the lesser bourgeoisie-第86部分

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that。〃

Just　then　the　outer　door…bell　rang。

〃No　doubt　that's　la　Peyrade；〃　said　Thuillier；　in　a　tone　of
satisfaction。

The　Provencal　appeared　a　moment　later。

〃Faith；　my　dear　friend；〃　cried　Thuillier；　〃it　is　high　time　you　came；
the　house　is　in　revolution；　all　about　you；　and　it　needs　your　silvery
tongue　to　bring　it　back　to　peace　and　quietness。〃

Then　he　related　to　his　assistant　editor　the　circumstances　of　the　civil
war　which　had　broken　out。

La　Peyrade　turned　to　Madame　Colleville。

〃I　think；〃　he　said；　〃that　under　the　circumstances　in　which　we　now
stand　there　is　no　impropriety　in　my　asking　for　an　interview　of　a　few
moments　with　Mademoiselle　Colleville。〃

In　this　the　Provencal　showed　his　usual　shrewd　ability；　he　saw　that　in
the　mission　of　pacification　thus　given　to　him　Celeste　Colleville　was
the　key　of　the　situation。

〃I　will　send　for　her；　and　we　will　leave　you　alone　together；〃　said
Flavie。

〃My　dear　Thuillier；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃you　must；　without　any　violence；
let　Mademoiselle　Celeste　know　that　her　consent　must　be　given　without
further　delay；　make　her　think　that　this　was　the　purpose　for　which　you
have　sent　for　her；　then　leave　us；　I　will　do　the　rest。〃

The　man…servant　was　sent　down　to　the　entresol　with　orders　to　tell
Celeste　that　her　godfather　wished　to　speak　to　her。　As　soon　as　she
appeared；　Thuillier　said；　to　carry　out　the　programme　which　had　been
dictated　to　him：

〃My　dear；　your　mother　has　told　us　things　that　astonish　us。　Can　it　be
true　that　with　your　contract　almost　signed；　you　have　not　yet　decided
to　accept　the　marriage　we　have　arranged　for　you？〃

〃Godfather；〃　said　Celeste；　rather　surprised　at　this　abrupt　summons；　〃I
think　I　did　not　say　that　to　mamma。〃

〃Did　you　not　just　now；〃　said　Flavie；　〃praise　Monsieur　Felix　Phellion
to　me　in　the　most　extravagant　manner？〃

〃I　spoke　of　Monsieur　Phellion　as　all　the　world　is　speaking　of　him。〃

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Thuillier；　with　authority；　〃let　us　have　no
equivocation；　do　you　refuse；　yes　or　no；　to　marry　Monsieur　de　la
Peyrade？〃

〃Dear；　good　friend；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　intervening；　〃your　way　of
putting　the　question　is　rather　too　abrupt；　and；　in　my　presence；
especially；　it　seems　to　me　out　of　place。　In　my　position　as　the　most
interested　person；　will　you　allow　me　to　have　an　interview　with
mademoiselle；　which；　indeed；　has　now　become　necessary？　This　favor　I　am
sure　will　not　be　refused　by　Madame　Colleville。　Under　present
circumstances；　there　can　surely　be　nothing　in　my　request　to　alarm　her
maternal　prudence。〃

〃I　would　certainly　yield　to　it；〃　said　Flavie；　〃if　I　did　not　fear　that
these　discussions　might　seem　to　open　a　question　which　is　irrevocably
decided。〃

〃But；　my　dear　madame；　I　have　the　strongest　desire　that　Mademoiselle
Celeste　shall　remain；　until　the　very　last　moment；　the　mistress　of　her
own　choice。　I　beg　you；　therefore；　to　grant　my　request。〃

〃So　be　it！〃　said　Madame　Colleville；　〃you　think　yourself　very　clever；
but　if　you　let　that　girl　twist　you　round　her　finger；　so　much　the　worse
for　you。　Come；　Thuillier；　since　we　are　'de　trop'　here。〃

As　soon　as　the　pair　were　alone　together；　la　Peyrade　drew　up　a　chair
for　Celeste；　and　took　one　himself；　saying：

