the lesser bourgeoisie-第25章

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〃You　will　have　that　as　soon　as　you　are　made　a　municipal　councillor　on
the　1st　of　May。　Only；　my　good　friend；　I　must　beg　you；　and　you；　too；
dear　aunt；　to　keep　the　most　profound　secrecy　about　me　in　this　affair；
and　do　not　listen　to　the　calumnies　which　all　the　men　I　am　about　to
trick　will　spread　about　me。　I　shall　become；　you'll　see；　a　vagabond；　a
swindler；　a　dangerous　man；　a　Jesuit；　an　ambitious　fortune…hunter。　Can
you　hear　those　accusations　against　me　with　composure？〃

〃Fear　nothing；〃　replied　Brigitte。



CHAPTER　XI

THE　REIGN　OF　THEODOSE

From　that　day　forth　Thuillier　became　a　dear；　good　friend。　〃My　dear；
good　friend；〃　was　the　name　given　to　him　by　Theodose；　with　voice
inflections　of　varieties　of　tenderness　which　astonished　Flavie。　But
〃little　aunt；〃　a　name　that　flattered　Brigitte　deeply；　was　only　given
in　family　secrecy；　and　occasionally　before　Flavie。　The　activity　of
Theodose　and　Dutocq；　Cerizet；　Barbet；　Metivier；　Minard；　Phellion；
Colleville；　and　others　of　the　Thuillier　circle　was　extreme。　Great　and
small；　they　all　put　their　hands　to　the　work。　Cadenet　procured　thirty
votes　in　his　section。　On　the　30th　of　April　Thuillier　was　proclaimed
member　of　the　Council…general　of　the　department　of　the　Seine　by　an
imposing　majority；　in　fact；　he　only　needed　sixty　more　votes　to　make
his　election　unanimous。　May　1st　Thuillier　joined　the　municipal　body
and　went　to　the　Tuileries　to　congratulate　the　King　on　his　fete…day；
and　returned　home　radiant。　He　had　gone　where　Minard　went！

Ten　days　later　a　yellow　poster　announced　the　sale　of　the　house；　after
due　publication；　the　price　named　being　seventy…five　thousand　francs；
the　final　purchase　to　take　place　about　the　last　of　July。　On　this　point
Cerizet　and　Claparon　had　an　agreement　by　which　Cerizet　pledged　the　sum
of　fifteen　thousand　francs　（in　words　only；　be　it　understood）　to
Claparon　in　case　the　latter　could　deceive　the　notary　and　keep　him
quiet　until　the　time　expired　during　which　he　might　withdraw　the
property　by　bidding　it　in。　Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　notified　by
Theodose；　agreed　entirely　to　this　secret　clause；　understanding
perfectly　the　necessity　of　paying　the　culprits　guilty　of　the
treachery。　The　money　was　to　pass　through　la　Peyrade's　hands。　Claparon
met　his　accomplice；　the　notary；　on　the　Place　de　l'Observatoire　by
midnight。　This　young　man；　the　successor　of　Leopold　Hannequin；　was　one
of　those　who　run　after　fortune　instead　of　following　it　leisurely。　He
now　saw　another　future　before　him；　and　he　managed　his　present　affairs
in　order　to　be　free　to　take　hold　of　it。　In　this　midnight　interview；　he
offered　Claparon　ten　thousand　francs　to　secure　himself　in　this　dirty
business；a　sum　which　was　only　to　be　paid　on　receipt；　through
Claparon；　of　a　counter…deed　from　the　nominal　purchaser　of　the
property。　The　notary　was　aware　that　that　sum　was　all…important　to
Claparon　to　extricate　him　from　present　difficulties；　and　he　felt
secure　of　him。

〃Who　but　you；　in　all　Paris；　would　give　me　such　a　fee　for　such　an
affair？〃　Claparon　said　to　him；　with　a　false　show　of　naivete。　〃You　can
sleep　in　peace；　my　ostensible　purchaser　is　one　of　those　men　of　honor
who　are　too　stupid　to　have　ideas　of　your　kind；　he　is　a　retired
government　employee；　give　him　the　money　to　make　the　purchase　and　he'll
sign　the　counter…deed　at　once。〃

