the lesser bourgeoisie-第62部分

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〃But　where　the　devil；〃　said　the　usurer；　〃could　he　have　got　the　money？〃

〃Probably；〃　replied　Dutocq；　sarcastically；　〃where　he　got　that　with
which　he　paid　you　in　full　for　those　notes　you　sold　at　a　sacrifice。〃

〃My　dear　Dutocq；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃I'll　explain　to　you　the　circumstances
under　which　that　insolent　fellow　freed　himself；　and　you'll　see　if　he
didn't　rob　me　of　fifteen　thousand　francs。〃

〃Possibly；　but　you；　my　worthy　clerk；　were　trying　to　get　ten　thousand
away　from　me。〃

〃No；　no；　I　was　positively　ordered　to　buy　up　your　claim；　and　you　ought
to　remember　that　my　offer　had　risen　to　twenty　thousand　when　Theodose
came　in。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃when　we　leave　here　we'll　go　to　your　house；　where
you　will　give　me　those　notes；　for；　you'll　understand　that　to…morrow
morning；　at　the　earliest　decent　hour；　I　shall　go　to　la　Peyrade's
office；　I　don't　mean　to　let　his　paying　humor　cool。〃

〃And　right　you　are；　for　I　can　tell　you　now　that　before　long　there'll
be　a　fine　upset　in　his　life。〃

〃Then　the　thing　is　really　seriousthis　tale　of　a　crazy　woman　you　want
him　to　marry？　I　must　say　that　in　his　place；　with　these　money…matters
evidently　on　the　rise；　I　should　have　backed　out　of　your　proposals　just
as　he　did。　Ninas　and　Ophelias　are　all　very　well　on　the　stage；　but　in　a
home〃

〃In　a　home；　when　they　bring　a　'dot；'　we　can　be　their　guardian；〃
replied　Cerizet；　sententiously。　〃In　point　of　fact；　we　get　a　fortune
and　not　a　wife。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃that's　one　way　to　look　at　it。〃

〃If　you　are　willing；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃let　us　go　and　take　our　coffee
somewhere　else。　This　dinner　has　turned　out　so　foolishly　that　I　want　to
get　out　of　this　room；　where　there's　no　air。〃　He　rang　for　the　waiter。
〃Garcon！〃　he　said；　〃the　bill。〃

〃Monsieur；　it　is　paid。〃

〃Paid！　by　whom？〃

〃By　the　gentleman　who　just　went　out。〃

〃But　this　is　outrageous；〃　cried　Cerizet。　〃I　ordered　the　dinner；　and
you　allow　some　one　else　to　pay　for　it！〃

〃It　wasn't　I；　monsieur；〃　said　the　waiter；　〃the　gentleman　went　and　paid
the　'dame　du　comptoir'；　she　must　have　thought　it　was　arranged　between
you。　Besides；　it　is　not　so　uncommon　for　gentlemen　to　have　friendly
disputes　about　paying。〃

〃That's　enough；〃　said　Cerizet；　dismissing　the　waiter。

〃Won't　these　gentlemen　take　their　coffee？it　is　paid　for；〃　said　the
man　before　he　left　the　room。

〃A　good　reason　for　not　taking　it；〃　replied　Cerizet；　angrily。　〃It　is
really　inconceivable　that　in　a　house　of　this　kind　such　an　egregious
blunder　should　be　committed。　What　do　you　think　of　such　insolence？〃　he
added；　when　the　waiter　had　left　the　room。

〃Bah！〃　exclaimed　Dutocq；　taking　his　hat；　〃it　is　a　schoolboy
proceeding；　he　wanted　to　show　he　had　money；　it　is　easy　to　see　he　never
had　any　before。〃

〃No；　no！　that's　not　it；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃he　meant　to　mark　the　rupture。
'I　will　not　owe　you　even　a　dinner；'　is　what　he　says　to　me。〃

〃But；　after　all；〃　said　Dutocq；　〃this　banquet　was　given　to　celebrate
your　enthronement　as　principal　tenant　of　the　grand　house。　Well；　he　has
failed　to　get　you　the　lease；　and　I　can　understand　that　his　conscience
was　uneasy　at　letting　you　pay　for　a　dinner　which；　like　those　notes　of
mine；　were　an　'obligation　without　cause。'〃