〃You　will；　I　venture　to　believe；　do　me　the　justice　to　say　that　until
to…day　I　have　never　annoyed　you　with　the　expression　of　my　sentiments。
I　was　aware　of　the　inclinations　of　your　heart；　and　also　of　the
warnings　of　your　conscience。　I　hoped；　after　a　time；　to　make　myself
acceptable　as　a　refuge　from　those　two　currents　of　feeling；　but；　at　the
point　which　we　have　now　reached；　I　think　it　is　not　either　indiscreet
or　impatient　to　ask　you　to　let　me　know　plainly　what　course　you　have
decided　upon。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　replied　Celeste；　〃as　you　speak　to　me　so　kindly　and
frankly；　I　will　tell　you；　what　indeed　you　know　already；　that；　brought
up　as　I　was　with　Monsieur　Felix　Phellion；　knowing　him　far　longer　than
I　have　known　you；　the　idea　of　marrying　alarmed　me　less　in　regard　to
him　than　it　would　in　regard　to　others。〃

〃At　one　time；　I　believe；〃　remarked　la　Peyrade；　〃you　were　permitted　to
choose　him　if　you　wished。〃

〃Yes；　but　at　that　time　difficulties　grew　up　between　us　on　religious
ideas。〃

〃And　to…day　those　difficulties　have　disappeared？〃

〃Nearly；〃　replied　Celeste。　〃I　am　accustomed　to　submit　to　the　judgment
of　those　who　are　wiser　than　myself；　monsieur；　and　you　heard　yesterday
the　manner　in　which　the　Abbe　Gondrin　spoke　of　Monsieur　Phellion。〃

〃God　forbid；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃that　I　should　seek　to　invalidate　the
judgment　of　so　excellent　a　man；　but　I　venture　to　say　to　you；
mademoiselle；　that　there　are　great　differences　among　the　clergy；　some
are　thought　too　stern；　some　far　too　indulgent；　moreover；　the　Abbe
Gondrin　is　more　of　a　preacher　than　a　casuist。〃

〃But；　Monsieur　Felix；〃　said　Celeste；　eagerly；　〃seems　to　wish　to　fulfil
Monsieur　l'abbe's　hopes　of　him；　for　I　know　that　he　went　to　see　him
this　morning。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　with　a　touch　of　irony；　〃so　he　really　decided　to
go　to　Pere　Anselme！　But；　admitting　that　on　the　religious　side　Monsieur
Phellion　may　now　become　all　that　you　expect　of　him；　have　you
reflected；　mademoiselle；　on　the　great　event　which　has　just　taken　place
in　his　life？〃

〃Undoubtedly；　and　that　is　not　a　reason　to　think　less　of　him。〃

〃No；　but　it　is　a　reason　why　he　should　think　more　of　himself。　For　the
modesty　which　was　once　the　chief　charm　of　his　nature；　he　is　likely　to
substitute　great　assumption；　and　you　must　remember；　mademoiselle；　that
he　who　has　discovered　one　world　will　want　to　discover　two；　you　will
have　the　whole　firmament　for　rival；　in　short；　could　you　ever　be　happy
with　a　man　so　entirely　devoted　to　science？〃

〃You　plead　your　cause　with　such　adroitness；〃　said　Celeste；　smiling；
〃that　I　think　you　might　be　as　a　lawyer　more　disquieting　than　an
astronomer。〃

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃let　us　speak　seriously；　there　is
another　and　far　more　serious　aspect　to　the　situation。　Do　you　know
that；　at　this　moment；　in　this　house；　and　without；　I　am　sure；　desiring
it；　you　are　the　cause　of　most　distressing　and　regrettable　scenes？〃

〃I；　monsieur！〃　said　Celeste；　in　a　tone　of　surprise　that　was　mingled
with　fear。

〃Yes；　concerning　your　godmother。　Through　the　extreme　affection　that
she　has　for　you　she　seems　to　have　become　another　woman；　for　the　first
time　in　her　life　she　has　shown　a　mind　of　her　own。　With　an　energy　of
will　which　comes　at　times　to　those　who　have　never　expended　any；　she
declares　that　she　will　not　make　her　proposed　liberal　gift　to　you　in
the　contract；　and　I　need　not　tell　you　who　is　the　person　aimed　at　in
this　unexpected　refusal。〃

〃But；　monsieur；　I　entreat　you　to　believe　that　I　knew　nothing　of　this
idea　of　my　godmother。〃

