the lesser bourgeoisie-第44章

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the　election　business；　which　is　still　a　distant　matter；　this　Hungarian
countess　is　becoming；　every　day；　more　and　more　a　necessity　to
Brigitte；　for　it　must　be　owned　that　without　the　help　of　the　great
lady；　the　poor　soul　would　look　in　the　midst　of　her　gilded　salon　like　a
ragged　gown　in　a　bride's　trousseau。〃

〃Oh；　Monsieur　le　maire；　you　are　cruel；〃　said　Madame　Phellion；
affecting　compunction。

〃No；　but　say；〃　returned　Minard；　〃with　your　hand　on　your　conscience；
whether　Brigitte；　whether　Madame　Thuillier　could　preside　in　such　a
salon？　No；　it　is　the　Hungarian　countess　who　does　it　all。　She　furnished
the　rooms；　she　selected　the　male　domestic；　whose　excellent　training
and　intelligence　you　must　have　observed；　it　was　she　who　arranged　the
menu　of　that　dinner；　in　short；　she　is　the　providence　of　the　parvenu
colony；　which；　without　her　intervention；　would　have　made　the　whole
quarter　laugh　at　it。　Andnow　this　is　a　very　noticeable　thinginstead
of　being　a　parasite　like　la　Peyrade；　this　Hungarian　lady；　who　seems　to
have　a　fortune　of　her　own；　proves　to　be　not　only　disinterested；　but
generous。　The　two　gowns　that　you　saw　Brigitte　and　Madame　Thuillier
wear　last　night　were　a　present　from　her；　and　it　was　because　she　came
herself　to　superintend　the　toilet　of　our　two　'amphitryonesses'　that
you　were　so　surprised　last　night　not　to　find　them　rigged　in　their
usual　dowdy　fashion。〃

〃But　what　can　be　the　motive；〃　asked　Madame　Phellion；　〃of　this　maternal
and　devoted　guardianship？〃

〃My　dear　wife；〃　said　Phellion；　solemnly；　〃the　motives　of　human　actions
are　not　always；　thank　God！　selfishness　and　the　consideration　of　vile
interests。　There　are　hearts　in　this　world　that　find　pleasure　in　doing
good　for　its　own　sake。　This　lady　may　have　seen　in　our　good　friends　a
set　of　people　about　to　enter　blindly　into　a　sphere　they　knew　nothing
about；　and　having　encouraged　their　first　steps　by　the　purchase　of　this
furniture；　she　may；　like　a　nurse　attached　to　her　nursling；　find
pleasure　in　giving　them　the　milk　of　her　social　knowledge　and　her
counsels。〃

〃He　seems　to　keep　aloof　from　our　strictures；　the　dear　husband！〃　cried
Minard；　〃but　just　see　how　he　goes　beyond　them！〃

〃I！〃　said　Phellion；　〃it　is　neither　my　intention　nor　my　habit　to　do
so。〃

〃All　the　same　it　would　be　difficult　to　say　more　neatly　that　the
Thuilliers　are　geese；　and　that　Madame　de　Godollo　is　bringing　them　up
by　hand。〃

〃I　do　not　accept　for　these　friends　of　ours；〃　said　Phellion；　〃a
characterization　so　derogatory　to　their　repute。　I　meant　to　say　that
they　were　lacking；　perhaps；　in　that　form　of　experience；　and　that　this
noble　lady　has　placed　at　their　service　her　knowledge　of　the　world　and
its　usages。　I　protest　against　any　interpretation　of　my　language　which
goes　beyond　my　thought　thus　limited。〃

〃Well；　anyhow；　you　will　agree；　my　dear　commander；　that　in　the　idea　of
giving　Celeste　to　this　la　Peyrade；　there　is　something　more　than　want
of　experience；　there　is；　it　must　be　said；　blundering　folly　and
immorality；　for　really　the　goings　on　of　that　barrister　with　Madame
Colleville〃

〃Monsieur　le　maire；〃　interrupted　Phellion；　with　redoubled　solemnity；
〃Solon；　the　law…giver；　decreed　no　punishment　for　parricide；　declaring
it　to　be　an　impossible　crime。　I　think　the　same　thing　may　be　said　of
the　offence　to　which　you　seem　to　make　allusion。　Madame　Colleville
granting　favors　to　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade；　and　all　the　while　intending
to　give　him　her　daughter？　No；　monsieur；　no！　that　passes　imagination。
Questioned　on　this　subject；　like　Marie　Antoinette；　by　a　human
tribunal；　Madame　Colleville　would　answer　with　the　queen；　'I　appeal　to
all　mothers。'〃

