the lesser bourgeoisie-第124部分

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being　impossible　to　give　a　second　edition　of　the　abortive　party）；　made
his　appearance。　He　came；　he　said；　to　submit　the　contract　to　the
parties　interested　before　engrossing　it。　This　attention　was　not
surprising　in　a　man　who　was　just　entering　into　business　relations　with
so　important　a　person　as　the　municipal　councillor；　whom　it　was　his
interest　to　firmly　secure　for　a　client。

La　Peyrade　was　far　too　shrewd　to　make　any　objections　to　the　terms　of
the　contract；　which　was　now　read。　A　few　changes　requested　by　Brigitte；
which　gave　the　new　notary　a　high　idea　of　the　old　maid's　business
capacity；　showed　la　Peyrade　plainly　that　more　precautions　were　being
taken　against　him　than　were　altogether　becoming；　but　he　was　anxious
not　to　raise　difficulties；　and　he　knew　that　the　meshes　of　a　contract
are　never　so　close　that　a　determined　and　clever　man　cannot　get　through
them。　The　appointment　was　then　made　for　the　signing　of　the　contract
the　next　day；　at　two　o'clock；　in　the　notary's　office；　the　family　only
being　present。

During　the　rest　of　the　evening；　taking　advantage　of　Celeste's　pledge
to　seem　smiling　and　happy；　la　Peyrade　played；　as　it　were；　upon　the
poor　child；　forced　her；　by　a　specious　exhibition　of　gratitude　and
love；　to　respond　to　him　on　a　key　that　was　far；　indeed；　from　the　true
state　of　a　heart　now　wholly　filled　by　Felix。　Flavie；　seeing　the　manner
in　which　la　Peyrade　put　forth　his　seductions；　was　reminded　of　the
pains　he　had　formerly　taken　to　fascinate　herself。　〃The　monster！〃　she
said；　beneath　her　breath。　But　she　was　forced　to　bear　the　torture　with
a　good　grace；　la　Peyrade　was　evidently　approved　by　all；　and　in　the
course　of　the　evening　a　circumstance　came　to　light；　showing　a　past
service　done　by　him　to　the　house　of　Thuillier；　which　brought　his
influence　and　his　credit　to　the　highest　point。

Minard　was　announced。

〃My　dear　friends；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　come　to　make　a　little　revelation
which　will　greatly　surprise　you；　and　will；　I　think；　prove　a　lesson　to
all　of　us　when　a　question　arises　as　to　receiving　foreigners　in　our
homes。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　cried　Brigitte；　with　curiosity。

〃That　Hungarian　woman　you　were　so　delighted　with；　that　Madame　Torna；
Comtesse　de　Godollo〃

〃Well？〃　exclaimed　the　old　maid。

〃Well；〃　continued　Minard；　〃she　was　no　better　than　she　should　be；　you
were　petting　in　your　house　for　two　months　the　most　impudent　of　kept
women。〃

〃Who　told　you　that　tale？〃　asked　Brigitte；　not　willing　to　admit　that
she　had　fallen　into　such　a　snare。

〃Oh；　it　isn't　a　tale；〃　said　the　mayor；　eagerly。　〃I　know　the　thing
myself；　'de　visu。'〃

〃Dear　me！　do　you　frequent　such　women？〃　said　Brigitte；　resuming　the
offensive。　〃That's　a　pretty　thing！　what　would　Zelie　say　if　she　knew
it？〃

〃In　the　discharge　of　my　duties；〃　said　Minard；　stiffly；　provoked　at
this　reception　of　his　news；　〃I　have　seen　YOUR　FRIEND；　Madame　de
Godollo；　in　company　with　others　of　her　class。〃

〃How　do　you　know　it　was　she　if　you　only　saw　her？〃　demanded　Brigitte。

The　wily　Provencal　was　not　the　man　to　lose　an　occasion　that　fell　to
him　ready…made。

〃Monsieur　le　maire　is　not　mistaken；〃　he　said；　with　decision。

〃Tiens！　so　you　know　her；　too；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃and　you　let　us　consort
with　such　vermin？〃

〃No；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃on　the　contrary。　Without　scandal；　without
saying　a　word　to　any　one；　I　removed　her　from　your　house。　You　remember
how　suddenly　the　woman　left　it？　It　was　I　who　compelled　her　to　do　so；
having　discovered　what　she　was；　I　gave　her　two　days　to　leave　the
premises；　threatening　her；　in　case　she　hesitated；　to　tell　you　all。〃

