the lesser bourgeoisie-第43部分

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which　have　suppressed　the　role　of　intermediaries。　Why　shouldn't
Mademoiselle　Brigitte　Thuillier　manage　her　own　house　when　dukes　and
peers　go　in　person　to　the　Bourse；　where　such　men　sign　their　own　leases
and　read　the　deeds　before　they　sign　them；　and　go　themselves　to　the
notary；　whom；　in　former　days；　they　considered　a　servant。〃

During　this　time　Cerizet　had　time　to　recover　from　the　blow　he　had　just
received　squarely　in　the　face；　and　to　think　of　the　transition　he　had
to　make　from　one　set　of　interests　to　the　other；　of　which　he　was　now
the　agent。

〃What　you　are　declaiming　there　is　all　very　clever；〃　he　said；
carelessly；　〃but　the　thing　that　proves　to　me　our　defeat　is　the　fact
that　you　are　not　on　the　terms　with　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　you　would
have　us　believe　you　are。　She　is　slipping　through　your　fingers；　and　I
don't　think　that　marriage　is　anything　like　as　certain　as　Dutocq　and　I
have　been　fancying　it　was。〃

〃Well；　no　doubt；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃there　are　still　some　touches　to　be
given　to　our　sketch；　but　I　believe　it　is　well　under　way。〃

〃And　I　think；　on　the　contrary；　that　you　have　lost　ground；　and　the
reason　is　simple：　you　have　done　those　people　an　immense　service；　and
that's　a　thing　never　forgiven。〃

〃Well；　we　shall　see；〃　said　la　Peyrade。　〃I　have　more　than　one　hold　upon
them。〃

〃No；　you　are　mistaken。　You　thought　you　did　a　brilliant　thing　in
putting　them　on　a　pinnacle；　but　the　fact　is　you　emancipated　them；
they'll　keep　you　now　at　heel。　The　human　heart；　particularly　the
bourgeois　heart；　is　made　that　way。　If　I　were　in　your　place　I　shouldn't
feel　so　sure　of　being　on　solid　ground；　and　if　something　else　turned　up
that　offered　me　a　good　chance〃

〃What！　just　because　I　couldn't　get　you　the　lease　of　that　house　do　you
want　to　knock　everything　to　pieces？〃

〃No；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃I　am　not　looking　at　the　matter　in　the　light　of　my
own　interests；　I　don't　doubt　that　as　a　trustworthy　friend　you　have
done　every　imaginable　thing　to　promote　them；　but　I　think　the　manner　in
which　you　have　been　shoved　aside　a　very　disturbing　symptom。　It　even
decides　me　to　tell　you　something　I　did　not　intend　to　speak　of；
because；　in　my　opinion；　when　persons　start　a　course　they　ought　to　keep
on　steadily；　looking　neither　forward　nor　back；　and　not　allowing
themselves　to　be　diverted　to　other　aspirations。〃

〃Ah　ca！〃　cried　la　Peyrade；　〃what　does　all　this　verbiage　mean？　Have　you
anything　to　propose　to　me？　What's　the　price　of　it？〃

〃My　dear　Theodose；〃　said　Cerizet；　paying　no　attention　to　the
impertinence；　〃you　yourself　can　judge　of　the　value　of　discovering　a
young　girl；　well　brought…up；　adorned　with　beauty　and　talents　and　a
'dot'　equal　to　that　of　Celeste；　which　she　has　in　her　own　right；　PLUS
fifty　thousand　francs'　worth　of　diamonds　（as　Mademoiselle　Georges　says
on　her　posters　in　the　provinces）；　and；　moreover；a　fact　which　ought
to　strike　the　mind　of　an　ambitious　man；a　strong　political　influence；
which　she　can　use　for　a　husband。〃

〃And　this　treasure　you　hold　in　your　hand？〃　said　la　Peyrade；　in　a　tone
of　incredulity。

〃Better　still；　I　am　authorized　to　offer　it　to　you；　in　fact；　I　might
say　that　I　am　charged　to　do　so。〃

〃My　friend；　you　are　poking　fun　at　me；　unless；　indeed；　this　phoenix　has
some　hideous　or　prohibitory　defect。〃

〃Well；　I'll　admit；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃that　there　is　a　slight　objection；
not　on　the　score　of　family；　for；　to　tell　the　truth；　the　young　woman
has　none〃

〃Ah！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃a　natural　childWell；　what　next？〃

