the lesser bourgeoisie-第105部分

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sense　of　the　dark　profundities　of　the　man's　nature；　and　now　declared
that　under　no　circumstances　and　for　no　possible　price　would　she　make
one　household　with　him。

〃Ruin　yourself　if　you　choose；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　the　master　of　that；
and　you　can　do　as　you　like；　a　fool　and　his　money　are　soon　parted。〃

When；　therefore；　she　listened　to　her　brother's　confidences　it　was　not
with　reproaches；　but；　on　the　contrary；　with　a　crow　of　triumph；
celebrating　the　probable　return　of　her　power；　that　she　welcomed　them。

〃So　much　the　better！〃　she　cried；　〃it　is　well　to　know　at　last　that　the
man　is　a　spy。　I　always　thought　so；　the　canting　bigot！　Turn　him　out　of
doors　without　an　explanation。　WE　don't　want　him　to　work　that
newspaper。　This　Monsieur　Cerizet　seems；　from　what　you　tell　me；　the
right　sort　of　man；　and　we　can　get　another　manager。　Besides；　when
Madame　de　Godollo　went　away　she　promised　to　write　to　me；　and　she　can
easily　put　us　in　the　way　of　finding　some　one。　Poor；　dear　Celeste！　what
a　fate　we　were　going　to　give　her！〃

〃How　you　run　on！〃　said　Thuillier。　〃La　Peyrade；　my　dear；　is　so　far　only
accused。　He　must　be　heard　in　his　defence。　And　besides；　there's　a　deed
that　binds　us。〃

〃Ah；　very　good！〃　said　Brigitte；　〃I　see　how　it　will　be；　you'll　let　that
man　twist　you　round　his　finger　again。　A　deed　with　a　spy！　As　if　there
could　be　deeds　with　such　fellows。〃

〃Come；　come；　be　calm；　my　good　Brigitte；〃　returned　Thuillier。　〃We
mustn't　do　anything　hastily。　Certainly；　if　la　Peyrade　cannot　furnish　a
justification；　clear；　categorical；　and　convincing；　I　shall　decide　to
break　with　him；　and　I'll　prove　to　you　that　I　am　no　milksop。　But
Cerizet　himself　is　not　certain；　these　are　mere　inductions；　and　I　only
came　to　consult　you　as　to　whether　I　ought；　or　ought　not；　to　demand　an
explanation　outright。〃

〃Not　a　doubt　about　it；〃　replied　Brigitte。　〃You　ought　to　demand　an
explanation　and　go　to　the　bottom　of　this　thing；　if　you　don't；　I　cast
you　off　as　my　brother。〃

〃That　suffices；〃　said　Thuillier；　leaving　the　room　with　solemnity；　〃you
shall　see　that　we　will　come　to　an　understanding。〃



CHAPTER　XI

EXPLANATIONS　AND　WHAT　CAME　OF　THEM

On　his　return　to　the　office　after　his　conference　with　Brigitte；
Thuillier　found　la　Peyrade　at　his　post　as　editor…in…chief；　and　in　a
position　of　much　embarrassment；　caused　by　the　high　hand　he　had
reserved　for　himself　as　the　sole　selector　of　articles　and
contributors。　At　this　moment；　Phellion；　instigated　by　his　family；　and
deeply　conscious　of　his　position　on　the　reading…committee　of　the
Odeon；　had　come　to　offer　his　services　as　dramatic　critic。

〃My　dear　monsieur；〃　he　said；　continuing　his　remarks　to　la　Peyrade；
after　inquiring　of　Thuillier　about　his　health；　〃I　was　a　great　student
of　the　theatre　in　my　youth；　the　stage　and　its　scenic　effects　continue
to　have　for　me　peculiar　attractions；　and　the　white　hairs　which　crown
my　brow　to…day　seem　to　me　no　obstacle　to　my　allowing　your　interesting
publication　to　profit　by　the　fruit　of　my　studies　and　my　experience。　As
member　of　the　reading…committee　of　the　Odeon　theatre；　I　am　conversant
with　the　modern　drama；　andif　I　may　be　quite　sure　of　your　discretion
I　will　even　confide　to　you　that　among　my　papers　it　would　not　be
impossible　for　me　to　find　a　certain　tragedy　entitled　'Sapor；'　which　in
my　young　days　won　me　some　fame　when　read　in　salons。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　endeavoring　to　gild　the　refusal　he　should　be
forced　to　give；　〃why　not　try　to　have　it　put　upon　the　stage？　We　might
be　able　to　help　you　in　that　direction。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃the　director　of　any　theatre　to　whom　we
should　recommend〃

