the lesser bourgeoisie-第59部分

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〃IF　I　WERE　SURE；that's　a　queer　thing　to　say；〃　said　Barbet。　〃My　dear
master；　this　is　money　placed　on　mortgage；　for　it；　I　will　guarantee　the
sale　of　fifteen　hundred　copies；say　at　forty　sous　apiece；　allowing
the　discounts；　that　makes　three　thousand　francs。　You　see　that　your
costs　and　extra　costs　are　covered；　and　more　than　covered。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Thuillier；　turning　to　go；　〃I'll　talk　to　la　Peyrade　about
it。〃

〃As　you　please；　my　dear　master；　but　decide　soon；　for　nothing　gets
mouldy　so　fast　as　a　book；　write　hot；　serve　hot；　and　buy　hot；that's
the　rule　for　authors；　publishers；　and　public；　all　is　bosh　outside　of
it；　and　no　good　to　touch。〃

When　la　Peyrade　was　consulted；　he　did　not　think　in　his　heart　that　the
remedy　was　heroic；　but　he　had　now　come　to　feel　the　bitterest　animosity
against　Thuillier；　so　that　he　was　well　pleased　to　see　this　new　tax
levied　on　his　self…important　inexperience　and　pompous　silliness。

As　for　Thuillier；　the　mania　for　posing　as　a　publicist　and　getting
himself　talked　about　so　possessed　him　that　although　he　moaned　over
this　fresh　bleeding　of　his　purse；　he　had　decided　on　the　sacrifice
before　he　even　spoke　to　la　Peyrade。　The　reserved　and　conditional
approval　of　the　latter　was；　therefore；　more　than　enough　to　settle　his
determination；　and　the　same　evening　he　returned　to　Barbet　junior　and
asked　for　the　list　of　guests　whom　he　ought　to　invite。

Barbet　gaily　produced　his　little　catalogue。　Instead　of　the　ten　guests
originally　mentioned；　there　proved　to　be　fifteen；　not　counting　himself
or　la　Peyrade；　whom　Thuillier　wanted　to　second　him　in　this　encounter
with　a　set　of　men　among　whom　he　himself　felt　he　should　be　a　little　out
of　place。　Casting　his　eyes　over　the　list；　he　exclaimed；　vehemently：

〃Heavens！　my　dear　fellow；　here　are　names　of　papers　nobody　ever　heard
of。　Where's　the　'Moralisateur；'　the　'Lanterne　de　Diogene；'　the
'Pelican；'　the　'Echo　de　la　Bievre'？〃

〃You'd　better　be　careful　how　you　scorn　the　'Echo　de　la　Bievre；'〃　said
Barbet；　〃why；　that's　the　paper　of　the　12th　arrondissement；　from　which
you　expect　to　be　elected；　its　patrons　are　those　big　tanners　of　the
Mouffetard　quarter！〃

〃Well；　let　that　gobut　the　'Pelican'？〃

〃The　'Pelican'？　that's　a　paper　you'll　find　in　every　dentist's　waiting…
room；　dentists　are　the　first　PUFFISTS　in　the　world！　How　many　teeth　do
you　suppose　are　daily　pulled　in　Paris？〃

〃Come；　come；　nonsense；〃　said　Thuillier；　who　proceeded　to　mark　out
certain　names；　reducing　the　whole　number　present　to　fourteen。

〃If　one　falls　off　we　shall　be　thirteen；〃　remarked　Barbet。

〃Pooh！〃　said　Thuillier；　the　free…thinker；　〃do　you　suppose　I　give　in　to
that　superstition？〃

The　list　being　finally　closed　and　settled　at　fourteen；　Thuillier
seated　himself　at　the　publisher's　desk　and　wrote　the　invitations；
naming；　in　view　of　the　urgency　of　the　purpose；　the　next　day　but　one
for　the　meeting；　Barbet　having　assured　him　that　no　journalist　would
object　to　the　shortness　of　the　invitation。　The　meeting　was　appointed
at　Vefour's；　the　restaurant　par　excellence　of　the　bourgeoisie　and　all
provincials。

Barbet　arrived　on　the　day　named　before　Thuillier；　who　appeared　in　a
cravat　which　alone　was　enough　to　create　a　stir　in　the　satirical　circle
in　which　he　was　about　to　produce　himself。　The　publisher；　on　his　own
authority；　had　changed　various　articles　on　the　bill　of　fare　as
selected　by　his　patron；　more　especially　directing　that　the　champagne；
ordered　in　true　bourgeois　fashion　to　be　served　with　the　dessert；
should　be　placed　on　the　table　at　the　beginning　of　breakfast；　with
several　dishes　of　shrimps；　a　necessity　which　had　not　occurred　to　the
amphitryon。

