the lesser bourgeoisie-第30部分

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in…law。　〃Monsieur　Phellion；　open　the　champagne；　that　bottle　is　for　you
three。　Monsieur　Dutocq；　take　this　one。　Monsieur　Colleville；　you　know
how　to　pop　corks！〃

The　two　maids　distributed　champagne　glasses；　also　claret　glasses；　and
wine　glasses。　Josephine　also　brought　three　more　bottles　of　Bordeaux。

〃The　year　of　the　comet！〃　cried　Thuillier；　laughing；　〃Messieurs；　you
have　turned　my　sister's　head。〃

〃And　this　evening　you　shall　have　punch　and　cakes；〃　she　said。　〃I　have
sent　to　the　chemists　for　some　tea。　Heavens！　if　I　had　only　known　the
affair　concerned　an　election；〃　she　cried；　looking　at　her　sister…in…
law；　〃I'd　have　served　the　turkey。〃

A　general　laugh　welcomed　this　speech。

〃We　have　a　goose！〃　said　Minard　junior。

〃The　carts　are　unloading！〃　cried　Madame　Thuillier；　as　〃marrons　glaces〃
and　〃meringues〃　were　placed　upon　the　table。

Mademoiselle　Thuillier's　face　was　blazing。　She　was　really　superb　to
behold。　Never　did　sisterly　love　assume　such　a　frenzied　expression。

〃To　those　who　know　her；　it　is　really　touching；〃　remarked　Madame
Colleville。

The　glasses　were　filled。　The　guests　all　looked　at　one　another；
evidently　expecting　a　toast；　whereupon　la　Peyrade　said：

〃Messieurs；　let　us　drink　to　something　sublime。〃

Everybody　looked　curious。

〃To　Mademoiselle　Brigitte！〃

They　all　rose；　clinked　glasses；　and　cried　with　one　voice；
〃Mademoiselle　Brigitte！〃　so　much　enthusiasm　did　the　exhibition　of　a
true　feeling　excite。

〃Messieurs；〃　said　Phellion；　reading　from　a　paper　written　in　pencil；
〃To　work　and　its　splendors；　in　the　person　of　our　former　comrade；　now
become　one　of　the　mayors　of　Paris；to　Monsieur　Minard　and　his　wife！〃

After　five　minutes'　general　conversation　Thuillier　rose　and　said：

〃Messieurs；　To　the　King　and　the　royal　family！　I　add　nothing；　the　toast
says　all。〃

〃To　the　election　of　my　brother！〃　said　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　a　moment
later。

〃Now　I'll　make　you　laugh；〃　whispered　la　Peyrade　in　Flavie's　ear。

And　he　rose。

〃To　Woman！〃　he　said；　〃that　enchanting　sex　to　whom　we　owe　our
happiness；not　to　speak　of　our　mothers；　our　sisters；　and　our　wives！〃

This　toast　excited　general　hilarity；　and　Colleville；　already　somewhat
gay；　exclaimed：

〃Rascal！　you　have　stolen　my　speech！〃

The　mayor　then　rose；　profound　silence　reigned。

〃Messieurs；　our　institutions！　from　which　come　the　strength　and
grandeur　of　dynastic　France！〃

The　bottles　disappeared　amid　a　chorus　of　admiration　as　to　the
marvellous　goodness　and　delicacy　of　their　contents。

Celeste　Colleville　here　said　timidly：

〃Mamma；　will　you　permit　me　to　give　a　toast？〃

The　good　girl　had　noticed　the　dull；　bewildered　look　of　her　godmother；
neglected　and　forgotten；she；　the　mistress　of　that　house；　wearing
almost　the　expression　of　a　dog　that　is　doubtful　which　master　to　obey；
looking　from　the　face　of　her　terrible　sister…in…law　to　that　of
Thuillier；　consulting　each　countenance；　and　oblivious　of　herself；　but
joy　on　the　face　of　that　poor　helot；　accustomed　to　be　nothing；　to
repress　her　ideas；　her　feelings；　had　the　effect　of　a　pale　wintry　sun
behind　a　mist；　it　barely　lighted　her　faded；　flabby　flesh。　The　gauze
cap　trimmed　with　dingy　flowers；　the　hair　ill…dressed；　the　gloomy　brown
gown；　with　no　ornament　but　a　thick　gold　chainall；　combined　with　the
expression　of　her　countenance；　stimulated　the　affection　of　the　young
Celeste；　whoalone　in　the　worldknew　the　value　of　that　woman
condemned　to　silence　but　aware　of　all　about　her；　suffering　from　all
yet　consoling　herself　in　God　and　in　the　girl　who　now　was　watching　her。

〃Yes；　let　the　dear　child　give　us　her　little　toast；〃　said　la　Peyrade　to
Madame　Colleville。