〃Next；　she　is　not　so　very　young；something　like　twenty…nine　or　so；
but　there's　nothing　easier　than　to　turn　an　elderly　girl　into　a　young
widow　if　you　have　imagination。〃

〃Is　that　all　the　venom　in　it？〃

〃Yes；　all　that　is　irreparable。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？　Is　it　a　case　of　rhinoplasty？〃

Addressed　to　Cerizet　the　word　had　an　aggressive　air；　which；　in　fact；
was　noticeable　since　the　beginning　of　the　dinner　in　the　whole　manner
and　conversation　of　the　barrister。　But　it　did　not　suit　the　purpose　of
the　negotiator　to　resent　it。

〃No；〃　he　replied；　〃our　nose　is　as　well　made　as　our　foot　and　our　waist；
but　we　may；　perhaps；　have　a　slight　touch　of　hysteria。〃

〃Oh！　very　good；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃and　as　from　hysteria　to　insanity
there　is　but　a　step〃

〃Well；　yes；〃　interrupted　Cerizet；　hastily；　〃sorrows　have　affected　our
brain　slightly；　but　the　doctors　are　unanimous　in　their　diagnosis；　they
all　say　that　after　the　birth　of　the　first　child　not　a　trace　will
remain　of　this　little　trouble。〃

〃I　am　willing　to　admit　that　doctors　are　infallible；〃　replied　la
Peyrade；　〃but；　in　spite　of　your　discouragement；　you　must　allow　me；　my
friend；　to　persist　in　my　suit　to　Mademoiselle　Colleville。　Perhaps　it
is　ridiculous　to　confess　it；　but　the　truth　is　I　am　gradually　falling
in　love　with　that　little　girl。　It　isn't　that　her　beauty　is
resplendent；　or　that　the　glitter　of　her　'dot'　has　dazzled　me；　but　I
find　in　that　child　a　great　fund　of　sound　sense　joined　to　simplicity；
and；　what　to　mind　is　of　greater　consequence；　her　sincere　and　solid
piety　attracts　me；　I　think　a　husband　ought　to　be　very　happy　with　her。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Cerizet；　who；　having　been　on　the　stage；　may　very　well　have
known　his　Moliere；　〃this　marriage　will　crown　your　wishes　with　all
good；　it　will　be　filled　with　sweetness　and　with　pleasures。〃

The　allusion　to　Tartuffe　was　keenly　felt　by　la　Peyrade；　who　took　it　up
and　said；　hotly：

〃The　contact　with　innocence　will　disinfect　me　of　the　vile　atmosphere
in　which　I　have　lived　too　long。〃

〃And　you　will　pay　your　notes　of　hand；〃　added　Cerizet；　〃which　I　advise
you　to　do　with　the　least　possible　delay；　for　Dutocq　here　was　saying　to
me　just　now　that　he　would　like　to　see　the　color　of　your　money。〃

〃I？　not　at　all；〃　interposed　Dutocq。　〃I　think；　on　the　contrary；　that
our　friend　has　a　right　to　the　delay。〃

〃Well；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃I　agree　with　Cerizet。　I　hold　that　the　less　a
debt　is　due；　and　therefore　the　more　insecure　and　open　to　contention　it
is；　the　sooner　one　ought　to　free　one's　self　by　paying　it。〃

〃But；　my　dear　la　Peyrade；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃why　take　this　bitter　tone？〃

Pulling　from　his　pocket　a　portfolio；　la　Peyrade　said：

〃Have　you　those　notes　with　you；　Dutocq？〃

〃Faith！　no；　my　dear　fellow；〃　replied　Dutocq；　〃I　don't　carry　them　about
with　me；　besides；　they　are　in　Cerizet's　hands。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　barrister；　rising；　〃whenever　you　come　to　my　house
I'll　pay　you　on　the　nail；　as　Cerizet　can　tell　you。〃

〃What！　are　you　going　to　leave　us　without　your　coffee？〃　said　Cerizet；
amazed　to　the　last　degree。

〃Yes；　I　have　an　arbitration　case　at　eight　o'clock。　Besides；　we　have
said　all　we　had　to　say。　You　haven't　your　lease；　but　you've　got　your
twenty　five　thousand　francs　in　full；　and　those　of　Dutocq　are　ready　for
him　whenever　he　chooses　to　come　to　my　office。　I　see　nothing　now　to
prevent　me　from　going　where　my　private　business　calls　me；　and　I
therefore　very　cordially　bid　you　good…bye。〃

