the lesser bourgeoisie-第42部分

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self…interest；　Cerizet　would　still　have　endeavored　to　scrape　a　little
profit　out　of　his　friend；　'twas　an　instinct　and　a　need　of　his　nature。
He　had　as　great　a　horror　for　straight　courses　as　the　lovers　of　English
gardens　show　in　the　lines　of　their　paths。

Dutocq；　having　still　a　portion　of　the　cost　of　his　practice　to　pay　off；
was　forced　to　live　very　sparingly；　so　that　a　dinner　at　the　Rocher　de
Cancale　was　something　of　an　event　in　the　economy　of　his　straitened
existence。　He　arrived；　therefore；　with　that　punctuality　which
testifies　to　an　interest　in　the　occasion；　and　precisely　at　a　quarter
past　six　he　entered　the　private　room　of　the　restaurant　where　Cerizet
awaited　him。

〃It　is　queer；〃　he　said；　〃here　we　are　returned　to　precisely　the
situation　in　which　we　began　our　business　relationship　with　la　Peyrade；
except；　to　be　sure；　that　this　present　place　of　meeting　of　the　three
emperors　is　more　comfortable；　I　prefer　the　Tilsit　of　the　rue
Montgorgeuil　to　the　Tilsit　of　the　Cheval　Rouge。〃

〃Faith！〃　said　Cerizet；　〃I　don't　know　that　the　results　justify　the
change；　for；　to　be　frank；　where　are　the　profits　to　US　in　the　scheme　of
our　triumvirate？〃

〃But；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃it　was　a　bargain　with　a　long　time　limit。　It　can't
be　said　that　la　Peyrade　has　lost　much　time　in　getting　installed
forgive　the　punat　the　Thuilleries。　The　scamp　has　made　his　way　pretty
fast；　you　must　own　that。〃

〃Not　so　fast　but　what　his　marriage；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃is　at　the　present
moment　a　very　doubtful　thing。〃

〃Doubtful！〃　cried　Dutocq；　〃why　doubtful？〃

〃Well；　I　am　commissioned　to　propose　to　him　another　wife；　and　I'm　not
sure　that　any　choice　is　left　to　him。〃

〃What　the　devil　are　you　about；　my　dear　fellow；　lending　your　hand　in
this　way　to　another　marriage　when　you　know　we　have　a　mortgage　on　the
first？〃

〃One　isn't　always　master　of　circumstances；　my　friend；　I　saw　at　once
when　the　new　affair　was　laid　before　me　that　the　one　we　had　settled　on
must　infallibly　go　by　the　board。　Consequently；　I've　tried　to　work　it
round　in　our　interests；　yours　and　mine。〃

〃Ah　ca！　do　you　mean　they　are　pulling　caps　for　this　Theodose？　Who　is
the　new　match？　Has　she　money？〃

〃The　'dot'　is　pretty　good；　quite　as　much　as　Mademoiselle
Colleville's。〃

〃Then　I　wouldn't　give　a　fig　for　it。　La　Peyrade　has　signed　those　notes
and　he　will　pay　them。〃

〃Will　he　pay　them？　that's　the　question。　You　are　not　a　business　man；
neither　is　Theodose；　it　may　come　into　his　head　to　dispute　the　validity
of　those　notes。　What　security　have　we　that　if　the　facts　about　their
origin　should　come　out；　and　the　Thuillier　marriage　shouldn't　come　off；
the　court　of　commerce　mightn't　annul　them　as　'obligations　without
cause。'　For　my　part；　I　should　laugh　at　such　a　decision；　I　can　stand
it；　and；　moreover；　my　precautions　are　taken；　but　you；　as　clerk　to　a
justice…of…peace；　don't　you　see　that　such　an　affair　would　give　the
chancellor　a　bone　to　pick　with　you？〃

〃But；　my　good　fellow；〃　said　Dutocq；　with　the　ill…humor　of　a　man　who
sees　himself　face　to　face　with　an　argument　he　can't　refute；　〃you　seem
to　have　a　mania　for　stirring　up　matters　and　meddling　with〃

〃I　tell　you　again；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃this　came　to　me；　I　didn't　seek　it；
but　I　saw　at　once　that　there　was　no　use　struggling　against　the
influence　that　is　opposing　us；　so　I　chose　the　course　of　saving
ourselves　by　a　sacrifice。〃