〃My　dear　Theodose；〃　said　Thuillier；　pressing　his　hand；　〃you　acted　with
as　much　prudence　as　decision。　This　is　one　more　obligation　that　we　owe
to　you。〃

〃You　see；　mademoiselle；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　addressing　Celeste；　〃the
strange　protectress　whom　a　friend　of　yours　selected。〃

〃Thank　God；〃　said　Madame　Thuillier。　〃Felix　Phellion　is　above　such　vile
things。〃

〃Ah　ca！　papa　Minard；　we'll　keep　quiet　about　all　this；　silence　is　the
word。　Will　you　take　a　cup　of　tea？〃

〃Willingly；〃　replied　Minard。

〃Celeste；〃　said　the　old　maid；　〃ring　for　Henri；　and　tell　him　to　put　the
large　kettle　on　the　fire。〃

Though　the　visit　to　the　notary　was　not　to　be　made　till　two　in　the
afternoon；　Brigitte　began　early　in　the　morning　of　the　next　day　what
Thuillier　called　her　RAMPAGE；　a　popular　term　which　expresses　that
turbulent；　nagging；　irritating　activity　which　La　Fontaine　has
described　so　well　in　his　fable　of　〃The　Old　Woman　and　her　Servants。〃
Brigitte　declared　that　if　you　didn't　take　time　by　the　forelock　no　one
would　be　ready。　She　prevented　Thuillier　from　going　to　his　office；
insisting　that　if　he　once　got　off　she　never　should　see　him　again；　she
plagued　Josephine；　the　cook；　about　hurrying　the　breakfast；　and　in
spite　of　what　had　happened　the　day　before　she　scarcely　restrained
herself　from　nagging　at　Madame　Thuillier；　who　did　not　enter；　as　she
thought　she　should　have　done；　into　her　favorite　maxim；　〃Better　be
early　than　late。〃

Presently　down　she　went　to　the　Collevilles'　to　make　the　same
disturbance；　and　there　she　put　her　veto　on　the　costume；　far　too
elegant；　which　Flavie　meditated　wearing；　and　told　Celeste　the　hat　and
gown　she　wished　her　to　appear　in。　As　for　Colleville；　who　could　not；　he
declared；　stay　away　all　the　morning　from　his　official　duties；　she
compelled　him　to　put　on　his　dress…suit　before　he　went　out；　made　him
set　his　watch　by　hers；　and　warned　him　that　if　he　was　late　no　one　would
wait　for　him。

The　amusing　part　of　it　was　that　Brigitte　herself；　after　driving　every
one　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet；　came　very　near　being　late　herself。
Under　pretext　of　aiding　others；　independently　of　minding　her　own
business；　which；　for　worlds；　she　would　never　have　spared　herself；　she
had　put　her　fingers　and　eyes　into　so　many　things　that　they　ended　by
overwhelming　her。　However；　she　ascribed　the　delay　in　which　she　was
almost　caught　to　the　hairdresser；　whom　she　had　sent　for　to　make；　on
this　extraordinary　occasion；　what　she　called　her　〃part。〃　That　artist
having；　unadvisedly；　dressed　her　hair　in　the　fashion；　he　was
compelled；　after　she　had　looked　at　herself　in　the　glass；　to　do　his
work　over　again；　and　conform　to　the　usual　style　of　his　client；　which
consisted　chiefly　in　never　being　〃done〃　at　all；　a　method　that　gave　her
head　a　general　air　of　what　is　vulgarly　called　〃a　cross　cat。〃

About　half…past　one　o'clock　la　Peyrade；　Thuillier；　Colleville；　Madame
Thuillier；　and　Celeste　were　assembled　in　the　salon。　Flavie　joined　them
soon　after；　fastening　her　bracelets　as　she　came　along　to　avoid　a
rebuff；　and　having　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　that　she　was　ready
before　Brigitte。　As　for　the　latter；　already　furious　at　finding　herself
late；　she　had　another　cause　for　exasperation。　The　event　of　the　day
seemed　to　require　a　corset；　a　refinement　which　she　usually　discarded。
The　unfortunate　maid；　whose　duty　it　was　to　lace　her　and　to　discover
the　exact　point　to　which　she　was　willing　to　be　drawn　in；　alone　knew
the　terrors　and　storms　of　a　corset　day。

〃I'd　rather；〃　said　the　girl；　〃lace　the　obelisk；　I　know　it　would　lend
itself　to　being　laced　better　than　she　does；　and；　anyhow；　it　couldn't
be　bad…tongued。〃

While　the　party　i