the lesser bourgeoisie-第138部分

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　　of　education；　I　have　always　myself　thought　a　remarkable　woman；　now
　　had　a　fine　impulse。　As　the　company　were　about　to　go　into　the
　　dining…room；

　　〃One　moment！〃　she　said。

　　Then　going　up　to　Monsieur　Phellion；　senior；　she　said　to　him：

　　〃Monsieur　and　old　friend！　I　ask　you　for　the　hand　of　Monsieur　Felix
　　Phellion　for　our　adopted　daughter；　Mademoiselle　Colleville。〃

　　〃Bravo！　bravo！〃　they　call　cried　in　chorus。

　　〃My　God！〃　said　Monsieur　Phellion；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　〃what
　　have　I　done　to　deserve　such　happiness？〃

　　〃You　have　been　an　honest　man　and　a　Christian　without　knowing　it；〃
　　replied　the　Abbe　Gondrin。

Here　la　Peyrade　flung　down　the　manuscript。

〃You　did　not　finish　it；〃　said　Corentin；　taking　back　the　paper。
〃However；　there's　not　much　more。　Monsieur　Henri　confesses　to　me　that
the　scene　had　MOVED　HIM；　he　also　says　that；　knowing　the　interest　I　had
formerly　taken　in　the　marriage；　he　thought　he　ought　to　inform　me　of
its　conclusion；　ending　with　a　slightly　veiled　suggestion　of　a　fee。　No；
stay；〃　resumed　Corentin；　〃here　is　a　detail　of　some　importance：〃

　　The　English　woman　seems　to　have　made　it　known　during　dinner　that；
　　having　no　heirs；　her　fortune；　after　the　lives　of　herself　and　her
　　husband；　will　go　to　Felix。　That　will　make　him　powerfully　rich　one
　　of　these　days。

La　Peyrade　had　risen　and　was　striding　about　the　room　with　rapid　steps。

〃Well；〃　said　Corentin；　〃what　is　the　matter　with　you？〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃That　is　not　true；〃　said　the　great　detective。　〃I　think　you　envy　the
happiness　of　that　young　man。　My　dear　fellow；　permit　me　to　tell　you
that　if　such　a　conclusion　were　to　your　taste；　you　should　have　acted　as
he　has　done。　When　I　sent　you　two　thousand　francs　on　which　to　study
law；　I　did　not　intend　you　to　succeed　me；　I　expected　you　to　row　your
galley　laboriously；　to　have　the　needful　courage　for　obscure　and
painful　toil；　your　day　would　infallibly　have　come。　But　you　chose　to
violate　fortune〃

〃Monsieur！〃

〃I　mean　hasten　it；　reap　it　before　it　ripened。　You　flung　yourself　into
journalism；　then　into　business；　questionable　business；　you　made
acquaintance　with　Messieurs　Dutocq　and　Cerizet。　Frankly；　I　think　you
fortunate　to　have　entered　the　port　which　harbors　you　to…day。　In　any
case；　you　are　not　sufficiently　simple　of　heart　to　have　really　valued
the　joys　reserved　for　Felix　Phellion。　These　bourgeois〃

〃These　bourgeois；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　quickly；〃I　know　them　now。　They
have　great　absurdities；　great　vices　even；　but　they　have　virtues；　or；
at　the　least；　estimable　qualities；　in　them　lies　the　vital　force　of　our
corrupt　society。〃

〃YOUR　society！〃　said　Corentin；　smiling；　〃you　speak　as　if　you　were
still　in　the　ranks。　You　have　another　sphere；　my　dear　fellow；　and　you
must　learn　to　be　more　content　with　your　lot。　Governments　pass；
societies　perish　or　dwindle；　but　weWE　dominate　all　things；　the
police　is　eternal。〃



TRANSLATOR'S　NOTE

　　Note。This　volume　（〃Les　Petits　Bourgeois〃）　was　not　published
　　until　1854；　more　than　three　years　after　Balzac's　death；　although
　　he　says　of　it　in　March；　1844：　〃I　must　tell　you　that　my　work
　　entitled　'Les　Petits　Bourgeois；'　owing　to　difficulties　of
　　execution；　requires　still　a　month's　labor；　although　the　book　is
　　entirely　written。〃　And　again；　in　October；　1846；　he　says：　〃It　is　to
　　such　scruples〃　（care　in　perfecting　his　work）　〃that　delays　which
　　have　injured　several　of　my　works　are　due；　for　instance；　'Les
　　Paysans；'　which　has　long　been　nearly　finished；　and　'Les　Petits
　　Bourgeois；'　which　has　been　in　type　at　the　printing　office　for　the
　　last　eighteen　months。〃









End