〃A　sacrifice！　what　sort　of　sacrifice？〃

〃Parbleu！　I've　sold　my　share　of　those　notes；　leaving　those　who　bought
them　to　fight　it　out　with　Master　barrister。〃

〃Who　is　the　purchaser？〃

〃Who　do　you　suppose　would　step　into　my　shoes　unless　it　were　the
persons　who　have　an　interest　in　this　other　marriage；　and　who　want　to
hold　a　power　over　Theodose；　and　control　him　by　force　if　necessary。〃

〃Then　my　share　of　the　notes　is　equally　important　to　them？〃

〃No　doubt；　but　I　couldn't　speak　for　you　until　I　had　consulted　you。〃

〃What　do　they　offer？〃

〃Hang　it！　my　dear　fellow；　the　same　that　I　accepted。　Knowing　better
than　you　the　danger　of　their　competition　I　sold　out　to　them　on　very
bad　terms。〃

〃Well；　but　what　are　they；　those　terms？〃

〃I　gave　up　my　shares　for　fifteen　thousand　francs。〃

〃Come；　come！〃　said　Dutocq；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃what　you　are
after　is　to　recover　a　loss　（if　you　made　it）　by　a　commission　on　my
shareand　perhaps；　after　all；　the　whole　thing　is　only　a　plot　between
you　and　la　Peyrade〃

〃At　any　rate；　my　good　friend；　you　don't　mince　your　words；　an　infamous
thought　comes　into　your　head　and　you　state　it　with　charming　frankness。
Luckily　you　shall　presently　hear　me　make　the　proposal　to　Theodose；　and
you　are　clever　enough　to　know　by　his　manner　if　there　has　been　any
connivance　between　us。〃

〃So　be　it！〃　said　Dutocq。　〃I　withdraw　the　insinuation；　but　I　must　say
your　employers　are　pirates；　I　call　their　proposal　throttling　people。　I
have　not；　like　you；　something　to　fall　back　upon。〃

〃Well；　you　poor　fellow；　this　is　how　I　reasoned：　I　said　to　myself；　That
good　Dutocq　is　terribly　pressed　for　the　last　payment　on　his　practice；
this　will　give　him　enough　to　pay　it　off　at　one　stroke；　events　have
proved　that　there　are　great　uncertainties　about　our　Theodose…and…
Thuillier　scheme；　here's　money　down；　live　money；　and　therefore　it
won't　be　so　bad　a　bargain　after　all。〃

〃It　is　a　loss　of　two…fifths！〃

〃Come；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃you　were　talking　just　now　of　commissions。　I　see
a　means　of　getting　one　for　you　if　you'll　engage　to　batter　down　this
Colleville　marriage。　If　you　will　cry　it　down　as　you　have　lately　cried
it　up　I　shouldn't　despair　of　getting　you　a　round　twenty　thousand　out
of　the　affair。〃

〃Then　you　think　that　this　new　proposal　will　not　be　agreeable　to　la
Peyrade；that　he'll　reject　it？　Is　it　some　heiress　on　whom　he　has
already　taken　a　mortgage？〃

〃All　that　I　can　tell　you　is　that　these　people　expect　some　difficulty
in　bringing　the　matter　to　a　conclusion。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　desire　better　than　to　follow　your　lead　and　do　what　is
disagreeable　to　la　Peyrade；　but　five　thousand　francsthink　of　it！it
is　too　much　to　lose。〃

At　this　moment　the　door　opened；　and　a　waiter　ushered　in　the　expected
guest。

〃You　can　serve　dinner；〃　said　Cerizet　to　the　waiter；　〃we　are　all　here。〃

It　was　plain　that　Theodose　was　beginning　to　take　wing　toward　higher
social　spheres；　elegance　was　becoming　a　constant　thought　in　his　mind。
He　appeared　in　a　dress　suit　and　varnished　shoes；　whereas　his　two
associates　received　him　in　frock…coats　and　muddy　boots。

〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　I　am　a　little　late；　but　that　devil　of　a
Thuillier　is　the　most　intolerable　of　human　beings　about　a　pamphlet　I
am　concocting　for　him。　I　was　unlucky　enough　to　agree　to　correct　the
proofs　with　him；　and　over　every　paragraph　there's　a　fight。　'What　I
can't　understand；'　he　says；　'the　public　can't；　either。　I'm　not　a　man
of　letters；　but　I'm　a　practical　man'；　and　that's　the　way　we　battle　it；
page　after　page。　I　thought　the　sitting　this　afternoon　would　never
end。〃

