the lesser bourgeoisie-第26部分

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father's　honor；　and　since　this　question　is　a　matter　of　conscience　with
him　it　must　not　be　spoken　of　again。〃

Phellion；　with　his　eyes　full　of　tears；　went　up　to　his　eldest　son　and
took　him　in　his　arms；　saying；　〃My　son！　my　son！〃　in　a　choking　voice。

〃All　that　is　nonsense；〃　whispered　Madame　Phellion　in　Madame　Barniol's
ear。　〃Come　and　dress　me；　I　shall　make　an　end　of　this；　I　know　your
father；　he　has　put　his　foot　down　now。　To　carry　out　the　plan　that　pious
young　man；　Theodose；　suggested；　I　want　your　help；　hold　yourself　ready
to　give　it；　my　daughter。〃

At　this　moment；　Genevieve　came　in　and　gave　a　letter　to　Monsieur
Phellion。

〃An　invitation　for　dinner　to…day；　for　Madame　Phellion　and　Felix　and
myself；　at　the　Thuilliers'；〃　he　said。

The　magnificent　and　surprising　idea　of　Thuillier's　municipal
advancement；　put　forth　by　the　〃advocate　of　the　poor〃　was　not　less
upsetting　in　the　Thuillier　household　than　it　was　in　the　Phellion
salon。　Jerome　Thuillier；　without　actually　confiding　anything　to　his
sister；　for　he　made　it　a　point　of　honor　to　obey　his　Mephistopheles；
had　rushed　to　her　in　great　excitement　to　say：

〃My　dearest　girl〃　（he　always　touched　her　heart　with　those　caressing
words）；　〃we　shall　have　some　big…wigs　at　dinner　to…day。　I'm　going　to
ask　the　Minards；　therefore　take　pains　about　your　dinner。　I　have
written　to　Monsieur　and　Madame　Phellion；　it　is　rather　late；　but
there's　no　need　of　ceremony　with　them。　As　for　the　Minards；　I　must
throw　a　little　dust　in　their　eyes；　I　have　a　particular　need　of　them。〃

〃Four　Minards；　three　Phellions；　four　Collevilles；　and　ourselves；　that
makes　thirteen〃

〃La　Peyrade；　fourteen；　and　it　is　worth　while　to　invite　Dutocq；　he　may
be　useful　to　us。　I'll　go　up　and　see　him。〃

〃What　are　you　scheming？〃　cried　his　sister。　〃Fifteen　to　dinner！　There's
forty　francs；　at　the　very　least；　waltzing　off。〃

〃You　won't　regret　them；　my　dearest。　I　want　you　to　be　particularly
agreeable　to　our　young　friend；　la　Peyrade。　There's　a　friend；　indeed！
you'll　soon　have　proofs　of　that！　If　you　love　me；　cosset　him　well。〃

So　saying；　he　departed；　leaving　Brigitte　bewildered。

〃Proofs；　indeed！　yes；　I'll　look　out　for　proofs；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　not　to
be　caught　with　fine　words；　not　I！　He　is　an　amiable　fellow；　but　before
I　take　him　into　my　heart　I　shall　study　him　a　little　closer。〃

After　inviting　Dutocq；　Thuillier；　having　bedizened　himself；　went　to
the　hotel　Minard；　rue　des　Macons…Sorbonne；　to　capture　the　stout　Zelie；
and　gloss　over　the　shortness　of　the　invitation。

Minard　had　purchased　one　of　those　large　and　sumptuous　habitations
which　the　old　religious　orders　built　about　the　Sorbonne；　and　as
Thuillier　mounted　the　broad　stone　steps　with　an　iron　balustrade；　that
proved　how　arts　of　the　second　class　flourished　under　Louis　XIII。；　he
envied　both　the　mansion　and　its　occupant；the　mayor。

This　vast　building；　standing　between　a　courtyard　and　garden；　is
noticeable　as　a　specimen　of　the　style；　both　noble　and　elegant；　of　the
reign　of　Louis　XIII。；　coming　singularly；　as　it　did；　between　the　bad
taste　of　the　expiring　renaissance　and　the　heavy　grandeur　of　Louis
XIV。；　at　its　dawn。　This　transition　period　is　shown　in　many　public
buildings。　The　massive　scroll…work　of　several　facadesthat　of　the
Sorbonne；　for　instance；and　columns　rectified　according　to　the　rules
of　Grecian　art；　were　beginning　to　appear　in　this　architecture。

