the lesser bourgeoisie-第50部分

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abuse　of　the　most　precious　gifts　of　nature　and　youth。

To　look　for　a　girl　in　Paris　is　to　look　for　a　smelt　in　the　Seine；
nothing　but　chance　can　throw　her　into　the　net。　The　chance　came。　Mere
Cardinal；　who　to　entertain　a　neighbor　had　taken　her　to　the　Bobino
theatre；　recognized　in　the　leading　lady　her　own　daughter；　whom　the
first　comedian　had　held　under　his　control　for　three　years。　The　mother；
gratified　at　first　at　beholding　her　daughter　in　a　fine　gown　of　gold
brocade；　her　hair　dressed　like　that　of　a　duchess；　and　wearing　open…
worked　stockings；　satin　shoes；　and　receiving　the　plaudits　of　the
audience；　ended　by　screaming　out　from　her　seat　in　the　gallery：

〃You　shall　soon　hear　of　me；　murderer　of　your　own　mother！　I'll　know
whether　miserable　strolling…players　have　the　right　to　come　and　debauch
young　girls　of　sixteen！〃

She　waited　at　the　stage…door　to　capture　her　daughter；　but　the　first
comedian　and　the　leading　lady　had　no　doubt　jumped　across　the
footlights　and　left　the　theatre　with　the　audience；　instead　of　issuing
by　the　stage…door；　where　Madame　Cardinal　and　her　crony；　Mere
Mahoudeau；　made　an　infernal　rumpus；　which　two　municipal　guards　were
called　upon　to　pacify。　Those　august　personages；　before　whom　the　two
women　lowered　the　diapason　of　their　voices；　called　the　mother's
attention　to　the　fact　that　the　girl　was　of　legitimate　theatrical　age；
and　that　instead　of　screaming　at　the　door　after　the　director；　she
could　summon　him　before　the　justice…of…peace；　or　the　police…court；
whichever　she　pleased。

The　next　day　Madame　Cardinal　intended　to　consult　Cerizet；　in　view　of
the　fact　that　he　was　a　clerk　in　the　office　of　the　justice…of…peace；
but；　before　reaching　his　lair　in　the　rue　des　Poules；　she　was　met　by
the　porter　of　a　house　in　which　an　uncle　of　hers；　a　certain　Toupillier；
was　living；　who　told　her　that　the　old　man　hadn't　probably　two　days　to
live；　being　then　in　the　last　extremity。

〃Well；　how　do　you　expect　me　to　help　it？〃　replied　the　widow　Cardinal。

〃We　count　on　you；　my　dear　Madame　Cardinal；　we　know　you　won't　forget
the　good　advice　we'll　give　you。　Here's　the　thing。　Lately；　your　poor
uncle；　not　being　able　to　stir　round；　has　trusted　me　to　go　and　collect
the　rents　of　his　house；　rue　Notre…Dame　de　Nazareth；　and　the　arrears　of
his　dividends　at　the　Treasury；　which　come　to　eighteen　hundred　francs。〃

By　this　time　the　widow　Cardinal's　eyes　were　becoming　fixed　instead　of
wandering。

〃Yes；　my　dear；〃　continued　Perrache；　a　hump…backed　little　concierge；
〃and；　seeing　that　you　are　the　only　person　who　ever　thinks　about　him；
and　that　you　come　and　see　him　sometimes；　and　bring　him　fish；　perhaps
he　may　make　a　bequest　in　your　favor。　My　wife；　who　has　been　nursing　him
for　the　last　few　days　since　he　has　been　so　ill；　spoke　to　him　of　you；
but　he　wouldn't　have　you　told　about　his　illness。　But　now；　don't　you
see；　it　is　high　time　you　should　show　yourself　there。　It　is　pretty　nigh
two　months　since　he　has　been　able　to　attend　to　business。〃

〃You　may　well　think；　you　old　thief；〃　replied　Madame　Cardinal；　hurrying
at　top　speed　toward　the　rue　Honore…Chevalier；　where　her　uncle　lived　in
a　wretched　garret；　〃that　the　hair　would　grow　on　my　hand　before　I　could
ever　imagine　that。　What！　my　uncle　Toupillier　rich！　the　old　pauper　of
the　church　of　Saint…Sulpice！〃

〃Ah！〃　returned　the　porter；　〃but　he　fed　well。　He　went　to　bed　every
night　with　his　best　friend；　a　big　bottle　of　Roussillon。　My　wife　has
tasted　it；　though　he　told　us　it　was　common　stuff。　The　wine…merchant　in
the　rue　des　Canettes　supplies　it　to　him。〃