〃Go　on；　my　daughter；〃　cried　Colleville；　〃here's　the　hermitage　still　to
be　drunkand　it's　hoary　with　age；〃　he　added。

〃To　my　kind　godmother！〃　said　the　girl；　lowering　her　glass　respectfully
before　Madame　Thuillier；　and　holding　it　towards　her。

The　poor　woman；　startled；　looked　through　a　veil　of　tears　first　at　her
husband；　and　then　at　Brigitte；　but　her　position　in　the　family　was　so
well　known；　and　the　homage　paid　by　innocence　to　weakness　had　something
so　beautiful　about　it；　that　the　emotion　was　general；　the　men　all　rose
and　bowed　to　Madame　Thuillier。

〃Ah！　Celeste；　I　would　I　had　a　kingdom　to　lay　at　your　feet；〃　murmured
Felix　Phellion。

The　worthy　Phellion　wiped　away　a　tear。　Dutocq　himself　was　moved。

〃Oh！　the　charming　child！〃　cried　Mademoiselle　Thuillier；　rising；　and
going　round　to　kiss　her　sister…in…law。

〃My　turn　now！〃　said　Colleville；　posing　like　an　athlete。　〃Now　listen：
To　friendship！　Empty　your　glasses；　refill　your　glasses。　Good！　To　the
fine　arts；the　flower　of　social　life！　Empty　your　glasses；　refill　your
glasses。　To　another　such　festival　on　the　day　after　election！〃

〃What　is　that　little　bottle　you　have　there？〃　said　Dutocq　to
Mademoiselle　Thuillier。

〃That；〃　she　said；　〃is　one　of　my　three　bottles　of　Madame　Amphoux'
liqueur；　the　second　is　for　the　day　of　Celeste's　marriage；　the　third
for　the　day　on　which　her　first　child　is　baptized。〃

〃My　sister　is　losing　her　head；〃　remarked　Thuillier　to　Colleville。

The　dinner　ended　with　a　toast；　offered　by　Thuillier；　but　suggested　to
him　by　Theodose　at　the　moment　when　the　malaga　sparkled　in　the　little
glasses　like　so　many　rubies。

〃Colleville；　messieurs；　has　drunk　to　FRIENDSHIP。　I　now　drink；　in　this
most　generous　wine；　To　my　friends！〃

An　hurrah；　full　of　heartiness；　greeted　that　fine　sentiment；　but　Dutocq
remarked　aside　to　Theodose：

〃It　is　a　shame　to　pour　such　wine　down　the　throats　of　such　people。〃

〃Ah！　if　we　could　only　make　such　wine　as　that！〃　cried　Zelie；　making　her
glass　ring　by　the　way　in　which　she　sucked　down　the　Spanish　liquid。
〃What　fortunes　we　could　get！〃

Zelie　had　now　reached　her　highest　point　of　incandescence；　and　was
really　alarming。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Minard；　〃but　ours　is　made。〃

〃Don't　you　think；　sister；〃　said　Brigitte　to　Madame　Thuillier；　〃that　we
had　better　take　coffee　in　the　salon？〃

Madame　Thuillier　obediently　assumed　the　air　of　mistress　of　the　house；
and　rose。

〃Ah！　you　are　a　great　wizard；〃　said　Flavie　Colleville；　accepting　la
Peyrade's　arm　to　return　to　the　salon。

〃And　yet　I　care　only　to　bewitch　you；〃　he　answered。　〃I　think　you　more
enchanting　than　ever　this　evening。〃

〃Thuillier；〃　she　said；　to　evade　the　subject；　〃Thuillier　made　to　think
himself　a　political　character！　oh！　oh！〃

〃But；　my　dear　Flavie；　half　the　absurdities　of　life　are　the　result　of
such　conspiracies；　and　men　are　not　alone　in　these　deceptions。　In　how
many　families　one　sees　the　husband；　children；　and　friends　persuading　a
silly　mother　that　she　is　a　woman　of　sense；　or　an　old　woman　of　fifty
that　she　is　young　and　beautiful。　Hence；　inconceivable　contrarieties
for　those　who　go　about　the　world　with　their　eyes　shut。　One　man　owes
his　ill…savored　conceit　to　the　flattery　of　a　mistress；　another　owes
his　versifying　vanity　to　those　who　are　paid　to　call　him　a　great　poet。
Every　family　has　its　great　man；　and　the　result　is；　as　we　see　it　in　the
Chamber；　general　obscurity　of　the　lights　of　France。　Well；　men　of　real
mind　are　laughing　to　themselves　about　it；　that's　all。　You　are　the　mind
and　the　beauty　of　this　little　circle　of　the　petty　bourgeoisie；　it　is
this　superior