the lesser bourgeoisie-第83部分

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contain　itself　for　joy。　We　ought　to　add　that　he　held　in　very　low
esteem　those　booksellers　who　did　not　announce　the　sale　of　the　new
work；　destined　to　become；　as　he　believed；　a　European　event。　Without
actually　deciding　the　manner　in　which　he　would　punish　their
indifference；　he　nevertheless　made　a　list　of　these　rebellious　persons；
and　wished　them　as　much　evil　as　if　they　had　offered　him　a　personal
affront。

The　next　day　he　spent　a　delightful　morning　in　writing　a　certain　number
of　letters；　sending　the　publication　to　friends；　and　putting　into　paper
covers　some　fifty　copies；　to　which　the　sacramental　phrase；　〃From　the
author；〃　imparted　to　his　eyes　an　inestimable　value。

But　the　third　day　of　the　sale　brought　a　slight　diminution　of　his
happiness。　He　had　chosen　for　his　editor　a　young　man；　doing　business　at
a　breakneck　pace；　who　had　lately　established　himself　in　the　Passage
des　Panoramas；　where　he　was　paying　a　ruinous　rent。　He　was　the　nephew
of　Barbet　the　publisher；　whom　Brigitte　had　had　as　a　tenant　in　the　rue
Saint…Dominique　d'Enfer。　This　Barbet　junior　was　a　youth　who　flinched
at　nothing；　and　when　he　was　presented　to　Thuillier　by　his　uncle；　he
pledged　himself；　provided　he　was　not　shackled　in　his　advertising；　to
sell　off　the　first　edition　and　print　a　second　within　a　week。

Now；　Thuillier　had　spent　about　fifteen　hundred　francs　himself　on　costs
of　publication；　such；　for　instance；　as　copies　sent　in　great　profusion
to　the　newspapers；　but　at　the　close　of　the　third　day　SEVEN　copies　only
had　been　sold；　and　three　of　those　on　credit。　It　might　be　believed　that
in　revealing　to　the　horror…stricken　Thuillier　this　paltry　result　the
young　publisher　would　have　lost　at　least　something　of　his　assurance。
On　the　contrary；　this　Guzman　of　the　book…trade　hastened　to　say：

〃I　am　delighted　at　what　has　happened。　If　we　had　sold　a　hundred　copies
it　would　trouble　me　far　more　than　the　fifteen　hundred　now　on　our
hands；　that's　what　I　call　hanging　fire；　whereas　this　insignificant
sale　only　proves　that　the　edition　will　go　off　like　a　rocket。〃

〃But　when？〃　asked　Thuillier；　who　thought　this　view　paradoxical。

〃Parbleu！〃　said　Barbet；　〃when　we　get　notices　in　the　newspapers。
Newspaper　notices　are　only　useful　to　arouse　attention。　'Dear　me！'　says
the　public；　'there's　a　publication　that　must　be　interesting。'　The
title　is　good；'Taxation　and　the　Sliding…Scale；'but　I　find　that　the
more　piquant　a　title　is；　the　more　buyers　distrust　it；　they　have　been
taken　in　so　often；　they　wait　for　the　notices。　On　the　other　hand；　for
books　that　are　destined　to　have　only　a　limited　sale；　a　hundred　ready…
made　purchasers　will　come　in　at　once；　but　after　that；　good…bye　to
them；　we　don't　place　another　copy。〃

〃Then　you　don't　think；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃that　the　sale　is　hopeless？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　think　it　is　on　the　best　track。　When　the　'Debats；'
the　'Constitutionnel；'　the　'Siecle；'　and　the　'Presse'　have　reviewed
it；　especially　if　the　'Debats'　mauls　it　（they　are　ministerial；　you
know）；　it　won't　be　a　week　before　the　whole　edition　is　snapped　up。〃

〃You　say　that　easily　enough；〃　replied　Thuillier；　〃but　how　are　we　to
get　hold　of　those　gentlemen　of　the　press？〃

〃Ah！　I'll　take　care　of　that；〃　said　Barbet。　〃I　am　on　the　best　of　terms
with　the　managing　editors；　they　say　the　devil　is　in　me；　and　that　I
remind　them　of　Ladvocat　in　his　best　days。〃

〃But　then；　my　dear　fellow；　you　ought　to　have　seen　to　this　earlier。〃

〃Ah！　excuse　me；　papa　Thuillier；　there's　only　one　way　of　seeing　to　the
journalists；　but　as　you　grumbled　about　the　fifteen　hundred　francs　for
the　advertisements；　I　did　not　venture　to　propose　to　you　another　extra
expense。〃