When　the　notary　had　made　Claparon　clearly　understand　that　he　could　not
get　more　than　the　ten　thousand　francs　from　him；　Cerizet　offered　the
latter　twelve　thousand　down；　and　asked　Theodose　for　fifteen　thousand；
intending　to　keep　the　balance　for　himself。　All　these　scenes　between
the　four　men　were　seasoned　with　the　finest　speeches　about　feelings；
integrity；　and　the　honor　that　men　owed　to　one　another　in　doing
business。　While　these　submarine　performances　were　going　on；　apparently
in　the　interests　of　Thuillier；　to　whom　Theodose　related　them　with　the
deepest　manifestations　of　disgust　at　being　implicated　therein；　the
pair　were　meditating　the　great　political　work　which　〃my　dear　good
friend〃　was　to　publish。　Thus　the　new　municipal　councillor　naturally
acquired　a　conviction　that　he　could　never　do　or　be　anything　without
the　help　of　this　man　of　genius；　whose　mind　so　amazed　him；　and　whose
ability　was　now　so　important　to　him；　that　every　day　he　became　more　and
more　convinced　of　the　necessity　of　marrying　him　to　Celeste；　and　of
taking　the　young　couple　to　live　with　him。　In　fact；　after　May　the　1st；
Theodose　had　already　dined　four　times　a　week　with　〃my　dear；　good
friend。〃

This　was　the　period　when　Theodose　reigned　without　a　dissenting　voice
in　the　bosom　of　that　household；　and　all　the　friends　of　the　family
approved　of　himfor　the　following　reason：　The　Phellions；　hearing　his
praises　sung　by　Brigitte　and　Thuillier；　feared　to　displease　the　two
powers　and　chorussed　their　words；　even　when　such　perpetual　laudation
seemed　to　them　exaggerated。　The　same　may　be　said　of　the　Minards。
Moreover　la　Peyrade's　behavior；　as　〃friend　of　the　family〃　was　perfect。
He　disarmed　distrust　by　the　manner　in　which　he　effaced　himself；　he　was
there　like　a　new　piece　of　furniture；　and　he　contrived　to　make　both　the
Phellions　and　Minards　believe　that　Brigitte　and　Thuillier　had　weighed
him；　and　found　him　too　light　in　the　scales　to　be　anything　more　in　the
family　than　a　young　man　whose　services　were　useful　to　them。

〃He　may　think；〃　said　Thuillier　one　day　to　Minard；　〃that　my　sister　will
put　him　in　her　will；　he　doesn't　know　her。〃

This　speech；　inspired　by　Theodose　himself；　calmed　the　uneasiness　of
Minard　〃pere。〃

〃He　is　devoted　to　us；〃　said　Brigitte　to　Madame　Phellion；　〃but　he
certainly　owes　us　a　great　deal　of　gratitude。　We　have　given　him　his
lodging　rent…free；　and　he　dines　with　us　almost　every　day。〃

This　speech　of　the　old　maid；　also　instigated　by　Theodose；　went　from
ear　to　ear　among　the　families　who　frequented　the　Thuillier　salon；　and
dissipated　all　fears。　The　young　man　called　attention　to　the　remarks　of
Thuillier　and　his　sister　with　the　servility　of　a　parasite；　when　he
played　whist　he　justified　the　blunders　of　his　dear；　good　friend；　and
he　kept　upon　his　countenance　a　smile；　fixed　and　benign；　like　that　of
Madame　Thuillier；　ready　to　bestow　upon　all　the　bourgeois　sillinesses
of　the　brother　and　sister。

He　obtained；　what　he　wanted　above　all；　the　contempt　of　his　true
antagonists；　and　he　used　it　as　a　cloak　to　hide　his　real　power。　For
four　consecutive　months　his　face　wore　a　torpid　expression；　like　that
of　a　snake　as　it　gulps　and　digests　its　prey。　But　at　times　he　would
rush　into　the　garden　with　Colleville　or　Flavie；　to　laugh　and　lay　off
his　mask；　and　rest　himself；　or　get　fresh　strength　by　giving　way　before
his　future　mother…in…law　to　fits　of　nervous　passion　which　either
terrified　or　deeply　touched　her。

〃Don't　you　pity　me？〃　he　cried　to　her　the　evening　before　the
preparatory　sale　of　the　house；　when　Thuillier　was　to　make　the　purchase
at　seventy…five　thousand　francs。　〃Think　of　a　man　like　me；　forced　to
creep　like　a　cat；　to　choke　down　every　pointed　word；　to　swallow　my　own
gall；　and　submit　to　your　rebuffs！〃

〃My　friend！　my　child！〃　Flavie　replied；　undecided　in　mind　how　to　take
him。

These　words　are　a　thermometer　which　will　show　the　temperature　at　which
this　clever　manipulator　maintained　his　intrigue　with　Flavie。　He　kept
her　floating　between　her　heart　and　her　moral　sense；　between　religious
sentiments　and　this　mysterious　passion。

