the lesser bourgeoisie-第80部分

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out　of　pure　clemency；　had　suppressed　that　of　Thuillier；　had　turned　her
remark　upon　the　species　and　not　the　individual。

〃I　agree；　madame；　that　your　distinction　is　a　just　one；〃　he　replied；
〃but　in　this　case　Apollo　has　no　choice。〃

〃I　don't　like　persons　who　charge　too　much；〃　said　the　countess；　〃but
still　less　do　I　like　those　who　sell　their　merchandise　below　the　market
price；　I　always　suspect　such　persons　of　trying　to　dupe　me　by　some
clever　and　complicated　trick。　You　know　very　well；　monsieur；　your　own
value；　and　your　hypocritical　humility　displeases　me　immensely。　It
proves　to　me　that　my　kindly　overtures　have　not　produced　even　a
beginning　of　confidence　between　us。〃

〃I　assure　you；　madame；　that　up　to　the　present　time　life　has　never
justified　the　belief　in　any　dazzling　superiority　in　me。〃

〃Well；　really；〃　said　the　Hungarian；　〃perhaps　I　ought　to　believe　in　the
humility　of　a　man　who　is　willing　to　accept　the　pitiable　finale　of　his
life　which　I　threw　myself　into　the　breach　to　prevent。〃

〃Just　as　I；　perhaps；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　with　a　touch　of　sarcasm；　〃ought
to　believe　in　the　reality　of　a　kindness　which；　in　order　to　save　me；
has　handled　me　so　roughly。〃

The　countess　cast　a　reproachful　look　upon　her　visitor；　her　fingers
crumpled　the　ribbons　of　her　gown；　she　lowered　her　eyes；　and　gave　a
sigh；　so　nearly　imperceptible；　so　slight；　that　it　might　have　passed
for　an　accident　in　the　most　regular　breathing。

〃You　are　rancorous；〃　she　said；　〃and　you　judge　people　by　one　aspect
only。　After　all；〃　she　added；　as　if　on　reflection；　〃you　are　perhaps
right　in　reminding　me　that　I　have　taken　the　longest　way　round　by
meddling；　rather　ridiculously；　in　interests　that　do　not　concern　me。　Go
on；　my　dear　monsieur；　in　the　path　of　this　glorious　marriage　which
offers　you　so　many　combined　inducements；　only；　let　me　hope　that　you
may　not　repent　a　course　with　which　I　shall　no　longer　interfere。〃

The　Provencal　had　not　been　spoilt　by　an　experience　of　〃bonnes
fortunes。〃　The　poverty　against　which　he　had　struggled　so　long　never
leads　to　affairs　of　gallantry；　and　since　he　had　thrown　off　its　harsh
restraint；　his　mind　being　wholly　given　up　to　the　anxious　work　of
creating　his　future；　the　things　of　the　heart　had　entered　but　slightly
into　his　life；　unless　we　must　except　the　comedy　he　had　played　on
Flavie。　We　can　therefore　imagine　the　perplexity　of　this　novice　in　the
matter　of　adventures　when　he　saw　himself　placed　between　the　danger　of
losing　what　seemed　to　be　a　delightful　opportunity；　and　the　fear　of
finding　a　serpent　amid　the　beautiful　flowers　that　were　offered　to　his
grasp。　Too　marked　a　reserve；　too　lukewarm　an　eagerness；　might　wound
the　self…love　of　that　beautiful　foreigner；　and　quench　the　spring　from
which　he　seemed　invited　to　draw。　On　the　other　hand；　suppose　that
appearance　of　interest　were　only　a　snare？　Suppose　this　kindness　（ill…
explained；　as　it　seemed　to　him）；　of　which　he　was　so　suddenly　the
object；　had　no　other　purpose　than　to　entice　him　into　a　step　which
might　be　used　to　compromise　him　with　the　Thuilliers？　What　a　blow　to
his　reputation　for　shrewdness；　and　what　a　role　to　play！that　of　the
dog　letting　go　the　meat　for　the　shadow！

We　know　that　la　Peyrade　was　trained　in　the　school　of　Tartuffe；　and　the
frankness　with　which　that　great　master　declares　to　Elmire　that　without
receiving　a　few　of　the　favors　to　which　he　aspired　he　could　not　trust
in　her　tender　advances；　seemed　to　the　barrister　a　suitable　method　to
apply　to　the　present　case；　adding；　however；　a　trifle　more　softness　to
the　form。

