the lesser bourgeoisie-第132部分

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Left　alone；　Theodose　was　a　prey　to　thoughts　which　may　perhaps　be
imagined。　After　a　while　the　door　opened；　and　Bruneau；　the　old　valet；
ushered　in　Cerizet。　Seeing　la　Peyrade；　the　latter　exclaimed：

〃Ha！　ha！　I　knew　it！　I　knew　you　would　end　by　seeing　du　Portail。　And　the
marriage；how　does　that　come　on？〃

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。

〃Something　that　concerns　you；　or　rather；　something　that　we　must　do
together。　Du　Portail；　who　is　too　busy　to　attend　to　business　just　now；
has　sent　me　in　here　to　see　you；　and　consult　as　to　the　best　means　of
putting　a　spoke　in　Thuillier's　election；　it　seems　that　the　government
is　determined　to　prevent　his　winning　it。　Have　you　any　ideas　about　it？〃

〃No；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃and　I　don't　feel　in　the　mood　just　now　to　be
imaginative。〃

〃Well；　here's　the　situation；〃　said　Cerizet。　〃The　government　has
another　candidate；　which　it　doesn't　yet　produce；　because　the
ministerial　negotiations　with　him　have　been　rather　difficult。　During
this　time　Thuillier's　chances　have　been　making　headway。　Minard；　on
whom　they　counted　to　create　a　diversion；　sits；　the　stupid　fool；　in　his
corner；　the　seizure　of　that　pamphlet　has　given　your　blockhead　of　a
protege　a　certain　perfume　of　popularity。　In　short；　the　ministry　are
afraid　he'll　be　elected；　and　nothing　could　be　more　disagreeable　to
them。　Pompous　imbeciles；　like　Thuillier；　are　horribly　embarrassing　in
the　Opposition；　they　are　pitchers　without　handles；　you　can't　take　hold
of　them　anywhere。〃

〃Monsieur　Cerizet；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　beginning　to　assume　a　protecting
tone；　and　wishing　to　discover　his　late　associate's　place　in　Corentin's
confidence；　〃you　seem　to　know　a　good　deal　about　the　secret　intentions
of　the　government；　have　you　found　your　way　to　a　certain　desk　in　the
rue　de　Grenelle？〃

〃No。　All　that　I　tell　you；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃I　get　from　du　Portail。〃

〃Ah　ca！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　lowering　his　voice；　〃who　IS　du　Portail？　You
seem　to　have　known　him　for　some　time。　A　man　of　your　force　ought　to
have　discovered　the　real　character　of　a　man　who　seems　to　me　to　be
rather　mysterious。〃

〃My　friend；〃　replied　Cerizet；　〃du　Portail　is　a　pretty　strong　man。　He's
an　old　slyboots；　who　has　had　some　post；　I　fancy；　in　the　administration
of　the　national　domain；　or　something　of　that　kind；　under　government；
in　which；　I　think；　he　must　have　been　employed　in　the　departments
suppressed　under　the　Empire。〃

〃Yes？〃　said　la　Peyrade。

〃That's　where　I　think　he　made　his　money；〃　continued　Cerizet；　〃and
being　a　shrewd　old　fellow；　and　having　a　natural　daughter　to　marry；　he
has　concocted　this　philanthropic　tale　of　her　being　the　daughter　of　an
old　friend　named　Peyrade；　and　your　name　being　the　same　may　have　given
him　the　idea　of　fastening　upon　youfor；　after　all；　he　has　to　marry
her　to　somebody。〃

〃Yes；　that's　all　very　well；　but　his　close　relations　with　the
government；　and　the　interest　he　takes　in　elections；　how　do　you　explain
all　that？〃

〃Naturally　enough；〃　replied　Cerizet。　〃Du　Portail　is　a　man　who　loves
money；　and　likes　to　handle　it；　he　has　done　Rastignac；　that　great
manipulator　of　elections；　who　is；　I　think；　his　compatriot；　several
signal　services　as　an　amateur；　Rastignac；　in　return；　gives　him
information；　obtained　through　Nucingen；　which　enables　him　to　gamble　at
the　Bourse。〃

〃Did　he　himself　tell　you　all　this？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。

〃What　do　you　take　me　for？〃　returned　Cerizet。　〃With　that　worthy　old
fellow；　from　whom　I　have　already　wormed　a　promise　of　thirty　thousand
francs；　I　play　the　ninny；　I　flatten　myself　to　nothing。　But　I've　made
Bruneau　talk；　that　old　valet　of　his。　You　can　safely　ally　yourself　to
his　family；　my　dear　fellow；　du　Portail　is　powerfully　rich；　he'll　get
you　made　sub…prefect　somewhere；　and　thence　to　a　prefecture　and　a
fortune　is　but　one　step。〃

