the lesser bourgeoisie-第50章

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Felix　did　not　answer。　He　saw　Brigitte　entering　the　salon　from　the
dining…room　where　she　had　gone　to　tell　the　man…servant　not　to　bring　in
more　trays；　and　he　hurried　to　greet　her。

After　listening　to　a　few　reproaches　for　the　rarity　of　his　visits　and
receiving　forgiveness　in　a　very　cordial　〃Better　late　than　never；〃　he
turned　towards　his　pole；　and　was　much　astonished　to　hear　himself
addressed　by　Madame　de　Godollo　as　follows：

〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　〃I　hope　you　will　pardon　the　indiscretion　I　have；
in　the　heat　of　conversation；　committed　about　you。　I　have　told　these
ladies　where　I　met　you　this　morning。〃

〃Met　me？〃　said　Felix；　〃if　I　had　the　honor　to　meet　you；　madame；　I　did
not　see　you。〃

An　almost　imperceptible　smile　flickered　on　la　Peyrade's　lips。

〃You　saw　me　well　enough　to　ask　me　to　keep　silence　as　to　where　I　had
met　you；　but；　at　any　rate；　I　did　not　go　beyond　a　simple　statement；　I
said　you　saw　Pere　Anselme　sometimes；　and　had　certain　scientific
relations　with　him；　also　that　you　defended　your　religious　doubts　to
him　as　you　do　to　Celeste。〃

〃Pere　Anselme！〃　said　Felix；　stupidly。

〃Yes；　Pere　Anselme；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃a　great　mathematician　who　does
not　despair　of　converting　you。　Mademoiselle　Celeste　wept　for　joy。〃

Felix　looked　around　him　with　a　bewildered　air。　Madame　de　Godollo　fixed
upon　him　a　pair　of　eyes　the　language　of　which　a　poodle　could　have
understood。

〃I　wish；〃　he　said　finally；　〃I　could　have　given　that　joy　to
Mademoiselle　Celeste；　but　I　think；　madame；　you　are　mistaken。〃

〃Ah！　monsieur；　then　I　must　be　more　precise；〃　said　the　countess；　〃and
if　your　modesty　still　induces　you　to　hide　a　step　that　can　only　honor
you；　you　can　contradict　me；　I　will　bear　the　mortification　of　having
divulged　a　secret　which；　I　acknowledge；　you　trusted　implicitly　to　my
discretion。〃

Madame　Thuillier　and　Celeste　were　truly　a　whole　drama　to　behold；　never
were　doubt　and　eager　expectation　more　plainly　depicted　on　the　human
face。　Measuring　her　words　deliberately；　Madame　de　Godollo　thus
continued：

〃I　said　to　these　ladies；　because　I　know　how　deep　an　interest　they　take
in　your　salvation；　and　because　you　are　accused　of　boldly　defying　the
commandments　of　God　by　working　on　Sundays；　that　I　had　met　you　this
morning　at　the　house　of　Pere　Anselme；　a　mathematician　like　yourself；
with　whom　you　were　busy　in　solving　a　problem；　I　said　that　your
scientific　intercourse　with　that　saintly　and　enlightened　man　had　led
to　other　explanations　between　you；　that　you　had　submitted　to　him　your
religious　doubts；　and　he　did　not　despair　of　removing　them。　In　the
confirmation　you　can　give　of　my　words　there　is　nothing；　I　am　sure；　to
wound　your　self…esteem。　The　matter　was　simply　a　surprise　you　intended
for　Celeste；　and　I　have　had　the　stupidity　to　divulge　it。　But　when　she
hears　you　admit　the　truth　of　my　words　you　will　have　given　her　such
happiness　that　I　shall　hope　to　be　forgiven。〃

〃Come；　monsieur；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃there's　nothing　absurd　or
mortifying　in　having　sought　for　light；　you；　so　honorable　and　so　truly
an　enemy　to　falsehood；　you　cannot　deny　what　madame　affirms　with　such
decision。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Felix；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　〃will　you；
Mademoiselle　Celeste；　allow　me　to　say　a　few　words　to　you　in　private；
without　witnesses？〃

Celeste　rose；　after　receiving　an　approving　sign　from　Madame　Thuillier。
Felix　took　her　hand　and　led　her　to　the　recess　of　the　nearest　window。

〃Celeste；〃　he　said；　〃I　entreat　you：　wait！　See；〃　he　added；　pointing　to
the　constellation　of　Ursa　Minor；　〃beyond　those　visible　stars　a　future
lies　before　us；　I　will　place　you　there。　As　for　Pere　Anselme；　I　cannot
admit　what　has　been　said；　for　it　is　not　true。　It　is　an　invented　tale。
But　be　patient　with　me；　you　shall　soon　know　all。〃

