the lesser bourgeoisie-第49部分

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the　twenty…four。〃　Her　voice；　in　order　to　reduce　itself　to　the　diapason
of　ordinary　conversation；　was　obliged　to　stifle　its　sound　as　other
voices　do　in　a　sick…room；　but　at　such　times　it　came　thick　and　muffled；
from　a　throat　accustomed　to　send　to　the　farthest　recesses　of　the
highest　garret　the　names　of　the　fish　in　their　season。　Her　nose；　a　la
Roxelane；　her　well…cut　lips；　her　blue　eyes；　and　all　that　formerly　made
up　her　beauty；　was　now　buried　in　folds　of　vigorous　flesh　which　told　of
the　habits　and　occupations　of　an　outdoor　life。　The　stomach　and　bosom
were　distinguished　for　an　amplitude　worthy　of　Rubens。

〃Do　you　want　to　make　me　lie　in　the　straw？〃　she　said　to　Cerizet。　〃What
do　I　care　for　the　Toupilliers？　Ain't　I　a　Toupillier　myself？　What　do
you　want　to　do　with　them；　those　Toupilliers？〃

This　savage　outburst　was　hastily　repressed　by　Cerizet；　who　uttered　a
prolonged　〃Hush…sh！〃　such　as　all　conspirators　obey。

〃Well；　go　and　find　out　all　you　can　about　it；　and　come　back　to　me；〃
said　Cerizet；　pushing　the　woman　toward　the　door；　and　whispering；　as　he
did　so；　a　few　words　in　her　ear。

〃Well；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　Theodose　to　Cerizet；　〃you　have　got　your
money？〃

〃Yes；〃　returned　Cerizet　〃we　have　measured　our　claws；　they　are　the　same
length；　the　same　strength；　and　the　same　sharpness。　What　next？〃

〃Am　I　to　tell　Dutocq　that　you　received；　last　night；　twenty…five
thousand　francs？〃

〃Oh！　my　dear　friend；　not　a　word；　if　you　love　me！〃　cried　Cerizet。

〃Listen；〃　said　Theodose。　〃I　must　know；　once　for　all；　what　you　want。　I
am　positively　determined　not　to　remain　twenty…four　hours　longer　on　the
gridiron　where　you　have　got　me。　Cheat　Dutocq　if　you　will；　I　am　utterly
indifferent　to　that；　but　I　intend　that　you　and　I　shall　come　to　an
understanding。　It　is　a　fortune　that　I　have　paid　you；　twenty…five
thousand　francs；　and　you　must　have　earned　ten　thousand　more　in　your
business；　it　is　enough　to　make　you　an　honest　man。　Cerizet；　if　you　will
leave　me　in　peace；　if　you　won't　prevent　my　marriage　with　Mademoiselle
Colleville；　I　shall　certainly　be　king's　attorney…general；　or　something
of　that　kind　in　Paris。　You　can't　do　better　than　make　sure　of　an
influence　in　that　sphere。〃

〃Here　are　my　conditions；　and　they　won't　allow　of　discussion；　you　can
take　them　or　leave　them。　You　will　obtain　for　me　the　lease　of
Thuillier's　new　house　for　eighteen　years；　and　I'll　hand　you　back　one
of　your　five　notes　cancelled；　and　you　shall　not　find　me　any　longer　in
your　way。　But　you　will　have　to　settle　with　Dutocq　for　the　remaining
four　notes。　You　got　the　better　of　ME；　and　I　know　Dutocq　hasn't　the
force　to　stand　against　you。〃

〃I'll　agree　to　that；　provided　you'll　pay　a　rent　of　forty…eight
thousand　francs　for　the　house；　the　last　year　in　advance；　and　begin　the
lease　in　October。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　shall　not　give　for　the　last　year's　rent　more　than　forty…
three　thousand　francs；　your　note　will　pay　the　remainder。　I　have　seen
the　house；　and　examined　it。　It　suits　me　very　well。〃

〃One　last　condition；〃　said　Theodose；　〃you'll　help　me　against　Dutocq？〃

〃No；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃you'll　cook　him　brown　yourself；　he　doesn't　need
any　basting　from　me；　he'll　give　out　his　gravy　fast　enough。　But　you
ought　to　be　reasonable。　The　poor　fellow　can't　pay　off　the　last　fifteen
thousand　francs　due　on　his　practice；　and　you　should　reflect　that
fifteen　thousand　francs　would　certainly　buy　back　your　notes。〃

〃Well；　give　me　two　weeks　to　get　your　lease〃

〃No；　not　a　day　later　than　Monday　next！　Tuesday　your　notes　will　be　in
Louchard's　hands；　unless　you　pay　them　Monday；　or　Thuillier　signs　the
lease。〃