〃Nevertheless；　my　friend；〃　said　Madame　Phellion；　〃allow　me　to　remind
you　that　Madame　Colleville　is　excessively　light…minded；　and　has　given；
as　we　al　know；　pretty　good　proofs　of　it。〃

〃Enough；　my　dear；〃　said　Phellion。　〃The　dinner　hour　summons　us；　I　think
that；　little　by　little；　we　have　allowed　this　conversation　to　drift
toward　the　miry　slough　of　backbiting。〃

〃You　are　full　of　illusions；　my　dear　commander；〃　said　Minard；　taking
Phellion　by　the　hand　and　shaking　it；　〃but　they　are　honorable
illusions；　and　I　envy　them。　Madame；　I　have　the　honor〃　added　the
mayor；　with　a　respectful　bow　to　Madame　Phellion。

And　each　party　took　its　way。



CHAPTER　II

THE　PROVENCAL'S　PRESENT　POSITION

The　information　acquired　by　the　mayor　of　the　11th　arrondissement　was
by　no　means　incorrect。　In　the　Thuillier　salon；　since　the　emigration　to
the　Madeleine　quarter；　might　be　seen　daily；　between　the　tart　Brigitte
and　the　plaintive　Madame　Thuillier；　the　graceful　and　attractive　figure
of　a　woman　who　conveyed　to　this　salon　an　appearance　of　the　most
unexpected　elegance。　It　was　quite　true　that　through　the　good　offices
of　this　lady；　who　had　become　her　tenant　in　the　new　house；　Brigitte　had
made　a　speculation　in　furniture　not　less　advantageous　in　its　way；　but
more　avowable；　than　the　very　shady　purchase　of　the　house　itself。　For
six　thousand　francs　in　ready　money　she　had　obtained　furniture　lately
from　workshops　representing　a　value　of　at　least　thirty　thousand。

It　was　still　further　true　that　in　consequence　of　a　service　which　went
deep　into　her　heart；　Brigitte　was　showing　to　the　beautiful　foreign
countess　the　respectful　deference　which　the　bourgeoisie；　in　spite　of
its　sulky　jealousy；　is　much　less　indisposed　to　give　to　titles　of
nobility　and　high　positions　in　the　social　hierarchy　than　people　think。
As　this　Hungarian　countess　was　a　woman　of　great　tact　and　accomplished
training；　in　taking　the　direction　which　she　had　thought　it　wise　to
assume　over　the　affairs　of　her　proteges；　she　had　been　careful　to　guard
her　influence　from　all　appearance　of　meddlesome　and　imperious
dictation。　On　the　contrary；　she　flattered　Brigitte's　claim　to　be　a
model　housekeeper；　in　her　own　household　expenses　she　affected　to　ask
the　spinster's　advice；　so　that　by　reserving　to　herself　the　department
of　luxurious　expenses；　she　had　more　the　air　of　giving　information　than
of　exercising　supervision。

La　Peyrade　could　not　disguise　from　himself　that　a　change　was　taking
place。　His　influence　was　evidently　waning　before　that　of　this
stranger；　but　the　antagonism　of　the　countess　was　not　confined　to　a
simple　struggle　for　influence。　She　made　no　secret　of　being　opposed　to
his　suit　for　Celeste；　she　gave　her　unequivocal　approval　to　the　love　of
Felix　Phellion；　the　professor。　Minard；　by　whom　this　fact　was　not
unobserved；　took　very　good　care；　in　the　midst　of　his　other
information；　not　to　mention　it　to　those　whom　it　most　concerned。

La　Peyrade　was　all　the　more　anxious　at　being　thus　undermined　by　a
hostility　the　cause　of　which　was　inexplicable　to　him；　because　he　knew
he　had　himself　to　blame　for　bringing　this　disquieting　adversary　into
the　very　heart　of　his　citadel。　His　first　mistake　was　in　yielding　to
the　barren　pleasure　of　disappointing　Cerizet　in　the　lease　of　the
house。　If　Brigitte　by　his　advice　and　urging　had　not　taken　the
administration　of　the　property　into　her　own　hands　there　was　every
probability　that　she　would　never　have　made　the　acquaintance　of　Madame
de　Godollo。　Another　imprudence　had　been　to　urge　the　Thuilliers　to
leave　their　old　home　in　the　Latin　quarter。

