the lesser bourgeoisie-第35部分

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never　discovered　it。　He　was　called　a　Jew；　but　an　honest　one；　and　his
word　in　that　city　of　sorrows　was　sacred。　A　woman　died；　causing　a　loss
to　him　of　thirty　francs：

＇*＇　A　book　on　which　the　author　has　been　at　work　since　1833；　the　year
　　　　in　which　it　was　first　announced。Author's　note。

〃See　my　profits！　there　they　go！〃　he　said　to　his　assemblage；　〃and　you
howl　upon　me！　You　know　I'll　never　trouble　the　brats；　in　fact；　Cadenet
has　already　taken　them　bread　and　heel…taps。〃

After　that　it　was　said　of　him　in　both　faubourgs：

〃He　is　not　a　bad　fellow！〃

The　〃loan　by　the　little　week；〃　as　interpreted　by　Cerizet；　is　not；
considering　all　things；　so　cruel　a　thing　as　the　pawn…shop。　Cerizet
loaned　ten　francs　Tuesday　on　condition　of　receiving　twelve　francs
Sunday　morning。　In　five　weeks　he　doubled　his　capital；　but　he　had　to
make　many　compromises。　His　kindness　consisted　in　accepting；　from　time
to　time；　eleven　francs　and　fifty　centimes；　sometimes　the　whole
interest　was　still　owing。　When　he　gave　fifty　francs　for　sixty　to　a
fruit…stall　man；　or　a　hundred　francs　for　one　hundred　and　twenty　to　a
seller　of　peat…fuel；　he　ran　great　risks。

On　reaching　the　rue　des　Poules　through　the　rue　des　Postes；　Theodose
and　Dutocq　saw　a　great　assemblage　of　men　and　women；　and　by　the　light
which　the　wine…merchant's　little　oil…lamps　cast　upon　these　groups；
they　were　horrified　at　beholding　that　mass　of　red；　seamed；　haggard
faces；　solemn　with　suffering；　withered；　distorted；　swollen　with　wine；
pallid　from　liquor；　some　threatening；　others　resigned；　some　sarcastic
or　jeering；　others　besotted；　all　rising　from　the　midst　of　those
terrible　rags；　which　no　designer　can　surpass　in　his　most　extravagant
caricatures。

〃I　shall　be　recognized；〃　said　Theodose；　pulling　Dutocq　away；　〃we　have
done　a　foolish　thing　to　come　here　at　this　hour　and　take　him　in　the
midst　of　his　business。〃

〃All　the　more　that　Claparon　may　be　sleeping　in　his　lair；　the　interior
of　which　we　know　nothing　about。　Yes；　there　are　dangers　for　you；　but
none　for　me；　I　shall　be　thought　to　have　business　with　my　copying…
clerk；　and　I'll　go　and　tell　him　to　come　and　dine　with　us；　this　is
court　day；　so　we　can't　have　him　to　breakfast。　I'll　tell　him　to　meet　us
at　the　'Chaumiere'　in　one　of　the　garden　dining…rooms。〃

〃Bad；　anybody　could　listen　to　us　there　without　being　seen；〃　said　la
Peyrade。　〃I　prefer　the　'Petit　Rocher　de　Cancale'；　we　can　go　into　a
private　room　and　speak　low。〃

〃But　suppose　you　are　seen　with　Cerizet？〃

〃Well；　then；　let's　go　to　the　'Cheval　Rouge；'　quai　de　la　Tournelle。〃

〃That's　best；　seven　o'clock；　nobody　will　be　there　then。〃

Dutocq　advanced　alone　into　the　midst　of　that　congress　of　beggars；　and
he　heard　his　own　name　repeated　from　mouth　to　mouth；　for　he　could
hardly　fail　to　encounter　among　them　some　jail…bird　familiar　with　the
judge's　office；　just　as　Theodose　was　certain　to　have　met　a　client。

In　these　quarters　the　justice…of…peace　is　the　supreme　authority；　all
legal　contests　stop　short　at　his　office；　especially　since　the　law　was
passed　giving　to　those　judges　sovereign　power　in　all　cases　of
litigation　involving　not　over　one　hundred　and　forty　francs。　A　way　was
made　for　the　judge's　clerk；　who　was　not　less　feared　than　the　judge
himself。　He　saw　women　seated　on　the　staircase；　a　horrible　display　of
pallor　and　suffering　of　many　kinds。　Dutocq　was　almost　asphyxiated　when
he　opened　the　door　of　the　room　in　which　already　sixty　persons　had　left
their　odors。

〃Your　number？　your　number？〃　cried　several　voices。

〃Hold　your　jaw！〃　cried　a　gruff　voice　from　the　street；　〃that's　the　pen
of　the　judge。〃

