the lesser bourgeoisie-第59章

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her　departure　as　a　misfortune。　She　will　leave　a　serious　void　in　the
salon　of　our　friends。　I　say　this；　because　it　is　my　belief；　and　I　am
not　in　the　habit　of　disguising　my　convictions。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃she　is　certainly　a　very　distinguished　woman；
with　whom　in　spite　of　her　prejudice　against　me；　I　think　I　should　have
come　to　an　understanding。　But　this　morning；　without　leaving　any　word
as　to　where　she　was　going；　she　started　suddenly　with　post…horses。〃

〃Post…horses！〃　said　Phellion。　〃I　don't　know　whether　you　will　agree
with　me；　monsieur；　but　I　think　that　travelling　by　post　is　a　most
agreeable　method　of　conveyance。　Certainly　Louis　XI。；　to　whom　we　owe
the　institution；　had　a　fortunate　inspiration　in　the　matter；　although；
on　the　other　hand；　his　sanguinary　and　despotic　government　was　not；　to
my　humble　thinking；　entirely　devoid　of　reproach。　Once　only　in　my　life
have　I　used　that　method　of　locomotion；　and　I　can　truly　say　I　found　it
far　superior；　in　spite　of　its　inferior　relative　rapidity；　to　the
headlong　course　of　what　in　England　are　called　RAILWAYS；　where　speed　is
attained　only　at　the　price　of　safety。〃

La　Peyrade　paid　but　little　attention　to　Phellion's　phraseology。　〃Where
can　she　have　gone？〃round　that　idea　he　dug　and　delved　in　every
direction；　an　occupation　that　would　have　made　him　indifferent　to　a　far
more　interesting　topic。　However；　once　started；　like　the　locomotive　he
objected　to；　the　great　citizen　went　on：

〃I　made　that　journey　at　the　period　of　Madame　Phellion's　last
confinement。　She　was　in　Perche；　with　her　mother；　when　I　learned　that
serious　complications　were　feared　from　the　milk…fever。　Overcome　with
terror　at　the　danger　which　threatened　my　wife；　I　went　instantly　to　the
post…office　to　obtain　a　seat　in　the　mail…coach；　but　all　were　taken；　I
found　they　had　been　engaged　for　more　than　a　week。　Upon　that；　I　came　to
a　decision；　I　went　to　the　rue　Pigalle；　and；　for　a　very　large　sum　in
gold　a　post…chaise　and　three　horses　were　placed　at　my　disposal；　when
unfortunately　the　formality　of　a　passport；　with　which　I　had　neglected
to　supply　myself；　and　without　which；　in　virtue　of　the　decrees　of　the
consulate　of　17　Nivose；　year　VII。；　the　post　agents　were　not　permitted
to　deliver　horses　to　travellers〃

The　last　few　words　were　like　a　flash　of　light　to　la　Peyrade；　and
without　waiting　for　the　end　of　the　postal　odyssey　of　the　great
citizen；　he　darted　away　in　the　direction　of　the　rue　Pigalle；　before
Phellion；　in　the　middle　of　his　sentence；　perceived　his　departure。

Reaching　the　Royal　postal　establishment；　la　Peyrade　was　puzzled　as　to
whom　to　address　himself　in　order　to　obtain　the　information　he　wanted。
He　began　by　explaining　to　the　porter　that　he　had　a　letter　to　send　to　a
lady　of　his　acquaintance　that　morning　by　post；　neglecting；　very
thoughtlessly；　to　send　him　her　address；　and　that　he　thought　he　might
discover　it　by　means　of　the　passport　which　she　must　have　presented　in
order　to　obtain　horses。

〃Was　it　a　lady　accompanied　by　a　maid　whom　I　took　up　on　the　boulevard
de　la　Madeleine？〃　asked　a　postilion　sitting　in　the　corner　of　the　room
where　la　Peyrade　was　making　his　preliminary　inquiry。

〃Exactly；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　going　eagerly　up　to　the　providential
being；　and　slipping　a　five…franc　piece　into　his　hand。

〃Ah！　well；　she's　a　queer　traveller！〃　said　the　man；　〃she　told　me　to
take　her　to　the　Bois　de　Boulogne；　and　there　she　made　me　drive　round
and　round　for　an　hour。　After　that；　we　came　back　to　the　Barriere　de
l'Etoile；　where　she　gave　me　a　good　'pourboire'　and　got　into　a　hackney
coach；　telling　me　to　take　the　travelling　carriage　back　to　the　man　who
lets　such　carriages　in　the　Cour　des　Coches；　Faubourg　Saint…Honore。〃

