the lesser bourgeoisie-第5章

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forty…six　years　old；　had　ceased　to　weep；　she　now　had　the　certainty　of
never　being　a　mother。　And　here　is　a　strange　thing。　After　twenty…five
years　of　this　life；　in　which　victory　had　ended　by　first　dulling　and
then　breaking　its　own　knife；　Brigitte　loved　Celeste　as　much　as　Celeste
loved　Brigitte。　Time；　ease；　and　the　perpetual　rubbing　of　domestic
life；　had　worn　off　the　angles　and　smoothed　the　asperities；　Celeste's
resignation　and　lamb…like　gentleness　had　brought；　at　last；　a　serene
and　peaceful　autumn。　The　two　women　were　still　further　united　by　the
one　sentiment　that　lay　within　them；　namely；　their　adoration　for　the
lucky　and　selfish　Thuillier。

Moreover；　these　two　women；　both　childless；　had　each；　like　all　women
who　have　vainly　desired　children；　fallen　in　love　with　a　child。　This
fictitious　motherhood；　equal　in　strength　to　a　real　motherhood；　needs
an　explanation　which　will　carry　us　to　the　very　heart　of　our　drama；　and
will　show　the　reason　of　the　new　occupation　which　Mademoiselle
Thuillier　provided　for　her　brother。



CHAPTER　III

COLLEVILLE

Thuillier　had　entered　the　ministry　of　finance　as　supernumerary　at　the
same　time　as　Colleville；　who　has　been　mentioned　already　as　his
intimate　friend。　In　opposition　to　the　well…regulated；　gloomy　household
of　Thuillier；　social　nature　had　provided　that　of　Colleville；　and　if　it
is　impossible　not　to　remark　that　this　fortuitous　contrast　was　scarcely
moral；　we　must　add　that；　before　deciding　that　point；　it　would　be　well
to　wait　for　the　end　of　this　drama；　unfortunately　too　true；　for　which
the　present　historian　is　not　responsible。

Colleville　was　the　only　son　of　a　talented　musician；　formerly　first
violin　at　the　Opera　under　Francoeur　and　Rebel；　who　related；　at　least
six　times　a　month　during　his　lifetime；　anecdotes　concerning　the
representations　of　the　〃Village　Seer〃；　and　mimicked　Jean…Jacques
Rousseau；　taking　him　off　to　perfection。　Colleville　and　Thuillier　were
inseparable　friends；　they　had　no　secrets　from　each　other；　and　their
friendship；　begun　at　fifteen　years　of　age；　had　never　known　a　cloud　up
to　the　year　1839。　The　former　was　one　of　those　employees　who　are
called；　in　the　government　offices；　pluralists。　These　clerks　are
remarkable　for　their　industry。　Colleville；　a　good　musician；　owed　to
the　name　and　influence　of　his　father　a　situation　as　first　clarionet　at
the　Opera…Comique；　and　so　long　as　he　was　a　bachelor；　Colleville；　who
was　rather　richer　than　Thuillier；　shared　his　means　with　his　friend。
But；　unlike　Thuillier；　Colleville　married　for　love　a　Mademoiselle
Flavie；　the　natural　daughter　of　a　celebrated　danseuse　at　the　Opera；
her　reputed　father　being　a　certain　du　Bourguier；　one　of　the　richest
contractors　of　the　day。　In　style　and　origin；　Flavie　was　apparently
destined　for　a　melancholy　career；　when　Colleville；　often　sent　to　her
mother's　apartments；　fell　in　love　with　her　and　married　her。　Prince
Galathionne；　who　at　that　time　was　〃protecting〃　the　danseuse；　then
approaching　the　end　of　her　brilliant　career；　gave　Flavie　a　〃dot〃　of
twenty　thousand　francs；　to　which　her　mother　added　a　magnificent
trousseau。　Other　friends　and　opera…comrades　sent　jewels　and
silver…ware；　so　that　the　Colleville　household　was　far　richer　in
superfluities　than　in　capital。　Flavie；　brought　up　in　opulence；　began
her　married　life　in　a　charming　apartment；　furnished　by　her　mother's
upholsterer；　where　the　young　wife；　who　was　full　of　taste　for　art　and
for　artists；　and　possessed　a　certain　elegance；　ruled；　a　queen。