During　this　time　Felix　Phellion　was　giving；　with　a　devotion　and
constancy　worthy　of　all　praise；　regular　lessons　to　young　Colleville。
He　spent　much　of　his　time　upon　these　lessons；　feeling　that　he　was　thus
working　for　his　future　family。　To　acknowledge　this　service；　he　was
invited；　by　advice　of　Theodose　to　Flavie；　to　dine　at　the　Collevilles'
every　Thursday；　where　la　Peyrade　always　met　him。　Flavie　was　usually
making　either　a　purse　or　slippers　or　a　cigar…case　for　the　happy　young
man；　who　would　say；　deprecatingly：

〃I　am　only　too　well　rewarded；　madame；　by　the　happiness　I　feel　in　being
useful　to　you。〃

〃We　are　not　rich；　monsieur；〃　replied　Colleville；　〃but；　God　bless　me！
we　are　not　ungrateful。〃

Old　Phellion　would　rub　his　hands　as　he　listened　to　his　son's　account
of　these　evenings；　beholding　his　dear　and　noble　Felix　already　wedded
to　Celeste。

But　Celeste；　the　more　she　loved　Felix；　the　more　grave　and　serious　she
became　with　him；　partly　because　her　mother　sharply　lectured　her；
saying　to　her　one　evening：

〃Don't　give　any　hope　whatever　to　that　young　Phellion。　Neither　your
father　nor　I　can　arrange　your　marriage。　You　have　expectations　to　be
consulted。　It　is　much　less　important　to　please　a　professor　without　a
penny　than　to　make　sure　of　the　affection　and　good…will　of　Mademoiselle
Brigitte　and　your　godfather。　If　you　don't　want　to　kill　your　mother
yes；　my　dear；　kill　heryou　must　obey　me　in　this　affair　blindly；　and
remember　that　what　we　want　to　secure；　above　all；　is　your　good。〃

As　the　date　of　the　final　sale　was　set　for　the　last　of　July；　Theodose
advised　Brigitte　by　the　end　of　June　to　arrange　her　affairs　in　time　to
be　ready　for　the　payment。　Accordingly；　she　now　sold　out　her　own　and
her　sister…in…law's　property　in　the　Funds。　The　catastrophe　of　the
treaty　of　the　four　powers；　an　insult　to　France；　is　now　an　established
historical　fact；　but　it　is　necessary　to　remind　the　reader　that　from
July　to　the　last　of　August　the　French　funds；　alarmed　by　the　prospect
of　war；　a　fear　which　Monsieur　Thiers　did　much　to　promote；　fell　twenty
francs；　and　the　Three…per…cents　went　down　to　sixty。　That　was　not　all：
this　financial　fiasco　had　a　most　unfortunate　influence　on　the　value　of
real　estate　in　Paris；　and　all　those　who　had　such　property　then　for
sale　suffered　loss。　These　events　made　Theodose　a　prophet　in　the　eyes
of　Brigitte　and　Thuillier；　to　whom　the　house　was　now　about　to　be
definitely　sold　for　seventy…five　thousand　francs。　The　notary；　involved
in　the　political　disaster；　and　whose　practice　was　already　sold；
concealed　himself　for　a　time　in　the　country；　but　he　took　with　him　the
ten　thousand　francs　for　Claparon。　Advised　by　Theodose；　Thuillier　made
a　contract　with　Grindot；　who　supposed　he　was　really　working　for　the
notary　in　finishing　the　house；　and　as；　during　this　period　of　financial
depression；　suspended　work　left　many　workmen　with　their　arms　folded；
the　architect　was　able　to　finish　off　the　building　in　a　splendid　manner
at　a　low　cost。　Theodose　insisted　that　the　agreement　should　be　in
writing。

This　purchase　increased　Thuillier's　importance　ten…fold。　As　for　the
notary；　he　had　temporarily　lost　his　head　in　presence　of　political
events　which　came　upon　him　like　a　waterspout　out　of　cloudless　skies。
Theodose；　certain　now　of　his　supremacy；　holding　Thuillier　fast　by　his
past　services　and　by　the　literary　work　in　which　they　were　both
engaged；　admired　by　Brigitte　for　his　modesty　and　discretion；for
never　had　he　made　the　slightest　allusion　to　his　own　poverty　or　uttered
one　word　about　money；Theodose　began　to　assume　an　air　that　was　rather
less　servile　than　it　had　been。　Brigitte　and　Thuillier　said　to　him　one
day：

〃Nothing　can　deprive　you　of　our　esteem；　you　are　here　in　this　house　as
if　in　your　own　home；　the　opinion　of　Minard　and　Phellion；　which　you
seem　to　fear；　has　no　more　value　for　us　than　a　stanza　of　Victor　Hugo。
Therefore；　let　them　talk！　Carry　y