the lesser bourgeoisie-第43部分

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and　eloquence　which　found　expression；　as　he　turned　into　the　rue　des
Deux…Eglises；　in　the　words：

〃I　will　kill　him！〃

〃There's　a　fellow　who　is　not　content！〃　said　a　passing　workman；　and　the
jesting　words　calmed　the　incandescent　madness　to　which　Theodose　was　a
prey。

As　he　left　Cerizet's　the　idea　came　to　him　to　go　to　Flavie　and　tell　her
all。　Southern　natures　are　born　thusstrong　until　certain　passions
arise；　and　then　collapsed。　He　entered　Flavie's　room；　she　was　alone；
and　when　she　saw　Theodose　she　fancied　her　last　hour　had　come。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　cried。

〃II〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　love　me；　Flavie？〃

〃Oh！　how　can　you　doubt　it？〃

〃Do　you　love　me　absolutely？if　I　were　criminal；　even？〃

〃Has　he　murdered　some　one？〃　she　thought；　replying　to　his　question　by　a
nod。

Theodose；　thankful　to　seize　even　this　branch　of　willow；　drew　a　chair
beside　Flavie's　sofa；　and　there　gave　way　to　sobs　that　might　have
touched　the　oldest　judge；　while　torrents　of　tears　began　to　flow　from
his　eyes。

Flavie　rose　and　left　the　room　to　say　to　her　maid：　〃I　am　not　at　home　to
any　one。〃　Then　she　closed　all　doors　and　returned　to　Theodose；　moved　to
the　utmost　pitch　of　maternal　solicitude。　She　found　him　stretched　out；
his　head　thrown　back；　and　weeping。　He　had　taken　out　his　handkerchief；
and　when　Flavie　tried　to　move　it　from　his　face　it　was　heavy　with
tears。

〃But　what　is　the　matter？〃　she　asked；　〃what　ails　you？〃

Nature；　more　impressive　than　art；　served　Theodose　well；　no　longer　was
he　playing　a　part；　he　was　himself；　this　nervous　crisis　and　these　tears
were　the　winding　up　of　his　preceding　scenes　of　acted　comedy。

〃You　are　a　child；〃　she　said；　in　a　gentle　voice；　stroking　his　hair
softly。

〃I　have　but　you；　you　only；　in　all　the　world！〃　he　replied；　kissing　her
hands　with　a　sort　of　passion；　〃and　if　you　are　true　to　me；　if　you　are
mine；　as　the　body　belongs　to　the　soul　and　the　soul　to　the　body；
then〃　he　added；　recovering　himself　with　infinite　grace；　〃THEN　I　can
have　courage。〃

He　rose；　and　walked　about　the　room。

〃Yes；　I　will　struggle；　I　will　recover　my　strength；　like　Antaeus；　from
a　fall；　I　will　strangle　with　my　own　hands　the　serpents　that　entwine
me；　that　kiss　with　serpent　kisses；　that　slaver　my　cheeks；　that　suck　my
blood；　my　honor！　Oh；　misery！　oh；　poverty！　Oh；　how　great　are　they　who
can　stand　erect　and　carry　high　their　heads！　I　had　better　have　let
myself　die　of　hunger；　there；　on　my　wretched　pallet；　three　and　a　half
years　ago！　A　coffin　is　a　softer　bed　to　lie　in　than　the　life　I　lead！　It
is　eighteen　months　that　I　have　FED　ON　BOURGEOIS！　and　now；　at　the
moment　of　attaining　an　honest；　fortunate　life；　a　magnificent　future；
at　the　moment　when　I　was　about　to　sit　down　to　the　social　banquet；　the
executioner　strikes　me　on　the　shoulder！　Yes；　the　monster！　he　struck　me
there；　on　my　shoulder；　and　said　to　me：　'Pay　thy　dues　to　the　devil；　or
die！'　And　shall　I　not　crush　them？　Shall　I　not　force　my　arm　down　their
throats　to　their　very　entrails？　Yes；　yes；　I　will；　I　will！　See；　Flavie；
my　eyes　are　dry　now。　Ha；　ha！　now　I　laugh；　I　feel　my　strength　come　back
to　me；　power　is　mine！　Oh！　say　that　you　love　me；　say　it　again！　At　this
moment　it　sounds　like　the　word　'Pardon'　to　the　man　condemned　to
death！〃

〃You　are　terrible；　my　friend！〃　cried　Flavie。　〃Oh！　you　are　killing　me。〃

She　understood　nothing　of　all　this；　but　she　fell　upon　the　sofa；
exhausted　by　the　spectacle。　Theodose　flung　himself　at　her　feet。

