the lesser bourgeoisie-第31部分

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moneyfrom　you　know　where。〃

〃As　I　paid　those　fifteen　thousand　francs　without　success；　I　don't　wish
to　have　any　more　money　pass　through　my　hands。　Thuillier　must　pay　it
himself；〃　said　Theodose；　when　he　found　himself　alone　with　Brigitte。
〃You　have；　however；　gained　twenty　thousand　on　the　contract　I　enabled
you　to　make　with　Grindot；　who　thought　he　was　serving　the　notary；　and
you　own　a　piece　of　property　which　in　five　years　will　be　worth　nearly　a
million。　It　is　what　is　called　a　'boulevard　corner。'〃

Brigitte　listened　uneasily；　precisely　like　a　cat　which　hears　a　mouse
within　the　wall。　She　looked　Theodose　straight　in　the　eye；　and；　in
spite　of　the　truth　of　his　remarks；　doubts　possessed　her。

〃What　troubles　you；　little　aunt？〃

〃Oh！　I　shall　be　in　mortal　terror　until　that　property　is　securely
ours。〃

〃You　would　be　willing　to　give　twenty　thousand　francs；　wouldn't　you；〃
said　Theodose；　〃to　make　sure　that　Thuillier　was　what　we　call；　in　law；
'owner　not　dispossessable'　of　that　property？　Well；　then；　remember　that
I　have　saved　you　twice　that　amount。〃

〃Where　are　we　going？〃　asked　Thuillier；　returning。

〃To　Maitre　Godeschal！　We　must　employ　him　as　our　attorney。〃

〃But　we　refused　him　for　Celeste。〃

〃Well；　that's　one　reason　for　going　to　him；〃　replied　Theodose。　〃I　have
taken　his　measure；　he's　a　man　of　honor；　and　he'll　think　it　a　fine
thing　to　do　you　a　service。〃

Godeschal；　now　Derville's　successor；　had　formerly　been；　for　more　than
two　years；　head…clerk　with　Desroches。　Theodose；　to　whom　that
circumstance　was　known；　seemed　to　hear　the　name　flung　into　his　ear　in
the　midst　of　his　despair　by　an　inward　voice；　and　he　foresaw　a
possibility　of　wrenching　from　the　hands　of　Claparon　the　weapon　with
which　Cerizet　had　threatened　him。　He　must；　however；　in　the　first
instance；　gain　an　entrance　to　Desroches；　and　get　some　light　on　the
actual　situation　of　his　enemies。　Godeschal；　by　reason　of　the　intimacy
still　existing　between　the　former　clerk　and　his　old　master；　could　be
his　go…between。　When　the　attorneys　of　Paris　have　ties　like　those　which
bound　Godeschal　and　Desroches　together；　they　live　in　true　fraternity；
and　the　result　is　a　facility　in　arranging　any　matters　which　are；　as
one　may　say；　arrangeable。　They　obtain　from　one　another；　on　the　ground
of　reciprocity；　all　possible　concessions　by　the　application　of　the
proverb；　〃Pass　me　the　rhubarb；　and　I'll　pass　you　the　senna；〃　which　is
put　in　practice　in　all　professions；　between　ministers；　soldiers；
judges；　business　men；　wherever；　in　short；　enmity　has　not　raised
barriers　too　strong　and　high　between　the　parties。

〃I　gain　a　pretty　good　fee　out　of　this　compromise；〃　is　a　reason　that
needs　no　expression　in　words：　it　is　visible　in　the　gesture；　the　tone；
the　glance；　and　as　attorneys　and　solicitors　meet　constantly　on　this
ground；　the　matter；　whatever　it　is；　is　arranged。　The　counterpoise　of
this　fraternal　system　is　found　in　what　we　may　call　professional
conscience。　The　public　must　believe　the　physician　who　says；　giving
medical　testimony；　〃This　body　contains　arsenic〃；　nothing　is　supposed
to　exceed　the　integrity　of　the　legislator；　the　independence　of　the
cabinet　minister。　In　like　manner；　the　attorney　of　Paris　says　to　his
brother　lawyer；　good…humoredly；　〃You　can't　obtain　that；　my　client　is
furious；〃　and　the　other　answers；　〃Very　good；　I　must　do　without　it。〃