〃He　is　mad！〃　said　the　young　girl；　in　tones　of　despair；　as　she　resumed
her　place　beside　Madame　Thuillier。

Felix　confirmed　this　judgment　by　rushing　frantically　from　the　salon；
without　perceiving　the　emotion　in　which　his　father　and　his　mother
started　after　him。　After　this　sudden　departure；　which　stupefied
everybody；　la　Peyrade　approached　Madame　de　Godollo　very　respectfully；
and　said　to　her：

〃You　must　admit；　madame；　that　it　is　difficult　to　drag　a　man　from　the
water　when　he　persists　in　being　drowned。〃

〃I　had　no　idea　until　this　moment　of　such　utter　simplicity；〃　replied
the　countess；　〃it　is　too　silly。　I　pass　over　to　the　enemy；　and　with
that　enemy　I　am　ready　and　desirous　to　have；　whenever　he　pleases；　a
frank　and　honest　explanation。〃



CHAPTER　IV

HUNGARY　VERSUS　PROVENCE

The　next　day　Theodose　felt　himself　possessed　by　two　curiosities：　How
would　Celeste　behave　as　to　the　option　she　had　accepted？　and　this
Comtesse　Torna　de　Godollo；　what　did　she　mean　by　what　she　had　said；　and
what　did　she　want　with　him？

The　first　of　these　questions　seemed；　undoubtedly；　to　have　the　right　of
way；　and　yet；　by　some　secret　instinct；　la　Peyrade　felt　more　keenly
drawn　toward　the　conclusion　of　the　second　problem。　He　decided；
therefore；　to　take　his　first　step　in　that　direction；　fully
understanding　that　he　could　not　too　carefully　arm　himself　for　the
interview　to　which　the　countess　had　invited　him。

The　morning　had　been　rainy；　and　this　great　calculator　was；　of　course；
not　ignorant　how　much　a　spot　of　mud；　tarnishing　the　brilliancy　of
varnished　boots；　could　lower　a　man　in　the　opinion　of　some。　He
therefore　sent　his　porter　for　a　cabriolet；　and　about　three　o'clock　in
the　afternoon　he　drove　from　the　rue　Saint…Dominique　d'Enfer　toward　the
elegant　latitudes　of　the　Madeleine。　It　may　well　be　believed　that
certain　cares　had　been　bestowed　upon　his　toilet；　which　ought　to
present　a　happy　medium　between　the　negligent　ease　of　a　morning　costume
and　the　ceremonious　character　of　an　evening　suit。　Condemned　by　his
profession　to　a　white　cravat；　which　he　rarely　laid　aside；　and　not
venturing　to　present　himself　in　anything　but　a　dress…coat；　he　felt
himself　being　drawn；　of　necessity；　to　one　of　the　extremes　he　desired
to　avoid。　However　by　buttoning　up　his　coat　and　wearing　tan　instead　of
straw…colored　gloves；　he　managed　to　UNSOLEMNIZE　himself；　and　to　avoid
that　provincial　air　which　a　man　in　full　dress　walking　the　streets　of
Paris　while　the　sun　is　above　the　horizon　never　fails　to　convey。

The　wary　diplomatist　was　careful　not　to　drive　to　the　house　where　he
was　going。　He　was　unwilling　to　be　seen　from　the　countess'　entresol
issuing　from　a　hired　cab；　and　from　the　first　floor　he　feared　to　be
discovered　stopping　short　on　his　way　up　at　the　lower　floor；a
proceeding　which　could　not　fail　to　give　rise　to　countless　conjectures。

He　therefore　ordered　the　driver　to　pull　up　at　the　corner　of　the　rue
Royale；　whence；　along　a　pavement　that　was　now　nearly　dry；　he　picked
his　way　on　tiptoe　to　the　house。　It　so　chanced　that　he　was　not　seen　by
either　the　porter　or　his　wife；　the　former　being　beadle　of　the　church
of　the　Madeleine；　was　absent　at　a　service；　and　the　wife　had　just　gone
up　to　show　a　vacant　apartment　to　a　lodger。　Theodose　was　therefore　able
to　glide　unobserved　to　the　door　of　the　sanctuary　he　desired　to
penetrate。　A　soft　touch　of　his　hand　to　the　silken　bell…rope　caused　a
sound　which　echoed　from　the　interior　of　the　apartment。　A　few　seconds
elapsed；　and　then　another　and　more　imperious　bell　of　less　volume
seemed　to　him　a　notification　to　the　maid　that　her　delay　in　opening　the
door　was　displeasing　to　her　mistress。　A　moment　later；　a　waiting…woman；
of　middle　age；　and　too　well　trained　to　dress　like　a　〃soubrette〃　of
comedy；　opened　the　door　to　him。

