the lesser bourgeoisie-第115部分

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Moreover；　I　don't　choose　to　give　myself　as　a　spectacle；　it　will　be
best　that　my　interview　with　Felix　Phellion　should　take　place　between
'four…eyes；'　as　they　say。〃

〃Well；　let　him　alone；　then；〃　said　Brigitte　to　Colleville。

No　one　insisted；the　old　man　having；　unconsciously；　pretty　nigh
discrowned　himself　in　the　opinion　of　the　company。　But　before　leaving；
the　careful　housewife　removed　everything　that　was　at　all　fragile　from
his　reach；　then；　by　way　of　a　slight　attention；　she　said：

〃Shall　I　send　you　some　coffee？〃

〃I'll　take　it；　madame；〃　responded　pere　Picot；　〃and　some　cognac　with
it。〃

〃Oh！　parbleu！　he　takes　everything；〃　said　Brigitte　to　the　male
domestic；　and　she　told　the　latter　to　keep　an　eye　on　the　old　madman。

When　Brigitte　returned　to　the　salon　she　found　that　the　Abbe　Gondrin
had　become　the　centre　of　a　great　circle　formed　by　nearly　the　whole
company；　and　as　she　approached；　she　heard　him　say：

〃I　thank　Heaven　for　bestowing　upon　me　such　a　pleasure。　I　have　never
felt　an　emotion　like　that　aroused　by　the　scene　we　have　just　witnessed；
even　the　rather　burlesque　form　of　this　confidence；　which　was　certainly
very　artless；　for　it　was　quite　involuntary；　only　adds　to　the　honor　of
the　surprising　generosity　it　revealed。　Placed　as　I　am　by　my　ministry
in　the　way　of　knowing　of　many　charities；　and　often　either　the　witness
or　intermediary　of　good　actions；　I　think　I　never　in　my　life　have　met
with　a　more　touching　or　a　more　ingenious　devotion。　To　keep　the　left
hand　ignorant　of　what　the　right　hand　does　is　a　great　step　in
Christianity；　but　to　go　so　far　as　to　rob　one's　self　of　one's　own　fame
to　benefit　another　under　such　conditions　is　the　gospel　applied　in　its
highest　precepts；　it　is　being　more　than　a　Sister　of　Charity；　it　is
doing　the　work　of　an　apostle　of　beneficence。　How　I　should　like　to　know
that　noble　young　man；　and　shake　him　by　the　hand。〃

With　her　arm　slipped　through　that　of　her　godmother；　Celeste　was
standing　very　near　the　priest；　her　ears　intent　upon　his　words；　her　arm
pressing　tighter　and　tighter　that　of　Madame　Thuillier；　as　the　abbe
analyzed　the　generous　action　of　Felix　Phellion；　until　at　last　she
whispered　under　her　breath：

〃You　hear；　godmother；　you　hear！〃

To　destroy　the　inevitable　effect　which　this　hearty　praise　would　surely
have　on　Celeste；　Thuillier　hastened　to　say：

〃Unfortunately；　Monsieur　l'abbe；　the　young　man　of　whom　you　speak　so
warmly　is　not　altogether　unknown　to　you。　I　have　had　occasion　to　tell
you　about　him；　and　to　regret　that　it　was　not　possible　to　follow　out
certain　plans　which　we　once　entertained　for　him；　I　allude　to　the　very
compromising　independence　he　affects　in　his　religious　opinions。〃

〃Ah！　is　that　the　young　man？〃　said　the　abbe；　〃you　surprise　me　much；　I
must　say　such　an　idea　would　never　have　crossed　my　mind。〃

〃You　will　see　him　presently；　Monsieur　l'abbe；〃　said　la　Peyrade；
joining　in　the　conversation；　〃and　if　you　question　him　on　certain
grounds　you　will　have　no　difficulty　in　discovering　the　ravages　that　a
love　of　science　can　commit　in　the　most　gifted　souls。〃

〃I　am　afraid　I　shall　not　see　him；〃　said　the　abbe；　〃as　my　black　gown
would　be　out　of　place　in　the　midst　of　the　more　earthly　gaiety　that
will　soon　fill　this　salon。　But　I　know；　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade；　that
you　are　a　man　of　sincerely　pious　convictions；　and　as；　without　any
doubt；　you　feel　as　much　interest　in　the　young　man's　welfare　as　I　do
myself；　I　shall　say　to　you　in　parting：　Do　not　be　uneasy　about　him；
sooner　or　later；　such　choice　souls　come　back　to　us；　and　if　the　return
of　these　prodigals　should　be　long　delayed　I　should　not　fear；　on　seeing
them　go　to　God；　that　His　infinite　mercy　would　fail　them。〃