〃Forgive　me！　forgive　me！〃　he　said。

〃But　what　is　the　matter？　what　is　it？〃　she　asked　again。

〃They　are　trying　to　destroy　me。　Oh！　promise　to　give　me　Celeste；　and
you　shall　see　what　a　glorious　life　I　will　make　you　share。　If　you
hesitatevery　good；　that　is　saying　you　will　be　wholly　mine；　and　I
will　have　you！〃

He　made　so　rapid　a　movement　that　Flavie；　terrified；　rose　and　moved
away。

〃Oh！　my　saint！〃　he　cried；　〃at　thy　feet　I　falla　miracle！　God　is　for
me；　surely！　A　flash　of　light　has　come　to　mean　ideasuddenly！　Oh；
thanks；　my　good　angel；　my　grand　Saint…Theodose！　thou　hast　saved　me！〃

Flavie　could　not　help　admiring　that　chameleon　being；　one　knee　on　the
floor；　his　hands　crossed　on　his　breast；　and　his　eyes　raised　to　heaven
in　religious　ecstasy；　he　recited　a　prayer；　he　was　a　fervent　Catholic；
he　reverently　crossed　himself。　It　was　fine；　like　the　vision　of　Saint…
Jerome。

〃Adieu！〃　he　said；　with　a　melancholy　look　and　a　moving　tone　of　voice。

〃Oh！〃　cried　Flavie；　〃leave　me　this　handkerchief。〃

Theodose　rushed　away　like　one　possessed；　sprang　into　the　street；　and
darted　towards　the　Thuilliers'；　but　turned；　saw　Flavie　at　her　window；
and　made　her　a　little　sign　of　triumph。

〃What　a　man！〃　she　thought　to　herself。

〃Dear；　good　friend；〃　he　said　to　Thuillier；　in　a　calm　and　gentle；
almost　caressing　voice；　〃we　have　fallen　into　the　hands　of　atrocious
scoundrels。　But　I　mean　to　read　them　a　lesson。〃

〃What　has　happened？〃　asked　Brigitte。

〃They　want　twenty…five　thousand　francs；　and；　in　order　to　get　the
better　of　us；　the　notary；　or　his　accomplices；　have　determined　to　bid
in　the　property。　Thuillier；　put　five　thousand　francs　in　your　pocket
and　come　with　me；　I　will　secure　that　house　to　you。　I　am　making　myself
implacable　enemies！〃　he　cried；　〃they　are　seeking　to　destroy　me
morally。　But　all　I　ask　is　that　you　will　disregard　their　infamous
calumnies　and　feel　no　change　of　heart　to　me。　After　all；　what　is　it？　If
I　succeed；　you　will　only　have　paid　one　hundred　and　twenty…five
thousand　francs　for　the　house　instead　of　one　hundred　and　twenty。〃

〃Provided　the　same　thing　doesn't　happen　again；〃　said　Brigitte；
uneasily；　her　eyes　dilating　under　the　effect　of　a　violent　suspicion。

〃Preferred　creditors　have　alone　the　right　to　bid　in　property；　and　as；
in　this　case；　there　is　but　one；　and　he　has　used　that　right；　we　are
safe。　The　amount　of　his　claim　is　really　only　two　thousand　francs；　but
there　are　lawyers；　attorneys；　and　so　forth；　to　pay　in　such　matters；
and　we　shall　have　to　drop　a　note　of　a　thousand　francs　to　make　the
creditor　happy。〃

〃Go；　Thuillier；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃get　your　hat　and　gloves；　and　take　the
moneyfrom　you　know　where。〃

〃As　I　paid　those　fifteen　thousand　francs　without　success；　I　don't　wish
to　have　any　more　money　pass　through　my　hands。　Thuillier　must　pay　it
himself；〃　said　Theodose；　when　he　found　himself　alone　with　Brigitte。
〃You　have；　however；　gained　twenty　thousand　on　the　contract　I　enabled
you　to　make　with　Grindot；　who　thought　he　was　serving　the　notary；　and
you　own　a　piece　of　property　which　in　five　years　will　be　worth　nearly　a
million。　It　is　what　is　called　a　'boulevard　corner。'〃

Brigitte　listened　uneasily；　precisely　like　a　cat　which　hears　a　mouse
within　the　wall。　She　looked　Theodose　straight　in　the　eye；　and；　in
spite　of　the　truth　of　his　remarks；　doubts　possessed　her。

〃What　troubles　you；　little　aunt？〃

〃Oh！　I　shall　be　in　mortal　terror　until　that　property　is　securely
ours。〃

〃You　would　be　willing　to　give　twenty　thousand　francs；　wouldn't　you；〃
said　Theodose；　〃to　make　sure　that　Thuillier　was　what　we　call；　in　law；
'owner　not　dispossessable'　of　that　property？　Well；　then；　remember　that
I　have　saved　you　twice　that　amount。〃

〃Where　are　we　going？〃　asked　Thuillier；　returning。

〃To　Maitre　Godeschal！　We　must　employ