the lesser bourgeoisie-第125部分

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itself　to　being　laced　better　than　she　does；　and；　anyhow；　it　couldn't
be　bad…tongued。〃

While　the　party　in　the　salon　were　amusing　themselves；　under　their
breaths；　at　the　〃flagrante　delicto〃　of　unpunctuality　in　which　Queen
Elizabeth　was　caught；　the　porter　entered；　and　gave　to　Thuillier　a
sealed　package；　addressed　to　〃Monsieur　Thuillier；　director　of　the
'Echo　de　la　Bievre。'　IN　HASTE。〃

Thuillier　opened　the　envelope；　and　found　within　a　copy　of　a
ministerial　journal　which　had　hitherto　shown　itself　discourteous　to
the　new　paper　by　refusing　the　EXCHANGE　which　all　periodicals　usually
make　very　willingly　with　one　another。

Puzzled　by　the　fact　of　this　missive　being　sent　to　his　own　house　and
not　to　the　office　of　the　〃Echo；〃　Thuillier　hastily　opened　the　sheet；
and　read；　with　what　emotion　the　reader　may　conceive；　the　following
article；　commended　to　his　notice　by　a　circle　in　red　ink：

　　An　obscure　organ　was　about　to　expire　in　its　native　shade　when　an
　　ambitious　person　of　recent　date　bethought　himself　of　galvanizing
　　it。　His　object　was　to　make　it　a　foothold　by　which　to　climb　from
　　municipal　functions　to　the　coveted　position　of　deputy。　Happily
　　this　object；　having　come　to　the　surface；　will　end　in　failure。
　　Electors　will　certainly　not　be　inveigled　by　so　wily　a　manner　of
　　advancing　self…interests；　and　when　the　proper　time　arrives；　if
　　ridicule　has　not　already　done　justice　on　this　absurd　candidacy；　we
　　shall　ourselves　prove　to　the　pretender　that　to　aspire　to　the
　　distinguished　honor　of　representing　the　nation　something　more　is
　　required　than　the　money　to　buy　a　paper　and　pay　an　underling　to　put
　　into　good　French　the　horrible　diction　of　his　articles　and
　　pamphlets。　We　confine　ourselves　to…day　to　this　limited　notice；　but
　　our　readers　may　be　sure　that　we　shall　keep　them　informed　about
　　this　electoral　comedy；　if　indeed　the　parties　concerned　have　the
　　melancholy　courage　to　go　on　with　it。

Thuillier　read　twice　over　this　sudden　declaration　of　war；　which　was
far　from　leaving　him　calm　and　impassible；　then；　taking　la　Peyrade
aside；　he　said　to　him：

〃Read　that；　it　is　serious。〃

〃Well？〃　said　la　Peyrade；　after　reading　the　article。

〃Well？　how　well？〃　exclaimed　Thuillier。

〃I　mean；　what　do　you　find　so　serious　in　that？〃

〃What　do　I　find　so　serious？〃　repeated　Thuillier。　〃I　don't　think
anything　could　be　more　insulting　to　me。〃

〃You　can't　doubt；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃that　the　virtuous　Cerizet　is　at
the　bottom　of　it；　he　has　thrown　this　firecracker　between　your　legs　by
way　of　revenge。〃

〃Cerizet；　or　anybody　else　who　wrote　that　diatribe　is　an　insolent
fellow；〃　cried　Thuillier；　getting　angry；　〃and　the　matter　shall　not
rest　there。〃

〃For　my　part；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃I　advise　you　to　make　no　reply。　You
are　not　named；　though；　of　course；　the　attack　is　aimed　at　you。　But　you
ought　to　let　our　adversary　commit　himself　farther；　when　the　right
moment　comes；　we'll　rap　him　over　the　knuckles。〃

〃No！〃　said　Thuillier；　〃I　won't　stay　quiet　one　minute　under　such　an
insult。〃

〃The　devil！〃　said　the　barrister；　〃what　a　sensitive　epidermis！　Do
reflect；　my　dear　fellow；　that　you　have　made　yourself　a　candidate　and　a
journalist；　and　therefore　you　really　must　harden　yourself　better　than
that。〃

〃My　good　friend；　it　is　a　principle　of　mine　not　to　let　anybody　step　on
my　toes。　Besides；　they　say　themselves　they　are　going　on　with　this
thing。　Therefore；　it　is　absolutely　necessary　to　cut　short　such
impertinence。〃

〃But　do　consider；〃　said　la　Peyrade。　〃Certainly　in　journalism；　as　in
candidacy；　a　hot　temper　has　its　uses；　a　man　makes　himself　respected；
and　stops　attacks〃

