the lesser bourgeoisie-第70部分

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without　a　sign　of　that　glorious　rattle；　and　the　former　sub…director；
who　would　have　felt　such　joy　in　parading　his　red　ribbon　on　the
boulevard　of　the　Madeleine；　of　which　he　was　now　one　of　the　most
assiduous　promenaders；　had　nothing　to　adorn　his　buttonhole　but　the
flowers　of　the　earth；　the　privilege　of　everybody；of　which　he　was　far
less　proud　than　Beranger。

La　Peyrade　had；　to　be　sure；　mentioned　an　unforeseen　and　inexplicable
difficulty　by　which　all　the　efforts　of　the　Comtesse　du　Bruel　had　been
paralyzed；　but　Thuillier　did　not　take　comfort　in　the　explanation；　and
on　certain　days；　when　the　disappointment　became　acute；　he　was　very
near　saying　with　Chicaneau　in　Les　Plaideurs；　〃Return　my　money。〃

However；　no　outbreak　happened；　for　la　Peyrade　held　him　in　leash　by　the
famous　pamphlet　on　〃Taxation　and　the　Sliding…Scale〃；　the　conclusion　of
which　had　been　suspended　during　the　excitement　of　the　moving；　for
during　that　agitating　period　Thuillier　had　been　unable　to　give　proper
care　to　the　correction　of　proofs；　about　which；　we　may　remember；　he　had
reserved　the　right　of　punctilious　examination。　La　Peyrade　had　now
reached　a　point　when　he　was　forced　to　see　that；　in　order　to　restore
his　influence；　which　was　daily　evaporating；　he　must　strike　some　grand
blow；　and　it　was　precisely　this　nagging　and　vexatious　fancy　about　the
proofs　that　the　barrister　decided　to　take　as　the　starting…point　of　a
scheme；　both　deep　and　adventurous；　which　came　into　his　mind。

One　day；　when　the　pair　were　engaged　on　the　sheets　of　the　pamphlet；　a
discussion　arose　upon　the　word　〃nepotism；〃　which　Thuillier　wished　to
eliminate　from　one　of　la　Peyrade's　sentences；　declaring　that　never　had
he　met　with　it　anywhere；　it　was　pure　neologismwhich；　to　the　literary
notions　of　the　bourgeoisie；　is　equivalent　to　the　idea　of　1793　and　the
Terror。

Generally　la　Peyrade　took　the　ridiculous　remarks　of　his　dear；　good
friend　pretty　patiently；　but　on　this　occasion　he　made　himself
exceedingly　excited；　and　signified　to　Thuillier　that　he　might
terminate　himself　a　work　to　which　he　applied　such　luminous　and
intelligent　criticism；　after　which　remark　he　departed　and　was　not　seen
again　for　several　days。

At　first　Thuillier　supposed　this　outbreak　to　be　a　mere　passing　effect
of　ill…humor；　but　when　la　Peyrade's　absence　grew　prolonged　he　felt　the
necessity　of　taking　some　conciliatory　step；　and　accordingly　he　went　to
see　the　barrister；　intending　to　make　honorable　amends　and　so　put　an
end　to　his　sulkiness。　Wishing；　however；　to　give　this　advance　an　air
which　allowed　an　honest　issue　to　his　own　self…love；　he　entered　la
Peyrade's　room　with　an　easy　manner；　and　said；　cheerfully：

〃Well；　my　dear　fellow；　it　turns　out　that　we　were　both　right：
'nepotism'　means　the　authority　that　the　nephews　of　popes　take　in
public　affairs。　I　have　searched　the　dictionary　and　it　gives　no　other
explanation；　but；　from　what　Phellion　tells　me；　I　find　that　in　the
political　vocabulary　the　meaning　of　the　word　has　been　extended　to
cover　the　influence　which　corrupt　ministers　permit　certain　persons　to
exercise　illegally。　I　think；　therefore；　that　we　may　retain　the
expression；　though　it　is　certainly　not　taken　in　that　sense　by　Napoleon
Landais。〃

La　Peyrade；　who；　in　receiving　his　visitor；　had　affected　to　be
extremely　busy　in　sorting　his　papers；　contented　himself　by　shrugging
his　shoulders　and　saying　nothing。

〃Well；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃have　you　got　the　last　proofs？　We　ought　to　be
getting　on。〃

〃If　you　have　sent　nothing　to　the　printing…office；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；
〃of　course　there　are　no　proofs。　I　myself　haven't　touched　the
manuscript。〃

