　thought　to　herself。

〃Dear；　good　friend；〃　he　said　to　Thuillier；　in　a　calm　and　gentle；
almost　caressing　voice；　〃we　have　fallen　into　the　hands　of　atrocious
scoundrels。　But　I　mean　to　read　them　a　lesson。〃

〃What　has　happened？〃　asked　Brigitte。

〃They　want　twenty…five　thousand　francs；　and；　in　order　to　get　the
better　of　us；　the　notary；　or　his　accomplices；　have　determined　to　bid
in　the　property。　Thuillier；　put　five　thousand　francs　in　your　pocket
and　come　with　me；　I　will　secure　that　house　to　you。　I　am　making　myself
implacable　enemies！〃　he　cried；　〃they　are　seeking　to　destroy　me
morally。　But　all　I　ask　is　that　you　will　disregard　their　infamous
calumnies　and　feel　no　change　of　heart　to　me。　After　all；　what　is　it？　If
I　succeed；　you　will　only　have　paid　one　hundred　and　twenty…five
thousand　francs　for　the　house　instead　of　one　hundred　and　twenty。〃

〃Provided　the　same　thing　doesn't　happen　again；〃　said　Brigitte；
uneasily；　her　eyes　dilating　under　the　effect　of　a　violent　suspicion。

〃Preferred　creditors　have　alone　the　right　to　bid　in　property；　and　as；
in　this　case；　there　is　but　one；　and　he　has　used　that　right；　we　are
safe。　The　amount　of　his　claim　is　really　only　two　thousand　francs；　but
there　are　lawyers；　attorneys；　and　so　forth；　to　pay　in　such　matters；
and　we　shall　have　to　drop　a　note　of　a　thousand　francs　to　make　the
creditor　happy。〃

〃Go；　Thuillier；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃get　your　hat　and　gloves；　and　take　the
moneyfrom　you　know　where。〃

〃As　I　paid　those　fifteen　thousand　francs　without　success；　I　don't　wish
to　h