the lesser bourgeoisie-第53部分

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of　the　name？〃

〃I've　heard　Madame　Katte；　her　nurse；　who　also　does　the　cooking；　call
her　so　a　thousand　times；　monsieur；　though；　generally；　neither　Monsieur
Bruneau；　the　valet；　nor　Madame　Katte　say　much。　It's　like　talking　to
the　wall　to　try　and　get　any　information　out　of　them。　We　have　been
porters　here　these　twenty　years　and　we've　never　found　out　anything
about　Monsieur　du　Portail　yet。　More　than　that；　monsieur；　he　owns　the
little　house　alongside；　you　see　the　double　door　from　here。　Well；　he
can　go　out　that　way　and　receive　his　company　too；　and　we　know　nothing
about　it。　Our　owner　doesn't　know　anything　more　than　we　do；　when　people
ring　at　that　door；　Monsieur　Bruneau　goes　and　opens　it。〃

〃Then　you　didn't　see　the　gentleman　who　is　talking　with　him　in　the
garden　go　by　this　way？〃

〃Bless　me！　no；　that　I　didn't！〃

〃Ah！〃　thought　Cerizet　as　he　got　into　the　cabriolet；　〃she　must　be　the
daughter　of　that　uncle　of　Theodose。　I　wonder　if　du　Portail　can　be　the
secret　benefactor　who　sent　money　from　time　to　time　to　that　rascal？
Suppose　I　send　an　anonymous　letter　to　the　old　fellow；　warning　him　of
the　danger　the　barrister　runs　from　those　notes　for　twenty…five
thousand　francs？〃

An　hour　later　the　cot…bed　had　arrived　for　Madame　Cardinal；　to　whom　the
inquisitive　portress　offered　her　services　to　bring　her　something　to
eat。

〃Do　you　want　to　see　the　rector？〃　Madame　Cardinal　inquired　of　her
uncle。

She　had　noticed　that　the　arrival　of　the　bed　seemed　to　draw　him　from
his　somnolence。

〃I　want　wine！〃　replied　the　pauper。

〃How　do　you　feel　now；　Pere　Toupillier？〃　asked　Madame　Perrache；　in　a
coaxing　voice。

〃I　tell　you　I　want　wine；〃　repeated　the　old　man；　with　an　energetic
insistence　scarcely　to　be　expected　of　his　feebleness。

〃We　must　first　find　out　if　it　is　good　for　you；　uncle；〃　said　Madame
Cardinal；　soothingly。　〃Wait　till　the　doctor　comes。〃

〃Doctor！　I　won't　have　a　doctor！〃　cried　Toupillier；　〃and　you；　what　are
you　doing　here？　I　don't　want　anybody。〃

〃My　good　uncle；　I　came　to　know　if　you'd　like　something　tasty。　I've　got
some　nice　fresh　soleshey！　a　bit　of　fried　sole；　with　a　squeeze　of
lemon　on　it？〃

〃Your　fish；　indeed！〃　cried　Toupillier；　〃all　rotten！　That　last　you
brought　me；　more　than　six　weeks　ago；　it　is　there　in　the　cupboard；　you
can　take　it　away　with　you。〃

〃Heavens！　how　ungrateful　sick　men　are！〃　whispered　the　widow　Cardinal
to　Perrache。

Nevertheless；　to　exhibit　solicitude；　she　arranged　the　pillow　under　the
patient's　head；　saying：

〃There！　uncle；　don't　you　feel　better　like　that？〃

〃Let　me　alone！〃　shouted　Toupillier；　angrily；　〃I　want　no　one　here；　I
want　wine；　leave　me　in　peace。〃

〃Don't　get　angry；　little　uncle；　we'll　fetch　you　some　wine。〃

〃Number　six　wine；　rue　des　Canettes；〃　cried　the　pauper。

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　replied　Madame　Cardinal；　〃but　let　me　count　out　my
coppers。　I　want　to　get　something　better　for　you　than　that　kind　of
wine；　for；　don't　you　see；　an　uncle；　he's　a　kind　of　father；　and　one
shouldn't　mind　what　one　does　for　him。〃

So　saying；　she　sat　down；　with　her　legs　apart；　on　one　of　the
dilapidated　chairs；　and　poured　into　her　apron　the　contents　of　her
pockets；　namely：　a　knife；　her　snuff…box；　two　pawn…tickets；　some　crusts
of　bread；　and　a　handful　of　copper；　from　which　she　extracted　a　few
silver　bits。

This　exhibition；　intended　to　prove　her　generous　and　eager　devotion；
had　no　result。　Toupillier　seemed　not　to　notice　it。　Exhausted　by　the
feverish　energy　with　which　he　had　demanded　his　favorite　remedy；　he
made　an　effort　to　change　his　position；　and；　with　his　back　turned　to
his　two　nurses；　he　again　muttered：　〃Wine！　wine！〃　after　which　nothing
more　was　heard　of　him　but　a　stentorous　breathing；　that　plainly　showed
the　state　of　his　lungs；　which　were　beginning　to　congest。