〃Give　me　the　name　of　that　man？〃　said　la　Peyrade；　eagerly。

〃Simonin；〃　replied　the　postilion。

Furnished　with　that　information　la　Peyrade　resumed　his　course；　and
fifteen　minutes　later　he　was　questioning　the　livery…stable　keeper；　but
that　individual　knew　only　that　a　lady　residing　on　the　Boulevard　de　la
Madeleine　had　hired；　without　horses；　a　travelling…carriage　for　half　a
day；　that　he　had　sent　out　the　said　carriage　at　nine　that　morning；　and
it　was　brought　back　at　twelve　by　a　postilion　of　the　Royal　Post　house。

〃Never　mind；〃　thought　la　Peyrade；　〃I　am　certain　now　she　has　not　left
Paris；　and　is　not　avoiding　me。　Most　probably；　she　wants　to　break
utterly　with　the　Thuilliers；　and　so　has　invented　this　journey。　Fool
that　I　am！　no　doubt　there's　a　letter　waiting　for　me　at　home；
explaining　the　whole　thing。〃

Worn　out　with　emotion　and　fatigue；　and　in　order　to　verify　as　quickly
as　possible　this　new　supposition；　la　Peyrade　flung　himself　into　a
street　cab；　and　in　less　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　having　promised　the
driver　a　good　pourboire；　he　was　deposited　at　the　house　in　the　rue
Saint…Dominique　d'Enfer。　There　he　was　compelled　to　endure　still　longer
the　tortures　of　waiting。　Since　Brigitte's　departure；　the　duty　of　the
porter；　Coffinet；　had　been　very　negligently　performed；　and　when　la
Peyrade　rushed　to　the　lodge　to　inquire　for　his　letter；　which　he
thought　he　saw　in　the　case　that　belonged　to　him；　the　porter　and　his
wife　were　both　absent　and　their　door　was　locked。　The　wife　was　doing
some　household　work　in　the　building；　and　Coffinet　himself；　taking
advantage　of　that　circumstance；　had　allowed　a　friend　to　entice　him
into　a　neighboring　wine…shop；　where；　between　two　glasses；　he　was
supporting；　against　a　republican　who　was　talking　disrespectfully
against　it；　the　cause　of　the　owners　of　property。

It　was　twenty　minutes　before　the　worthy　porter；　remembering　the
〃property〃　entrusted　to　his　charge；　decided　to　return　to　his　post。　It
is　easy　to　imagine　the　reproaches　with　which　la　Peyrade　overwhelmed
him。　He　excused　himself　by　saying　that　he　had　gone　to　do　a　commission
for　Mademoiselle；　and　that　he　couldn't　be　at　the　door　and　where　his
masters　chose　to　send　him　at　the　same　time。　At　last；　however；　he　gave
the　lawyer　a　letter　bearing　the　Paris　postmark。

With　his　heart　rather　than　his　eyes　la　Peyrade　recognized　the
handwriting；　and；　turning　over　the　missive；　the　arms　and　motto
confirmed　the　hope　that　he　had　reached　the　end　of　the　cruellest
emotion　he　had　ever　in　his　life　experienced。　To　read　that　letter
before　that　odious　porter　seemed　to　him　a　profanation。　With　a
refinement　of　feeling　which　all　lovers　will　understand；　he　gave
himself　the　pleasure　of　pausing　before　his　happiness；　he　would　not
even　unseal　that　blissful　note　until　the　moment　when；　with　closed
doors　and　no　interruptions　to　distract　him；　he　could　enjoy　at　his　ease
the　delicious　sensation　of　which　his　heart　had　a　foretaste。

Rushing　up　the　staircase　two　steps　at　a　time；　the　now　joyous　lover
committed　the　childish　absurdity　of　locking　himself　in；　then；　having
settled　himself　at　his　ease　before　his　desk；　and　having　broken　the
seal　with　religious　care；　he　was　forced　to　press　his　hand　on　his
heart；　which　seemed　to　burst　from　his　bosom；　before　he　could　summon
calmness　to　read　the　following　letter：

　　Dear　Monsieur；I　disappear　forever；　because　my　play　is　played
　　out。　I　thank　you　for　having　made　it　both　attractive　and　easy。　By
　　setting　against　you　the　Thuilliers　and　Collevilles　（who　are　fully
　　informed　of　your　sentiments　towards　them）；　and　by　relating　in　a
　　manner　most　mortifying　to　their　bourgeois　self…love　the　true
　　reason　of　your　sudden　and　pitiless　rupture　with　them；　I　am　proud
　　and　happy　to　believe　that　I　have　done　you　a　signal　service。　The
　　girl　does　not　love　you；　and　you　love　nothing　but　the　eyes　of　her
　　〃dot〃；　I　have　therefore　saved　you　both　from　a　species　of　hell。
　　But；　in　exchange　for　the　bride　you　have　so　curtly　rejected；
　　another　charming　girl　is　proposed　to　you；　she　is　richer　and　more
　　beautiful　than　Mademoiselle　Colleville；　andto　speak　of　myself
　　more　at　liberty　than