〃Well；　Monday；　so　be　it！〃　said　Theodose；　〃are　we　friends？〃

〃We　shall　be　Monday；〃　responded　Cerizet。

〃Well；　then；　Monday　you'll　pay　for　my　dinner；〃　said　Theodose；
laughing。

〃Yes；　at　the　Rocher　de　Cancale；　if　I　have　the　lease。　Dutocq　shall　be
therewe'll　all　be　thereah！　it　is　long　since　I've　had　a　good
laugh。〃

Theodose　and　Cerizet　shook　hands；　saying；　reciprocally：

〃We'll　meet　soon。〃

Cerizet　had　not　calmed　down　so　suddenly　without　reasons。　In　the　first
place；　as　Desroches　once　said；　〃Bile　does　not　facilitate　business；〃
and　the　usurer　had　too　well　seen　the　justice　of　that　remark　not　to
coolly　resolve　to　get　something　out　of　his　position；　and　to　squeeze
the　jugular　vein　of　the　crafty　Provencal　until　he　strangled　him。

〃It　is　a　fair　revenge；〃　Desroches　said　to　him；　〃mind　you　extract　its
quintessence。　You　hold　that　fellow。〃

For　ten　years　past　Cerizet　had　seen　men　growing　rich　by　practising　the
trade　of　principal　tenant。　The　principal　tenant　is；　in　Paris；　to　the
owners　of　houses　what　farmers　are　to　country　landlords。　All　Paris　has
seen　one　of　its　great　tailors；　building　at　his　own　cost；　on　the　famous
site　of　Frascati；　one　of　the　most　sumptuous　of　houses；　and　paying；　as
principal　tenant；　fifty　thousand　francs　a　year　for　the　ground　rent　of
the　house；　which；　at　the　end　of　nineteen　years'　lease；　was　to　become
the　property　of　the　owner　of　the　land。　In　spite　of　the　costs　of
construction；　which　were　something　like　seven　hundred　thousand　francs；
the　profits　of　those　nineteen　years　proved；　in　the　end；　very　large。

Cerizet；　always　on　the　watch　for　business；　had　examined　the　chances
for　gain　offered　by　the　situation　of　the　house　which　Thuillier　had
STOLEN；as　he　said　to　Desroches；and　he　had　seen　the　possibility　of
letting　it　for　sixty　thousand　at　the　end　of　six　years。　There　were　four
shops；　two　on　each　side；　for　it　stood　on　a　boulevard　corner。　Cerizet
expected；　therefore；　to　get　clear　ten　thousand　a　year　for　a　dozen
years；　allowing　for　eventualities　and　sundries　attendant　on　renewal　of
leases。　He　therefore　proposed　to　himself　to　sell　his　money…lending
business　to　the　widow　Poiret　and　Cadenet　for　ten　thousand　francs；　he
already　possessed　thirty　thousand；　and　the　two　together　would　enable
him　to　pay　the　last　year's　rent　in　advance；　which　house…owners　in
Paris　usually　demand　as　a　guarantee　from　a　principal　tenant　on　a　long
lease。　Cerizet　had　spent　a　happy　night；　he　fell　asleep　in　a　glorious
dream；　he　saw　himself　in　a　fair　way　to　do　an　honest　business；　and　to
become　a　bourgeois　like　Thuillier；　like　Minard；　and　so　many　others。

But　he　had　a　waking　of　which　he　did　not　dream。　He　found　Fortune
standing　before　him；　and　emptying　her　gilded　horns　of　plenty　at　his
feet　in　the　person　of　Madame　Cardinal。　He　had　always　had　a　liking　for
the　woman；　and　had　promised　her　for　a　year　past　the　necessary　sum　to
buy　a　donkey　and　a　little　cart；　so　that　she　could　carry　on　her
business　on　a　large　scale；　and　go　from　Paris　to　the　suburbs。　Madame
Cardinal；　widow　of　a　porter　in　the　corn…market；　had　an　only　daughter；
whose　beauty　Cerizet　had　heard　of　from　some　of　the　mother's　cronies。
Olympe　Cardinal　was　about　thirteen　years　of　age　at　the　time；　1837；
when　Cerizet　began　his　system　of　loans　in　the　quarter；　and　with　a　view
to　an　infamous　libertinism；　he　had　paid　great　attention　to　the　mother；
whom　he　rescued　from　utter　misery；　hoping　to　make　Olympe　his　mistress。
But　suddenly；　in　1838；　the　girl　left　her　mother；　and　〃made　her　life；〃
to　use　an　expression　by　which　the　lower　classes　in　Paris　describe　the
abuse　of　the　most　precious　gifts　of　nature　and　youth。

To　look　for　a