Madame　Colleville　was　pretty　and　piquant；　clever；　gay；　and　graceful；
to　express　her　in　one　sentence；a　charming　creature。　Her　mother；　the
danseuse；　now　forty…three　years　old；　retired　from　the　stage　and　went
to　live　in　the　country；thus　depriving　her　daughter　of　the　resources
derived　from　her　wasteful　extravagance。　Madame　Colleville　kept　a　very
agreeable　but　extremely　free　and　easy　household。　From　1816　to　1826　she
had　five　children。　Colleville；　a　musician　in　the　evening；　kept　the
books　of　a　merchant　from　seven　to　nine　in　the　morning；　and　by　ten
o'clock　he　was　at　his　ministry。　Thus；　by　blowing　into　a　bit　of　wood　by
night；　and　writing　double…entry　accounts　in　the　early　morning；　he
managed　to　eke　out　his　earnings　to　seven　or　eight　thousand　francs　a
year。

Madame　Colleville　played　the　part　of　a　〃comme　il　faut〃　woman；　she
received　on　Wednesdays；　gave　a　concert　once　a　month　and　a　dinner　every
fortnight。　She　never　saw　Colleville　except　at　dinner　and　at　night；
when　he　returned　about　twelve　o'clock；　at　which　hour　she　was
frequently　not　at　home　herself。　She　went　to　the　theatres；　where　boxes
were　sometimes　given　to　her；　and　she　would　send　word　to　Colleville　to
come　and　fetch　her　from　such　or　such　a　house；　where　she　was　supping
and　dancing。　At　her　own　house；　guests　found　excellent　cheer；　and　her
society；　though　rather　mixed；　was　very　amusing；　she　received　and
welcomed　actresses；　artists；　men　of　letters；　and　a　few　rich　men。
Madame　Colleville's　elegance　was　on　a　par　with　that　of　Tullia；　the
leading　prima…donna；　with　whom　she　was　intimate；　but　though　the
Collevilles　encroached　on　their　capital　and　were　often　in　difficulty
by　the　end　of　the　month；　Flavie　was　never　in　debt。

Colleville　was　very　happy；　he　still　loved　his　wife；　and　he　made
himself　her　best　friend。　Always　received　by　her　with　affectionate
smiles　and　sympathetic　pleasure；　he　yielded　readily　to　the
irresistible　grace　of　her　manners。　The　vehement　activity　with　which　he
pursued　his　three　avocations　was　a　part　of　his　natural　character　and
temperament。　He　was　a　fine　stout　man；　ruddy；　jovial；　extravagant；　and
full　of　ideas。　In　ten　years　there　was　never　a　quarrel　in　his
household。　Among　business　men　he　was　looked　upon；　in　common　with　all
artists；　as　a　scatter…brained　fellow；　and　superficial　persons　thought
that　the　constant　hurry　of　this　hard　worker　was　only　the　restless
coming　and　going　of　a　busybody。

Colleville　had　the　sense　to　seem　stupid；　he　boasted　of　his　family
happiness；　and　gave　himself　unheard…of　trouble　in　making　anagrams；　in
order　at　times　to　seem　absorbed　in　that　passion。　The　government　clerks
of　his　division　at　the　ministry；　the　office　directors；　and　even　the
heads　of　divisions　came　to　his　concerts；　now　and　then　he　quietly
bestowed　upon　them　opera　tickets；　when　he　needed　some　extra　indulgence
on　account　of　his　frequent　absence。　Rehearsals　took　half　the　time　that
he　ought　to　have　been　at　his　desk；　but　the　musical　knowledge　his
father　had　bequeathed　to　him　was　sufficiently　genuine　and　well…
grounded　to　excuse　him　from　all　but　final　rehearsals。　Thanks　to　Madame
Colleville's　intimacies；　both　the　theatre　and　the　ministry　lent
themselves　kindly　to　the　needs　of　this　industrious　pluralist；　who；
moreover；　was　bringing　up；　with　great　care；　a　youth；　warmly
recommended　to　him　by　his　wife；　a　future　great　musician；　who　sometimes
took　his　place　in　the　orchestra　with　a　promise　of　eventually
succeeding　him。　In　fact；　about　the　year　1827　this　young　man　became　the
first　clarionet　when　Colleville　resigned　his　position。