〃Don't　say　a　word　about　all　this；〃　said　the　widow；　when　she　parted
from　the　man　who　had　given　her　the　information。　〃I'll　take　care　and
remember　youif　anything　comes　of　it。〃

Toupillier；　former　drum…major　in　the　French　Guards；　had　been　for　the
two　years　preceding　1789　in　the　service　of　the　Church　as　beadle　of
Saint…Sulpice。　The　Revolution　deprived　him　of　that　post；　and　he　then
dropped　down　into　a　state　of　abject　misery。　He　was　even　obliged　to
take　to　the　profession　of　model；　for　he　ENJOYED；　as　they　say；　a　fine
physique。　When　public　worship　was　restored；　he　took　up　his　beadle's
staff　once　more；　but　in　1816　he　was　dismissed；　as　much　on　account　of
his　immorality　as　for　his　political　opinions。　Nevertheless；　he　was
allowed　to　stay　about　the　door　of　the　church　and　distribute　the　holy
water。　Later；　an　unfortunate　affair；　which　we　shall　presently　mention；
made　him　lose　even　that　position；　but；　still　finding　means　to　keep　to
the　sanctuary；　he　obtained　permission　to　be　allowed　as　a　pauper　in　the
porch。　At　this　period　of　life；　being　then　seventy…two　years　of　age；　he
made　himself　ninety…six；　and　began　the　profession　of　centenarian。

In　all　Paris　it　was　impossible　to　find　another　such　beard　and　head　of
hair　as　Toupillier's。　As　he　walked　he　appeared　bent　double；　he　held　a
stick　in　his　shaking　hand；a　hand　that　was　covered　with　lichen；　like
a　granite　rock；　and　with　the　other　he　held　out　the　classic　hat　with　a
broad　brim；　filthy　and　battered；　into　which；　however；　there　fell
abundant　alms。　His　legs　were　swathed　in　rags　and　bandages；　and　his
feet　shuffled　along　in　miserable　overshoes　of　woven　mat…weed；　inside
of　which　he　had　fastened　excellent　cork　soles。　He　washed　his　face　with
certain　compounds；　which　gave　it　an　appearance　of　forms　of　illness；
and　he　played　the　senility　of　a　centenarian　to　the　life。　He　reckoned
himself　a　hundred　years　old　in　1830；　at　which　time　his　actual　age　was
eighty；　he　was　the　head　of　the　paupers　of　Saint…Sulpice；　the　master　of
the　place；　and　all　those　who　came　to　beg　under　the　arcades　of　the
church；　safe　from　the　persecutions　of　the　police　and　beneath　the
protection　of　the　beadle　and　the　giver　of　holy　water；　were　forced　to
pay　him　a　sort　of　tithe。

When　a　new　heir；　a　bridegroom；　or　some　godfather　left　the　church；
saying；　〃Here；　this　is　for　all　of　you；　don't　torment　any　of　my　party；〃
Toupillier；　appointed　by　the　beadle　to　receive　these　alms；　pocketed
three…fourths；　and　distributed　only　the　remaining　quarter　among　his
henchmen；　whose　tribute　amounted　to　a　sou　a　day。　Money　and　wine　were
his　last　two　passions；　but　he　regulated　the　latter　and　gave　himself　up
to　the　former；　with　neglecting　his　personal　comfort。　He　drank　at　night
only；　after　his　dinner；　and　for　twenty　years　he　slept　in　the　arms　of
drunkenness；　his　last　mistress。

In　the　early　morning　he　was　at　his　post　with　all　his　faculties。　From
then　until　his　dinner；　which　he　took　at　Pere　Lathuile's　（made　famous
by　Charlet）；　he　gnawed　crusts　of　bread　by　way　of　nourishment；　and　he
gnawed　them　artistically；　with　an　air　of　resignation　which　earned　him
abundant　alms。　The　beadle　and　the　giver　of　holy　water；　with　whom　he
may　have　had　some　private　understanding；　would　say　of　him：

〃He　is　one　of　the　worthy　poor　of　the　church；　he　used　to　know　the
rector　Languet；　who　built　Saint…Sulpice；　he　was　for　twenty　years
beadle　of　the　church　before　the　Revolution；　and　he　is　now　over　a
hundred　years　old。〃

This　little　biography；　well　known　to　all　the　pious　attendants　of　the
church；　was；　of　course；　the　best　of　his　advertisements；　and　no　hat　was
so　well　lined　as　his。　He　bought　his　house　in　1826；　and　began　to　invest
his　money　in　the　Funds　in　183