Profound　silence　followed。　Dutocq　found　his　copying　clerk　clothed　in　a
jacket　of　yellow　leather　like　that　of　the　gloves　of　the　gendarmerie；
beneath　which　he　wore　an　ignoble　waistcoat　of　knitted　wool。　The　reader
must　imagine　the　man's　diseased　head　issuing　from　this　species　of
scabbard　and　covered　with　a　miserable　Madras　handkerchief；　which；
leaving　to　view　the　forehead　and　neck；　gave　to　that　head；　by　the　gleam
of　a　tallow　candle　of　twelve　to　the　pound；　its　naturally　hideous　and
threatening　character。

〃It　can't　be　done　that　way；　papa　Lantimeche；〃　Cerizet　was　saying　to　a
tall　old　man；　seeming　to　be　about　seventy　years　of　age；　who　was
standing　before　him　with　a　red　woollen　cap　in　his　hand；　exhibiting　a
bald　head；　and　a　breast　covered　with　white　hairs　visible　through　his
miserable　linen　jacket。　〃Tell　me　exactly　what　you　want　to　undertake。
One　hundred　francs；　even　on　condition　of　getting　back　one　hundred　and
twenty；　can't　be　let　loose　that　way；　like　a　dog　in　a　church〃

The　five　other　applicants；　among　whom　were　two　women；　both　with
infants；　one　knitting；　the　other　suckling　her　child；　burst　out
laughing。

When　Cerizet　saw　Dutocq；　he　rose　respectfully　and　went　rather　hastily
to　meet　him；　adding　to　his　client：

〃Take　time　to　reflect；　for；　don't　you　see？　it　makes　me　doubtful　to
have　such　a　sum　as　that；　one　hundred　francs！　asked　for　by　an　old
journeyman　locksmith！〃

〃But　I　tell　you　it　concerns　an　invention；〃　cried　the　old　workman。

〃An　invention　and　one　hundred　francs！〃　said　Dutocq。　〃You　don't　know
the　laws；　you　must　take　out　a　patent；　and　that　costs　two　thousand
francs；　and　you　want　influence。〃

〃All　that　is　true；〃　said　Cerizet；　who；　however；　reckoned　a　good　deal
on　such　chances。　〃Come　to…morrow　morning；　papa　Lantimeche；　at　six
o'clock；　and　we'll　talk　it　over；　you　can't　talk　inventions　in　public。〃

Cerizet　then　turned　to　Dutocq　whose　first　words　were：

〃If　the　thing　turns　out　well；　half　profits！〃

〃Why　did　you　get　up　at　this　time　in　the　morning　to　come　here　and　say
that　to　me？〃　demanded　the　distrustful　Cerizet；　already　displeased　with
the　mention　of　〃half　profits。〃　〃You　could　have　seen　me　as　usual　at　the
office。〃

And　he　looked　askance　at　Dutocq；　the　latter；　while　telling　him　his
errand　and　speaking　of　Claparon　and　the　necessity　of　pushing　forward
in　the　Theodose　affair；　seemed　confused。

〃All　the　same　you　could　have　seen　me　this　morning　at　the　office；〃
repeated　Cerizet；　conducting　his　visitor　to　the　door。

〃There's　a　man；〃　thought　he；　as　he　returned　to　his　seat；　〃who　seems　to
me　to　have　breathed　on　his　lantern　so　that　I　may　not　see　clear。　Well；
well；　I'll　give　up　that　place　of　copying　clerk。　Ha！　your　turn；　little
mother！〃　he　cried；　〃you　invent　children！　That's　amusing　enough；　though
the　trick　is　well　known。〃

It　is　all　the　more　useless　to　relate　the　conversation　which　took　place
between　the　three　confederates　at　the　〃Cheval　Rouge；〃　because　the
arrangements　there　concluded　were　the　basis　of　certain　confidences
made；　as　we　shall　see；　by　Theodose　to　Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　but　it
is　necessary　to　remark　that　the　cleverness　displayed　by　la　Peyrade
seemed　almost　alarming　to　Cerizet　and　Dutocq。　After　this　conference；
the　banker　of　the　poor；　finding　himself　in　company　with　such　powerful
players；　had　it　in　mind　to　make　sure　of　his　own　stake　at　the　first
chance。　To　win　the　game　at　any　price　over　the　heads　of　the　ablest
gamblers；　by　cheating　if　necessary；　is　the　inspiration　of　a　special
sort　of　vanity　peculiar　to　friends　of　the　green　cloth。　Hence　came　the
terrible　blow　which　la　Peyrade　was　about　to　receive。

He　knew　his　tw