the lesser bourgeoisie-第71部分

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who　have　set　themselves；　in　an　underhand　way；　to　destroy　me；　and
Brigitte　has　only　one　thought；　and　that　is；　how　to　find　a　decent　way
of　not　keeping　her　promises。　Men　like　me　don't　wait　till　their　claims
are　openly　protested；　and　I　certainly　do　not　intend　to　impose　myself
on　any　family；　still；　I　was　far；　I　acknowledge；　from　expecting　such
treatment。〃

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Thuillier；　kindly；　seeing　in　the　barrister's　eye
the　glint　of　a　tear　of　which　he　was　completely　the　dupe；　〃I　don't　know
what　Brigitte　may　have　been　doing　to　you；　but　one　thing　is　very
certain：　I　have　never　ceased　to　be　your　most　devoted　friend。〃

〃No；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃since　that　mishap　about　the　cross　I　am　only
good；　as　the　saying　is；　to　throw　to　the　dogs。　How　could　I　have
struggled　against　secret　influences？　Possibly　it　is　that　pamphlet；
about　which　you　have　talked　a　great　deal　too　much；　that　has　hindered
your　appointment。　The　ministers　are　so　stupid！　They　would　rather　wait
and　have　their　hand　forced　by　the　fame　of　the　publication　than　do　the
thing　with　a　good　grace　as　the　reward　of　your　services。　But　these　are
political　mysteries　which　would　never　enter　your　sister's　mind。〃

〃The　devil！〃　cried　Thuillier。　〃I　think　I've　got　a　pretty　observing
eye；　and　yet　I　can't　see　the　slightest　change　in　Brigitte　toward　you。〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃your　eyesight　is　so　good　that　you　have
never　seen　perpetually　beside　her　that　Madame　de　Godollo；　whom　she　now
thinks　she　can't　live　without。〃

〃Ha；　ha！〃　said　Thuillier；　slyly；　〃so　it　is　a　little　jealousy；　is　it；
in　our　mind？〃

〃Jealousy！〃　retorted　la　Peyrade。　〃I　don't　know　if　that's　the　right
word；　but　certainly　your　sisterwhose　mind　is　nothing　above　the
ordinary；　and　to　whom　I　am　surprised　that　a　man　of　your　intellectual
superiority　allows　a　supremacy　in　your　household　which　she　uses　and
abuses〃

〃How　can　I　help　it；　my　dear　fellow；〃　interrupted　Thuillier；　sucking　in
the　compliment；　〃she　is　so　absolutely　devoted　to　me。〃

〃I　admit　the　weakness；　but；　I　repeat；　your　sister　doesn't　fit　into
your　groove。　Well；　I　say　that　when　a　man　of　the　value　which　you　are
good　enough　to　recognize　in　me；　does　her　the　honor　to　consult　her　and
devote　himself　to　her　as　I　have　done；　it　can　hardly　be　agreeable　to
him　to　find　himself　supplanted　by　a　woman　who　comes　from　nobody　knows
whereand　all　because　of　a　few　trumpery　chairs　and　tables　she　has
helped　her　to　buy！〃

〃With　women；　as　you　know　very　well；〃　replied　Thuillier；　〃household
affairs　have　the　first　place。〃

〃And　Brigitte；　who　wants　a　finger　in　everything；　also　assumes　to　carry
matters　with　a　high　hand　in　affairs　of　the　heart。　As　you　are　so
extraordinarily　clear…sighted　you　ought　to　have　seen　that　in
Brigitte's　mind　nothing　is　less　certain　than　my　marriage　with
Mademoiselle　Colleville；　and　yet　my　love　has　been　solemnly　authorized
by　you。〃

〃Good　gracious！〃　cried　Thuillier；　〃I'd　like　to　see　any　one　attempt　to
meddle　with　my　arrangements！〃

〃Well；　without　speaking　of　Brigitte；　I　can　tell　you　of　another
person；〃　said　Theodose；　〃who　is　doing　that　very　thing；　and　that　person
is　Mademoiselle　Celeste　herself。　In　spite　of　their　quarrels　about
religion；　her　mind　is　none　the　less　full　of　that　little　Phellion。〃

〃But　why　don't　you　tell　Flavie　to　put　a　stop　to　it？〃

〃No　one　knows　Flavie；　my　dear　Thuillier；　better　than　you。　She　is　a
woman　rather　than　a　mother。　I　have　found　it　necessary　to　do　a　little
bit　of　courting　to　her　myself；　and；　you　understand；　while　she　is
willing　for　this　marriage　she　doesn't　desire　it　very　much。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃I'll　undertake　to　speak　to　Celeste　myself。　It
shall　never　be　said　that　a　slip　of　a　girl　lays　down　the　law　to　me。〃