〃Just　so；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃'principiis　obsta。'　Not　to…day；　because　we
haven't　the　time；　but　to…morrow　I　shall　carry　that　paper　into　court。〃

〃Into　court！〃　echoed　la　Peyrade；　〃you　surely　wouldn't　go　to　law　in
such　a　matter　as　this？　In　the　first　place；　there　is　nothing　to　proceed
upon；　you　are　not　named　nor　the　paper　either；　and；　besides；　it　is　a
pitiable　business；　going　to　law；　you'll　look　like　a　boy　who　has　been
fighting；　and　got　the　worst　of　it；　and　runs　to　complain　to　his　mamma。
Now　if　you　had　said　that　you　meant　to　make　Fleury　intervene　in　the
matter；　I　could　understand　thatthough　the　affair　is　rather　personal
to　you；　and　it　might　be　difficult　to　make　it　seem〃

〃Ah　ca！〃　said　Thuillier；　〃do　you　suppose　I　am　going　to　commit　myself
with　a　Cerizet　or　any　other　newspaper　bully？　I　pique　myself；　my　dear
fellow；　on　possessing　civic　courage；　which　does　not　give　in　to
prejudices；　and　which；　instead　of　taking　justice　into　its　own　hands；
has　recourse　to　the　means　of　defence　that　are　provided　by　law。
Besides；　with　the　legal　authority　the　Court　of　Cassation　now　has　over
duelling；　I　have　no　desire　to　put　myself　in　the　way　of　being
expatriated；　or　spending　two　or　three　years　in　prison。〃

〃Well；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃we'll　talk　it　over　later；　here's　your
sister；　and　she　would　think　everything　lost　if　this　little　matter
reached　her　ears。〃

When　Brigitte　appeared　Colleville　shouted　〃Full！〃　and　proceeded　to
sing　the　chorus　of　〃La　Parisienne。〃

〃Heavens！　Colleville；　how　vulgar　you　are！〃　cried　the　tardy　one；
hastening　to　cast　a　stone　in　the　other's　garden　to　avoid　the　throwing
of　one　into　hers。　〃Well；　are　you　all　ready？〃　she　added；　arranging　her
mantle　before　a　mirror。　〃What　o'clock　is　it？　it　won't　do　to　get　there
before　the　time；　like　provincials。〃

〃Ten　minutes　to　two；〃　said　Colleville；　〃I　go　by　the　Tuileries。〃

〃Well；　then　we　are　just　right；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃it　will　take　about
that　time　to　get　to　the　rue　Caumartin。　Josephine；〃　she　cried；　going　to
the　door　of　the　salon；　〃we'll　dine　at　six；　therefore　be　sure　you　put
the　turkey　to　roast　at　the　right　time；　and　mind　you　don't　burn　it；　as
you　did　the　other　day。　Bless　me！　who's　that？〃　and　with　a　hasty　motion
she　shut　the　door；　which　she　had　been　holding　open。　〃What　a　nuisance！
I　hope　Henri　will　have　the　sense　to　tell　him　we　are　out。〃

Not　at　all；　Henri　came　in　to　say　that　an　old　gentleman；　with　a　very
genteel　air；　had　asked　to　be　received　on　urgent　business。

〃Why　didn't　you　say　we　were　all　out？〃

〃That's　what　I　should　have　done　if　mademoiselle　had　not　opened　the
door　of　the　salon　so　that　the　gentleman　could　see　the　whole　family
assembled。〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　Brigitte；　〃you　are　never　in　the　wrong；　are　you？〃

〃What　am　I　to　say　to　him？〃　asked　the　man。

〃Say；〃　replied　Thuillier；　〃that　I　am　very　sorry　not　to　be　able　to
receive　him；　but　I　am　expected　at　a　notary's　office　about　a　marriage
contract；　but　that　if　he　could　return　two　hours　hence〃

〃I　have　told　him　all　that；〃　said　Henri；　〃and　he　answered　that　that
contract　was　precisely　what　he　had　come　about；　and　that　his　business
concerned　you　more　than　himself。〃

〃You　had　better　go　and　see　him；　Thuillier；　and　get　rid　of　him　in
double…quick；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃that's　shorter　than　talking　to　Henri；
who　is　always　an　orator。〃

If　la　Peyrade　had　been　consulted　he　might　not　have　joined　in　that
advice；　for　he　had　had　more　than　one　specimen　of　the　spokes　some
occult　influence　was　putting　into　the　wheels　of　his　marriage；　and　the
present　visit　seemed　to　him　ominous。

〃Show　him　into　my　study；〃　said　Thuillier；　following　his　sister'