The　usual　comment　on　Flavie　was；　〃That　little　slip　of　a　coquette；
Madame　Colleville。〃　The　eldest　of　the　Colleville　children；　born　in
1816；　was　the　living　image　of　Colleville　himself。　In　1818；　Madame
Colleville　held　the　cavalry　in　high　estimation；　above　even　art；　and
she　distinguished　more　particularly　a　sub…lieutenant　in　the　dragoons
of　Saint…Chamans；　the　young　and　rich　Charles　de　Gondreville；　who
afterwards　died　in　the　Spanish　campaign。　By　that　time　Flavie　had　had　a
second　son；　whom　she　henceforth　dedicated　to　a　military　career。　In
1820　she　considered　banking　the　nursing　mother　of　trade；　the　supporter
of　Nations；　and　she　made　the　great　Keller；　that　famous　banker　and
orator；　her　idol。　She　then　had　another　son；　whom　she　named　Francois；
resolving　to　make　him　a　merchant；feeling　sure　that　Keller's
influence　would　never　fail　him。　About　the　close　of　the　year　1820；
Thuillier；　the　intimate　friend　of　Monsieur　and　Madame　Colleville；　felt
the　need　of　pouring　his　sorrows　into　the　bosom　of　this　excellent
woman；　and　to　her　he　related　his　conjugal　miseries。　For　six　years　he
had　longed　to　have　children；　but　God　did　not　bless　him；　although　that
poor　Madame　Thuillier　had　made　novenas；　and　had　even　gone；　uselessly；
to　Notra…Dame　de　Liesse！　He　depicted　Celeste　in　various　lights；　which
brought　the　words　〃Poor　Thuillier！〃　from　Flavie's　lips。　She　herself
was　rather　sad；　having　at　the　moment　no　dominant　opinion。　She　poured
her　own　griefs　into　Thuillier's　bosom。　The　great　Keller；　that　hero　of
the　Left；　was；　in　reality；　extremely　petty；　she　had　learned　to　know
the　other　side　of　public　fame；　the　follies　of　banking；　the　emptiness
of　eloquence！　The　orator　only　spoke　for　show；　to　her　he　had　behaved
extremely　ill。　Thuillier　was　indignant。　〃None　but　stupid　fellows　know
how　to　love；〃　he　said；　〃take　me！〃　That　handsome　Thuillier　was
henceforth　supposed　to　be　paying　court　to　Madame　Colleville；　and　was
rated　as　one　of　her　〃attentives；〃a　word　in　vogue　during　the　Empire。

〃Ha！　you　are　after　my　wife；〃　said　Colleville；　laughing。　〃Take　care；
she'll　leave　you　in　the　lurch；　like　all　the　rest。〃

A　rather　clever　speech；　by　which　Colleville　saved　his　marital　dignity。
From　1820　to　1821；　Thuillier；　in　virtue　of　his　title　as　friend　of　the
family；　helped　Colleville；　who　had　formerly　helped　him；　so　much　so；
that　in　eighteen　months　he　had　lent　nearly　ten　thousand　francs　to　the
Colleville　establishment；　with　no　intention　of　ever　claiming　them。　In
the　spring　of　1821；　Madame　Colleville　gave　birth　to　a　charming　little
girl；　to　whom　Monsieur　and　Madame　Thuillier　were　godfather　and
godmother。　The　child　was　baptized　Celeste…Louise…Caroline…Brigitte；
Mademoiselle　Thuillier　wishing　that　her　name　should　be　given　among
others　to　the　little　angel。　The　name　of　Caroline　was　a　graceful
attention　paid　to　Colleville。　Old　mother　Lemprun　assumed　the　care　of
putting　the　baby　to　nurse　under　her　own　eyes　at　Auteuil；　where　Celeste
and　her　sister…in…law　Brigitte；　paid　it　regularly　a　semi…weekly　visit。

As　soon　as　Madame　Colleville　recovered　she　said　to　Thuillier；　frankly；
in　a　very　serious　tone：

〃My　dear　friend；　if　we　are　all　to　remain　good　friends；　you　must　be　our
friend　only。　Colleville　is　attached　to　you；　well；　that's　enough　for
you　in　this　household。〃

〃Explain　to　me；〃　said　the　handsome　Thuillier　to　Tullia　after　this
remark；　〃why　women　are　never　attached　to　me。　I　am　not　the　Apollo
Belvidere；　but　for　all　that　I'm　not　a　Vulcan；　I　am　passably　good…
looking；　I　have　sense；　I　am　faithful〃

〃Do　you　want　me　to　tell　you　the　truth？〃　replied　Tullia。

〃Yes；〃　said　Thuillier。

〃Well；　though　we　can；　sometimes；　love　a　stupid　fellow；　we　never　love　a
silly　one。〃

Those　words　killed　Thuillier；　he　never　got　over　them；　henceforth　he
was　a　prey　to　melancholy　and　accused　all　women　of　caprice。

The　secretary…general　of　the　ministry；　des　Lupeaulx；　whose　influence
Madame　Colleville　thought　greater　than　it　was；　and　of　whom　she　said；
later；　〃That　was　one　of　my　mistakes；〃　became　for　a　time　the　great　man
of　the　Colleville　salon；　but　as　Flavie　found　he　had　no　power　to
promote　Colleville　into　the　upper　division；　she　had　the　good　sense　to
resent　des　Lupeaulx's　attentions　to　Madame　Rabourdin　（whom　she　called
a　minx）；　to　whose　hous