the lesser bourgeoisie-第110部分

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him　make　on　the　publication　of　his　pamphlet。　Entering　all　reading…
rooms　and　cafes；　he　asked　for　the　〃Echo　de　la　Bievre；〃　and　when
informed；　alas；　very　frequently；　that　the　paper　was　unknown　in　this　or
that　establishment；　〃It　is　incredible！〃　he　would　exclaim；　〃that　a
house　which　respects　itself　does　not　take　such　a　widely　known　paper。〃

On　that；　he　departed　disdainfully；　not　observing　that　in　many　places；
where　this　ancient　trick　of　commercial　travellers　was　well　understood；
they　were　laughing　behind　his　back。

The　evening　of　the　day　when　the　inauguration　number　containing　the
〃profession　of　faith〃　appeared；　Brigitte's　salon；　although　the　day　was
not　Sunday；　was　filled　with　visitors。　Reconciled　to　la　Peyrade；　whom
her　brother　had　brought　home　to　dinner；　the　old　maid　went　so　far　as　to
tell　him　that；　without　flattery；　she　thought　his　leading　article　was　a
famous　HIT。　For　that　matter；　all　the　guests　as　they　arrived；　reported
that　the　public　seemed　enchanted　with　the　first　number　of　the　new
journal。

The　public！　everybody　knows　what　that　is。　To　every　man　who　launches　a
bit　of　writing　into　the　world；　the　public　consists　of　five　or　six
intimates　who　cannot；　without　offending　the　author；　avoid　knowing
something　more　or　less　of　his　lucubrations。

〃As　for　me！〃　cried　Colleville；　〃I　can　truthfully　declare　that　it　is
the　first　political　article　I　ever　read　that　didn't　send　me　to　sleep。〃

〃It　is　certain；〃　said　Phellion；　〃that　the　leading　article　seems　to　me
to　be　stamped　with　vigor　joined　to　an　atticism　which　we　may　seek　in
vain　in　the　columns　of　the　other　public　prints。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃the　matter　is　very　well　presented；　and　besides；
there's　a　turn　of　phrase；　a　clever　diction；　that　doesn't　belong　to
everybody。　However；　we　must　wait　and　see　how　it　keeps　on。　I　fancy　that
to…morrow　the　'Echo　de　la　Bievre'　will　be　strongly　attacked　by　the
other　papers。〃

〃Parbleu！〃　cried　Thuillier；　〃that's　what　we　are　hoping　for；　and　if　the
government　would　only　do　us　the　favor　to　seize　us〃

〃No；　thank　you；〃　said　Fleury；　whom　Thuillier　had　also　brought　home　to
dinner；　〃I　don't　want　to　enter　upon　those　functions　at　first。〃

〃Seized！〃　said　Dutocq；　〃oh；　you　won't　be　seized；　but　I　think　the
ministerial　journals　will　fire　a　broadside　at　you。〃

The　next　day　Thuillier　was　at　the　office　as　early　as　eight　o'clock；　in
order　to　be　the　first　to　receive　that　formidable　salvo。　After　looking
through　every　morning　paper　he　was　forced　to　admit　that　there　was　no
more　mention　of　the　〃Echo　de　la　Bievre〃　than　if　it　didn't　exist。　When
la　Peyrade　arrived　he　found　his　unhappy　friend　in　a　state　of
consternation。

〃Does　that　surprise　you？〃　said　the　Provencal；　tranquilly。　〃I　let　you
enjoy　yesterday　your　hopes　of　a　hot　engagement　with　the　press；　but　I
knew　myself　that　in　all　probability　there　wouldn't　be　the　slightest
mention　of　us　in　to…day's　papers。　Against　every　paper　which　makes　its
debut　with　some　distinction；　there's　always　a　two　weeks'；　sometimes　a
two　months'　conspiracy　of　silence。〃

〃Conspiracy　of　silence！〃　echoed　Thuillier；　with　admiration。

He　did　not　know　what　it　meant；　but　the　words　had　a　grandeur　and　a
SOMETHING　that　appealed　to　his　imagination。　After　la　Peyrade　had
explained　to　him　that　by　〃conspiracy　of　silence〃　was　meant　the
agreement　of　existing　journals　to　make　no　mention　of　new…comers　lest
such　notice　should　serve　to　advertise　them；　Thuillier's　mind　was
hardly　better　satisfied　than　it　had　been　by　the　pompous　flow　of　the
words。　The　bourgeois　is　born　so；　words　are　coins　which　he　takes　and
passes　without　question。　For　a　word；　he　will　excite　himself　or　calm
down；　insult　or　applaud。　With　a　word；　he　can　be　brought　to　make　a
revolution　and　overturn　a　government　of　his　own　choice。

