the lesser bourgeoisie-第134部分

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Thuillier　ordered　a　cab　and　drove　at　once　to　the　office　of　the　〃Echo。〃

There　a　fresh　disappointment　met　him。　The　paper　〃was　made；〃　as　they
say；　and　all　the　employees　had　departed；　even　la　Peyrade。　As　for
Coffinet；　who　was　not　to　be　found　at　his　post　of　office…boy；　nor　yet
at　his　other　post　of　porter；　he　had　gone　〃of　an　errand；〃　his　wife
said；　taking　the　key　of　the　closet　in　which　the　remaining　copies　of
the　paper　were　locked　up。　Impossible；　therefore；　to　procure　the　number
which　the　unfortunate　proprietor　had　come　so　far　to　fetch。

To　describe　Thuillier's　indignation　would　be　impossible。　He　marched　up
and　down　the　room；　talking　aloud　to　himself；　as　people　do　in　moments
of　excitement。

〃I'll　turn　them　all　out！〃　he　cried。　And　we　are　forced　to　omit　the　rest
of　the　furious　objurgation。

As　he　ended　his　anathema　a　rap　was　heard　on　the　door。

〃Come　in！〃　said　Thuillier；　in　a　tone　that　depicted　his　wrath　and　his
frantic　impatience。

The　door　opened；　and　Minard　rushed　precipitately　into　his　arms。

〃My　good；　my　excellent　friend！〃　cried　the　mayor　of　the　eleventh
arrondissement；　concluding　his　embrace　with　a　hearty　shake　of　the
hand。

〃Why！　what　is　it？〃　said　Thuillier；　unable　to　comprehend　the　warmth　of
this　demonstration。

〃Ah！　my　dear　friend；〃　continued　Minard；　〃such　an　admirable　proceeding！
really　chivalrous！　most　disinterested！　The　effect；　I　assure　you；　is
quite　stupendous　in　the　arrondissement。〃

〃But　what；　I　say？〃　cried　Thuillier；　impatiently。

〃The　article；　the　whole　action；〃　continued　Minard；　〃so　noble；　so
elevated！〃

〃But　what　article？　what　action？〃　said　the　proprietor　of　the　〃Echo；〃
getting　quite　beside　himself。

〃The　article　of　this　morning；〃　said　Minard。

〃The　article　of　this　morning？〃

〃Ah　ca！　did　you　write　it　when　you　were　asleep；　or；　like　Monsieur
Jourdain　doing　prose；　do　you　do　heroism　without　knowing　it？〃

〃I！　I　haven't　written　any　article！〃　cried　Thuillier。　〃I　have　been　away
from　Paris　for　a　day；　and　I　don't　even　know　what　is　in　this　morning's
paper；　and　the　office…boy　is　not　here　to　give　me　a　copy。〃

〃I　have　one；〃　said　Minard；　pulling　the　much　desired　paper　from　his
pocket。　〃If　the　article　is　not　years　you　have　certainly　inspired　it；
in　any　case；　the　deed　is　done。〃

Thuillier　hurriedly　unfolded　the　sheet　Minard　had　given　him；　and
devoured　rather　than　read　the　following　article：

　　Long　enough　has　the　proprietor　of　this　regenerated　journal
　　submitted　without　complaint　and　without　reply　to　the　cowardly
　　insinuations　with　which　a　venal　press　insults　all　citizens　who；
　　strong　in　their　convictions；　refuse　to　pass　beneath　the　Caudine
　　Forks　of　power。　Long　enough　has　a　man；　who　has　already　given
　　proofs　of　devotion　and　abnegation　in　the　important　functions　of
　　the　aedility　of　Paris；　allowed　these　sheets　to　call　him　ambitious
　　and　self…seeking。　Monsieur　Jerome　Thuillier；　strong　in　his
　　dignity；　has　suffered　such　coarse　attacks　to　pass　him　with
　　contempt。　Encouraged　by　this　disdainful　silence；　the　stipendiaries
　　of　the　press　have　dared　to　write　that　this　journal；　a　work　of
　　conviction　and　of　the　most　disinterested　patriotism；　was　but　the
　　stepping…stone　of　a　man；　the　speculation　of　a　seeker　for　election。
　　Monsieur　Jerome　Thuillier　has　held　himself　impassible　before　these
　　shameful　imputations　because　justice　and　truth　are　patient；　and　he
　　bided　his　time　to　scotch　the　reptile。　That　time　has　come。

〃That　deuce　of　a　Peyrade！〃　said　Thuillier；　stopping　short；　〃how　he
does　touch　it　off！〃

