the lesser bourgeoisie-第13部分

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A　private　communication　made　by　Cardot　to　the　celebrated　〃procureur…
general；〃　father　of　this　young　man；　was　the　cause　of　his　visit。
Olivier　Vinet　had　just　been　promoted　from　the　court　of　Arcis…sur…Aube
to　that　of　the　Seine；　where　he　now　held　the　post　of　substitute
〃procureur…de…roi。〃　Cardot　had　already　invited　Thuillier　and　the　elder
Vinet；　who　was　likely　to　become　minister　of　justice；　with　his　son；　to
dine　with　him。　The　notary　estimated　the　fortunes　which　would
eventually　fall　to　Celeste　at　seven　hundred　thousand　francs。　Vinet
junior　appeared　charmed　to　obtain　the　right　to　visit　the　Thuilliers　on
Sundays。　Great　dowries　make　men　commit　great　and　unbecoming　follies
without　reserve　or　decency　in　these　days。

Ten　minutes　later　another　young　man；　who　had　been　talking　with
Thuillier　before　the　arrival　of　Olivier　Vinet；　raised　his　voice
eagerly；　in　a　political　discussion；　and　forced　the　young　magistrate　to
follow　his　example　in　the　vivacious　argument　which　now　ensued。　The
matter　related　to　the　vote　by　which　the　Chamber　of　Deputies　had　just
overthrown　the　ministry　of　the　12th　of　May；　refusing　the　allowance
demanded　for　the　Duc　de　Nemours。

〃Assuredly；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃I　am　far　from　belonging　to　the
dynastic　party；　I　am　very　far　from　approving　of　the　rise　of　the
bourgeoisie　to　power。　The　bourgeoisie　ought　not；　any　more　than　the
aristocracy　of　other　days；　to　assume　to　be　the　whole　nation。　But　the
French　bourgeoisie　has　now　taken　upon　itself　to　create　a　new　dynasty；
a　royalty　of　its　own；　and　behold　how　it　treats　it！　When　the　people
allowed　Napoleon　to　rise　to　power；　it　created　with　him　a　splendid　and
monumental　state　of　things；　it　was　proud　of　his　grandeur；　and　it　nobly
gave　its　blood　and　sweat　in　building　up　the　edifice　of　the　Empire。
Between　the　magnificence　of　the　aristocratic　throne　and　those　of　the
imperial　purple；　between　the　great　of　the　earth　and　the　People；　the
bourgeoisie　is　proving　itself　petty；　it　degrades　power　to　its　own
level　instead　of　rising　up　to　it。　The　saving　of　candle…ends　it　has　so
long　practised　behind　its　counters；　it　now　seeks　to　impose　on　its
princes。　What　may　perhaps　have　been　virtue　in　its　shops　is　a　blunder
and　a　crime　higher　up。　I　myself　have　wanted　many　things　for　the
people；　but　I　never　should　have　begun　by　lopping　off　ten　millions　of
francs　from　the　new　civil　list。　In　becoming；　as　it　were；　nearly　the
whole　of　France；　the　bourgeoisie　owed　to　us　the　prosperity　of　the
people；　splendor　without　ostentation；　grandeur　without　privilege。〃

The　father　of　Olivier　Vinet　was　just　now　sulking　with　the　government。
The　robe　of　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　which　had　been　his　dream；　was　slow　in
coming　to　him。　The　young　substitute　did　not；　therefore；　know　exactly
how　to　answer　this　speech；　he　thought　it　wise　to　enlarge　on　one　of　its
side　issues。

〃You　are　right；　monsieur；〃　said　Olivier　Vinet。　〃But；　before
manifesting　itself　magnificently；　the　bourgeoisie　has　other　duties　to
fulfil　towards　France。　The　luxury　you　speak　of　should　come　after　duty。
That　which　seems　to　you　so　blameable　is　the　necessity　of　the　moment。
The　Chamber　is　far　from　having　its　full　share　in　public　affairs；　the
ministers　are　less　for　France　than　they　are　for　the　crown；　and
parliament　has　determined　that　the　administration　shall　have；　as　in
England；　a　strength　and　power　of　its　own；　and　not　a　mere　borrowed
power。　The　day　on　which　the　administration　can　act　for　itself；　and
represent　the　Chamber　as　the　Chamber　represents　the　country；
parliament　will　be　found　very　liberal　toward　the　crown。　The　whole
question　is　there。　I　state　it　without　expressing　my　own　opinion；　for
the　duties　of　my　post　demand；　in　politics；　a　certain　fealty　to　the
crown。〃