〃I　suppose　I　must　go　and　fetch　his　wine！〃　said　the　Cardinal；　restoring
to　her　pockets；　with　some　ill…humor；　the　cargo　she　had　just　pulled　out
of　them。

〃If　you　don't　want　to　go〃　began　Madame　Perrache；　always　ready　to
offer　her　services。

The　fishwife　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then；　reflecting　that　something
might　be　got　out　of　a　conversation　with　the　wine…merchant；　and　sure；
moreover；　that　as　long　as　Toupillier　lay　on　his　gold　she　could　safely
leave　him　alone　with　the　portress；　she　said：

〃Thank　you；　Madame　Perrache；　but　I'd　better　make　acquaintance　with　his
trades…folk。〃

Then；　having　spied　behind　the　night…table　a　dirty　bottle　which　might
hold　about　two　quarts；

〃Did　he　say　the　rue　des　Canelles？〃　she　inquired　of　the　portress。

〃Corner　of　the　rue　Guisarde；〃　replied　Madame　Perrache。　〃Monsieur
Legrelu；　a　tall；　fine　man　with　big　whiskers　and　no　hair。〃　Then；
lowering　her　voice；　she　added：　〃His　number…six　wine；　you　know；　is
Roussillon；　and　the　best；　too。　However；　the　wine…merchant　knows；　it　is
enough　if　you　tell　him　you　have　come　from　his　customer；　the　pauper　of
Saint…Sulpice。〃

〃No　need　to　tell　me　anything　twice；〃　said　the　Cardinal；　opening　the
door　and　making；　as　they　say；　a　false　exit。　〃Ah　ca！〃　she　said；　coming
back；　〃what　does　he　burn　in　his　stove；　supposing　I　want　to　heat　some
remedy　for　him？〃

〃Goodness！〃　said　the　portress；　〃he　doesn't　make　much　provision　for
winter；　and　here　we　are　in　the　middle　of　summer！〃

〃And　not　a　saucepan！　not　a　pot；　even！　Gracious！　what　a　way　to　live。
I'll　have　to　fetch　him　some　provisions；　I　hope　nobody　will　see　the
things　I　bring　back；　I'd　be　ashamed　they　should〃

〃I'll　lend　you　a　hand…bag；〃　said　the　portress；　always　ready　and
officious。

〃No；　I'll　buy　a　basket；〃　replied　the　fishwife；　more　anxious　about　what
she　expected　to　carry　away　than　what　she　was　about　to　bring　home　to
the　pauper。　〃There　must　be　some　Auvergnat　in　the　neighborhood　who
sells　wood；〃　she　added。

〃Corner　of　the　rue　Ferou；　you'll　find　one　there。　A　fine　establishment；
with　logs　of　wood　painted　in　a　kind　of　an　arcade　all　round　the　shop
so　like；　you'd　think　they　were　going　to　speak　to　you。〃

Before　going　finally　off；　Madame　Cardinal　went　through　a　piece　of　very
deep　hypocrisy。　We　have　seen　how　she　hesitated　about　leaving　the
portress　alone　with　the　sick　man：

〃Madame　Perrache；〃　she　said　to　her；　〃you　won't　leave　him；　the　poor
darling；　will　you；　till　I　get　back？〃

It　may　have　been　noticed　that　Cerizet　had　not　decided　on　any　definite
course　of　action　in　the　new　affair　he　was　now　undertaking。　The　part　of
doctor；　which　for　a　moment　he　thought　of　assuming；　frightened　him；　and
he　gave　himself　out；　as　we　have　seen；　to　Madame　Perrache　as　the
business　agent　of　his　accomplice。　Once　alone；　he　began　to　see　that　his
original　idea　complicated　with　a　doctor；　a　nurse；　and　a　notary；
presented　the　most　serious　difficulties。　A　regular　will　drawn　in　favor
of　Madame　Cardinal　was　not　a　thing　to　be　improvised　in　a　moment。　It
would　take　some　time　to　acclimatize　the　idea　in　the　surly　and
suspicious　mind　of　the　old　pauper；　and　death；　which　was　close　at　hand；
might　play　them　a　trick　at　any　moment；　and　balk　the　most　careful
preparations。

It　was　true　that　unless　a　will　were　made　the　income　of　eight　thousand
francs　on　the　Grand　Livre　and　the　house　in　the　rue　Notre…Dame　de
Nazareth　would　go　to　the　heirs…at…law；　and　Madame　Cardinal　would　get
only　her　share　of　the　property；　but　the　abandonment