〃No；〃　replied　Phellion。　〃In　the　first　place；　as　member　of　the　reading…
committee　of　the　Odeon；　having　to　sit　in　judgment　upon　others；　it
would　not　become　me　to　descend　into　the　arena　myself。　I　am　an　old
athlete；　whose　business　it　is　to　judge　of　blows　he　can　no　longer　give。
In　this　sense；　criticism　is　altogether　within　my　sphere；　and　all　the
more　because　I　have　certain　views　on　the　proper　method　of　composing
dramatic　feuilletons　which　I　think　novel。　The　'castigat　ridendo　mores'
ought　to　be；　according　to　my　humble　lights；　the　great　law；　I　may　say
the　only　law　of　the　stage。　I　should　therefore　show　myself　pitiless　for
those　works；　bred　of　imagination；　in　which　morality　has　no　part；　and
to　which　mothers　of　families〃

〃Excuse　me；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃for　interrupting　you；　but　before
allowing　you　to　take　the　trouble　to　develop　your　poetical　ideas；　I
ought　to　tell　you　that　we　have　already　made　arrangements　for　our
dramatic　criticism。〃

〃Ah！　that's　another　thing；〃　said　Phellion；　〃an　honest　man　must　keep
his　word。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃we　have　our　dramatic　critic；　little　thinking
that　you　would　offer　us　your　valuable　assistance。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Phellion；　suddenly　becoming　crafty；for　there　is
something　in　the　newspaper　atmosphere；　impossible　to　say　what；　which
flies　to　the　head；　the　bourgeois　head　especially；〃since　you　are　good
enough　to　consider　my　pen　capable　of　doing　you　some　service；　perhaps　a
series　of　detached　thoughts　on　different　subjects；　to　which　I　should
venture　to　give　the　name　of　'Diversities；'　might　be　of　a　nature　to
interest　your　readers。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　with　a　maliciousness　that　was　quite　lost　upon
Phellion；　〃thoughts；　especially　in　the　style　of　la　Rochefoucauld　or　la
Bruyere；　might　do。　What　do　you　think　yourself；　Thuillier？〃

He　reserved　to　himself　the　right　to　leave　the　responsibility　of
refusals；　as　far　as　he　could；　to　the　proprietor　of　the　paper。

〃But　I　imagine　that　thoughts；　especially　if　detached；　cannot　be　very
consecutive；〃　said　Thuillier。

〃Evidently　not；〃　replied　Phellion；　〃detached　thoughts　imply　the　idea
of　a　very　great　number　of　subjects　on　which　the　author　lets　his　pen
stray　without　the　pretension　of　presenting　a　whole。〃

〃You　will　of　course　sign　them？〃　said　la　Peyrade。

〃Oh；　no！〃　replied　Phellion；　alarmed。　〃I　could　not　put　myself　on
exhibition　in　that　way。〃

〃Your　modesty；　which　by　the　bye　I　understand　and　approve；　settles　the
matter；〃　said　la　Peyrade。　〃Thoughts　are　a　subject　altogether
individual；　which　imperatively　require　to　be　personified　by　a　name。
You　must　be　conscious　of　this　yourself。　'Divers　Thoughts　by　Monsieur
Three…Stars'　says　nothing　to　the　public。〃

Seeing　that　Phellion　was　about　to　make　objections；　Thuillier；　who　was
in　a　hurry　to　begin　his　fight　with　la　Peyrade；　cut　the　matter　short
rather　sharply。

〃My　dear　Phellion；〃　he　said；　〃I　beg　your　pardon　for　not　being　able　to
enjoy　the　pleasure　of　your　conversation　any　longer；　but　we　have　to
talk；　la　Peyrade　and　I；　over　a　matter　of　much　importance；　and　in
newspaper　offices　this　devilish　time　runs　away　so　fast。　If　you　are
willing；　we　will　postpone　the　question　to　another　day。　Madame　Phellion
is　well；　I　trust？〃

〃Perfectly　well；〃　said　the　great　citizen；　rising；　and　not　appearing　to
resent　his　dismissal。　〃When　does　your　first　number　appear？〃　he　added；
〃it　is　eagerly　awaited　in　the　arrondissement。〃

〃To…morrow　I　think　our　confession　of　faith　will　make　its　appearance；〃
replied　Thuillier；　accompanying　him　to　the　door。　〃You　will　receive　a
copy；　my　dear　friend。　We　shall　meet　again　soon；　I　hope。　Come　and