〃What　expense？〃　asked　Thuillier；　anxiously。

〃When　you　were　nominated　to　the　municipal　council；　where　was　the　plan
mooted？〃　asked　the　publisher。

〃Parbleu！　in　my　own　house；〃　replied　Thuillier。

〃Yes；　of　course；　in　your　own　house；　but　at　a　dinner；　followed　by　a
ball；　and　the　ball　itself　crowned　by　a　supper。　Well；　my　dear　master；
there　are　no　two　ways　to　do　this　business；　Boileau　says：

　　〃'All　is　done　through　the　palate；　and　not　through　the　mind；
　　And　it　is　by　our　dinners　we　govern　mankind。'〃

〃Then　you　think　I　ought　to　give　a　dinner　to　those　journalists？〃

〃Yes；　but　not　at　your　own　house；　for　these　journalists；　you　see；　if
women　are　present；　get　stupid；　they　have　to　behave　themselves。　And；
besides；　it　isn't　dinner　they　want；　but　a　breakfastthat　suits　them
best。　In　the　evening　these　gentlemen　have　to　go　to　first
representations；　and　make　up　their　papers；　not　to　speak　of　their　own
little　private　doings；　whereas　in　the　mornings　they　have　nothing　to
think　about。　As　for　me；　it　is　always　breakfasts　that　I　give。〃

〃But　that　costs　money；　breakfasts　like　that；〃　said　Thuillier；
〃journalists　are　gourmands。〃

〃Bah！　twenty　francs　a　head；　without　wine。　Say　you　have　ten　of　them；
three　hundred　francs　will　see　you　handsomely　through　the　whole　thing。
In　fact；　as　a　matter　of　economy；　breakfasts　are　preferable；　for　a
dinner　you　wouldn't　get　off　under　five　hundred　francs。〃

〃How　you　talk；　young　man！〃　said　Thuillier。

〃Oh；　hang　it！　everybody　knows　it　costs　dear　to　get　elected　to　the
Chamber；　and　all　this　favors　your　nomination。〃

〃But　how　can　I　invite　those　gentlemen？　Must　I　go　and　see　them　myself？〃

〃Certainly　not；　send　them　your　pamphlet　and　appoint　them　to　meet　you
at　Philippe's　or　Vefour'sthey'll　understand　perfectly。〃

〃Ten　guests；〃　said　Thuillier；　beginning　to　enter　into　the　idea。　〃I　did
not　know　there　were　so　many　leading　journals。〃

〃There　are　not；〃　said　the　publisher；　〃but　we　must　have　the　little　dogs
as　well；　for　they　bark　loudest。　This　breakfast　is　certain　to　make　a
noise；　and　if　you　don't　ask　them　they'll　think　you　pick　and　choose；
and　everyone　excluded　will　be　your　enemy。〃

〃Then　you　think　it　is　enough　merely　to　send　the　invitations？〃

〃Yes；　I'll　make　the　list；　and　you　can　write　the　notes　and　send　them　to
me。　I'll　see　that　they　are　delivered；　some　of　them　I　shall　take　in
person。〃

〃If　I　were　sure；〃　said　Thuillier；　undecidedly；　〃that　this　expense
would　have　the　desired　effect〃

〃IF　I　WERE　SURE；that's　a　queer　thing　to　say；〃　said　Barbet。　〃My　dear
master；　this　is　money　placed　on　mortgage；　for　it；　I　will　guarantee　the
sale　of　fifteen　hundred　copies；say　at　forty　sous　apiece；　allowing
the　discounts；　that　makes　three　thousand　francs。　You　see　that　your
costs　and　extra　costs　are　covered；　and　more　than　covered。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Thuillier；　turning　to　go；　〃I'll　talk　to　la　Peyrade　about
it。〃

〃As　you　please；　my　dear　master；　but　decide　soon；　for　nothing　gets
mouldy　so　fast　as　a　book；　write　hot；　serve　hot；　and　buy　hot；that's
the　rule　for　authors；　publishers；　and　public；　all　is　bosh　outside　of
it；　and　no　good　to　touch。〃

When　la　Peyrade　was　consulted；　he　did　not　think　in　his　heart　that　the
remedy　was　heroic；　but　he　had　now　come　to　feel　the　bitterest　animosity
against　Thuillier；　so　that　he　was　well　pleased　to　see　this　new　tax
levied　on　his　self…important　inexperience　and　pompous　silliness。

As　for　Thuillier；　the　mania　for　posing　as　a　publicist　and　getting
himself　talked　about　so　possessed　him　that　although　he　moaned　over
this　fresh　bleeding　of　his　purse；　he　had　decided　on　the　sac