the lesser bourgeoisie-第41部分

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embarrassment　when　she　gave　her　testimonyand　also　the　total
extinction　of　voice　that　attacked　her　when　the　judge　asked　her　age。〃

〃The　robbery；〃　continued　du　Portail；　〃was　audaciously　committed　in　the
daytime；　and　no　sooner　did　Charles　Crochard　get　possession　of　the
casket　than　he　went　to　the　church　of　Saint…Sulpice；　where　he　had　an
appointment　with　an　accomplice；　who；　being　supplied　with　a　passport；
was　to　start　immediately　with　the　diamonds　for　foreign　parts。　It　so
chanced　that　on　entering　the　church；　instead　of　meeting　the　man　he
expected；　who　was　a　trifle　late；　Charles　Crochard　came　face　to　face
with　a　celebrated　agent　of　the　detective　force；　who　was　well　known　to
him；　inasmuch　as　the　young　rascal　was　not　at　his　first　scrimmage　with
the　police。　The　absence　of　his　accomplice；　this　encounter　with　the
detective；　and；　lastly；　a　rapid　movement　made　by　the　latter；　by　the
merest　chance；　toward　the　door；　induced　the　robber　to　fancy　he　was
being　watched。　Losing　his　head　under　this　idea；　he　wanted；　at　any
cost；　to　put　the　casket　out　of　his　possession；　knowing　that　if
arrested；　as　he　expected；　at　the　door　of　the　church；　it　would　be　a
damning　proof　against　him。　Catching　sight　at　that　moment　of
Toupillier；　who　was　then　the　giver　of　holy　water；　'My　man；'　said　he；
making　sure　that　no　one　overheard　their　colloquy；　'will　you　take　care
of　this　little　package　for　me？　It　is　a　box　of　lace。　I　am　going　near　by
to　a　countess　who　is　slow　to　pay　her　bill；　and　if　I　have　the　lace　with
me　she'll　want　to　see　it；　for　it　is　a　new　style；　and　she'll　ask　me　to
leave　it　with　her　on　credit；　instead　of　paying　the　bill；　therefore　I
don't　want　to　take　it。　But；'　he　added；　'be　sure　not　to　touch　the　paper
that　wraps　the　box；　for　there's　nothing　harder　than　to　do　up　a　package
in　the　same　folds'〃

〃The　booby！〃　cried　Cerizet；　naively；　〃why；　that　very　caution　would
make　the　man　want　to　open　it。〃

〃You　are　an　able　casuist；〃　said　du　Portail。　〃Well；　an　hour　later；
Charles　Crochard；　finding　that　nothing　happened　to　him；　returned　to
the　church　to　obtain　his　deposit；　but　Toupillier　was　no　longer　there。
You　can　imagine　the　anxiety　with　which　Charles　Crochard　attended　early
mass　the　next　day；　and　approached　the　giver　of　holy　water；　who　was
there；　sure　enough；　attending　to　his　functions。　But　night；　they　say；
brings　counsel；　the　worthy　beggar　audaciously　declared　that　he　had
received　no　package；　and　did　not　know　what　his　interlocutor　meant。〃

〃And　there　was　no　possibility　of　arguing　with　him；　for　that　would　be
exposure；〃　remarked　Cerizet；　who　was　not　far　from　sympathizing　in　a
trick　so　boldly　played。

〃No　doubt；〃　resumed　du　Portail；　〃the　robbery　was　already　noised　about；
and　Toupillier；　who　was　a　very　able　fellow；　had　calculated　that
Charles　Crochard　would　not　dare　to　publicly　accuse　him；　for　that　would
reveal　the　theft。　In　fact；　on　his　trial　Charles　Crochard　never　said　a
word　of　his　mishap；　and　during　the　six　years　he　spent　at　the　galleys
（he　was　condemned　to　ten；　but　four　were　remitted）　he　did　not　open　his
lips　to　a　single　soul　about　the　treachery　of　which　he　had　been　a
victim。〃

〃That　was　pretty　plucky；〃　said　Cerizet；　the　tale　excited　him；　and　he
showed　openly　that　he　saw　the　matter　as　an　artist　and　a　connoisseur。

〃In　that　interval；〃　continued　du　Portail；　〃Madame　Beaumesnil　died；
leaving　her　daughter　a　few　fragments　of　a　once　great　fortune；　and　the
diamonds　which　the　will　expressly　stated　Lydie　was　to　receive　'in　case
they　were　recovered。'〃

