the lesser bourgeoisie-第83部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　a　mistake　and　sent　them　to　the　wrong　address；　he　could　not　take
　　back　his　cross　and　his　pension；though　to　be　sure；　as　I　told　him；
　　I　deserved　them　for　other　things。

　　〃The　government；〃　he　replied；　〃is　not　in　the　habit　of　making
　　mistakes；　what　it　does　is　always　properly　done；　and　it　never
　　annuls　an　ordinance　signed　by　the　hand　of　his　Majesty。　Your　great
　　labors　have　deserved　the　two　favors　the　King　has　granted　you；　it
　　is　a　long…standing　debt；　which　I　am　happy　to　pay　off　in　his　name。〃

　　〃But　Felix？〃　I　said；　〃because　after　all　for　a　young　man　it　is　not
　　such　a　bad　discovery。〃

　　〃Monsieur　Felix　Phellion；〃　replied　the　minister；　〃will　receive　in
　　the　course　of　the　day　his　appointment　to　the　rank　of　Chevalier　of
　　the　Legion　of　honor；　I　will　have　it　signed　this　morning　by　the
　　king。　Moreover；　there　is　a　vacant　place　at　the　Academy　of
　　Sciences；　and　if　you　are　not　a　candidate　for　it〃

　　〃I；　in　the　Academy！〃　I　interrupted；　with　the　frankness　of　speech
　　you　know　I　always　use；　〃I　execrate　academies；　they　are　stiflers；
　　extinguishers；　assemblages　of　sloths；　idlers；　shops　with　big　signs
　　and　nothing　to　sell　inside〃

　　〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　minister；　smiling；　〃I　think　that　at　the
　　next　election　Monsieur　Felix　Phellion　will　have　every　chance；　and
　　among　those　chances　I　count　the　influence　of　the　government　which
　　is　secured　to　him。〃

　　There；　my　poor　boy；　is　all　that　I　have　been　able　to　do　to　reward
　　your　good　intentions　and　to　prove　to　you　that　I　am　no　longer
　　angry。　I　think　the　relations　are　going　to　pull　a　long　face。　Come
　　and　talk　about　it　to…day　at　four　o'clock；for　I　don't　dine　after
　　bedtime；　as　I　saw　some　people　doing　last　night　in　a　house　where　I
　　had　occasion　to　mention　your　talents　in　a　manner　that　was　very
　　advantageous　to　you。　Madame　Lambert；　who　does　better　with　a
　　saucepan　than　with　pen　and　ink；　shall　distinguish　herself；　though
　　it　is　Friday；　and　she　never　lets　me　off　a　fast　day。　But　she　has
　　promised　us　a　fish　dinner　worthy　of　an　archbishop；　with　a　fine
　　half…bottle　of　champagne　（doubled　if　need　be）　to　wash　it　down。

Your　old　professor　and　friend；
Picot　（Nepomucene）；
Chevalier　of　the　Legion　of　honor。

　　P。S。Do　you　think　you　could　obtain　from　your　respectable　mother　a
　　little　flask　of　that　old　and　excellent　cognac　you　once　gave　me？
　　Not　a　drop　remains；　and　yesterday　I　was　forced　to　drink　some　stuff
　　only　fit　to　bathe　horses'　feet；　as　I　did　not　hesitate　to　say　to
　　the　beautiful　Hebe　who　served　it　to　me。


〃Of　course　he　shall　have　some；〃　said　Madame　Phellion；　〃not　a　flask；
but　a　gallon。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　Minard；　〃who　pique　myself　on　mine；　which　didn't　come
from　Brigitte's　grocer　either；　I'll　send　him　several　bottles；　but
don't　tell　him　who　sent　them；　Monsieur　le　chevalier；　for　you　never　can
tell　how　that　singular　being　will　take　things。〃

〃Wife；〃　said　Phellion；　suddenly；　〃get　me　my　black　coat　and　a　white
cravat。〃

〃Where　are　you　going？〃　asked　Madame　Phellion。　〃To　the　minister；　to
thank　him？〃

〃Bring　me；　I　say；　those　articles　of　habiliment。　I　have　an　important
visit　to　make；　and　Monsieur　le　maire　will；　I　know；　excuse　me。〃

〃I　myself　must　be　off；〃　said　Minard。　〃I；　too；　have　important　business；
though　it　isn't　about　a　star。〃

