the lesser bourgeoisie-第35章

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just　to　wet　your　whistle。　I'll　take　that　upon　myself；　but　don't　you
tell　the　doctor。〃

〃Doctor！　I　won't　have　a　doctor；　they　are　all　scoundrels；　invented　to
kill　people；〃　cried　Toupillier；　whom　the　idea　of　drink　had　revived。
〃Come；　give　me　the　wine！〃　he　said；　in　the　tone　of　a　man　whose　patience
had　come　to　an　end。

Convinced　that　though　this　compliance　would　do　no　harm　it　could　do　no
good；　Madame　Cardinal　poured　out　half　a　glass；　and　while　she　gave　it
with　one　hand　to　the　sick　man；　with　the　other　she　raised　him　to　a
sitting　posture　that　he　might　drink　it。

With　his　fleshless；　eager　fingers　Toupillier　clutched　the　glass；
emptied　it　at　a　gulp；　and　exclaimed：

〃Ah！　that's　a　fine　drop；　that　is！　though　you've　watered　it。〃

〃You　mustn't　say　that；　uncle；　I　went　and　bought　it　myself　of　Pere
Legrelu；　and　I've　given　it　you　quite　pure。　But　you　let　me　simmer　the
rest；　the　doctor　said　I　might　then　give　you　all　you　wanted。〃

Toupillier　resigned　himself　with　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders。　At　the　end
of　fifteen　minutes；　the　infusion　being　in　condition　to　serve；　Madame
Cardinal　brought　him；　without　further　appeal；　a　full　cup　of　it。

The　avidity　with　which　the　old　pauper　drank　it　down　prevented　him　from
noticing　at　first　that　the　wine　was　drugged；　but　as　he　swallowed　the
last　drops　he　tasted　the　sickly　and　nauseating　flavor；　and　flinging
the　cup　on　the　bed　he　cried　out　that　some　one　was　trying　to　poison
him。

〃Poison！　nonsense！〃　said　the　fishwife；　pouring　into　her　own　mouth　a
few　drops　of　that　which　remained　in　the　bottle；　declaring　to　the　old
man　that　if　the　wine　did　not　seem　to　him　the　same　as　usual；　it　was
because　his　mouth　had　a　〃bad　taste　to　it。〃

Before　the　end　of　the　dispute；　which　lasted　some　time；　the　narcotic
began　to　take　effect；　and　at　the　end　of　an　hour　the　sick　man　was　sound
asleep。

While　idly　waiting　for　Cerizet；　an　idea　took　possession　of　the
Cardinal's　mind。　She　thought　that　in　view　of　their　comings　and　goings
with　the　treasure；　it　would　be　well　if　the　vigilance　of　the　Perrache
husband　and　wife　could　be　dulled　in　some　manner。　Consequently；　after
carefully　flinging　the　refuse　poppy…heads　into　the　privy；　she　called
to　the　portress：

〃Madame　Perrache；　come　up　and　taste　his　wine。　Wouldn't　you　have
thought　to　hear　him　talk　he　was　ready　to　drink　a　cask　of　it？　Well；　a
cupful　satisfied　him。〃

〃Your　health！〃　said　the　portress；　touching　glasses　with　the　Cardinal；
who　was　careful　to　have　hers　filled　with　the　unboiled　wine。　Less
accomplished　as　a　gourmet　than　the　old　beggar；　Madame　Perrache
perceived　nothing　in　the　insidious　liquid　（cold　by　the　time　she　drank
it）　to　make　her　suspect　its　narcotic　character；　on　the　contrary；　she
declared　it　was　〃velvet；〃　and　wished　that　her　husband　were　there　to
have　a　share　in　the　treat。　After　a　rather　long　gossip；　the　two　women
separated。　Then；　with　the　cooked　meat　she　had　provided　for　herself；
and　the　remains　of　the　Roussillon；　Madame　Cardinal　made　a　repast　which
she　finished　off　with　a　siesta。　Without　mentioning　the　emotions　of　the
day；　the　influence　of　one　of　the　most　heady　wines　of　the　country　would
have　sufficed　to　explain　the　soundness　of　her　sleep；　when　she　woke
darkness　was　coming　on。

Her　first　care　was　to　give　a　glance　at　her　patient；　his　sleep　was
restless；　and　he　was　dreaming　aloud。

〃Diamonds；〃　he　said；　〃those　diamonds？　At　my　death；　but　not　before。〃

〃Gracious！〃　thought　Madame　Cardinal；　〃that　was　the　one　thing　lacking；
diamonds！　that　he　should　have　diamonds！〃

Then；　as　Toupillier　seemed　to　be　in　the　grasp　of　a　violent　nightmare；
she　leaned　over　him　so　as　not　to　lose　a　word　of　his　speech；　hoping　to
gather　from　it　some　important　revelation。　At　this　moment　a　slight　rap
given　to　the　door；　from　which　the　careful　nurse　had　removed　the　key；
announced　the　arrival　of　Cerizet。

