the lesser bourgeoisie-第75部分

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only　coming　home　in　the　small　hours；　I　took　it　upon　myself　to　enter
his　room　and　examine　his　papers。　I　was　terrified；　madame；　at　finding　a
paper　covered　with　algebraic　calculations　which；　by　their　vast　extent
appeared　to　me　to　go　beyond　the　limits　of　the　human　intellect。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　the　countess；　〃he　is　on　the　road　to　some　great
discovery。〃

〃Or　to　madness；〃　said　Madame　Phellion；　in　a　low　voice；　and　with　a
heavy　sigh。

〃That　is　not　probable；〃　said　Madame　de　Godollo；　〃with　an　organization
so　calm　and　a　mind　so　well　balanced；　he　runs　but　little　danger　of　that
misfortune。　I　know　myself　of　another　danger　that　threatens　him
to…morrow；　and　unless　we　can　take　some　steps　this　evening　to　avert　it；
Celeste　is　positively　lost　to　him。〃

〃How　so？〃　said　the　husband　and　wife　together。

〃Perhaps　you　are　not　aware；〃　replied　the　countess；　〃that　Thuillier　and
his　sister　have　made　certain　promises　to　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade　about
Celeste？〃

〃We　suspected　as　much；〃　replied　Madame　Phellion。

〃The　fulfilment　of　these　pledges　was　postponed　to　a　rather　distant
period；　and　subordinated　to　certain　conditions。　Monsieur　de　la
Peyrade；　after　enabling　them　to　buy　the　house　near　the　Madeleine；
pledged　himself　not　only　to　obtain　the　cross　for　Monsieur　Thuillier；
but　to　write　in　his　name　a　political　pamphlet；　and　assist　him　in　his
election　to　the　Chamber　of　Deputies。　It　sounds　like　the　romances　of
chivalry；　in　which　the　hero；　before　obtaining　the　hand　of　the
princess；　is　compelled　to　exterminate　a　dragon。〃

〃Madame　is　very　witty；〃　said　Madame　Phellion；　looking　at　her　husband；
who　made　her　a　sign　not　to　interrupt。

〃I　have　no　time　now；〃　said　the　countess；　〃in　fact　it　would　be　useless
to　tell　you　the　manoeuvres　by　which　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade　has
contrived　to　hasten　the　period　of　this　marriage；　but　it　concerns　you
to　know　that；　thanks　to　his　duplicity；　Celeste　is　being　forced　to
choose　between　him　and　Monsieur　Felix；　fifteen　days　were　given　her　in
which　to　make　her　choice；　the　time　expires　to…morrow；　and；　thanks　to
the　unfortunate　state　of　feeling　into　which　your　son's　attitude　has
thrown　her；　there　is　very　serious　danger　of　seeing　her　sacrifice　to
her　wounded　feelings　the　better　sentiments　of　her　love　and　her
instincts。〃

〃But　what　can　be　done　to　prevent　it？〃　asked　Phellion。

〃Fight；　monsieur；　come　this　evening　in　force　to　the　Thuilliers'；
induce　Monsieur　Felix　to　accompany　you；　lecture　him　until　he　promises
to　be　a　little　more　flexible　in　his　philosophical　opinions。　Paris；
said　Henri　IV。；　is　surely　worth　a　mass。　But　let　him　avoid　all　such
questions；　he　can　certainly　find　in　his　heart　the　words　and　tones　to
move　a　woman　who　loves　him；　it　requires　so　little　to　satisfy　her！　I
shall　be　there　myself；　and　I　will　help　him　to　my　utmost　ability；
perhaps；　under　the　inspiration　of　the　moment；　I　may　think　of　some　way
to　do　effectually。　One　thing　is　very　certain：　we　have　to　fight　a　great
battle　to…night；　and　if　we　do　not　ALL　do　our　duty　valorously；　la
Peyrade　may　win　it。〃

〃My　son　is　not　here；　madame；〃　said　Phellion；　〃and　I　regret　it；　for
perhaps　your　generous　devotion　and　urgent　words　would　succeed　in
shaking　off　his　torpor；　but；　at　any　rate；　I　will　lay　before　him　the
gravity　of　the　situation；　and；　beyond　all　doubt；　he　will　accompany　us
to…night　to　the　Thuilliers'。〃

〃It　is　needless　to　say；〃　added　the　countess；　rising；　〃that　we　must
carefully　avoid　the　very　slightest　appearance　of　collusion；　we　must
not　converse　together；　in　fact；　unless　it　can　be　done　in　some　casual
way；　it　would　be　better　not　to　speak。〃