Questioned　in　vain　by　Felix　and　his　wife；　Phellion　completed　his
attire　with　a　pair　of　white　gloves；　sent　for　a　carriage；　and；　at　the
end　of　half　an　hour；　entered　the　presence　of　Brigitte；　whom　he　found
presiding　over　the　careful　putting　away　of　the　china；　glass；　and
silver　which　had　performed　their　several　functions　the　night　before。
Leaving　these　housekeeping　details；　she　received　her　visitor。

〃Well；　papa　Phellion；〃　she　said；　when　they　were　both　seated　in　the
salon；　〃you　broke　your　word　yesterday；　you　were　luckier　than　the　rest。
Do　you　know　what　a　trick　that　notary　played　us？〃

〃I　know　all；〃　said　Phellion；　〃and　it　is　the　check　thus　unexpectedly
given　to　the　execution　of　your　plans　that　I　shall　take　for　the　text　of
an　important　conversation　which　I　desire　to　have　with　you。　Sometimes
Providence　would　seem　to　take　pleasure　in　counteracting　our　best…laid
schemes；　sometimes；　also；　by　means　of　the　obstacles　it　raises　in　our
path；　it　seems　to　intend　to　indicate　that　we　are　bearing　too　far　to
the　right　or　to　the　left；　and　should　pause　to　reflect　upon　our　way。〃

〃Providence！〃　said　Brigitte　the　strong…minded；〃Providence　has
something　else　to　do　than　to　look　after　us。〃

〃That　is　one　opinion；〃　said　Phellion；　〃but　I　myself　am　accustomed　to
see　its　decrees　in　the　little　as　well　as　the　great　things　of　life；　and
certainly；　if　it　had　allowed　the　fulfilment　of　your　engagements　with
Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade　to　be　even　partially　begun　yesterday；　you　would
not　have　seen　me　here　to…day。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃do　you　think　that　by　default　of　a　notary　the
marriage　will　not　take　place？　They　do　say　that　for　want　of　a　monk　the
abbey　won't　come　to　a　standstill。〃

〃Dear　lady；〃　said　the　great　citizen；　〃you　will　do　me　the　justice　to
feel　that　neither　I；　nor　my　wife；　have　ever　attempted　to　influence
your　decision；　we　have　allowed　our　young　people　to　love　each　other
without　much　consideration　as　to　where　that　attachment　would　lead〃

〃It　led　to　upsetting　their　minds；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃that's　what　love
is；　and　that's　why　I　deprived　myself　of　it。〃

〃What　you　say　is；　indeed；　true　of　my　unfortunate　son；〃　resumed
Phellion；　〃for；　notwithstanding　the　noble　distractions　he　has
endeavored　to　give　to　his　sorrow；　he　is　to…day　so　miserably　overcome
by　it　that　this　morning；　in　spite　of　the　glorious　success　he　has　just
obtained；　he　was　speaking　to　me　of　undertaking　a　voyage　of
circumnavigation　around　the　globe；a　rash　enterprise　which　would
detain　him　from　his　native　land　at　least　three　years；　if；　indeed；　he
escaped　the　dangers　of　so　prolonged　a　journey。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃it　isn't　a　bad　idea；　he'll　return　consoled；
having　discovered　three　or　four　more　new　stars。〃

〃His　present　discovery　suffices；〃　said　Phellion；　with　double　his
ordinary　gravity；　〃and　it　is　under　the　auspices　of　that　triumph；　which
has　placed　his　name　at　so　great　a　height　in　the　scientific　world；　that
I　have　the　assurance　to　say　to　you；　point…blank：　Mademoiselle；　I　have
come　to　ask　you；　on　behalf　of　my　son；　who　loves　as　he　is　beloved；　for
the　hand　in　marriage　of　Mademoiselle　Celeste　Colleville。〃

〃But；　my　dear　man；〃　replied　Brigitte；　〃it　is　too　late；　remember　that
we　are　DIAMETRICALLY　engaged　to　la　Peyrade。〃