〃Madame　la　comtesse；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　turned　me　into　a　man　who　is
much　to　be　pitied。　I　was　cheerfully　advancing　to　this　marriage；　and
you　take　all　faith　in　it　away　from　me。　Suppose　I　break　it　off；　what
use　can　Iwith　that　great　capacity　you　see　in　memake　of　the　liberty
I　thus　recover？〃

〃La　Bruyere；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　said　that　nothing　freshens　the
blood　so　much　as　to　avoid　committing　a　folly。〃

〃That　may　be；　but　it　is；　you　must　admit；　a　negative　benefit；　and　I　am
of　an　age　and　in　a　position　to　desire　more　serious　results。　The
interest　that　you　deign　to　show　to　me　cannot；　I　think；　stop　short　at
the　idea　of　merely　putting　an　end　to　my　present　prospects。　I　love
Mademoiselle　Colleville　with　a　love；　it　is　true；　which　has　nothing
imperative　about　it；　but　I　certainly　love　her；　her　hand　is　promised　to
me；　and　before　renouncing　it〃

〃So；〃　said　the　countess；　hastily；　〃in　a　given　case　you　would　not　be
averse　to　a　rupture？　And；〃　she　added；　in　a　more　decided　tone；　〃there
would　be　some　chance　of　making　you　see　that　in　taking　your　first
opportunity　you　cut　yourself　off　from　a　better　future；　in　which　a　more
suitable　marriage　may　present　itself？〃

〃But；　at　least；　madame；　I　must　be　enabled　to　foresee　it　definitely。〃

This　persistence　in　demanding　pledges　seemed　to　irritate　the　countess。

〃Faith；〃　she　said；　〃is　only　a　virtue　when　it　believes　without　seeing。
You　doubt　yourself；　and　that　is　another　form　of　stupidity。　I　am　not
happy；　it　seems；　in　my　selection　of　those　I　desire　to　benefit。〃

〃But；　madame；　it　cannot　be　indiscreet　to　ask　to　know　in　some　remote
way　at　least；　what　future　your　kind　good…will　has　imagined　for　me。〃

〃It　is　very　indiscreet；〃　replied　the　countess；　coldly；　〃and　it　shows
plainly　that　you　offer　me　only　a　conditional　confidence。　Let　us　say　no
more。　You　are　certainly　far　advanced　with　Mademoiselle　Colleville；　she
suits　you；　you　say；　in　many　ways；　therefore　marry　her。　I　say　again；
you　will　no　longer　find　me　in　your　way。〃

〃But　does　Mademoiselle　Colleville　really　suit　me？〃　resumed　la　Peyrade；
〃that　is　the　very　point　on　which　you　have　lately　raised　my　doubts。　Do
you　not　think　there　is　something　cruel　in　casting　me　first　in　one
direction　and　then　in　the　other　without　affording　me　any　ground　to　go
upon？〃

〃Ah！〃　said　the　countess；　in　a　tone　of　impatience；　〃you　want　my　opinion
on　the　premises！　Well；　monsieur；　there　is　one　very　conclusive　fact　to
which　I　can　bring　proof：　Celeste　does　not　love　you。〃

〃So　I　have　thought；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　humbly。　〃I　felt　that　I　was
making　a　marriage　of　mere　convenience。〃

〃And　she　cannot　love　you；　because；〃　continued　Madame　de　Godollo；　with
animation；　〃she　cannot　comprehend　you。　Her　proper　husband　is　that
blond　little　man；　insipid　as　herself；　from　the　union　of　those　two
natures　without　life　or　heat　will　result　in　that　lukewarm　existence
which；　in　the　opinion　of　the　world　where　she　was　born　and　where　she
has　lived；　is　the　ne　plus　ultra　of　conjugal　felicity。　Try　to　make　that
little　simpleton　understand　that　when　she　had　a　chance　to　unite
herself　with　true　talent　she　ought　to　have　felt　highly　honored！　But；
above　all；　try　to　make　her　miserable；　odious　family　and　surroundings
understand　it！　Enriched　bourgeois；　parvenus！　there's　the　roof　beneath
which　you　think　to　rest　from　your　cruel　labor　and　your　many　trials！
And　do　you　believe　that　you　will　not　be　made　to　feel；　twenty　times　a
day；　that　your　share　in　the　partnership　is　distressingly　light　in　the
scale　against　their　money？　On　one　side；　the　Iliad；　the　Cid；　Der
Freyschutz；　and　the　frescos　of　the　Vatican；　on　the　other；　three
hundred　thousand　francs　in　good；　ringing　coin！　Tell　me　which　side　they
will　t