Now；　la　Peyrade；　a　shrewd　man；　had　worn　his　legal　gown　about　the
Palais　long　enough　to　know　how　these　judicial　morals　might　be　made　to
serve　his　purpose。

〃Sit　in　the　carriage；〃　he　said　to　Thuillier；　when　they　reached　the　rue
Vivienne；　where　Godeschal　was　now　master　of　the　practice　he　had
formerly　served　as　clerk。　〃You　needn't　show　yourself　until　he
undertakes　the　affair。〃

It　was　eleven　o'clock　at　night；　la　Peyrade　was　not　mistaken　in
supposing　that　he　should　find　a　newly　fledged　master　of　a　practice　in
his　office　at　that　hour。

〃To　what　do　I　owe　this　visit；　monsieur？〃　said　Godeschal；　coming
forward　to　meet　the　barrister。

Foreigners；　provincials；　and　persons　in　high　society　may　not　be　aware
that　barristers　are　to　attorneys　what　generals　are　to　marshals。　There
exists　a　line　of　demarcation；　strictly　maintained；　between　the　order
of　barristers　and　the　guild　of　attorneys　and　solicitors　in　Paris。
However　venerable　an　attorney　may　be；　however　capable　and　strong　in
his　profession；　he　must　go　to　the　barrister。　The　attorney　is　the
administrator；　who　maps　out　the　plan　of　the　campaign；　collects　the
munitions　of　war；　and　puts　the　force　in　motion；　the　barrister　gives
battle。　It　is　not　known　why　the　law　gives　a　man　two　men　to　defend　him
any　more　than　it　is　known　why　an　author　is　forced　to　have　both　printer
and　publisher。　The　rules　of　the　bar　forbid　its　members　to　do　any　act
belonging　to　the　guild　of　attorneys。　It　is　very　rare　that　a　barrister
puts　his　foot　in　an　attorney's　office；　the　two　classes　meet　in　the
law…courts。　In　society；　there　is　no　barrier　between　them；　and　some
barristers；　those　in　la　Peyrade's　situation　particularly；　demean
themselves　by　calling　occasionally　on　attorneys；　though　even　these
cases　are　rare；　and　are　usually　excused　by　some　special　urgency。

〃I　have　come　on　important　business；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃it　concerns；
especially；　a　question　of　delicacy　which　you　and　I　ought　to　solve
together。　Thuillier　is　below；　in　a　carriage；　and　I　have　come　up　to　see
you；　not　as　a　barrister；　but　as　his　friend。　You　are　in　a　position　to
do　him　an　immense　service；　and　I　have　told　him　that　you　have　too　noble
a　soul　（as　a　worthy　successor　of　our　great　Derville　must　have）　not　to
put　your　utmost　capacity　at　his　orders。　Here's　the　affair。〃

After　explaining；　wholly　to　his　own　advantage；　the　swindling　trick
which　must；　he　said；　be　met　with　caution　and　ability；　the　barrister
developed　his　plan　of　campaign。

〃You　ought；　my　dear　maitre；　to　go　this　very　evening　to　Desroches；
explain　the　whole　plot　and　persuade　him　to　send　to…morrow　for　his
client；　this　Sauvaignou。　We'll　confess　the　fellow　between　us；　and　if
he　wants　a　note　for　a　thousand　francs　over　and　above　the　amount　of　his
claim；　we'll　let　him　have　it；　not　counting　the　five　hundred　for　you
and　as　much　more　for　Desroches；　provided　Thuillier　receives　the
relinquishment　of　his　claim　by　ten　o'clock　to…morrow　morning。　What
does　this　Sauvaignou　want？　Nothing　but　money。　Well；　a　haggler　like
that　won't　resist　the　attraction　of　an　extra　thousand　francs；
especially　if　he　is　only　the　instrument　of　a　cupidity　behind　him。　It
is　no　matter　to　us　how　he　fights　it　out　with　those　who　prompt　him。
Now；　then；　do　you　think　you　can　get　the　Thuillier　family　out　of　this？〃

〃I'll　go　and　see　Desroches　at　once；〃　said　Godeschal。

〃Not　before　Thuillier　gives　you　a　power　of　attorney　and　five　hundred
francs。　The　money　should　be　on　the　table　in　a　case　like　this。〃