〃It　is　never；　they　say；　too　late　to　do　well；　and　yesterday　it　would
have　been　in　my　judgment　too　early。　My　son；　having　to　offer　an
equivalent　for　a　fortune；　could　not　say　to　you　until　to…day：　'Though
Celeste；　by　your　generosity　has　a　〃dot〃　which　mine　is　far　from
equalling；　yet　I　have　the　honor　to　be　a　member　of　the　Royal　order　of
the　Legion　of　honor；　and　shortly；　according　to　appearance；　I　shall　be
a　member　of　the　Royal　Academy　of　Sciences；　one　of　the　five　branches　of
the　Institute。'〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃Felix　is　getting　to　be　a　very　pretty
match；　but　we　have　passed　our　word　to　la　Peyrade；　the　banns　are
published　at　the　mayor's　office；　and　unless　something　extraordinary
happens　the　contract　will　be　signed。　La　Peyrade　is　very　busy　about
Thuillier's　election；　which　he　has　now　got　into　good　shape；　we　have
capital　engaged　with　him　in　the　affair　of　this　newspaper；　and　it　would
be　impossible　to　go　back　on　our　promise；　even　if　we　wished　to　do　so。〃

〃So；〃　said　Phellion；　〃in　one　of　the　rare　occasions　of　life　when　reason
and　inclination　blend　together；　you　think　you　must　be　guided　solely　by
the　question　of　material　interests。　Celeste；　as　we　know；　has　no
inclination　for　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade。　Brought　up　with　Felix〃

〃Brought　up　with　Felix！〃　interrupted　Brigitte。　〃She　was　given　a　period
of　time　to　choose　between　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade　and　your　son；that's
how　we　coerce　her；　if　you　please；and　she　would　not　take　Monsieur
Felix；　whose　atheism　is　too　well　known。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　mademoiselle；　my　son　is　not　an　atheist；　for
Voltaire　himself　doubted　if　there　could　be　atheists；　and　no　later　than
yesterday；　in　this　house；　an　ecclesiastic；　as　admirable　for　his
talents　as　for　his　virtues；　after　making　a　magnificent　eulogy　of　my
son；　expressed　the　desire　to　know　him。〃

〃Parbleu！　yes；　to　convert　him；〃　said　Brigitte。　〃But　as　for　this
marriage；　I　am　sorry　to　tell　you　that　the　mustard　is　made　too　late　for
the　dinner；　Thuillier　will　never　renounce　his　la　Peyrade。〃

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Phellion；　rising；　〃I　feel　no　humiliation　for　the
useless　step　I　have　this　day　taken；　I　do　not　even　ask　you　to　keep　it
secret；　for　I　shall　myself　mention　it　to　our　friends　and
acquaintances。〃

〃Tell　it　to　whom　you　like；　my　good　man；〃　replied　Brigitte；
acrimoniously。　〃Because　your　son　has　discovered　a　star；if；　indeed；
he　did　discover　it；　and　not　that　old　fool　the　government　decorateddo
you　expect　him　to　marry　a　daughter　of　the　King　of　the　French？〃

〃Enough；〃　said　Phellion；　〃we　will　say　no　more。　I　might　answer　that；
without　depreciating　the　Thuilliers；　the　Orleans　family　seems　to　me
more　distinguished；　but　I　do　not　like　to　introduce　acerbity　into　the
conversation；　and　therefore；　begging　you　to　receive　the　assurance　of
my　humble　respects；　I　retire。〃

So　saying；　he　made　his　exit　majestically；　and　left　Brigitte　with　the
arrow　of　his　comparison；　discharged　after　the　manner　of　the　Parthian
〃in　extremis；〃　sticking　in　her　mind；　and　she　herself　in　a　temper　all
the　more　savage　because　already；　the　evening　before；　Madame　Thuillier；
after　the　guests　were　gone；　had　the　incredible　audacity　to　say
something　in　favor　of　Felix。　Needless　to　relate　that　the　poor　helot
was　roughly　put　down　and　told　to　mind　her　own　business。　But　this
attempt　at　a　will　of　her　own　in　her　sister…in…law　had　already　put　the
old　maid　in　a　vile　humor；　and　Phellion；　coming　to　reopen　the　subject；
exasperated　her。　Josephine；　the　cook；　and　the　〃male　domestic；〃
received　the　after…clap　of　the　scene　which　had　just　taken　place。
Brigitte　found　that　in　her　absence　everything　had　been　done　wrong；　and
putting　her　own　hand　to　the　work；　she　hoisted　herself　on　a　chair；　at
the　risk　of　her　neck；　to　reach　the　upper　shelves　of　the　closet；　where
her　choicest