the lesser bourgeoisie-第88部分

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and　Cerizet；　I　will　crush　YOU；　vile　bourgeois　brood！〃

So　saying；　he　shook　his　fist　at　the　innocent　door。　Then　he　turned　and
ran　out；　the　popular　saying　that　the　earth　could　not　hold　him；　was
true　at　that　moment　of　his　being。

The　next　day；　for　he　could　not　restrain　any　longer　the　tempest　that
was　swelling　within　him；　la　Peyrade　went　to　see　Thuillier　in　the
bitterest　and　most　hostile　of　moods。　What　was　therefore　his　amazement
when；　before　he　had　time　to　put　himself　on　guard　and　stop　the
demonstration　of　union　and　oblivion；　Thuillier　flung　himself　into　his
arms。

〃My　friend；〃　cried　the　municipal　councillor；　as　he　loosened　his　clasp；
〃my　political　fortune　is　made；　this　morning　all　the　newspapers；
without　exception；　have　spoken　of　the　seizure　of　my　pamphlet；　and　you
ought　to　see　how　the　opposition　sheets　have　mauled　the　government。〃

〃Simple　enough；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　not　moved　by　this　enthusiasm；　〃you
are　a　topic　for　them；　that's　all。　But　this　does　not　alter　the
situation；　the　prosecution　will　be　only　the　more　determined　to　have
you　condemned。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Thuillier；　proudly　raising　his　head；　〃I　will　go　to
prison；　like　Beranger；　like　Lamennais；　like　Armand　Carrel。〃

〃My　good　fellow；　persecution　is　charming　at　a　distance；　but　when　you
hear　the　big　bolts　run　upon　you；　you　may　be　sure　you　won't　like　it　as
well。〃

〃But；〃　objected　Thuillier；　〃prisoners　condemned　for　political　offences
are　always　allowed　to　do　their　time　in　hospital　if　they　like。　Besides；
I'm　not　yet　convicted。　You　said　yourself　you　expected　to　get　me
acquitted。〃

〃Yes；　but　since　then　I　have　heard　things　which　make　that　result　very
doubtful；　the　same　hand　that　withheld　your　cross　has　seized　your
pamphlet；　you　are　being　murdered　with　premeditation。〃

〃If　you　know　who　that　dangerous　enemy　is；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃you　can't
refuse　to　point　him　out　to　me。〃

〃I　don't　know　him；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃I　only　suspect　him。　This　is
what　you　get　by　playing　too　shrewd　a　game。〃

〃Playing　a　shrewd　game！〃　said　Thuillier；　with　the　curiosity　of　a　man
who　is　perfectly　aware　that　he　has　nothing　of　that　kind　on　his
conscience。

〃Yes；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃you　made　a　sort　of　decoy　of　Celeste　to
attract　young　bloods　to　your　salon。　All　the　world　has　not　the
forbearance　of　Monsieur　Godeschal；　who　forgave　his　rejection　and
generously　managed　that　affair　about　the　house。〃

〃Explain　yourself　better；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃for　I　don't　see　what　you
mean。〃

〃Nothing　is　easier　to　understand。　Without　counting　me；　how　many
suitors　have　you　had　for　Mademoiselle　Colleville？　Godeschal；　Minard
junior；　Phellion　junior；　Olivier　Vinet；　the　substitute　judge；all　men
who　have　been　sent　about　their　business；　as　I　am。〃

〃Olivier　Vinet；　the　substitute　judge！〃　cried　Thuillier；　struck　with　a
flash　of　light。　〃Of　course；　the　blow　must　have　come　from　him。　His
father；　they　say；　has　a　long　arm。　But　it　can't　be　truly　said　that　we
sent　him　about　his　business；to　use　your　expression；　which　strikes　me
as　indecorous；for　he　never　came　to　the　house　but　once；　and　made　no
offer；　neither　did　Minard　junior　or　Phellion　junior；　for　that　matter。
Godeschal　is　the　only　one　who　risked　a　direct　proposal；　and　he　was
refused　at　once；　before　he　dipped　his　beak　in　the　water。〃

〃It　is　always　so！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　still　looking　for　a　ground　of
quarrel。　〃Straightforward　and　outspoken　persons　are　always　those　that
sly　men　boast　of　fooling。〃