〃But；　my　dear　Theodose；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃it　isn't　possible　that　for
such　a　trifle　you　are　affronted。　I　don't　pretend　to　be　a　writer；　only
as　my　name　is　on　the　book　I　have；　I　think；　the　right　to　my　opinion
about　a　word。〃

〃But　'Mossie'　Phellion；〃　replied　Theodose；　〃is　a　writer；　and　inasmuch
as　you　have　consulted　him；　I　don't　see　why　you　can't　engage　him　to
finish　the　work　in　which；　for　my　part；　I　have　resolved　not　to
co…operate　any　longer。〃

〃Heavens！　what　temper！〃　cried　Thuillier；　〃here　you　are　furious　just
because　I　seemed　to　question　a　word　and　then　consulted　some　one。　You
know　very　well　that　I　have　read　passages　to　Phellion；　Colleville；
Minard；　and　Barniol　as　if　the　work　were　mine；　in　order　to　see　the
effect　it　would　produce　upon　the　public；　but　that's　no　reason　why　I
should　be　willing　to　give　my　name　to　the　things　they　are　capable　of
writing。　Do　you　wish　me　to　give　you　a　proof　of　the　confidence　I　have
in　you？　Madame　la　Comtesse　de　Godollo；　to　whom　I　read　a　few　pages　last
night；　told　me　that　the　pamphlet　was　likely　to　get　me　into　trouble
with　the　authorities；　but　I　wouldn't　allow　what　she　said　to　have　any
influence　upon　me。〃

〃Well；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃I　think　that　the　oracle　of　the　family　sees
the　matter　clearly；　and　I've　no　desire　to　bring　your　head　to　the
scaffold。〃

〃All　that　is　nonsense；〃　said　Thuillier。　〃Have　you；　or　have　you　not；　an
intention　to　leave　me　in　the　lurch？〃

〃Literary　questions　make　more　quarrels　among　friends　than　political
questions；〃　replied　Theodose。　〃I　wish　to　put　an　end　to　these
discussions　between　us。〃

〃But；　my　dear　Theodose；　never　have　I　assumed　to　be　a　literary　man。　I
think　I　have　sound　common…sense；　and　I　say　out　my　ideas；　you　can't　be
angry　at　that；　and　if　you　play　me　this　trick；　and　refuse　to
collaborate　any　longer；　it　is　because　you　have　some　other　grudge
against　me　that　I　know　nothing　about。〃

〃I　don't　see　why　you　call　it　a　trick。　There's　nothing　easier　for　you
than　not　to　write　a　pamphlet；　you'll　simply　be　Jerome　Thuillier；　as
before。〃

〃And　yet　it　was　you　yourself　who　declared　that　this　publication　would
help　my　election；　besides；　I　repeat；　I　have　read　passages　to　all　our
friends；　I　have　announced　the　matter　in　the　municipal　council；　and　if
the　work　were　not　to　appear　I　should　be　dishonored；　people　would　be
sure　to　say　the　government　had　bought　me　up。〃

〃You　have　only　to　say　that　you　are　the　friend　of　Phellion；　the
incorruptible；　that　will　clear　you。　You　might　even　give　Celeste　to　his
booby　of　a　son；　that　alliance　would　certainly　protect　you　from　all
suspicion。〃

〃Theodose；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃there　is　something　in　your　mind　that　you
don't　tell　me。　It　is　not　natural　that　for　a　simple　quarrel　about　a
word　you　should　wish　to　lose　a　friend　like　me。〃

〃Well；　yes；　there　is；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　with　the　air　of　a　man　who
makes　up　his　mind　to　speak　out。　〃I　don't　like　ingratitude。〃

〃Nor　I　either；　I　don't　like　it；〃　said　Thuillier；　hotly；　〃and　if　you
accuse　me　of　so　base　an　action；　I　summon　you　to　explain　yourself。　We
must　get　out　of　these　hints　and　innuendoes。　What　do　you　complain　of？
What　have　you　against　a　man　whom　only　a　few　days　ago　you　called　your
friend？〃

〃Nothing　and　everything；〃　replied　la　Peyrade。　〃You　and　your　sister　are
much　too　clever　to　break　openly　with　a　man　who；　at　the　risk　of　his
reputation；　has　put　a　million　in　your　hands。　But　I　am　not　so　simple
that　I　don't　know　how　to　detect　changes。　There　are　people　about　you
who　have　set　themselves；　in　an　underhand　way；　to　destroy　me；　and
Brigitte　has　only　one　thought；　and　that　is；　how　to　find　a　decent　way