At　this　period；　when　his　power　and　credit　had　reached　their　apogee；
Theodose　considered　his　marriage　a　settled　thing；　and　he　now　felt　an
almost　childish　haste　to　spring　into　the　sphere　of　elegance　which
seemed　henceforth　to　be　his　future。　He　had　therefore　furthered　the
inducements　of　the　countess；　feeling　that　he　thus　sent　the　Thuilliers
before　him　to　make　his　bed　in　the　splendid　apartment　he　intended　to
share　with　them。　By　thus　removing　them　from　their　old　home　he　saw
another　advantage；that　of　withdrawing　Celeste　from　daily　intercourse
with　a　rival　who　seemed　to　him　dangerous。　Deprived　of　the　advantage　of
propinquity；　Felix　would　be　forced　to　make　his　visits　farther　apart；
and　therefore　there　would　be　greater　facilities　to　ruin　him　in　the
girl's　heart；　where　he　was　installed　on　condition　of　giving　religious
satisfaction；a　requirement　to　which　he　showed　himself　refractory。

But　in　all　these　plans　and　schemes　various　drawbacks　confronted　him。
To　enlarge　the　horizon　of　the　Thuilliers　was　for　la　Peyrade　to　run　the
chance　of　creating　competition　for　the　confidence　and　admiration　of
which　he　had　been　till　then　the　exclusive　object。　In　the　sort　of
provincial　life　they　had　hitherto　lived；　Brigitte　and　his　dear；　good
friend　placed　him；　for　want　of　comparison；　at　a　height　from　which　the
juxtaposition　of　other　superiorities　and　elegances　must　bring　him
down。　So；　then；　apart　from　the　blows　covertly　dealt　him　by　Madame　de
Godollo；　the　idea　of　the　transpontine　emigration　had　proved　to　be；　on
the　whole；　a　bad　one。

The　Collevilles　had　followed　their　friends　the　Thuilliers；　to　the　new
house　near　the　Madeleine；　where　an　entresol　at　the　back　had　been
conceded　to　them　at　a　price　conformable　to　their　budget。　But
Colleville　declared　it　lacked　light　and　air；　and　being　obliged　to　go
daily　from　the　boulevard　of　the　Madeleine　to　the　faubourg　Saint…
Jacques；　where　his　office　was；　he　fumed　against　the　arrangement　of
which　he　was　the　victim；　and　felt　at　times　that　la　Peyrade　was　a
tyrant。　Madame　Colleville；　on　the　other　hand；　had　flung　herself　into
an　alarming　orgy　of　bonnets；　mantles；　and　new　gowns；　requiring　the
presentation　of　a　mass　of　bills；　which　led　not　infrequently　to　scenes
in　the　household　which　were　more　or　less　stormy。　As　for　Celeste；　she
had　undoubtedly　fewer　opportunities　to　see　young　Phellion；　but　she　had
also　fewer　chances　to　rush　into　religious　controversy；　and　absence；
which　is　dangerous　to　none　but　inferior　attachments；　made　her　think
more　tenderly　and　less　theologically　of　the　man　of　her　dreams。

But　all　these　false　calculations　of　Theodose　were　as　nothing　in　the
balance　with　another　cause　for　his　diminishing　influence　which　was　now
to　weigh　heavily　on　his　situation。

He　had　assured　Thuillier　that；　after　a　short　delay　and　the　payment　of
ten　thousand　francs；　to　which　his　dear；　good　friend　submitted　with
tolerable　grace；　the　cross　of　the　Legion　of　honor　would　arrive　to
realize　the　secret　desire　of　all　his　life。　Two　months　had　now　passed
without　a　sign　of　that　glorious　rattle；　and　the　former　sub…director；
who　would　have　felt　such　joy　in　parading　his　red　ribbon　on　the
boulevard　of　the　Madeleine；　of　which　he　was　now　one　of　the　most
assiduous　promenaders；　had　nothing　to　adorn　his　buttonhole　but　the
flowers　of　the　earth；　the　privilege　of　everybody；of　which　he　was　far
less　proud　than　Beranger。

La　Peyrade　had；　to　be　sure；　mentioned　an　unforeseen　and　inexplicable
difficulty　by　which　all　the　efforts　of　the　Comtesse　du　Bruel　had　been
paralyzed；　but　Thuillier　did　not　take　comfort　in　the　explanation；　and
on　certain　days；　when　the　disappointment　became　acute；　he　was　very
near　saying　with　Chicaneau　in　Les　Plaideurs；　〃Return　my　money。〃

However；　no　outbreak　happened；　for　la　Peyrade　held　him　in　leash　by　the
famous　pamphlet　on　〃Taxation　and　the　Sliding…Scale〃；　the　conclusion　of
which　had　been　suspended　during　the　excitement　of　the　moving；　for
during　that　agitating　period　Thuillier　had　been　unable　to　give　proper
care　to　the　correction　of　proofs；　about　which；　we　may　remember；　he　had
reserve