〃I　know　that；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃and　the　matter　itself　would　be　of
small　importance　if　Mademoiselle　Brigitte　had　not　taken　this　attitude
of　your　godmother；　whom　she　has　always　found　supple　to　her　will；　as　a
personal　insult　to　herself。　Very　painful　explanations；　approaching　at
last　to　violence；　have　taken　place。　Thuillier；　placed　between　the
hammer　and　the　anvil；　has　been　unable　to　stop　the　affair；　on　the
contrary；　he　has；　without　intending　it；　made　matters　worse；　till　they
have　now　arrived　at　such　a　point　that　Mademoiselle　Brigitte　is　packing
her　trunks　to　leave　the　house。〃

〃Monsieur！　what　are　you　telling　me？〃　cried　Celeste；　horrified。

〃The　truth；　and　the　servants　will　confirm　it　to　youfor　I　feel　that
my　revelations　are　scarcely　believable。〃

〃But　it　is　impossible！　impossible！〃　said　the　poor　child；　whose
agitation　increased　with　every　word　of　the　adroit　Provencal。　〃I　cannot
be　the　cause　of　such　dreadful　harm。〃

〃That　is；　you　did　not　intend　to　be；　for　the　harm　is　done；　and　I　pray
Heaven　it　may　not　be　irremediable。〃

〃But　what　am　I　to　do；　good　God！〃　cried　Celeste；　wringing　her　hands。

〃I　should　answer；　without　hesitation；　sacrifice　yourself；
mademoiselle；　if　it　were　not　that　I　should　then　be　forced　to　play　the
painful　part　of　victimizer。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Celeste；　〃you　interpret　ill　the　resistance　that　I
have　made；　though；　in　fact；　I　have　scarcely　expressed　it。　I　have
certainly　had　a　preference；　but　I　have　never　considered　myself　in　the
light　of　a　victim；　and　whatever　it　is　necessary　to　do　to　restore　peace
in　this　house　to　which　I　have　brought　trouble；　I　shall　do　it　without
repugnance；　and　even　willingly。〃

〃That　would　be　for　me；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　humbly；　〃more　than　I　could
dare　ask　for　myself；　but；　for　the　result　which　we　both　seek；　I　must
tell　you　frankly　that　something　more　is　needed。　Madame　Thuillier　has
not　changed　her　nature　to　instantly　change　back　again　on　the　mere
assurance　by　others　of　your　compliance。　It　is　necessary　that　she
should　hear　from　your　own　lips　that　you　accede　to　my　suit；　and　that
you　do　so　with　eagerness；assumed；　indeed；　but　sufficiently　well
assumed　to　induce　her　to　believe　in　it。〃

〃So　be　it；〃　said　Celeste。　〃I　shall　know　how　to　seem　smiling　and　happy。
My　godmother；　monsieur；　has　been　a　mother　to　me；　and　for　such　a
mother；　what　is　there　that　I　would　not　endure？〃

The　position　was　such；　and　Celeste　betrayed　so　artlessly　the　depth
and；　at　the　same　time；　the　absolute　determination　of　her　sacrifice；
that　with　any　heart　at　all　la　Peyrade　would　have　loathed　the　part　he
was　playing；　but　Celeste；　to　him；　was　a　means　of　ascent；　and　provided
the　ladder　can　hold　you　and　hoist　you；　who　would　ever　ask　if　it　cared
to　or　not？　It　was　therefore　decided　that　Celeste　should　go　to　her
godmother　and　convince　her　of　the　mistake　she　had　made　in　supposing　an
objection　to　la　Peyrade　which　Celeste　had　never　intended　to　make。
Madame　Thuillier's　opposition　overcome；　all　was　once　more　easy。　La
Peyrade　took　upon　himself　the　duty　of　making　peace　between　the　two
sisters…in…law；　and　we　can　well　imagine　that　he　was　not　at　a　loss　for
fine　phrases　with　which　to　assure　the　artless　girl　of　the　devotion　and
love　which　would　take　from　her　all　regret　for　the　moral　compulsion　she
had　now　undergone。

When　Celeste　went　to　her　godmother　she　found　her　by　no　means　as
difficult　to　convince　as　she　had　expected。　To　go　to　the　point　of
rebellion　which　Madame　Thuillier　had　actually　reached；　the　poor　woman；
who　was　acting　against　her　instincts　and　against　her　nature；　had