〃Ah　ca！　what's　all　this？〃　said　Thuillier；　〃what　are　you　insinuating？
Didn't　you　settle　everything　with　Brigitte　the　other　day？　You　take　a
pretty　time　to　come　and　talk　to　me　about　your　love…affairs；　when　the
sword　of　justice　is　hanging　over　my　head。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　ironically；　〃so　now　you　are　going　to　make　the
most　of　your　interesting　position　of　accused　person！　I　knew　very　well
how　it　would　be；　I　was　certain　that　as　soon　as　your　pamphlet　appeared
the　old　cry　of　not　getting　what　you　expected　out　of　me　would　come　up。〃

〃Parbleu！　your　pamphlet！〃　cried　Thuillier。　〃I　think　you　are　a　fine
fellow　to　boast　of　that　when；　on　the　contrary；　it　has　caused　the　most
deplorable　complications。〃

〃Deplorable？　how　so？　you　have　just　said　your　political　fortune　was
made。〃

〃Well；　truly；　my　dear　Theodose；〃　said　Thuillier；　with　feeling；　〃I
should　never　have　thought　that　you　would　choose　the　hour　of　adversity
to　come　and　put　your　pistol　at　our　throats　and　make　me　the　object　of
your　sneers　and　innuendoes。〃

〃Well　done！〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃now　it　is　the　hour　of　adversity！　A
minute　ago　you　were　flinging　yourself　into　my　arms　as　a　man　to　whom
some　signal　piece　of　luck　had　happened。　You　ought　really　to　choose
decidedly　between　being　a　man　who　needs　pity　and　a　glorious　victor。〃

〃It　is　all　very　well　to　be　witty；〃　returned　Thuillier；　〃but　you　can't
controvert　what　I　say。　I　am　logical；　if　I　am　not　brilliant。　It　is　very
natural　that　I　should　console　myself　by　seeing　that　public　opinion
decides　in　my　favor；　and　by　reading　in　its　organs　the　most　honorable
assurances　of　sympathy；　but　do　you　suppose　I　wouldn't　rather　that
things　had　taken　their　natural　course？　Besides；　when　I　see　myself　the
object　of　unworthy　vengeance　on　the　part　of　persons　as　influential　as
the　Vinets；　how　can　I　help　measuring　the　extent　of　the　dangers　to
which　I　am　exposed？〃

〃Well；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　with　pitiless　persistency；　〃I　see　that　you
prefer　to　play　the　part　of　Jeremiah。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Thuillier；　in　a　solemn　tone。　〃Jeremiah　laments　over　a
friendship　I　did　think　true　and　devoted；　but　which　I　find　has　only
sarcasms　to　give　me　when　I　looked　for　services。〃

〃What　services？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。　〃Did　you　not　tell　me　positively；　no
later　than　yesterday；　that　you　would　not　accept　my　help　under　any　form
whatever？　I　offered　to　plead　your　case；　and　you　answered　that　you
would　take　a　better　lawyer。〃

〃Yes；　in　the　first　shock　of　surprise　at　such　an　unexpected　blow；　I　did
say　that　foolish　thing；　but；　on　reflection；　who　can　explain　as　well　as
you　can　the　intention　of　the　words　you　wrote　with　your　own　pen？
Yesterday　I　was　almost　out　of　my　mind；　but　you；　with　your　wounded
self…love；　which　can't　forgive　a　momentary　impatience；　you　are　very
caustic　and　cruel。〃

〃So；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃you　formally　request　me　to　defend　you　before
the　jury？〃

〃Yes；　my　dear　fellow；　and　I　don't　know　any　other　hands　in　which　I
could　better　place　my　case。　I　should　have　to　pay　a　monstrous　sum　to
some　great　legal　luminary；　and　he　wouldn't　defend　me　as　ably　as　you。〃

〃Well；　I　refuse。　Roles　have　changed；　as　you　see；　diametrically。
Yesterday；　I　thought；　as　you　do；　that　I　was　the　man　to　defend　you。
To…day；　I　see　that　you　had　better　take　the　legal　luminary；　because；
with　Vinet's　antagonism　against　you　the　affair　is　taking　such
proportions　that　whoever　defends　it　assumes　a　fearful　responsibility。〃

〃I　understand；〃　said　Thuillier；　sarcastically。　〃Monsieur　has　his　eye
on　the　magistracy；　and　he　doesn't　want　to　quarrel　with　a　man　who　is
already　talked　of　for　Keeper　of　the　Seals。　It　is　prudent；　but　I　don't
know　that　it　is　going　to　help　on　your　marriage。〃

〃You　mean；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　seizing　the　ball　in　its　bound；　〃that　to
get　you　out　of　the　claws　of　that　jury　is　a　thirteenth　la