〃How　unreasonable　you　are；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃when　a　man
wants　to　succeed　he　must　have　the　courage　to　make　sacrifices。　Once
married；　you　can　lift　your　head。〃

〃Ah；　yes！〃　said　la　Peyrade　with　a　sigh；　〃I'll　lift　it；　for　since　the
day　you　made　me　eat　this　bread　of　anguish　I've　become　terribly　sick　of
it。〃

〃Cerizet；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃has　a　plan　that　will　feed　you　more
succulently。〃

Nothing　more　was　said　at　the　moment；　for　justice　had　to　be　done　to　the
excellent　fare　ordered　by　Cerizet　in　honor　of　his　coming　lease。　As
usually　happens　at　dinners　where　affairs　are　likely　to　be　discussed；
each　man；　with　his　mind　full　of　them；　took　pains　not　to　approach　those
topics；　fearing　to　compromise　his　advantages　by　seeming　eager；　the
conversation；　therefore；　continued　for　a　long　time　on　general
subjects；　and　it　was　not　until　the　dessert　was　served　that　Cerizet
brought　himself　to　ask　la　Peyrade　what　had　been　settled　about　the
terms　of　his　lease。

〃Nothing；　my　friend；〃　replied　Theodose。

〃What！　nothing？　I　certainly　allowed　you　time　enough　to　decide　the
matter。〃

〃Well；　as　to　that；　something　is　decided。　There　will　not　be　any
principal　tenant　at　all；　Mademoiselle　Brigitte　is　going　to　let　the
house　herself。〃

〃That's　a　singular　thing；〃　said　Cerizet；　stiffly。　〃After　your
agreement　with　me；　I　certainly　did　not　expect　such　a　result　as　this。〃

〃How　can　I　help　it；　my　dear　fellow？　I　agreed　with　you；　barring
amendments　on　the　other　side；　I　wasn't　able　to　give　another　turn　to
the　affair。　In　her　natural　character　as　a　managing　woman　and　a　sample
of　perpetual　motion；　Brigitte　has　reflected　that　she　might　as　well
manage　that　house　herself　and　put　into　her　own　pocket　the　profits　you
proposed　to　make。　I　said　all　I　could　about　the　cares　and　annoyances
which　she　would　certainly　saddle　upon　herself。　'Oh！　nonsense！'　she
said；　'they'll　stir　my　blood　and　do　my　health　good！'〃

〃It　is　pitiable！〃　said　Cerizet。　〃That　poor　old　maid　will　never　know
which　end　to　take　hold　of；　she　doesn't　imagine　what　it　is　to　have　an
empty　house；　and　which　must　be　filled　with　tenants　from　garret　to
cellar。〃

〃I　plied　her　with　all　those　arguments；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃but　I
couldn't　move　her　resolution。　Don't　you　see；　my　dear　democrats；　you
stirred　up　the　revolution　of　'89；　you　thought　to　make　a　fine
speculation　in　dethroning　the　noble　by　the　bourgeois；　and　the　end　of
it　is　you　are　shoved　out　yourselves。　This　looks　like　paradox；　but
you've　found　out　now　that　the　peasant　and　clodhopper　isn't　malleable；
he　can't　be　forced　down　and　kept　under　like　the　noble。　The
aristocracy；　on　behalf　of　its　dignity；　would　not　condescend　to　common
cares；　and　was　therefore　dependent　on　a　crowd　of　plebeian　servitors　to
whom　it　had　to　trust　for　three…fourths　of　the　actions　of　its　own　life。
That　was　the　reign　of　stewards　and　bailiffs；　wily　fellows；　into　whose
hands　the　interests　of　the　great　families　passed；　and　who　fed　and　grew
fat　on　the　parings　of　the　great　fortunes　they　managed。　But　now…a…days；
utilitarian　theories；　as　they　call　them；　have　come　to　the　fore；'We
are　never　so　well　served　as　by　ourselves；'　'There's　no　shame　in
attending　to　one's　own　business；'　and　many　other　bourgeois　maxims
which　have　suppressed　the　role　of　intermediaries。　Why　shouldn't
Mademoiselle　Brigitte　Thuillier　manage　her　own　house　when　dukes