After　the　interview　with　Thuillier　was　over；　la　Peyrade　took　Godeschal
in　the　carriage　to　the　rue　du　Bethizy；　where　Desroches　lived；
explaining　that　it　was　on　their　way　back　to　the　rue　Saint…Dominique
d'Enfer。　When　they　stopped　at　Desroches's　door　la　Peyrade　made　an
appointment　with　Godeschal　to　meet　him　there　the　next　morning　at　seven
o'clock。

La　Peyrade's　whole　future　and　fortune　lay　in　the　outcome　of　this
conference。　It　is　therefore　not　astonishing　that　he　disregarded　the
customs　of　the　bar　and　went　to　Desroches's　office；　to　study　Sauvaignou
and　take　part　in　the　struggle；　in　spite　of　the　danger　he　ran　in　thus
placing　himself　visibly　before　the　eyes　of　one　of　the　most　dreaded
attorneys　in　Paris。

As　he　entered　the　office　and　made　his　salutations；　he　took　note　of
Sauvaignou。　The　man　was；　as　the　name　had　already　told　him；　from
Marseilles；the　foreman　of　a　master…carpenter；　entrusted　with　the
giving　out　of　sub…contracts。　The　profits　of　this　work　consisted　of
what　he　could　make　between　the　price　he　paid　for　the　work　and　that
paid　to　him　by　the　master…carpenter；　this　agreement　being　exclusive　of
material；　his　contract　being　only　for　labor。　The　master…carpenter　had
failed。　Sauvaignou　had　thereupon　appealed　to　the　court　of　commerce　for
recognition　as　creditor　with　a　lien　on　the　property。　He　was　a　stocky
little　man；　dressed　in　a　gray　linen　blouse；　with　a　cap　on　his　head；
and　was　seated　in　an　armchair。　Three　banknotes；　of　a　thousand　francs
each；　lying　visibly　before　him　on　Desroches's　desk；　informed　la
Peyrade　that　the　negotiation　had　already　taken　place；　and　that　the
lawyers　were　worsted。　Godeschal's　eyes　told　the　rest；　and　the　glance
which　Desroches　cast　at　the　〃poor　man's　advocate〃　was　like　the　blow　of
a　pick…axe　into　the　earth　of　a　grave。　Stimulated　by　his　danger；　the
Provencal　became　magnificent。　He　coolly　took　up　the　bank…notes　and
folded　them；　as　if　to　put　them　in　his　pocket；　saying　to　Desroches：

〃Thuillier　has　changed　his　mind。〃

〃Very　good；　then　we　are　all　agreed；〃　said　the　terrible　attorney。

〃Yes；　your　client　must　now　hand　over　to　us　the　fifty　thousand　francs
we　have　spent　on　finishing　the　house；　according　to　the　contract
between　Thuillier　and　Grindot。　I　did　not　tell　you　that　yesterday；〃　he
added；　turning　to　Godeschal。

〃Do　you　hear　that？〃　said　Desroches　to　Sauvaignou。　〃That's　a　case　I
shall　not　touch　without　proper　guarantees。〃

〃But；　messieurs；〃　said　Sauvaignou；　〃I　can't　negotiate　this　matter
until　I　have　seen　the　worthy　man　who　paid　me　five　hundred　francs　on
account　for　having　signed　him　that　bit　of　a　proxy。〃

〃Are　you　from　Marseilles？〃　said　la　Peyrade；　in　patois。

〃Oh！　if　he　tackles　him　with　patois　the　fellow　is　beaten；〃　said
Godeschal　to　Desroches　in　a　low　tone。

〃Yes；　monsieur；〃　replied　the　Marseillais。

〃Well；　you　poor　devil；〃　continued　Theodose；　〃don't　you　see　that　they
want　to　ruin　you？　Shall　I　tell　you　what　you　ought　to　do？　Pocket　these
three　thousand　francs；　and　when　your　worthy　man　comes　after　you；　take
your　rule　and　hit　him　a　rap　over　the　knuckles；　tell　him　he's　a　rascal
who　wants　you　to　do　his　dirty　work；　and　instead　of　that　you　revoke
your　proxy　and　will　pay　him　his　five　hundred　francs　in　the　week　with
three　Thursdays。　Then　be　off　with　you　to　Marseilles　with　these　three
thousand　francs　and　your　savings　in　your　pocket。　If　anything　happens
to　you　there；　let　me　know　through　these　gentlemen；　and　I'll　get　you
out　of　the　scrape；　for；　don