A　grocer；　a　lucky　adulterator；　now　took　the　place　of　the　former
ecclesiastical　governor　of　an　institution　called　in　former　times
L'Economat；　an　establishment　connected　with　the　general　agency　of　the
old　French　clergy；　and　founded　by　the　long…sighted　genius　of
Richelieu。　Thuillier's　name　opened　for　him　the　doors　of　the　salon；
where　sat　enthroned　in　velvet　and　gold；　amid　the　most　magnificent
〃Chineseries；〃　the　poor　woman　who　weighed　with　all　her　avoirdupois　on
the　hearts　and　minds　of　princes　and　princesses　at　the　〃popular　balls〃
of　the　palace。

〃Isn't　she　a　good　subject　for　'La　Caricature'？〃　said　a　so…called　lady
of　the　bedchamber　to　a　duchess；　who　could　hardly　help　laughing　at　the
aspect　of　Zelie；　glittering　with　diamonds；　red　as　a　poppy；　squeezed
into　a　gold　brocade；　and　rolling　along　like　the　casts　of　her　former
shop。

〃Will　you　pardon　me；　fair　lady；〃　began　Thuillier；　twisting　his　body；
and　pausing　in　pose　number　two　of　his　imperial　repertory；　〃for　having
allowed　this　invitation　to　remain　in　my　desk；　thinking；　all　the　while；
that　it　was　sent？　It　is　for　to…day；　but　perhaps　I　am　too　late？〃

Zelie　examined　her　husband's　face　as　he　approached　them　to　receive
Thuillier；　then　she　said：

〃We　intended　to　drive　into　the　country　and　dine　at　some　chance
restaurant；　but　we'll　give　up　that　idea　and　all　the　more　readily
because；　in　my　opinion；　it　is　getting　devilishly　vulgar　to　drive　out
of　Paris　on　Sundays。〃

〃We　will　have　a　little　dance　to　the　piano　for　the　young　people；　if
enough　come；　as　I　hope　they　will。　I　have　sent　a　line　to　Phellion；
whose　wife　is　intimate　with　Madame　Pron；　the　successor〃

〃SuccessorESS；〃　interrupted　Madame　Minard。

〃No；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃it　ought　to　be　success'ress；　just　as　we　say
may'ress；　dropping　the　O；　you　know。〃

〃Is　it　full　dress？〃　asked　Madame　Minard。

〃Heavens！　no；〃　replied　Thuillier；　〃you　would　get　me　finely　scolded　by
my　sister。　No；　it　is　only　a　family　party。　Under　the　Empire；　madame；　we
all　devoted　ourselves　to　dancing。　At　that　great　epoch　of　our　national
life　they　thought　as　much　of　a　fine　dancer　as　they　did　of　a　good
soldier。　Nowadays　the　country　is　so　matter…of…fact。〃

〃Well；　we　won't　talk　politics；〃　said　the　mayor；　smiling。　〃The　King　is
grand；　he　is　very　able。　I　have　a　deep　admiration　for　my　own　time；　and
for　the　institutions　which　we　have　given　to　ourselves。　The　King；　you
may　be　sure；　knows　very　well　what　he　is　doing　by　the　development　of
industries。　He　is　struggling　hand　to　hand　against　England；　and　we　are
doing　him　more　harm　during　this　fruitful　peace　than　all　the　wars　of
the　Empire　would　have　done。〃

〃What　a　deputy　Minard　would　make！〃　cried　Zelie；　naively。　〃He　practises
speechifying　at　home。　You'll　help　us　to　get　him　elected；　won't　you；
Thuillier？〃

〃We　won't　talk　politics　now；〃　replied　Thuillier。　〃Come　at　five。〃

〃Will　that　little　Vinet　be　there？〃　asked　Minard；　〃he　comes；　no　doubt；
for　Celeste。〃

〃Then　he　may　go　into　mourning；〃　replied　Thuillier。　〃Brigitte　won't
hear　of　him。〃

Zelie　and　Minard　exchanged　a　smile　of　satisfaction。

〃To　think　that　we　must　hob…nob　with　such　common　people；　all　for　the
sake　of　our　son！〃　cried　Zelie；　when　Thuillier　was　safely　down　the
staircase；　to　which　the　mayor　had　accompanied　him。

〃Ha！　he　thinks　to　be　deputy！〃　thought　Thuillier；　as　he　walked　away。
〃These　grocers！　nothing　satisfies　them。　Heavens！　what　would　Napoleon
say　if　he　could　see　the　government　in　the　hands　of　such　people！　I'm　a
trained　administrator；　at　any　rate。　What　a　competitor；　to　be　sure！　I
wonder　what　la　Peyrade　will　say？〃

The　ambitious　ex…beau　now　went　to　invite　the　whole　Laudigeois　family
for　the　evening；　after　which　he　went　to　the　Collevilles'；　to　make　sure
that　Celeste　should　wear　a　becoming　gown。　He　found　Flavie　rather
pensive。　She　hesitated　about　coming；　but　Thuillier　overcame　her
indec