〃Ah　ca！　Dutocq；〃　cried　Cerizet；　as　la　Peyrade　disappeared；　〃this　means
a　rupture。〃

〃Prepared　with　the　utmost　care；〃　added　Dutocq。　〃Did　you　notice　the　air
with　which　he　pulled　out　that　pocket…book？〃

〃But　where　the　devil；〃　said　the　usurer；　〃could　he　have　got　the　money？〃

〃Probably；〃　replied　Dutocq；　sarcastically；　〃where　he　got　that　with
which　he　paid　you　in　full　for　those　notes　you　sold　at　a　sacrifice。〃

〃My　dear　Dutocq；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃I'll　explain　to　you　the　circumstances
under　which　that　insolent　fellow　freed　himself；　and　you'll　see　if　he
didn't　rob　me　of　fifteen　thousand　francs。〃

〃Possibly；　but　you；　my　worthy　clerk；　were　trying　to　get　ten　thousand
away　from　me。〃

〃No；　no；　I　was　positively　ordered　to　buy　up　your　claim；　and　you　ought
to　remember　that　my　offer　had　risen　to　twenty　thousand　when　Theodose
came　in。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃when　we　leave　here　we'll　go　to　your　house；　where
you　will　give　me　those　notes；　for；　you'll　understand　that　to…morrow
morning；　at　the　earliest　decent　hour；　I　shall　go　to　la　Peyrade's
office；　I　don't　mean　to　let　his　paying　humor　cool。〃

〃And　right　you　are；　for　I　can　tell　you　now　that　before　long　there'll
be　a　fine　upset　in　his　life。〃

〃Then　the　thing　is　really　seriousthis　tale　of　a　crazy　woman　you　want
him　to　marry？　I　must　say　that　in　his　place；　with　these　money…matters
evidently　on　the　rise；　I　should　have　backed　out　of　your　proposals　just
as　he　did。　Ninas　and　Ophelias　are　all　very　well　on　the　stage；　but　in　a
home〃

〃In　a　home；　when　they　bring　a　'dot；'　we　can　be　their　guardian；〃
replied　Cerizet；　sententiously。　〃In　point　of　fact；　we　get　a　fortune
and　not　a　wife。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃that's　one　way　to　look　at　it。〃

〃If　you　are　willing；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃let　us　go　and　take　our　coffee
somewhere　else。　This　dinner　has　turned　out　so　foolishly　that　I　want　to
get　out　of　this　room；　where　there's　no　air。〃　He　rang　for　the　waiter。
〃Garcon！〃　he　said；　〃the　bill。〃

〃Monsieur；　it　is　paid。〃

〃Paid！　by　whom？〃

〃By　the　gentleman　who　just　went　out。〃

〃But　this　is　outrageous；〃　cried　Cerizet。　〃I　ordered　the　dinner；　and
you　allow　some　one　else　to　pay　for　it！〃

〃It　wasn't　I；　monsieur；〃　said　the　waiter；　〃the　gentleman　went　and　paid
the　'dame　du　comptoir'；　she　must　have　thought　it　was　arranged　between
you。　Besides；　it　is　not　so　uncommon　for　gentlemen　to　have　friendly
disputes　about　paying。〃

〃That's　enough；〃　said　Cerizet；　dismissing　the　waiter。

〃Won't　these　gentlemen　take　their　coffee？it　is　paid　for；〃　said　the
man　before　he　left　the　room。

〃A　good　reason　for　not　taking　it；〃　replied　Cerizet；　angrily。　〃It　is
really　inconceivable　that　in　a　house　of　this　kind　such　an　egregious
blunder　should　be　committed。　What　do　you　think　of　such　insolence？〃　he
added；　when　the　waiter　had　left　the　room。

〃Bah！〃　exclaimed　Dutocq；　taking　his　hat；　〃it　is　a　schoolboy
proceeding；　he　wanted　to　show　he　had　money；　it　is　easy　to　see　he　never
had　any　before。〃

〃No；　no！　that's　not　it；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃he　meant　to　mark　the　rupture。
'I　will　not　owe　you　even　a　dinner；'　is　what　he　says　to　me。〃

〃But；　after　all；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃this　banquet　was　given　to　celebrate
your　enthronement　as　principal　tenant　of　the　grand　house。　Well；　he　has
failed　to　get　you　the　lease；　and　I　can　understand　that　his　conscience
was　uneasy　at　letting　you　pay　for　a　dinner　which；　like　those　notes