the lesser bourgeoisie-第16章

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〃And　it　is　apropos　of　that　candidacy　that　I　have　come　to　disturb　your
Sunday　joys；　but　perhaps　in　so　doing　we　shall　not　go　beyond　the　limits
of　the　family　circle。〃

It　would　be　impossible　for　Phellion　to　be　more　Phellion　than　Theodose
was　Phellion　at　that　moment。

〃I　shall　not　let　you　say　another　word；〃　replied　the　commander；
profiting　by　the　pause　made　by　Theodose；　who　watched　for　the　effect　of
his　speech。　〃My　choice　is　made。〃

〃We　have　had　the　same　idea！〃　exclaimed　Theodose；　〃men　of　the　same
character　agree　as　well　as　men　of　the　same　mind。〃

〃In　this　case　I　do　not　believe　in　that　phenomenon；〃　replied　Phellion。
〃This　arrondissement　had　for　its　representative　in　the　municipal
council　the　most　virtuous　of　men；　as　he　was　the　noblest　of
magistrates。　I　allude　to　the　late　Monsieur　Popinot；　the　deceased　judge
of　the　Royal　courts。　When　the　question　of　replacing　him　came　up；　his
nephew；　the　heir　to　his　benevolence；　did　not　reside　in　this　quarter。
He　has　since；　however；　purchased；　and　now　occupies；　the　house　where
his　uncle　lived　in　the　rue　de　la　Montagne…Sainte…Genevieve；　he　is　the
physician　of　the　Ecole　Polytechnique　and　that　of　our　hospitals；　he
does　honor　to　this　quarter；　for　these　reasons；　and　to　pay　homage　in
the　person　of　the　nephew　to　the　memory　of　the　uncle；　we　have　decided
to　nominate　Doctor　Horace　Bianchon；　member　of　the　Academy　of　Sciences；
as　you　are　aware；　and　one　of　the　most　distinguished　young　men　in　the
illustrious　faculty　of　Paris。　A　man　is　not　great　in　our　eyes　solely
because　he　is　celebrated；　to　my　mind　the　late　Councillor　Popinot　was
almost　another　Saint　Vincent　de　Paul。〃

〃But　a　doctor　is　not　an　administrator；〃　replied　Theodose；　〃and；
besides；　I　have　come　to　ask　your　vote　for　a　man　to　whom　your　dearest
interests　require　that　you　should　sacrifice　a　predilection；　which；
after　all；　is　quite　unimportant　to　the　public　welfare。〃

〃Monsieur！〃　cried　Phellion；　rising　and　striking　an　attitude　like　that
of　Lafon　in　〃Le　Glorieux；〃　〃Do　you　despise　me　sufficiently　to　suppose
that　my　personal　interests　could　ever　influence　my　political
conscience？　When　a　matter　concerns　the　public　welfare；　I　am　a　citizen
nothing　more；　and　nothing　less。〃

Theodose　smiled　to　himself　at　the　thought　of　the　battle　which　was　now
to　take　place　between　the　father　and　the　citizen。

〃Do　not　bind　yourself　to　your　present　ideas；　I　entreat　you；〃　he　said；
〃for　this　matter　concerns　the　happiness　of　your　dear　Felix。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　those　words？〃　asked　Phellion；　stopping　short　in
the　middle　of　the　salon　and　posing；　with　his　hand　thrust　through　the
bosom　of　his　waistcoat　from　right　to　left；　in　the　well…known　attitude
of　Odilon　Barrot。

〃I　have　come　in　behalf　of　our　mutual　friend；　the　worthy　and　excellent
Monsieur　Thuillier；　whose　influence　on　the　destiny　of　that　beautiful
Celeste　Colleville　must　be　well　known　to　you。　If；　as　I　think；　your
son；　whose　merits　are　incontestable；　and　of　whom　both　families　may
well　be　proud；　if；　I　say；　he　is　courting　Celeste　with　a　view　to　a
marriage　in　which　all　expediencies　may　be　combined；　you　cannot　do　more
to　promote　that　end　than　to　obtain　Thuillier's　eternal　gratitude　by
proposing　your　worthy　friend　to　the　suffrages　of　your　fellow…citizens。
As　for　me；　though　I　have　lately　come　into　the　quarter；　I　can；　thanks
to　the　influence　I　enjoy　through　certain　legal　benefits　done　to　the
poor；　materially　advance　his　interests。　I　might；　perhaps；　have　put
myself　forward　for　this　position；　but　serving　the　poor　brings　in　but
little　money；　and；　besides；　the　modesty　of　my　life　is　out　of　keeping
with　such　distinctions。　I　have　devoted　myself；　monsieur；　to　the
service　of　the　weak；　like　the　late　Councillor　Popinot；a　sublime　man；
as　you　justly　remarked。　If　I　had　not　already　chosen　a　career　which　is
in　some　sort　monastic；　and　precludes　all　idea　of　marriage　and　public
office；　my　taste；　my　second　vocation；　would　lead　me　to　the　service　of
God；　to　the　Church。　I　do　not　trumpet　what　I　do；　like　the
philanthropists；　I　do　not　write　about　it；　I　simply　act；　I　am　pledged
to　Christian　charity。　The　ambition　of　our　friend　Thuillier　becoming
known　to　me；　I　have　wished　to　contribute　to　the　happiness　of　two　young
people　who　seem　to　me　made　for　each　other；　by　suggesting　to　you　the
means　of　winning　the　rather　cold　heart　of　Monsieur　Thuillier。〃