Your　unworthy　servant；
Torna　〃Comtesse　de　Godollo。〃

　　P。S。　For　further　information　apply；　without　delay；　to　Monsieur　du
　　Portail；　householder；　rue　Honore…Chevalier；　near　the　rue　de　la
　　Cassette；　quartier　Saint…Sulpice；　by　whom　you　are　expected。


When　he　had　read　this　letter　the　advocate　of　the　poor　took　his　head　in
his　hands；　he　saw　nothing；　heard　nothing；　thought　nothing；　he　was
annihilated。

Several　days　were　necessary　to　la　Peyrade　before　he　could　even　begin
to　recover　from　the　crushing　blow　which　had　struck　him　down。　The　shock
was　terrible。　Coming　out　of　that　golden　dream　which　had　shown　him　a
perspective　of　the　future　in　so　smiling　an　aspect；　he　found　himself
fooled　under　conditions　most　cruel　to　his　self…love；　and　to　his
pretensions　to　depth　and　cleverness；　irrevocably　parted　from　the
Thuilliers；　saddled　with　a　hopeless　debt　of　twenty…five　thousand
francs　to　Madame　Lambert；　together　with　another　of　ten　thousand　to
Brigitte；　which　his　dignity　required　him　to　pay　with　the　least　delay
possible；　and；　worst　of　all；to　complete　his　humiliation　and　his
sense　of　failure；he　felt　that　he　was　not　cured　of　the　passionate
emotion　he　had　felt　for　this　woman；　the　author　of　his　great　disaster；
and　the　instrument　of　his　ruin。

Either　this　Delilah　was　a　very　great　lady；　sufficiently　high　in
station　to　allow　herself　such　compromising　caprices；but　even　so；　she
would　scarcely　have　cared　to　play　the　role　of　a　coquette　in　a
vaudeville　where　he　himself　played　the　part　of　ninny；OR　she　was　some
noted　adventuress　who　was　in　the　pay　of　this　du　Portail　and　the　agent
of　his　singular　matrimonial　designs。　Evil　life　or　evil　heart；　these
were　the　only　two　verdicts　to　be　pronounced　on　this　dangerous　siren；
and　in　either　case；　it　would　seem；　she　was　not　very　deserving　of　the
regrets　of　her　victim；　nevertheless；　he　was　conscious　of　feeling　them。
We　must　put　ourselves　in　the　place　of　this　son　of　Provence；　this
region　of　hot　blood　and　ardent　heads；　who；　for　the　first　time　in　his
life　finding　himself　face　to　face　with　jewelled　love　in　laces；
believed　he　was　to　drink　that　passion　from　a　wrought…gold　cup。　Just　as
our　minds　on　waking　keep　the　impression　of　a　vivid　dream　and　continue
in　love　with　what　we　know　was　but　a　shadow；　la　Peyrade　had　need　of　all
his　mental　energy　to　drive　away　the　memory　of　that　treacherous
countess。　We　might　go　further　and　say　that　he　never　ceased　to　long　for
her；　though　he　was　careful　to　drape　with　an　honest　pretext　the　intense
desire　that　he　had　to　find　her。　That　desire　he　called　curiosity；　ardor
for　revenge；　and　here　follow　the　ingenious　deductions　which　he　drew
for　himself：

〃Cerizet　talked　to　me　about　a　rich　heiress；　the　countess；　in　her
letter；　intimates　that　the　whole　intrigue　she　wound　about　me　was　to
lead　to　a　rich　marriage；　rich　marriages　flung　at　a　man's　head　are　not
so　plentiful　that　two　such　chances　should　come　to　me　within　a　few
weeks；　therefore　the　match　offered　by　Cerizet　and　that　proposed　by　the
countess　must　be　the　crazy　girl　they　are　so　frantic　to　make　me　marry；
therefore　Cerizet；　being　in　the　plot；　must　know　the　countess；
therefore；　through　him　I　shall　get　upon　her　traces。　In　any　case；　I　am
sure　of　information　about　this　extraordinary　choice　that　has　fallen
upon　me；　evidently；　these　people；　whoever　they　are；　who　can　pull　the
wires　of　such　puppets　to　reach　their　ends　must　be　persons　of
considerable　position；　therefore；　I'll　go　and　see　Cerizet。〃

And　he　we