The　paper；　however；　was　only　a　means；　the　object　was　Thuillier's
election。　This　was　insinuated　rather　than　stated　in　the　first　numbers。
But　one　morning；　in　the　columns　of　the　〃Echo；〃　appeared　a　letter　from
several　electors　thanking　their　delegate　to　the　municipal　council　for
the　firm　and　frankly　liberal　attitude　in　which　he　had　taken　on　all
questions　of　local　interests。　〃This　firmness；〃　said　the　letter；　〃had
brought　down　upon　him　the　persecution　of　the　government；　which；　towed
at　the　heels　of　foreigners；　had　sacrificed　Poland　and　sold　itself　to
England。　The　arrondissement　needed　a　man　of　such　tried　convictions　to
represent　it　in　the　Chamber；a　man　holding　high　and　firm　the　banner
of　dynastic　opposition；　a　man　who　would　be；　by　the　mere　signification
of　his　name；　a　stern　lesson　given　to　the　authorities。〃

Enforced　by　an　able　commentary　from　la　Peyrade；　this　letter　was　signed
by　Barbet　and　Metivier　and　all　Brigitte's　tradesmen　（whom；　in　view　of
the　election　she　had　continued　to　employ　since　her　emigration）；　also
by　the　family　doctor　and　apothecary；　and　by　Thuillier's　builder；　and
Barniol；　Phellion's　son…in…law；　who　professed　to　hold　rather
〃advanced〃　political　opinions。　As　for　Phellion　himself；　he　thought　the
wording　of　the　letter　not　altogether　circumspect；　andalways　without
fear　as　without　reproachhowever　much　he　might　expect　that　this
refusal　would　injure　his　son　in　his　dearest　interests；　he　bravely
refrained　from　signing　it。

This　trial　kite　had　the　happiest　effect。　The　ten　or　a　dozen　names　thus
put　forward　were　considered　to　express　the　will　of　the　electors　and
were　called　〃the　voice　of　the　quarter。〃　Thus　Thuillier's　candidacy
made　from　the　start　such　rapid　progress　that　Minard　hesitated　to　put
his　own　claims　in　opposition。

Delighted　now　with　the　course　of　events；　Brigitte　was　the　first　to　say
that　the　time　had　come　to　attend　to　the　marriage；　and　Thuillier　was
all　the　more　ready　to　agree　because；　from　day　to　day；　he　feared　he
might　be　called　upon　to　pay　the　twenty…five　thousand　francs　to　Madame
Lambert　for　which　he　had　pledged　himself。　A　thorough　explanation　now
took　place　between　la　Peyrade　and　the　old　maid。　She　told　him　honestly
of　the　fear　she　felt　as　to　the　maintenance　of　her　sovereign　authority
when　a　SON…IN…LAW　of　his　mind　and　character　was　established　in　the
household。

〃If　we；〃　she　ended　by　saying；　〃are　to　oppose　each　other　for　the　rest
of　our　days；　it　would　be　much　better；　from　the　beginning；　to　make　two
households；　we　shouldn't　be　the　less　friends　for　that。〃

La　Peyrade　replied　that　nothing　under　the　sun　would　induce　him　to
consent　to　such　a　plan；　on　the　contrary；　he　regarded　as　amongst　his
happiest　prospects　for　the　future　the　security　he　should　feel　about
the　wise　management　of　the　material　affairs　of　the　home　in　such　hands
as　hers。　He　should　have　enough　to　do　in　the　management　of　outside
interests；　and　he　could　not　comprehend；　for　his　part；　how　she　could
suppose　he　had　ever　had　the　thought　of　interfering　in　matters　that
were　absolutely　out　of　his　province。　In　short；　he　reassured　her　so
completely　that　she　urged　him　to　take　immediate　steps　for　the
publication　of　the　banns　and　the　signature　of　the　marriage　contract；
declaring　that　she　reserved　to　herself　all　the　preparations　relating
to　Celeste；　whose　acceptance　of　this　sudden　conclusion　she　pledged
herself　to　secure。

〃My　dear　child；〃　she　said　to　Celeste　the　next　morning；　〃I　think　you
have　given　up　all