Cerizet　made　no　reply　to　this　malicious　observation。　They　had　reached
the　counter　where　reigned　the　dame　who　had　permitted　the　improper
payment；　and；　for　the　sake　of　his　dignity；　the　usurer　thought　it
proper　to　make　a　fuss。　After　which　the　two　men　departed；　and　the
copying…clerk　took　his　employer　to　a　low　coffee…house　in　the　Passage
du　Saumon。　There　Cerizet　recovered　his　good…humor；　he　was　like　a　fish
out　of　water　suddenly　returned　to　his　native　element；　for　he　had
reached　that　state　of　degradation　when　he　felt　ill　at　ease　in　places
frequented　by　good　society；　and　it　was　with　a　sort　of　sensuous
pleasure　that　he　felt　himself　back　in　the　vulgar　place　where　they　were
noisily　playing　pool　for　the　benefit　of　a　〃former　conqueror　of　the
Bastille。〃

In　this　establishment　Cerizet　enjoyed　the　fame　of　being　a　skilful
billiard…player；　and　he　was　now　entreated　to　take　part　in　a　game
already　begun。　In　technical　language；　he　〃bought　his　ball〃；　that　is；
one　of　the　players　sold　him　his　turn　and　his　chances。　Dutocq　profited
by　this　arrangement　to　slip　away；　on　pretence　of　inquiring　for　a　sick
friend。

Presently；　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　with　a　pipe　between　his　lips；　Cerizet
made　one　of　those　masterly　strokes　which　bring　down　the　house　with
frantic　applause。　As　he　waited　a　moment；　looking　about　him
triumphantly；　his　eye　lighted　on　a　terrible　kill…joy。　Standing　among
the　spectators　with　his　chin　on　his　cane；　du　Portail　was　steadily
watching　him。

A　tinge　of　red　showed　itself　in　Cerizet's　cheeks。　He　hesitated　to　bow
or　to　recognize　the　old　gentleman；　a　most　unlikely　person　to　meet　in
such　a　place。　Not　knowing　how　to　take　the　unpleasant　encounter；　he
went　on　playing；　but　his　hand　betrayed　his　uneasiness；　and　presently
an　unlucky　stroke　threw　him　out　of　the　game。　While　he　was　putting　on
his　coat　in　a　tolerably　ill…humor；　du　Portail　passed；　almost　brushing
him；　on　his　way　to　the　door。

〃Rue　Montmartre；　at　the　farther　end　of　the　Passage；〃　said　the　old　man；
in　a　low　tone。

When　they　met；　Cerizet　had　the　bad　taste　to　try　to　explain　the
disreputable　position　in　which　he　had　just　been　detected。

〃But；〃　said　du　Portail；　〃in　order　to　see　you　there；　I　had　to　be　there
myself。〃

〃True；〃　returned　Cerizet。　〃I　was　rather　surprised　to　see　a　quiet
inhabitant　of　the　Saint…Sulpice　quarter　in　such　a　place。〃

〃It　merely　proves　to　you；〃　said　the　little　old　man；　in　a　tone　which
cut　short　all　explanation；　and　all　curiosity；　〃that　I　am　in　the　habit
of　going　pretty　nearly　everywhere；　and　that　my　star　leads　me　into　the
path　of　those　persons　whom　I　wish　to　meet。　I　was　thinking　of　you　at
the　very　moment　you　came　in。　Well；　what　have　you　done？〃

〃Nothing　good；〃　replied　Cerizet。　〃After　playing　me　a　devilish　trick
which　deprived　me　of　a　magnificent　bit　of　business；　our　man　rejected
your　overture　with　scorn。　There　is　no　hope　whatever　in　that　claim　of
Dutocq's；　for　la　Peyrade　is　chock…full　of　money；　he　wanted　to　pay　the
notes　just　now；　and　to…morrow　morning　he　will　certainly　do　so。〃

〃Does　he　regard　his　marriage　to　this　Demoiselle　Colleville　as　a
settled　thing？〃

〃He　not　only　considers　it　settled；　but　he　is　trying　now　to　make　people
believe　it　is　a　love…match。　He　rattled　off　a　perfect　tirade　to
convince　me　that　he　is　really　in　love。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　du　Portail；　wishing；　perhaps；　to　show　that　he　could；
on　occasion；　use　the　slang　of　a　low　billiard…room；　〃'stop　the　charge'〃
（meaning：　Do　nothing　more）；　〃I　will　undertake　to　bring　monsieur　to
reason。　But　come　and　see　me　to…morrow；　and　tell　me　all　about　the
family　he　intends　to　enter。　You　have　failed　in　this　affair；　but　don't
mind　that；　I　shall　have　others　for　you。〃

So　saying；　he　signed　to　the　driver　of　an　empty　citadine；　which　was
passing；　got　into　it；　and；　with　a　nod　to　Cerizet；　told　the　man　to
drive　to　the　rue　Honore…Chevalier。

As　Cerizet　walked　down　the　rue　Montmartre　to　regain　the　Estrapade
quarter；　he　puzzled　his　brains　to　divine　who　that　little　old　man　with
the　curt　speech；　the　imperious　manner；　an