Thuillier；　who　gave　a　lip…approval　to　these　amendments；　was　followed
by　la　Peyrade；　and　then　came　a　long　delay　in　the　arrival　of　the
guests。　Breakfast　was　ordered　at　eleven　o'clock；　at　a　quarter　to
twelve　not　a　journalist　had　appeared。　Barbet；　who　was　never　at　a　loss；
made　the　consoling　remark　that　breakfasts　at　restaurants　were　like
funerals；　where；　as　every　one　knew；　eleven　o'clock　meant　mid…day。

Sure　enough；　shortly　before　that　hour；　two　gentlemen；　with　pointed
beards；　exhaling　a　strong　odor　of　tobacco；　made　their　appearance。
Thuillier　thanked　them　effusively　for　the　〃honor〃　they　had　done　him；
after　which　came　another　long　period　of　waiting；　of　which　we　shall　not
relate　the　tortures。　At　one　o'clock　the　assembled　contingent　comprised
five　of　the　invited　guests；　Barbet　and　la　Peyrade　not　included。　It　is
scarcely　necessary　to　say　that　none　of　the　self…respecting　journalists
of　the　better　papers　had　taken　any　notice　of　the　absurd　invitation。

Breakfast　now　had　to　be　served　to　this　reduced　number。　A　few　polite
phrases　that　reached　Thuillier's　ears　about　the　〃immense〃　interest　of
his　publication；　failed　to　blind　him　to　the　bitterness　of　his
discomfiture；　and　without　the　gaiety　of　the　publisher；　who　had　taken
in　hand　the　reins　his　patron；　gloomy　as　Hippolytus　on　the　road　to
Mycenae；　let　fall；　nothing　could　have　surpassed　the　glum　and　glacial
coldness　of　the　meeting。

After　the　oysters　were　removed；　the　champagne　and　chablis　which　had
washed　them　down　had　begun；　nevertheless；　to　raise　the　thermometer；
when；　rushing　into　the　room　where　the　banquet　was　taking　place；　a
young　man　in　a　cap　conveyed　to　Thuillier　a　most　unexpected　and
crushing　blow。

〃Master；〃　said　the　new…comer　to　Barbet　（he　was　a　clerk　in　the
bookseller's　shop）；　〃we　are　done　for！　The　police　have　made　a　raid　upon
us；　a　commissary　and　two　men　have　come　to　seize　monsieur's　pamphlet。
Here's　a　paper　they　have　given　me　for　you。〃

〃Look　at　that；〃　said　Barbet；　handing　the　document　to　la　Peyrade；　his
customary　assurance　beginning　to　forsake　him。

〃A　summons　to　appear　at　once　before　the　court　of　assizes；〃　said　la
Peyrade；　after　reading　a　few　lines　of　the　sheriff's　scrawl。

Thuillier　had　turned　as　pale　as　death。

〃Didn't　you　fulfil　all　the　necessary　formalities？〃　he　said　to　Barbet；
in　a　choking　voice。

〃This　is　not　a　matter　of　formalities；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃it　is　a
seizure　for　what　is　called　press　misdemeanor；　exciting　contempt　and
hatred　of　the　government；　you　probably　have　the　same　sort　of
compliment　awaiting　you　at　home；　my　poor　Thuillier。〃

〃Then　it　is　treachery！〃　cried　Thuillier；　losing　his　head　completely。

〃Hang　it；　my　dear　fellow！　you　know　very　well　what　you　put　in　your
pamphlet；　for　my　part；　I　don't　see　anything　worth　whipping　a　cat　for。〃

〃There's　some　misunderstanding；〃　said　Barbet；　recovering　courage；　〃it
will　all　be　explained；　and　the　result　will　be　a　fine　cause　of
complaintwon't　it；　messieurs？〃

〃Waiter；　pens　and　ink！〃　cried　one　of　the　journalists　thus　appealed　to。

〃Nonsense！　you'll　have　time　to　write　your　article　later；〃　said　another
of　the　brotherhood；　〃what　has　a　bombshell　to　do　with　this　'filet
saute'？〃

That；　of　course；　was　a　parody　on　the　famous　speech　of　Charles　XII。；
King　of　Sweden；　when　a　shot　interrupted　him　while　dictating　to　a
secretary。