Phellion　was　bewildered　by　this　tirade；　admirably　delivered；　he　was
dazzled；　attracted；　but　he　remained　Phellion；　he　walked　up　to　the
lawyer　and　held　out　his　hand；　which　la　Peyrade　took。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　commander；　with　emotion；　〃I　have　misjudged　you。
What　you　have　done　me　the　honor　to　confide　to　me　will　die　THERE；〃
laying　his　hand　on　his　heart。　〃You　are　one　of　the　men　of　whom　we　have
too　few；men　who　console　us　for　many　evils　inherent　in　our　social
state。　Righteousness　is　seen　so　seldom　that　our　too　feeble　natures
distrust　appearances。　You　have　in　me　a　friend；　if　you　will　allow　me
the　honor　of　assuming　that　title。　But　you　must　learn　to　know　me；
monsieur。　I　should　lose　my　own　esteem　if　I　nominated　Thuillier。　No；　my
son　shall　never　own　his　happiness　to　an　evil　action　on　his　father's
part。　I　shall　not　change　my　candidate　because　my　son's　interests
demand　it。　That　is　civic　virtue；　monsieur。〃

La　Peyrade　pulled　out　his　handkerchief　and　rubbed　it　in　his　eye　so
that　it　drew　a　tear；　as　he　said；　holding　out　his　hand　to　Phellion；　and
turning　aside　his　head：

〃Ah！　monsieur；　how　sublime　a　struggle　between　public　and　private　duty！
Had　I　come　here　only　to　see　this　sight；　my　visit　would　not　have　been
wasted。　You　cannot　do　otherwise！　In　your　place；　I　should　do　the　same。
You　are　that　noblest　thing　that　God　has　madea　righteous　man！　a
citizen　of　the　Jean…Jacques　type！　With　many　such　citizens；　oh　France！
my　country！　what　mightest　thou　become！　It　is　I；　monsieur；　who　solicit；
humbly；　the　honor　to　be　your　friend。〃

〃What　can　be　happening？〃　said　Madame　Phellion；　watching　the　scene
through　the　window。　〃Do　see　your　father　and　that　horrid　man　embracing
each　other。〃

Phellion　and　la　Peyrade　now　came　out　and　joined　the　family　in　the
garden。

〃My　dear　Felix；〃　said　the　old　man；　pointing　to　la　Peyrade；　who　was
bowing　to　Madame　Phellion；　〃be　very　grateful　to　that　admirable　young
man；　he　will　prove　most　useful　to　you。〃

The　lawyer　walked　for　about　five　minutes　with　Madame　Barniol　and
Madame　Phellion　beneath　the　leafless　lindens；　and　gave　them　（in
consequence　of　the　embarrassing　circumstances　created　by　Phellion's
political　obstinacy）　a　piece　of　advice；　the　effects　of　which　were　to
bear　fruit　that　evening；　while　its　first　result　was　to　make　both
ladies　admire　his　talents；　his　frankness；　and　his　inappreciable　good
qualities。　When　the　lawyer　departed　the　whole　family　conducted　him　to
the　street　gate；　and　all　eyes　followed　him　until　he　had　turned　the
corner　of　the　rue　du　Faubourg…Saint…Jacques。　Madame　Phellion　then　took
the　arm　of　her　husband　to　return　to　the　salon；　saying：

〃Hey！　my　friend！　what　does　this　mean？　You；　such　a　good　father；　how　can
you；　from　excessive　delicacy；　stand　in　the　way　of　such　a　fine　marriage
for　our　Felix？〃

〃My　dear；〃　replied　Phellion；　〃the　great　men　of　antiquity；　Brutus　and
others；　were　never　fathers　when　called　upon　to　be　citizens。　The
bourgeoisie　has；　even　more　than　the　aristocracy　whose　place　it　has
been　called　upon　to　take；　the　obligations　of　the　highest　virtues。
Monsieur　de　Saint…Hilaire　did　not　think　of　his　lost　arm　in　presence　of
the　dead　Turenne。　We　must　give　proof　of　our　worthiness；　let　us　give　it
at　every　state　of　the　social　hierarchy。　Shall　I　instruct　my　family　in
the　highest　civic　principles　only　to　ignore　them　myself　at　the　moment
for　applying　them？　No；　my　dear；　weep；　if　you　must；　to…day；　but
to…morrow　you　will　respect　me；〃　he　added；　seeing　tears　in　the　eyes　of
his　starched　better　half。