〃Setting　aside　the　political　question；〃　replied　the　young　man；　whose
voice　and　accent　were　those　of　a　native　of　Provence；　〃it　is　certainly
true　that　the　bourgeoisie　has　ill　understood　its　mission。　We　can　see；
any　day；　the　great　law　officers；　attorney…generals；　peers　of　France　in
omnibuses；　judges　who　live　on　their　salaries；　prefects　without
fortunes；　ministers　in　debt！　Whereas　the　bourgeoisie；　who　have　seized
upon　those　offices；　ought　to　dignify　them；　as　in　the　olden　time　when
aristocracy　dignified　them；　and　not　occupy　such　posts　solely　for　the
purpose　of　making　their　fortune；　as　scandalous　disclosures　have
proved。〃

〃Who　is　this　young　man？〃　thought　Olivier　Vinet。　〃Is　he　a　relative？
Cardot　ought　to　have　come　with　me　on　this　first　visit。〃

〃Who　is　that　little　monsieur？〃　asked　Minard　of　Barbet。　〃I　have　seen
him　here　several　times。〃

〃He　is　a　tenant；〃　replied　Metivier；　shuffling　the　cards。

〃A　lawyer；〃　added　Barbet；　in　a　low　voice；　〃who　occupies　a　small
apartment　on　the　third　floor　front。　Oh！　HE　doesn't　amount　to　much；　he
has　nothing。〃

〃What　is　the　name　of　that　young　man？〃　said　Olivier　Vinet　to　Thuillier。

〃Theodose　de　la　Peyrade；　he　is　a　barrister；〃　replied　Thuillier；　in　a
whisper。

At　that　moment　the　women　present；　as　well　as　the　men；　looked　at　the
two　young　fellows；　and　Madame　Minard　remarked　to　Colleville：

〃He　is　rather　good…looking；　that　stranger。〃

〃I　have　made　his　anagram；〃　replied　Colleville；　〃and　his　name；　Charles…
Marie…Theodose　de　la　Peyrade；　prophecies：　'Eh！　monsieur　payera；　de　la
dot；　des　oies　et　le　char。'　Therefore；　my　dear　Mamma　Minard；　be　sure
you　don't　give　him　your　daughter。〃

〃They　say　that　young　man　is　better…looking　than　my　son；〃　said　Madame
Phellion　to　Madame　Colleville。　〃What　do　you　think　about　it？〃

〃Oh！　in　the　matter　of　physical　beauty　a　woman　might　hesitate　before
choosing；〃　replied　Madame　Colleville。

At　that　moment　it　occurred　to　young　Vinet　as　he　looked　round　the
salon；　so　full　of　the　lesser　bourgeoisie；　that　it　might　be　a　shrewd
thing　to　magnify　that　particular　class；　and　he　thereupon　enlarged　upon
the　meaning　of　the　young　Provencal　barrister；　declaring　that　men　so
honored　by　the　confidence　of　the　government　should　imitate　royalty　and
encourage　a　magnificence　surpassing　that　of　the　former　court。　It　was
folly；　he　said；　to　lay　by　the　emoluments　of　an　office。　Besides；　could
it　be　done；　in　Paris　especially；　where　costs　of　living　had　trebled；
the　apartment　of　a　magistrate；　for　instance；　costing　three　thousand
francs　a　year？

〃My　father；〃　he　said　in　conclusion；　〃allows　me　three　thousand　francs　a
year；　and　that；　with　my　salary；　barely　allows　me　to　maintain　my　rank。〃

When　the　young　substitute　rode　boldly　into　this　bog…hole；　the
Provencal；　who　had　slyly　enticed　him　there；　exchanged；　without　being
observed；　a　wink　with　Dutocq；　who　was　just　then　waiting　for　the　place
of　a　player　at　bouillotte。

〃There　is　such　a　demand　for　offices；〃　remarked　the　latter；　〃that　they
talk　of　creating　two　justices　of　the　peace　to　each　arrondissement　in
order　to　make　a　dozen　new　clerkships。　As　if　they　could　interfere　with
our　rights　and　our　salaries；　which　already　require　an　exhorbitant
tax！〃

〃I　have　not　yet　had　the　pleasure　of　hearing　you　at　the　Palais；〃　said
Vinet　to　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade。

〃I　am　advocate　for　the　poor；　and　I　plead　only　before　the　justice　of
peace；〃　replied　la　Peyrade。

Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　as　she　listened　to　young　Vinet's　theory　of　the
necessity　of　spending　an　income；　as