So　saying；　the　abbe　looked　about　to　find　his　hat；　and　proceeded　to
slip　quietly　away。

Suddenly　a　fearful　uproar　was　heard。　Rushing　into　the　dining…room；
whence　came　a　sound　of　furniture　overturned　and　glasses　breaking；
Brigitte　found　Colleville　occupied　in　adjusting　his　cravat　and　looking
himself　over　to　be　sure　that　his　coat；　cruelly　pulled　awry；　bore　no
signs　of　being　actually　torn。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　cried　Brigitte。

〃It　is　that　old　idiot；〃　replied　Colleville；　〃who　is　in　a　fury。　I　came
to　take　my　coffee　with　him；　just　to　keep　him　company；　and　he　took　a
joke　amiss；　and　collared　me；　and　knocked　over　two　chairs　and　a　tray　of
glasses　because　Josephine　didn't　get　out　of　his　way　in　time。〃

〃It　is　all　because　you've　been　teasing　him；〃　said　Brigitte；　crossly；
〃why　couldn't　you　stay　in　the　salon　instead　of　coming　here　to　play
your　jokes；　as　you　call　them？　You　think　you　are　still　in　the　orchestra
of　the　Opera…Comique。〃

This　sharp　rebuke　delivered；　Brigitte；　like　the　resolute　woman　that
she　was；　saw　that　she　absolutely　must　get　rid　of　the　ferocious　old　man
who　threatened　her　household　with　flames　and　blood。　Accordingly；　she
approached　pere　Picot；　who　was　tranquilly　engaged　in　burning　brandy　in
his　saucer。

〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　at　the　top　of　her　lungs；　as　if　she　were　speaking
to　a　deaf　person　（evidently　thinking　that　a　blind　one　ought　to　be
treated　in　the　same　manner）；　〃I　have　come　to　tell　you　something　that
may　annoy　you。　Monsieur　and　Madame　Phellion　have　just　arrived；　and
they　inform　me　that　their　son；　Monsieur　Felix；　is　not　coming。　He　has　a
cold　and　a　sore…throat。〃

〃Then　he　got　it　this　afternoon　reading　that　lecture；〃　cried　the
professor；　joyfully。　〃That's　justice！Madame；　where　do　you　get　your
brandy？〃

〃Why；　at　my　grocer's；〃　replied　Brigitte；　taken　aback　by　the　question。

〃Well；　madame；　I　ought　to　tell　you　that　in　a　house　where　one　can　drink
such　excellent　champagne；　which　reminds　me　of　that　we　used　to　quaff　at
the　table　of　Monsieur　de　Fontanes；　grand…master　of　the　University；　it
is　shameful　to　keep　such　brandy。　I　tell　you；　with　the　frankness　I　put
into　everything；　that　it　is　good　only　to　wash　your　horses'　feet；　and
if　I　had　not　the　resource　of　burning　it〃

〃He　is　the　devil　in　person；〃　thought　Brigitte；　〃not　a　word　of　excuse
about　all　that　glass；　but　he　must　needs　fall　foul　of　my　brandy　too！
Monsieur；〃　she　resumed；　in　the　same　raised　diapason；　〃as　Monsieur
Felix　is　not　coming；　don't　you　think　your　family　will　be　uneasy　at
your　absence？〃

〃Family？　I　haven't　any；　madame；　owing　to　the　fact　that　they　want　to
make　me　out　a　lunatic。　But　I　have　a　housekeeper；　Madame　Lambert；　and　I
dare　say　she　will　be　surprised　not　to　see　me　home　by　this　time。　I
think　I　had　better　go　now；　if　I　stay　later；　the　scene　might　be　more
violent。　But　I　must　own　that　in　this　strange　quarter　I　am　not　sure　if
I　can　find　my　way。〃

〃Then　take　a　carriage。〃

〃Carriage　here；　carriage　there；　indeed！　my　spiteful　relations　wouldn't
lose　the　chance　of　calling　me　a　spendthrift。〃

〃I　have　an　important　message　to　send　into　your　quarter；〃　said
Brigitte；　seeing　she　must　resolve　to　make　the　sacrifice；　〃and　I　have
just　told　my　porter　to　take　a　cab　and　attend　to　it。　If　you　would　like
to　take　advantage　of　that　convenience〃

〃I　accept　it；　madame；〃　said　the　old　professor；　rising；　〃and；　if　it
comes　to　the　worst；　I　hope　you　will　testify　before　the　judge　that　I
was　niggardly　about　a　cab。〃

〃Henri；〃　said　Brigitte　to　the　man…servant；　〃take　monsieur　down　to　the
porter　and　tell　him　to　do