the lesser bourgeoisie-第54部分

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only　her　share　of　the　property；　but　the　abandonment　of　this　visible
portion　of　the　inheritance　was　the　surest　means　of　laying　hands　on　the
invisible　part　of　it。　Besides；　if　the　latter　were　secured；　what
hindered　their　returning　to　the　idea　of　a　will？

Resolving；　therefore；　to　confine　the　OPERATION　to　the　simplest　terms
at　first；　Cerizet　summed　them　up　in　the　manoeuvre　of　the　poppy…heads；
already　mentioned；　and　he　was　making　his　way　back　to　Toupillier's
abode；　armed　with　that　single　weapon　of　war；　intending　to　give　Madame
Cardinal　further　instructions；　when　he　met　her；　bearing　on　her　arm　the
basket　she　had　just　bought；　and　in　that　basket　was　the　sick　man's
panacea。

〃Upon　my　word！〃　cried　the　usurer；　〃is　this　the　way　you　keep　your
watch？〃

〃I　had　to　go　out　and　buy　him　wine；〃　replied　the　Cardinal；　〃he　is
howling　like　a　soul　in　hell　that　he　wants　to　be　at　peace；　and　to　be
let　alone；　and　get　his　wine！　It　is　his　one　idea　that　Roussillon　is
good　for　his　disease。　Well；　when　he　has　drunk　it；　I　dare　say　he　will
be　quieter。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　said　Cerizet；　sententiously；　〃never　contradict　a　sick
man。　But　this　wine；　you　know；　ought　to　be　improved；　by　infusing　these〃
（and　lifting　one　of　the　covers　of　the　basket　he　slipped　in　the
poppies）　〃you'll　procure　the　poor　man　a　good；　long　sleep；five　or　six
hours　at　least。　This　evening　I'll　come　and　see　you；　and　nothing；　I
think；　need　prevent　us　from　examining　a　little　closer　those　matters　of
inheritance。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Madame　Cardinal；　winking。

〃To…night；　then；〃　said　Cerizet；　not　wishing　to　prolong　the
conversation。

He　had　a　strong　sense　of　the　difficulty　and　danger　of　the　affair；　and
was　very　reluctant　to　be　seen　in　the　street　conversing　with　his
accomplice。

Returning　to　her　uncle's　garret；　Madame　Cardinal　found　him　still　in　a
state　of　semi…torpor；　she　relieved　Madame　Perrache；　and　bade　her　good…
bye；　going　to　the　door　to　receive　a　supply　of　wood；　all　sawed；　which
she　had　ordered　from　the　Auvergnat　in　the　rue　Ferou。

Into　an　earthen　pot；　which　she　had　bought　of　the　right　size　to　fit
upon　the　hole　in　the　stoves　of　the　poor　where　they　put　their　soup…
kettles；　she　now　threw　the　poppies；　pouring　over　them　two…thirds　of
the　wine　she　had　brought　back　with　her。　Then　she　lighted　a　fire
beneath　the　pot；　intending　to　obtain　the　decoction　agreed　upon　as
quickly　as　possible。　The　crackling　of　the　wood　and　the　heat；　which
soon　spread　about　the　room；　brought　Toupillier　out　of　his　stupor。
Seeing　the　stove　lighted　he　called　out：

〃Who　is　making　a　fire　here？　Do　you　want　to　burn　the　house　down？〃

〃Why；　uncle；〃　said　the　Cardinal；　〃it　is　wood　I　bought　with　my　own
money；　to　warm　your　wine。　The　doctor　doesn't　want　you　to　drink　it
cold。〃

〃Where　is　it；　that　wine？〃　demanded　Toupillier；　calming　down　a　little
at　the　thought　that　the　fire　was　not　burning　at　his　expense。

〃It　must　come　to　a　boil；〃　said　his　nurse；　〃the　doctor　insisted　upon
that。　Still；　if　you'll　be　good　I'll　give　you　half　a　glass　of　it　cold；
just　to　wet　your　whistle。　I'll　take　that　upon　myself；　but　don't　you
tell　the　doctor。〃

〃Doctor！　I　won't　have　a　doctor；　they　are　all　scoundrels；　invented　to
kill　people；〃　cried　Toupillier；　whom　the　idea　of　drink　had　revived。
〃Come；　give　me　the　wine！〃　he　said；　in　the　tone　of　a　man　whose　patience
had　come　to　an　end。

Convinced　that　though　this　compliance　would　do　no　harm　it　could　do　no
good；　Madame　Cardinal　poured　out　half　a　glass；　and　while　she　gave　it
with　one　hand　to　the　sick　man；　with　the　other　she　raised　him　to　a
sitting　posture　that　he　might　drink　it。