〃That's　exactly　what　I　don't　want　you　to　do；〃　cried　la　Peyrade。　〃Don't
meddle　in　all　this。　Outside　of　your　relations　to　your　sister　you　have
an　iron　will；　and　I　will　never　have　it　said　that　you　exerted　your
authority　to　put　Celeste　in　my　arms；　on　the　contrary；　I　desire　that
the　child　may　have　complete　control　over　her　own　heart。　The　only　thing
I　request　is　that　she　shall　decide　positively　between　Felix　Phellion
and　myself；　because　I　do　not　choose　to　remain　any　longer　in　this
doubtful　position。　It　is　true　we　agreed　that　the　marriage　should　only
take　place　after　you　became　a　deputy；　but　I　feel　now　that　it　is
impossible　to　allow　the　greatest　event　of　my　life　to　remain　at　the
mercy　of　doubtful　circumstances。　And；　besides；　such　an　arrangement；
though　at　first　agreed　upon；　seems　to　me　now　to　have　a　flavor　of　a
bargain　which　is　unbecoming　to　both　of　us。　I　think　I　had　better　make
you　a　confidence；　to　which　I　am　led　by　the　unpleasant　state　of　things
now　between　us。　Dutocq　may　have　told　you；　before　you　left　the
apartment　in　the　rue　Saint…Dominique；　that　an　heiress　had　been　offered
to　me　whose　immediate　fortune　is　larger　than　that　which　Mademoiselle
Colleville　will　eventually　inherit。　I　refused；　because　I　have　had　the
folly　to　let　my　heart　be　won；　and　because　an　alliance　with　a　family　as
honorable　as　yours　seemed　to　me　more　desirable；　but；　after　all；　it　is
as　well　to　let　Brigitte　know　that　if　Celeste　refuses　me；　I　am　not
absolutely　turned　out　into　the　cold。〃

〃I　can　easily　believe　that；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃but　as　for　putting　the
whole　decision　into　the　hands　of　that　little　girl；　especially　if　she
has；　as　you　tell　me；　a　fancy　for　Felix〃

〃I　can't　help　it；〃　said　the　barrister。　〃I　must；　at　any　price；　get　out
of　this　position；　it　is　no　longer　tenable。　You　talk　about　your
pamphlet；　I　am　not　in　a　fit　condition　to　finish　it。　You；　who　have　been
a　man　of　gallantry；　you　must　know　the　dominion　that　women；　fatal
creatures！　exercise　over　our　whole　being。〃

〃Bah！〃　said　Thuillier；　conceitedly；　〃they　cared　for　me；　but　I　did　not
often　care　for　them；　I　took　them；　and　left　them；　you　know。〃

〃Yes；　but　I；　with　my　Southern　nature；　love　passionately；　and　Celeste
has　other　attractions　besides　fortune。　Brought　up　in　your　household；
under　your　own　eye；　you　have　made　her　adorable。　Only；　I　must　say；　you
have　shown　great　weakness　in　letting　that　young　fellow；　who　does　not
suit　her　in　any　respect；　get　such　hold　upon　her　fancy。〃

〃You　are　quite　right；　but　the　thing　began　in　a　childish　friendship；
she　and　Felix　played　together。　You　came　much　later；　and　it　is　a　proof
of　the　great　esteem　in　which　we　hold　you；　that　when　you　made　your
offer　we　renounced　our　earlier　projects。〃

〃YOU　did；　yes；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃and　with　some　literary　manias
which；　after　all；　are　frequently　full　of　sense　and　wityou　have　a
heart　of　gold；　with　you　friendship　is　a　sure　thing；　and　you　know　what
you　mean。　But　Brigitte　is　another　matter；　you'll　see；　when　you　propose
to　her　to　hasten　the　marriage；　what　a　resistance　she　will　make。〃

〃I　don't　agree　with　you。　I　think　that　Brigitte　has　always　wanted　you
and　still　wants　you　for　son…in…lawif　I　may　so　express　myself。　But
whether　she　does　or　not；　I　beg　you　to　believe　that　in　all　important
matters　I　know　how　to　have　my　will　obeyed。　Only；　let　us　come　now　to　a
distinct　understanding　of　what　you　wish；　then　we　can　start　with　the
right　foot　foremost；　and　you'll　see　that　all　will　go　well。〃

〃I　wish；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃to　put　the　last　touches　to　your
pa