〃Thanks　for　the　information；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃at　least；　I　shall　know
on　which　foot　to　hop。　But　you　yourself；　how　came　you　to　know　him？〃

〃Oh！　that's　quite　a　history；　by　my　help　he　was　able　to　get　back　a　lot
of　diamonds　which　had　been　stolen　from　him。〃

At　this　moment　Corentin　entered　the　room。

〃All　is　well；〃　he　said　to　la　Peyrade。　〃There　are　signs　of　returning
reason。　Bianchon；　to　whom　I　have　told　all；　wishes　to　confer　with　you；
therefore；　my　dear　Monsieur　Cerizet；　we　will　postpone　until　this
evening；　if　you　are　willing；　our　little　study　over　the　Thuillier
election。〃

〃Well；　so　here　you　have　him；　at　last！〃　said　Cerizet；　slapping　la
Peyrade's　shoulder。

〃Yes；〃　said　Corentin；　〃and　you　know　what　I　promised；　you　may　rely　on
that。〃

Cerizet　departed　joyful。



CHAPTER　XVI

CHECKMATE　TO　THUILLIER

The　day　after　that　evening；　when　Corentin；　la　Peyrade；　and　Cerizet
were　to　have　had　their　consultation　in　reference　to　the　attack　on
Thuillier's　candidacy；　the　latter　was　discussing　with　his　sister
Brigitte　the　letter　in　which　Theodose　declined　the　hand　of　Celeste；
and　his　mind　seemed　particularly　to　dwell　on　the　postscript　where　it
was　intimated　that　la　Peyrade　might　not　continue　the　editor　of　the
〃Echo　de　la　Bievre。〃　At　this　moment　Henri；　the　〃male　domestic；〃
entered　the　room　to　ask　if　his　master　would　receive　Monsieur　Cerizet。

Thuillier's　first　impulse　was　to　deny　himself　to　that　unwelcome
visitor。　Then；　thinking　better　of　it；　he　reflected　that　if　la　Peyrade
suddenly　left　him　in　the　lurch；　Cerizet　might　possibly　prove　a
precious　resource。　Consequently；　he　ordered　Henri　to　show　him　in。　His
manner；　however；　was　extremely　cold；　and　in　some　sort　expectant。　As
for　Cerizet；　he　presented　himself　without　the　slightest　embarrassment
and　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　had　calculated　all　the　consequences　of
the　step　he　was　taking。

〃Well；　my　dear　monsieur；〃　he　began；　〃I　suppose　by　this　time　you　have
been　posted　as　to　the　Sieur　la　Peyrade。〃

〃What　may　you　mean　by　that？〃　said　Thuillier；　stiffly。

〃Well；　the　man；〃　replied　Cerizet；　〃who；　after　intriguing　to　marry　your
goddaughter；　breaks　off　the　marriage　abruptlyas　he　will；　before
long；　break　that　lion's…share　contract　he　made　you　sign　about　his
editorshipcan't　be；　I　should　suppose；　the　object　of　the　same　blind
confidence　you　formerly　reposed　in　him。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Thuillier；　hastily；　〃then　do　you　know　anything　about　la
Peyrade's　intention　of　leaving　the　newspaper？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　other；　〃on　the　terms　I　now　am　with　him；　you　can　readily
believe　we　don't　see　each　other；　still　less　should　I　receive　his
confidences。　But　I　draw　the　induction　from　the　well…known　character　of
the　person；　and　you　may　be　sure　that　when　he　finds　it　for　his　interest
to　leave　you；　he'll　throw　you　away　like　an　old　coatI've　passed　that
way；　and　I　speak　from　experience。〃

〃Then　you　must　have　had　some　difficulties　with　him　before　you　joined
my　paper？〃　said　Thuillier；　interrogatively。

〃Parbleu！〃　replied　Cerizet；　〃the　affair　of　this　house　which　he　helped
you　to　buy　was　mine；　I　started　that　hare。　He　was　to　put　me　in　relation
with　you；　and　make　me　the　principal　tenant　of　the　house。　But　the
unfortunate　affair　of　that　bidding…in　gave　him　a　chance　to　knock　me
out　of　everything　and　get　all　the　profits　for　himself。〃

〃Profits！〃　exclaimed　Thuillier。　〃I　don't　see　that　he　got　anything　out
of　that　transaction；　except　the　marriage