With　his　fleshless；　eager　fingers　Toupillier　clutched　the　glass；
emptied　it　at　a　gulp；　and　exclaimed：

〃Ah！　that's　a　fine　drop；　that　is！　though　you've　watered　it。〃

〃You　mustn't　say　that；　uncle；　I　went　and　bought　it　myself　of　Pere
Legrelu；　and　I've　given　it　you　quite　pure。　But　you　let　me　simmer　the
rest；　the　doctor　said　I　might　then　give　you　all　you　wanted。〃

Toupillier　resigned　himself　with　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders。　At　the　end
of　fifteen　minutes；　the　infusion　being　in　condition　to　serve；　Madame
Cardinal　brought　him；　without　further　appeal；　a　full　cup　of　it。

The　avidity　with　which　the　old　pauper　drank　it　down　prevented　him　from
noticing　at　first　that　the　wine　was　drugged；　but　as　he　swallowed　the
last　drops　he　tasted　the　sickly　and　nauseating　flavor；　and　flinging
the　cup　on　the　bed　he　cried　out　that　some　one　was　trying　to　poison
him。

〃Poison！　nonsense！〃　said　the　fishwife；　pouring　into　her　own　mouth　a
few　drops　of　that　which　remained　in　the　bottle；　declaring　to　the　old
man　that　if　the　wine　did　not　seem　to　him　the　same　as　usual；　it　was
because　his　mouth　had　a　〃bad　taste　to　it。〃

Before　the　end　of　the　dispute；　which　lasted　some　time；　the　narcotic
began　to　take　effect；　and　at　the　end　of　an　hour　the　sick　man　was　sound
asleep。

While　idly　waiting　for　Cerizet；　an　idea　took　possession　of　the
Cardinal's　mind。　She　thought　that　in　view　of　their　comings　and　goings
with　the　treasure；　it　would　be　well　if　the　vigilance　of　the　Perrache
husband　and　wife　could　be　dulled　in　some　manner。　Consequently；　after
carefully　flinging　the　refuse　poppy…heads　into　the　privy；　she　called
to　the　portress：

〃Madame　Perrache；　come　up　and　taste　his　wine。　Wouldn't　you　have
thought　to　hear　him　talk　he　was　ready　to　drink　a　cask　of　it？　Well；　a
cupful　satisfied　him。〃

〃Your　health！〃　said　the　portress；　touching　glasses　with　the　Cardinal；
who　was　careful　to　have　hers　filled　with　the　unboiled　wine。　Less
accomplished　as　a　gourmet　than　the　old　beggar；　Madame　Perrache
perceived　nothing　in　the　insidious　liquid　（cold　by　the　time　she　drank
it）　to　make　her　suspect　its　narcotic　character；　on　the　contrary；　she
declared　it　was　〃velvet；〃　and　wished　that　her　husband　were　there　to
have　a　share　in　the　treat。　After　a　rather　long　gossip；　the　two　women
separated。　Then；　with　the　cooked　meat　she　had　provided　for　herself；
and　the　remains　of　the　Roussillon；　Madame　Cardinal　made　a　repast　which
she　finished　off　with　a　siesta。　Without　mentioning　the　emotions　of　the
day；　the　influence　of　one　of　the　most　heady　wines　of　the　country　would
have　sufficed　to　explain　the　soundness　of　her　sleep；　when　she　woke
darkness　was　coming　on。

Her　first　care　was　to　give　a　glance　at　her　patient；　his　sleep　was
restless；　and　he　was　dreaming　aloud。

〃Diamonds；〃　he　said；　〃those　diamonds？　At　my　death；　but　not　before。〃

〃Gracious！〃　thought　Madame　Cardinal；　〃that　was　the　one　thing　lacking；
diamonds！　that　he　should　have　diamonds！〃

Then；　as　Toupillier　seemed　to　be　in　the　grasp　of　a　violent　nightmare；
she　leaned　over　him　so　as　not　to　lose　a　word　of　his　speech；　hoping　to
gather　from　it　some　important　revelation。　At　this　moment　a　slight　rap
given　to　the　door；　from　which　the　careful　nurse　had　removed　the　key；
announced　the　arrival　of　Cerizet。

〃Well？〃　he　said；　on　entering。

〃He　has　taken　the　drug。　He's　been　sound　asleep　these　two　hours；　just
now；　in　dreaming；　he　was　talking　of　diamonds。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Cerizet；　〃it　wouldn't　be　surprising　if　we　found　some。
These　paupers　when　they　set　out　to　be　rich；　like　to　pile　up
everything。〃

〃Ah　ca！〃　cried　the　Cardinal；　suddenly；　〃what　made　you　go　and　tell　Mere
Perrache　that　you　were