〃Ha！　ha！〃　exclaimed　Cerizet；　〃bad　for　Toupillier；　because；　having　to
do　with　a　man　of　your　calibre〃

〃Charles　Crochard's　first　object　on　being　liberated　was　vengeance　on
Toupillier；　and　his　first　step　was　to　denounce　him　to　the　police　as
receiver　of　the　stolen　property。　Taken　in　hand　by　the　law；　Toupillier
defended　himself　with　such　singular　good…humor；　being　able　to　show
that　no　proof　whatever　existed　against　him；　that　the　examining　judge
let　him　off。　He　lost　his　place；　however；　as　giver　of　holy　water；
obtaining；　with　great　difficulty；　permission　to　beg　at　the　door　of　the
church。　For　my　part；　I　was　certain　of　his　guilt；　and　I　managed　to　have
the　closest　watch　kept　upon　him；　though　I　relied　far　more　upon　myself。
Being　a　man　of　means　and　leisure；　I　stuck；　as　you　may　say；　to　the　skin
of　my　thief；　and　did；　in　order　to　unmask　him；　one　of　the　cleverest
things　of　my　career。　He　was　living　at　that　time　in　the　rue　du　Coeur…
Volant。　I　succeeded　in　becoming　the　tenant　of　the　room　adjoining　his；
and　one　night；　through　a　gimlet　hole　I　had　drilled　in　the　partition；　I
saw　my　man　take　the　case　of　diamonds　from　a　very　cleverly　contrived
hiding…place。　He　sat　for　an　hour　gazing　at　them　and　fondling　them；　he
made　them　sparkle　in　the　light；　he　pressed　them　passionately　to　his
lips。　The　man　actually　loved　those　diamonds　for　themselves；　and　had
never　thought　of　turning　them　to　money。〃

〃I　understand；〃　said　Cerizet；〃a　mania　like　that　of　Cardillac；　the
jeweller；　which　has　now　been　dramatized。〃

〃That　is　just　it；〃　returned　du　Portail；　〃the　poor　wretch　was　in　love
with　that　casket；　so　that　when；　shortly　after；　I　entered　his　room　and
told　him　I　knew　all；　he　proposed　to　me　to　leave　him　the　life　use　of
what　he　called　the　consolation　of　his　old　age；　pledging　himself　to
make　Mademoiselle　de　la　Peyrade　his　sole　heir；　revealing　to　me　at　the
same　time　the　existence　of　a　hoard　of　gold　（to　which　he　was　adding
every　day）；　and　also　the　possession　of　a　house　and　an　investment　in
the　Funds。〃

〃If　he　made　that　proposal　in　good　faith；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃it　was　a
desirable　one。　The　interest　of　the　capital　sunk　in　the　diamonds　was
more　than　returned　by　that　from　the　other　property。〃

〃You　now　see；　my　dear　sir；〃　said　du　Portail；　〃that　I　was　not　mistaken
in　trusting　him。　All　my　precautions　were　well　taken；　I　exacted　that　he
should　occupy　a　room　in　the　house　I　lived　in；　where　I　could　keep　a
close　eye　upon　him。　I　assisted　him　in　making　that　hiding…place；　the
secret　of　which　you　discovered　so　cleverly；　but　what　you　did　not　find
out　was　that　in　touching　the　spring　that　opened　the　iron　safe　you　rang
a　bell　in　my　apartment；　which　warned　me　of　any　attempt　that　was　made
to　remove　our　treasure。〃

〃Poor　Madame　Cardinal！〃　cried　Cerizet；　good…humoredly；　〃how　far　she
was　from　suspecting　it！〃

〃Now　here's　the　situation；〃　resumed　du　Portail。　〃On　account　of　the
interest　I　feel　in　the　nephew　of　my　old　friend；　and　also；　on　account
of　the　relationship；　this　marriage　seems　to　me　extremely　desirable；　in
short；　I　unite　Theodose　to　his　cousin　and　her　'dot。'　As　it　is　possible
that；　considering　the　mental　state　of　his　future　wife；　Theodose　may
object　to　sharing　my　views；　I　have　not　thought　it　wise　to　make　this
proposal　directly　to　himself。　You　have　suddenly　turned　up　upon　my
path；　I　know　already　that　you　are　clever　and　wily；　and　that　knowledge
induces　me　to　put　this　little　matrimonial　negotiation　into　your　hands。
Now；　I　think；　you　understand　the　matter　thoroughly；　speak　to　him　of　a
fine　girl；　with　one　little　drawback；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　a
comfortable　fortune。　Do　not　name　her　to　him；　and　come　here　and　let　me
know　how　the　proposal　has　been　taken。〃