〃It　is　magnificent！〃　cried　Minard。

Reading　aloud；　Thuillier　continued：

　　Every　one；　friends　and　enemies　alike；　can　bear　witness　that
　　Monsieur　Jerome　Thuillier　has　done　nothing　to　seek　a　candidacy
　　which　was　offered　to　him　spontaneously。

〃That's　evident；〃　said　Thuillier；　interrupting　himself。　Then　he
resumed：

　　But；　since　his　sentiments　are　so　odiously　misrepresented；　and　his
　　intentions　so　falsely　travestied；　Monsieur　Jerome　Thuillier　owes
　　it　to　himself；　and　above　all　to　the　great　national　party　of　which
　　he　is　the　humblest　soldier；　to　give　an　example　which　shall
　　confound　the　vile　sycophants　of　power。

〃It　is　fine；　the　way　la　Peyrade　poses　me！〃　said　Thuillier；　pausing
once　more　in　his　reading。　〃I　see　now　why　he　didn't　send　me　the　paper；
he　wanted　to　enjoy　my　surprise'confound　the　vile　sycophants　of
power！'　how　fine　that　is！〃

After　which　reflection；　he　continued：

　　Monsieur　Thuillier　was　so　far　from　founding　this　journal　of
　　dynastic　opposition　to　support　and　promote　his　election　that；　at
　　the　very　moment　when　the　prospects　of　that　election　seem　most
　　favorable　to　himself　and　most　disastrous　to　his　rivals；　he　here
　　declares　publicly；　and　in　the　most　formal；　absolute；　and
　　irrevocable　manner　that　he　RENOUNCES　HIS　CANDIDACY。

〃What？〃　cried　Thuillier；　thinking　he　had　read　wrong；　or　had
misunderstood　what　he　read。

〃Go　on！　go　on！〃　said　the　mayor　of　the　eleventh。

Then；　as　Thuillier；　with　a　bewildered　air；　seemed　not　disposed　to
continue　his　reading；　Minard　took　the　paper　from　his　hands　and　read
the　rest　of　the　article　himself；　beginning　where　the　other　had　left
off：

　　Renounces　his　candidacy；　and　he　strongly　urges　the　electors　to
　　transfer　to　Monsieur　Minard；　mayor　of　the　eleventh　arrondissement
　　and　his　friend　and　colleague　in　his　municipal　functions；　all　the
　　votes　with　which　they　seemed　about　to　honor　him。

〃But　this　is　infamous！〃　cried　Thuillier；　recovering　his　speech；　〃you
have　bought　that　Jesuit　la　Peyrade。〃

〃So；〃　said　Minard；　stupefied　by　Thuillier's　attitude；　〃the　article　was
not　agreed　upon　between　you？〃

〃The　wretch　has　profited　by　my　absence　to　slip　it　into　the　paper；　I
understand　now　why　he　prevented　a　copy　from　reaching　me　to…day。〃

〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　Minard；　〃what　you　tell　me　will　seem　incredible
to　the　public。〃

〃I　tell　you　it　is　treachery；　it　is　an　abominable　trap。　Renounce　my
candidacy！why　should　I？〃

〃You　understand；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　Minard；　〃that　I　am　truly　sorry
if　your　confidence　has　been　abused；　but　I　have　just　issued　my　circular
manifesto；　the　die　is　cast；　and　luck　to　the　lucky　now。〃

〃Leave　me；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃it　is　a　comedy　for　which　you　have　paid。〃

〃Monsieur　Thuillier；〃　said　Minard；　in　a　threatening　voice；　〃I　advise
you　not　to　repeat　those　words；　unless　you　are　ready　to　give　me
satisfaction　for　them。〃

Happily　for　Thuillier；　who；　we　may　remember；　had　made　his　profession
of　faith　as　to　civic　courage　some　time　before；　he　was　relieved　from
answering　by　Coffinet；　who　now　opened　the　door　of　the　editorial
sanctum；　and　announced：

〃Messieurs　the　electors　of　the　twelfth　arrondissement。〃

The　arrondissement　was　represented　on　this　occasion　by　five　persons。
An　apothecary；　chairman　of　the　deputation；　proceeded　to　address
Thuillier　in　the　following　terms：

〃We　have　come；　monsieur；　after　taking　cognizance　of　an　article
inserted　this　morning　in　the　'Echo　de　la　Bievre；'　to　inquire　of　you
what　may　be　precisely　the　origin　and　bearing　of　that　article；　thinking
it　incredible　that；　having　solicited　our　suffrages；　you　should；　on　the
eve　of　this　election；　and　from　a　most　mistaken　puritanism；　have　cast
disorder　and　disunion　into　our　ranks；