〃Well？〃　he　said；　on　entering。

〃He　has　taken　the　drug。　He's　been　sound　asleep　these　two　hours；　just
now；　in　dreaming；　he　was　talking　of　diamonds。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃it　wouldn't　be　surprising　if　we　found　some。
These　paupers　when　they　set　out　to　be　rich；　like　to　pile　up
everything。〃

〃Ah　ca！〃　cried　the　Cardinal；　suddenly；　〃what　made　you　go　and　tell　Mere
Perrache　that　you　were　my　man　of　business；　and　that　you　weren't　a
doctor？　I　thought　we　agreed　this　morning　that　you　were　coming　as　a
doctor？〃

Cerizet　did　not　choose　to　admit　that　the　usurpation　of　that　title　had
seemed　to　him　dangerous；　he　feared　to　discourage　his　accomplice。

〃I　saw　that　the　woman　was　going　to　propose　a　consultation；〃　he
replied；　〃and　I　got　out　of　it　that　way。〃

〃Goodness！〃　exclaimed　Madame　Cardinal；　〃they　say　fine　minds　come
together；　that　was　my　dodge；　too。　Calling　you　my　man　of　business
seemed　to　give　that　old　pilferer　a　few　ideas。　Did　they　see　you　come
in；　those　porters？〃

〃I　thought；　as　I　went　by；〃　replied　Cerizet；　〃that　the　woman　was　asleep
in　her　chair。〃

〃And　well　she　might　be；〃　said　the　Cardinal；　significantly。

〃What；　really？〃　said　Cerizet。

〃Parbleu！〃　replied　the　fishwife；　〃what's　enough　for　one　is　enough　for
two；　the　rest　of　the　stuff　went　that　way。〃

〃As　for　the　husband；　he　was　there；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃for　he　gave　me　a
gracious　sign　of　recognition；　which　I　could　have　done　without。〃

〃Wait　till　it　is　quite　dark；　and　we'll　play　him　a　comedy　that　shall
fool　him　finely。〃

Accordingly；　ten　minutes　later；　the　fishwife；　with　a　vim　that
delighted　the　usurer；　organized　for　the　innocent　porter　the　comedy　of
a　MONSIEUR　who　would　not；　out　of　politeness；　let　her　accompany　him　to
the　door；　she　herself　with　equal　politeness　insisting。　Appearing　to
conduct　the　sham　physician　into　the　street　gate　she　pretended　that　the
wind　had　blown　out　of　her　lamp；　and　under　pretext　of　relighting　it　she
put　out　that　of　Perrache。　All　this　racket；　accompanied　by　exclamations
and　a　bewildering　loquacity；　was　so　briskly　carried　out　that　the
porter；　if　summoned　before　the　police…court；　would　not　have　hesitated
to　swear　that　the　doctor；　whose　arrival　he　had　witnessed；　left　the
house　between　nine　and　ten　o'clock。

When　the　two　accomplices　were　thus　in　tranquil　possession　of　the　field
of　operations　Madame　Cardinal　hung　up　her　rabbit's…hair　shawl　before
the　window　to　exclude　all　possible　indiscretion　on　the　part　of　a
neighbor。　In　the　Luxembourg　quarter　life　quiets　down　early。　By　ten
o'clock　all　the　sounds　in　the　house　as　well　as　those　out　of　doors　were
stilled；　and　Cerizet　declared　that　the　moment　had　come　to　go　to　work；
by　beginning　at　once　they　were　certain　that　the　sleeper　would　remain
under　the　influence　of　the　drug；　besides；　if　the　booty　were　found　at
once；　Madame　Cardinal　could；　under　pretence　of　a　sudden　attack　on　her
patient；　which　required　her　to　fetch　a　remedy　from　the　apothecary；　get
the　porter　to　open　the　street　gate　for　her　without　suspicion。　As　all
porters　pull　the　gate…cord　from　their　beds；　Cerizet　would　be　able　to
get　away　at　the　same　time　without　notice。

Powerful　in　advice；　Cerizet　was　a　very　incapable　hand　in　action；　and；
without　the　robust　assistance　of　Mere　Cardinal　he　could　never　have
lifted　what　might　almost　be　called　the　corpse　of　the　former　drum…
major。　Completely　insensible；　Toupillier　was　now　an　inert　mass；　a
dead…weight；　which　could；　fortunately；　be　handled　without　much
precaution；　and　the　athletic　Madame　Cardinal；　gathering　strength　from
her　cupidity；　contrived；　notwithstanding　Cerizet's　insufficient
assistance；　to　effect　the　transfer　of　her　uncle　from　one　bed　to　the
other。