〃I　beg　you　to　rely；　madame；　upon　my　prudence；〃　replied　Phellion；　〃and
kindly　accept　the　assurance〃

〃Of　your　most　distinguished　sentiments；〃　interrupted　the　countess；
laughing。

〃No；　madame；〃　replied　Phellion；　gravely；　〃I　reserve　that　formula　for
the　conclusion　of　my　letters；　I　beg　you　to　accept　the　assurance　of　my
warmest　and　most　unalterable　gratitude。〃

〃We　will　talk　of　that　when　we　are　out　of　danger；〃　said　Madame　de
Godollo；　moving　towards　the　door；　〃and　if　Madame　Phellion；　the
tenderest　and　most　virtuous　of　mothers；　will　grant　me　a　little　place
in　her　esteem；　I　shall　count　myself　more　than　repaid　for　my　trouble。〃

Madame　Phellion　plunged　headlong　into　a　responsive　compliment；　and　the
countess；　in　her　carriage；　was　at　some　distance　from　the　house　before
Phellion　had　ceased　to　offer　her　his　most　respectful　salutations。

As　the　Latin…quarter　element　in　Brigitte's　salon　became　more　rare　and
less　assiduous；　a　livelier　Paris　began　to　infiltrate　it。　Among　his
colleagues　in　the　municipal　council　and　among　the　upper　employees　of
the　prefecture　of　the　Seine；　the　new　councillor　had　made　several　very
important　recruits。　The　mayor；　and　the　deputy　mayors　of　the
arrondissement；　on　whom；　after　his　removal　to　the　Madeleine　quarter；
Thuillier　had　called；　hastened　to　return　the　civility；　and　the　same
thing　happened　with　the　superior　officers　of　the　first　legion。　The
house　itself　had　produced　a　contingent；　and　several　of　the　new　tenants
contributed；　by　their　presence；　to　change　the　aspect　of　the　dominical
meetings。　Among　the　number　we　must　mention　Rabourdin　＇see
〃Bureaucracy〃＇；　the　former　head　of　Thuillier's　office　at　the　ministry
of　finance。　Having　had　the　misfortune　to　lose　his　wife；　whose　salon；
at　an　earlier　period；　checkmated　that　of　Madame　Colleville；　Rabourdin
occupied　as　a　bachelor　the　third　floor；　above　the　apartment　let　to
Cardot；　the　notary。　As　the　result　of　an　odious　slight　to　his　just
claims；　Rabourdin　had　voluntarily　resigned　his　public　functions。　At
this　time；　when　he　again　met　Thuillier；　he　was　director　of　one　of
those　numerous　projected　railways；　the　construction　of　which　is　always
delayed　by　either　parliamentary　rivalry　or　parliamentary　indecision。
Let　us　say；　in　passing；　that　the　meeting　with　this　able　administrator；
now　become　an　important　personage　in　the　financial　world；　was　an
occasion　to　the　worthy　and　honest　Phellion　to　display　once　more　his
noble　character。　At　the　time　of　the　resignation　to　which　Rabourdin　had
felt　himself　driven；　Phellion　alone；　of　all　the　clerks　in　the　office；
had　stood　by　him　in　his　misfortunes。　Being　now　in　a　position　to　bestow
a　great　number　of　places；　Rabourdin；　on　meeting　once　more　his　faithful
subordinate；　hastened　to　offer　him　a　position　both　easy　and　lucrative。

〃Mossieu；〃　said　Phellion；　〃your　benevolence　touches　me　and　honors　me；
but　my　frankness　owes　you　an　avowal；　which　I　beg　you　not　to　take　in
ill　part：　I　do　not　believe　in　'railways；'　as　the　English　call　them。〃

〃That's　an　opinion　to　which　you　have　every　right；〃　said　Rabourdin；
smiling；　〃but；　meanwhile；　until　the　contrary　is　proved；　we　pay　the
employees　in　our　office　well；　and　I　should　be　glad　to　have　you　with　me
in　that　capacity。　I　know　by　experience　that　you　are　a　man　on　whom　I
can　count。〃

〃Mossieu；〃　returned　the　great　citizen；　〃I　did　my　duty　at　that　time；
and　nothing　more。　As　for　the　offer　you　have　been　so　good　as　to　make　to
me；　I　cannot　accept　it；　satisfied　with　my　humble　fortunes；　I　feel
neither　the　need　nor　the　desire　to　re…enter　an　administrative　career；
and；　in　common　with　the　Latin　poet；　I　may　say；　'Claudite　jam　rivos；
pueri；　sat　prat