These　noble　words　were　said　on　the　sill　of　the　door；　above　which　was
written；　〃Aurea　mediocritas。〃

〃I　ought　to　have　put；　'et　digna；'〃　added　Phellion；　pointing　to　the
tablet；　〃but　those　two　words　would　imply　self…praise。〃

〃Father；〃　said　Marie…Theodore　Phellion；　the　future　engineer　of　〃ponts
et　chaussees；〃　when　the　family　were　once　more　seated　in　the　salon；　〃it
seems　to　me　that　there　is　nothing　dishonorable　in　changing　one's
determination　about　a　choice　which　is　of　no　real　consequence　to　public
welfare。〃

〃No　consequence；　my　son！〃　cried　Phellion。　〃Between　ourselves　I　will
say；　and　Felix　shares　my　opinion；　Monsieur　Thuillier　is　absolutely
without　capacity；　he　knows　nothing。　Monsieur　Horace　Bianchon　is　an
able　man；　he　will　obtain　a　thousand　things　for　our　arrondissement；　and
Thuillier　will　obtain　none！　Remember　this；　my　son；　to　change　a　good
determination　for　a　bad　one　from　motives　of　self…interest　is　one　of
those　infamous　actions　which　escape　the　control　of　men　but　are
punished　by　God。　I　am；　or　I　think　I　am；　void　of　all　blame　before　my
conscience；　and　I　owe　it　to　you；　my　children；　to　leave　my　memory
unstained　among　you。　Nothing；　therefore；　can　make　me　change　my
determination。〃

〃Oh；　my　good　father！〃　cried　the　little　Barniol　woman；　flinging　herself
on　a　cushion　at　Phellion's　knees；　〃don't　ride　your　high　horse！　There
are　many　fools　and　idiots　in　the　municipal　council；　and　France　gets
along　all　the　same。　That　old　Thuillier　will　adopt　the　opinions　of
those　about　him。　Do　reflect　that　Celeste　will　probably　have　five
hundred　thousand　francs。〃

〃She　might　have　millions；〃　said　Phellion；　〃and　I　might　see　them　there
at　my　feet　before　I　would　propose　Thuillier；　when　I　owe　to　the　memory
of　the　best　of　men　to　nominate；　if　possible；　Horace　Bianchon；　his
nephew。　From　the　heaven　above　us　Popinot　is　contemplating　and
applauding　me！〃　cried　Phellion；　with　exaltation。　〃It　is　by　such
considerations　as　you　suggest　that　France　is　being　lowered；　and　the
bourgeoisie　are　bringing　themselves　into　contempt。〃

〃My　father　is　right；〃　said　Felix；　coming　out　of　a　deep　reverie。　〃He
deserves　our　respect　and　love；　as　he　has　throughout　the　whole　course
of　his　modest　and　honored　life。　I　would　not　owe　my　happiness　either　to
remorse　in　his　noble　soul；　or　to　a　low　political　bargain。　I　love
Celeste　as　I　love　my　own　family；　but；　above　all　that；　I　place　my
father's　honor；　and　since　this　question　is　a　matter　of　conscience　with
him　it　must　not　be　spoken　of　again。〃

Phellion；　with　his　eyes　full　of　tears；　went　up　to　his　eldest　son　and
took　him　in　his　arms；　saying；　〃My　son！　my　son！〃　in　a　choking　voice。

〃All　that　is　nonsense；〃　whispered　Madame　Phellion　in　Madame　Barniol's
ear。　〃Come　and　dress　me；　I　shall　make　an　end　of　this；　I　know　your
father；　he　has　put　his　foot　down　now。　To　carry　out　the　plan　that　pious
young　man；　Theodose；　suggested；　I　want　your　help；　hold　yourself　ready
to　give　it；　my　daughter。〃

At　this　moment；　Genevieve　came　in　and　gave　a　letter　to　Monsieur
Phellion。

〃An　invitation　for　dinner　to…day；　for　Madame　Phellion　and　Felix　and
myself；　at　the　Thuilliers'；〃　he　said。

The　magnificent　and　surprising　idea　of　Thuillier's　municipal
advancement；　put　forth　by　the　〃advocate　of　the　poor〃　was　not　less
upsetting　in　the　Thuillier　household　than　it　was　in　the　Phellion
salon。　Jerome　Thuillier；　without　actually　confiding　anything　to　his
sister；　for　he　made　it　a　point　of　honor　to　obey　his　Mephistopheles