〃Messieurs；〃　said　Thuillier；　rising；　〃I　am　sure　you　will　excuse　me　for
leaving　you。　If；　as　Monsieur　Barbet　thinks；　there　is　some
misunderstanding；　it　ought　to　be　explained　at　once；　I　must　therefore；
with　your　permission；　go　to　the　police　court。　La　Peyrade；〃　he　added　in
a　significant　tone；　〃you　will　not　refuse；　I　presume；　to　accompany　me。
And　you；　my　dear　publisher；　you　would　do　well　to　come　too。〃

〃No；　faith！〃　said　Barbet；　〃when　I　breakfast；　I　breakfast；　if　the
police　have　committed　a　blunder；　so　much　the　worse　for　them。〃

〃But　suppose　the　matter　is　serious？〃　cried　Thuillier；　in　great
agitation。

〃Well；　I　should　say；　what　is　perfectly　true；　that　I　had　never　read　a
line　of　your　pamphlet。　One　thing　is　very　annoying；　those　damned　juries
hate　beards；　and　I　must　cut　off　mine　if　I'm　compelled　to　appear　in
court。〃

〃Come；　my　dear　amphitryon；　sit　down　again；〃　said　the　editor　of　the
〃Echo　de　la　Bievre；〃　〃we'll　stand　by　you；　I've　already　written　an
article　in　my　head　which　will　stir　up　all　the　tanners　in　Paris；　and；
let　me　tell　you；　that　honorable　corporation　is　a　power。〃

〃No；　monsieur；〃　replied　Thuillier；　〃no；　a　man　like　me　cannot　rest　an
hour　under　such　an　accusation　as　this。　Continue　your　breakfast　without
us；　I　hope　soon　to　see　you　again。　La　Peyrade；　are　you　coming？〃

〃He's　charming；　isn't　he？〃　said　Barbet；　when　Thuillier　and　his　counsel
had　left　the　room。　〃To　ask　me　to　leave　a　breakfast　after　the　oysters；
and　go　and　talk　with　the　police！　Come；　messieurs；　close　up　the　ranks；〃
he　added；　gaily。

〃Tiens！〃　said　one　of　the　hungry　journalists；　who　had　cast　his　eyes
into　the　garden　of　the　Palais…Royal；　on　which　the　dining…room　of　the
restaurant　opened；　〃there's　Barbanchu　going　by；　suppose　I　call　him
in？〃

〃Yes；　certainly；〃　said　Barbet　junior；　〃have　him　up。〃

〃Barbanchu！　Barbanchu！〃　called　out　the　journalist。

Barbanchu；　his　hat　being　over　his　eyes；　was　some　time　in　discovering
the　cloud　above　him　whence　the　voice　proceeded。

〃Here；　up　here！〃　called　the　voice；　which　seemed　to　Barbanchu　celestial
when　he　saw　himself　hailed　by　a　man　with　a　glass　of　champagne　in　his
hand。　Then；　as　he　seemed　to　hesitate；　the　party　above　called　out　in
chorus：

〃Come　up！　come　up！　THERE'S　FAT　TO　BE　HAD！〃

When　Thuillier　left　the　office　of　the　public　prosecutor　he　could　no
longer　have　any　illusions。　The　case　against　him　was　serious；　and　the
stern　manner　in　which　he　had　been　received　made　him　see　that　when　the
trial　came　up　he　would　be　treated　without　mercy。　Then；　as　always
happens　among　accomplices　after　the　non…success　of　an　affair　they　have
done　in　common；　he　turned　upon　la　Peyrade　in　the　sharpest　manner：　La
Peyrade　had　paid　no　attention　to　what　he　wrote；　he　had　given　full
swing　to　his　stupid　Saint…Simonian　ideas；　HE　didn't　care　for　the
consequences；　it　was　not　HE　who　would　have　to　pay　the　fine　and　go　to
prison！　Then；　when　la　Peyrade　answered　that　the　matter　did　not　look　to
him　serious；　and　he　expected　to　get　a　verdict　of　acquittal　without
difficulty；　Thuillier　burst　forth　upon　him；　vehemently：

〃Parbleu！　the　thing　is　plain　enough；　monsieur　sees　nothing　in　it？
Well；　I　shall　not　put　my　honor　and　my　fortune　into　the　hands　of　a
little　upstart　like　yourself；　I　shall　take　some　great　lawyer　if　the
case　comes　to　trial。　I've　had　enough　of　your　c