〃Your　confidence　delights　me　as　much　as　it　honors　me；〃　replied
Cerizet；　〃and　I　will　justify　it　the　best　I　can。〃

〃We　must　not　expect　too　much；〃　said　du　Portail。　〃Refusal　will　be　the
first　impulse　of　a　man　who　has　an　affair　on　hand　elsewhere；　but　we
need　not　consider　ourselves　beaten。　I　shall　not　easily　give　up　a　plan
which　I　know　to　be　just；　even　if　I　push　my　zeal　so　far　as　to　put　la
Peyrade　under　lock　and　key　in　Clichy。　I　am　resolved　not　to　take　no　for
his　answer　to　a　proposal　of　which；　in　the　end；　he　cannot　fail　to　see
the　propriety。　Therefore；　in　any　case；　buy　up　those　notes　from
Monsieur　Dutocq。〃

〃At　par？〃　asked　Cerizet。

〃Yes；　at　par；　if　you　cannot　do　better；　we　are　not　going　to　haggle　over
a　few　thousand　francs；　only；　when　this　transaction　is　arranged；
Monsieur　Dutocq　must　pledge　us　either　his　assistance；　or；　at　the　very
least；　his　neutrality。　After　what　you　have　said　of　the　other　marriage；
it　is　unnecessary　for　me　to　warn　you　that　there　is　not　a　moment　to
lose　in　putting　our　irons　into　the　fire。〃

〃Two　days　hence　I　have　an　appointment　with　la　Peyrade；〃　said　Cerizet。
〃We　have　a　little　matter　of　business　of　our　own　to　settle。　Don't　you
think　it　would　be　best　to　wait　till　then；　when　I　can　introduce　the
proposal　incidentally？　In　case　of　resistance；　I　think　that　arrangement
would　best　conduce　to　OUR　dignity。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　said　du　Portail；　〃it　isn't　much　of　a　delay。　Remember；
monsieur；　that　if　you　succeed　you　have；　in　place　of　a　man　able　to
bring　you　to　a　stern　account　for　your　IMPRUDENT　ASSISTANCE　to　Madame
Cardinal；　a　greatly　obliged　person；　who　will　be　ready　at　all　times　to
serve　you；　and　whose　influence　is　greater　than　is　generally　supposed。〃

After　these　friendly　words；　the　pair　separated　with　a　thoroughly　good
understanding；　and　well　satisfied　with　each　other。



CHAPTER　XVII

IN　WHICH　THE　LAMB　DEVOURS　THE　WOLF

The　evening　before　the　day　already　agreed　upon；　Theodose　received　from
Cerizet　the　following　note：

〃To…morrow；　lease　or　no　lease；　Rocher　de　Cancale；　half…past　six
o'clock。〃

As　for　Dutocq；　Cerizet　saw　him　every　day；　for　he　was　still　his　copying
clerk；　he　therefore　gave　him　his　invitation　by　word　of　mouth；　but　the
attentive　reader　must　remark　a　difference　in　the　hour　named：　〃Quarter…
past…six；　Rocher　de　Cancale；〃　said　Cerizet。　It　was　evident；　therefore；
that　he　wanted　that　fifteen　minutes　with　Dutocq　before　the　arrival　of
la　Peyrade。

These　minutes　the　usurer　proposed　to　employ　in　jockeying　Dutocq　in　the
purchase　of　the　notes；　he　fancied　that　if　the　proposition　to　buy　them
were　suddenly　put　before　him　without　the　slightest　preparation　it
might　be　more　readily　received。　By　not　leaving　the　seller　time　to
bethink　himself；　perhaps　he　might　lead　him　to　loosen　his　grasp；　and
the　notes　once　bought　below　par；　he　could　consider　at　his　leisure
whether　to　pocket　the　difference　or　curry　favor　with　du　Portail　for
the　discount　he　had　obtained。　Let　us　say；　moreover；　that　apart　from
self…interest；　Cerizet　would　still　have　endeavored　to　scrape　a　little
profit　out　of　his　friend；　'twas　an　instin