On　rummaging　the　bed　from　which　the　body　was　moved；　nothing　was　found；
and　Madame　Cardinal；　pressed　by　Cerizet　to　explain　why　she　had
confidently　asserted　that　her　uncle　〃was　lying　on　one　hundred　thousand
francs　in　gold；〃　was　forced　to　admit　that　a　talk　with　Madame　Perrache；
and　her　own　fervid　imagination　were　the　sole　grounds　of　her　certainty。
Cerizet　was　furious；　having　for　one　whole　day　dallied　with　the　idea
and　hope　of　fortune；　having；　moreover；　entered　upon　a　dangerous　and
compromising　course　of　action；　only　to　find　himself；　at　the　supreme
moment；　face　to　face　withnothing！　The　disappointment　was　so　bitter
that　if　he　had　not　been　afraid　of　the　muscular　strength　of　his　future
mother…in…law；　he　would　have　rushed　upon　her　with　some　frantic
intention。

His　anger；　however；　spent　itself　in　words。　Harshly　abused；　Madame
Cardinal　contented　herself　by　remarking　that　all　hope　was　not　lost；
and　then；　with　a　faith　that　ought　to　have　moved　mountains；　she　set　to
work　to　empty　the　straw　from　the　mattress　she　had　already　vainly
explored　in　all　directions。　But　Cerizet　would　not　allow　that　extreme
measure；　he　remarked　that　after　the　autopsy　of　a　straw　mattress　such
detritus　would　remain　upon　the　floor　as　must　infallibly　give　rise　to
suspicion。　But　the　Cardinal；　who　thought　this　caution　ridiculous；　was
determined　to；　at　least；　take　apart　the　flock　bedstead。　The　passion　of
the　search　gave　extraordinary　vigilance　to　her　senses；　and　as　she
raised　the　wooden　side…frame　she　heard　the　fall　of　some　tiny　object　on
the　floor。　Seizing　the　light　she　began　to　search　in　the　mound　of　filth
of　all　kinds　that　was　under　the　bed；　and　finally　laid　her　hand　on　a
bit　of　polished　steel　about　half　an　inch　long；　the　use　of　which　was　to
her　inexplicable。

〃That's　a　key！〃　cried　Cerizet；　who　was　standing　beside　her　with　some
indifference；　but　whose　imagination　now　set　off　at　a　gallop。

〃Ha！　ha！　you　see　I　was　right；〃　cried　the　Cardinal。　〃But　what　can　it
open？〃　she　added；　on　reflection；　〃nothing　bigger　than　a　doll's　house。〃

〃No；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃it　is　a　modern　invention；　and　very　strong　locks
can　be　opened　with　that　little　instrument。〃

With　a　rapid　glance　he　took　in　all　the　pieces　of　furniture　in　the
room；　went　to　the　bureau　and　pulled　out　the　drawers；　looked　in　the
stove；　in　the　table；　but　nowhere　did　he　find　a　lock　to　which　the
little　key　could　be　adapted。

Suddenly　the　Cardinal　had　a　flash　of　illumination。

〃See　here！〃　she　said。　〃I　remarked　that　the　old　thief；　as　he　lay　on　his
bed；　never　took　his　eyes　off　the　wall　just　opposite　to　him。〃

〃A　cupboard　hidden　in　the　wall！〃　cried　Cerizet；　seizing　the　light
eagerly；　〃it　is　not　impossible！〃

Examining　attentively　the　door　of　the　alcove；　which　was　opposite　the
bed's　head；　he　could　see　nothing　there　but　a　vast　accumulation　of　dust
and　spiders'　webs。　He　next　employed　the　sense　of　touch；　and　began　to
rap　and　sound　the　wall　in　all　directions。　At　the　spot　to　which
Toupillier's　constant　gaze　was　directed　he　thought　he　perceived　in　a
very　narrow　space　a　slight　sonority；　and　he　presently　perceived　that
he　was　rapping　on　wood。　He　then　rubbed　the　spot　vigorously　with　his
handkerchief；　and　beneath　the　thick　layer　of　dust　and　dirt　which　he
thus　removed　he　found　a　piece　of　oak　plank　carefully　inserted　in　the
wall。　On　one　side　of　this　plank　was　a　small　round　hole；　it　was　that　of
the　lock　which　the　key　fitted！

While　Cerizet　was　turning　the　key；　which　worked　with　great　difficulty；
Madame　Cardinal；　holding　the　light；　was　pale　and　breathless；　but；　oh！
cruel　deception！　the　cupboard；　at　last　unlocked　and　open；　showed　only
an　empty　space；　into　which　the　light　in　her　hand　fell　uselessly。

Allowing　this　bacchante　to　give　vent　to　her　despair　by　saluting　her
much…beloved　uncle　with　the　harshest　epithets；　Cerize