The　lawyer　gave　his　name；　and　the　woman　ushered　him　into　a
dining…room；　severely　luxurious；　where　she　asked　him　to　wait。　A　moment
later；　however；　she　returned；　and　admitted　him　into　the　most
coquettish　and　splendid　salon　it　was　possible　to　insert　beneath　the
low　ceilings　of　an　entresol。　The　divinity　of　the　place　was　seated
before　a　writing…table　covered　with　a　Venetian　cloth；　in　which　gold
glittered　in　little　spots　among　the　dazzling　colors　of　the　tapestry。

〃Will　you　allow　me；　monsieur；　to　finish　a　letter　of　some　importance？〃
she　said。

The　barrister　bowed　in　sign　of　assent。　The　handsome　Hungarian　then
concluded　a　note　on　blue　English　paper；　which　she　placed　in　an
envelope；　after　sealing　it　carefully；　she　rang　the　bell。　The　maid
appeared　immediately　and　lighted　a　little　spirit　lamp；　above　the　lamp
was　suspended　a　sort　of　tiny　crucible；　in　which　was　a　drop　of　sealing…
wax；　as　soon　as　this　had　melted；　the　maid　poured　it　on　the　envelope；
presenting　to　her　mistress　a　seal　with　armorial　bearings。　This　the
countess　imprinted　on　the　wax　with　her　own　beautiful　hands；　and　then
said：

〃Take　the　letter　at　once　to　that　address。〃

The　woman　made　a　movement　to　take　the　letter；　but；　either　from　haste
or　inadvertence；　the　paper　fell　from　her　hand　close　to　la　Peyrade's
feet。　He　stooped　hastily　to　pick　it　up；　and　read　the　direction
involuntarily。　It　bore　the　words；　〃His　Excellency　the　Minister　of
Foreign　Affairs〃；　the　significant　words；　〃For　him　only；〃　written
higher　up；　seemed　to　give　this　missive　a　character　of　intimacy。

〃Pardon；　monsieur；〃　said　the　countess；　receiving　the　paper；　which　he
had　the　good　taste　to　return　to　her　own　hands　in　order　to　show　his
eagerness　to　serve　her。　〃Be　so　good；　mademoiselle；　as　to　carry　that　in
a　way　not　to　lose　it；〃　she　added　in　a　dry　tone　to　the　unlucky　maid。
The　countess　then　left　her　writing…table　and　took　her　seat　on　a　sofa
covered　with　pearl…gray　satin。

During　these　proceedings　la　Peyrade　had　the　satisfaction　of　making　an
inventory　of　all　the　choice　things　by　which　he　was　surrounded。
Paintings　by　good　masters　detached　themselves　from　walls　of　even　tone；
on　a　pier…table　stood　a　very　tall　Japanese　vase；　before　the　windows
the　jardinieres　were　filled　with　lilium　rubrum；　showing　its　handsome
reversely　curling　petals　surmounted　by　white　and　red　camellias　and　a
dwarf　magnolia　from　China；　with　flowers　of　sulphur　white　with　scarlet
edges。　In　a　corner　was　a　stand　of　arms；　of　curious　shapes　and　rich
construction；　explained；　perhaps；　by　the　lady's　Hungarian　nationality
always　that　of　the　hussar。　A　few　bronzes　and　statuettes　of　exquisite
selection；　chairs　rolling　softly　on　Persian　carpets；　and　a　perfect
anarchy　of　stuffs　of　all　kinds　completed　the　arrangement　of　this
salon；　which　the　lawyer　had　once　before　visited　with　Brigitte　and
Thuillier　before　the　countess　moved　into　it。　It　was　so　transformed
that　it　seemed　to　him　unrecognizable。　With　a　little　more　knowledge　of
the　world　la　Peyrade　would　have　been　less　surprised　at　the　marvellous
care　given　by　the　countess　to　the　decoration　of　the　room。　A　woman's
salon　is　her　kingdom；　and　her　absolute　domain；　there；　in　the　fullest
sense　of　the　word；　she　reigns；　she　governs；　there　she　offers　battle；
and　nearly　always　comes　off　victorious。

Coquettishly　lying　back　in　a　corner　of　the　sofa；　her　head　carelessly
supported　by　an　arm　the　form　and　whiteness　of　which　could　be　seen
nearly　to　the　elbow　through　the　wide；　open　sleeve　of　a　black　velvet
dressing…gown；　her　Cinderella　foot　in　its　dainty　slipper　of　Russia
leather　resting　on　a　cushion　of　orange　satin；　the　handsome　Hungarian
had　the　look　of　a　portrait　by　Laurence　or　Winterhalter；　plus　the
naivete　of　the　pose。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　with　the　slightly