the lesser bourgeoisie-第89部分

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get　you　out　of　the　claws　of　that　jury　is　a　thirteenth　labor　of
Hercules；　imposed　upon　me　to　earn　the　hand　of　Mademoiselle　Colleville？
I　expected　that　demands　would　multiply　in　proportion　to　the　proofs　of
my　devotion。　But　that　is　the　very　thing　that　has　worn　me　out；　and　I
have　come　here　to…day　to　put　an　end　to　this　slave　labor　by　giving　back
to　you　your　pledges。　You　may　dispose　of　Celeste's　hand；　for　my　part；　I
am　no　longer　a　suitor　for　it。〃

The　unexpectedness　and　squareness　of　this　declaration　left　Thuillier
without　words　or　voice；　all　the　more　because　at　this　moment　entered
Brigitte。　The　temper　of　the　old　maid　had　also　greatly　moderated　since
the　previous　evening；　and　her　greeting　was　full　of　the　most　amicable
familiarity。

〃Ah！　so　here　you　are；　you　good　old　barrister；〃　she　said。

〃Mademoiselle；　your　servant；〃　he　replied；　gravely。

〃Well；〃　she　continued；　paying　no　attention　to　the　stiffness　of　his
manner；　〃the　government　has　got　itself　into　a　pretty　mess　by　seizing
your　pamphlet。　You　ought　to　see　how　the　morning　papers　lash　it！　Here；〃
she　added；　giving　Thuillier　a　small　sheet　printed　on　sugar…paper；　in
coarse　type；　and　almost　illegible；〃here's　another；　you　didn't　read；
the　porter　has　just　brought　it　up。　It　is　a　paper　from　our　old　quarter；
'L'Echo　de　la　Bievre。'　I　don't　know；　gentlemen；　if　you'll　be　of　my
opinion；　but　I　think　nothing　could　be　better　written。　It　is　droll；
though；　how　inattentive　these　journalists　are！　most　of　them　write　your
name　without　the　H；　I　think　you　ought　to　complain　of　it。〃

Thuillier　took　the　paper；　and　read　the　article　inspired　to　the
reviewer　of　the　tanner's　organ　by　stomach　gratitude。　Never　in　her　life
had　Brigitte　paid　the　slightest　attention　to　a　newspaper；　except　to
know　if　it　was　the　right　size　for　the　packages　she　wrapped　up　in　it；
but　now；　suddenly；　converted　to　a　worship　of　the　press　by　the　ardor　of
her　sisterly　love；　she　stood　behind　Thuillier　and　re…read；　over　his
shoulder；　the　more　striking　passages　of　the　page　she　thought　so
eloquent；　pointing　her　finger　to　them。

〃Yes；〃　said　Thuillier；　folding　up　the　paper；　〃that's　warm；　and　very
flattering　to　me。　But　here's　another　matter！　Monsieur　has　come　to　tell
me　that　he　refuses　to　plead　for　me；　and　renounces　all　claim　to
Celeste's　hand。〃

〃That　is　to　say；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃he　renounces　her　if；　after　having
pleaded；　the　marriage　does　not　take　place　'subito。'　Well；　poor　fellow；
I　think　that's　a　reasonable　demand。　When　he　has　done　that　for　us　there
ought　to　be　no　further　delay；　and　whether　Mademoiselle　Celeste　likes
it　or　not；　she　must　accept　him；　because；　you　know；　there's　an　end　to
all　things。〃

〃Do　you　hear　that；　my　good　fellow？〃　said　la　Peyrade；　seizing　upon
Brigitte's　speech。　〃When　I　have　pleaded；　the　marriage　is　to　take
place。　Your　sister　is　frankness　itself；　she；　at　least；　doesn't
practise　diplomacy。〃

〃Diplomacy！〃　echoed　Brigitte。　〃I'd　like　to　see　myself　creeping
underground　in　matters。　I　say　things　as　I　think　them。　The　workman　has
worked；　and　he　ought　to　have　his　pay。〃

〃Do　be　silent；〃　cried　Thuillier；　stamping　his　foot；　〃you　don't　say　a
word　that　doesn't　turn　the　knife　in　the　wound。〃

〃The　knife　in　the　wound？〃　said　Brigitte；　inquiringly。　〃Ah　ca！　are　you
two　quarrelling？〃

〃I　told　you；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃that　la　Peyrade　had　returned　our
promises；　and　the　reason　he　gives　is　that　we　are　asking　him　another
service　for　Celeste's　hand。　He　thinks　he　has　done　us　enough　without
it。〃

〃He　has　done　us　some　services；　no　doubt；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃but　it　seems
to　me　that　we　have　not　been　ungrateful　to　him。　Besides；　it　was　he　who
made　the　blunder；　and　I　think　it　rather　odd　he　should　now　wish　to
leave　us　in　the　lurch。〃

〃Your　reasoning；　mademoiselle；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃might　have　some
appearance　of　justice　if　I　were　the　only　barrister　in　Paris；　but　as
the　streets　are　black　with　them；　and　as；　only　yesterday；　Thuillier
himself　spoke　of　engaging　some　more　important　lawyer　than　myself；　I
have　not　the　slightest　scruple　in　refusing　to　defend　him。　Now；　as　to
the　marriage；　in　order　that　it　may　not　be　made　the　object　of　another
brutal　and　forcible　demand　upon　me；　I　here　renounce　it　in　the　most
formal　manner；　and　nothing　now　prevents　Mademoiselle　Colleville　from
accepting　Monsieur　Felix　Phellion　and　all　his　advantages。〃

〃As　you　please；　my　dear　monsieur；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃if　that's　your　last
word。　We　shall　not　be　at　a　loss　to　find　a　husband　for　Celeste；Felix
Phellion　or　another。　But　you　must　permit　me　to　tell　you　that　the
reason　you　give　is　not　the　true　one。　We　can't　go　faster　than　the
fiddles。　If　the　marriage　were　settled　to…day；　there　are　the　banns　to
publish；　you　have　sense　enough　to　know　that　Monsieur　le　maire　can't
marry　you　before　the　formalities　are　complied　with；　and　before　then
Thuillier's　case　will　have　been　tried。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃and　if　I　lose　the　case　it　will　be　I　who　have
sent　him　to　prison；just　as　yesterday　it　was　I　who　brought　about　the
seizure。〃

〃As　for　that；　it　seems　to　me　that　if　you　had　written　nothing　the
police　would　have　found　nothing　to　bite。〃

〃My　dear　Brigitte；〃　said　Thuillier；　seeing　la　Peyrade　shrug　his
shoulders；　〃your　argument　is　vicious　in　the　sense　that　the　writing　was
not　incriminating　on　any　side。　It　is　not　la　Peyrade's　fault　if　persons
of　high　station　have　organized　a　persecution　against　me。　You　remember
that　little　substitute；　Monsieur　Olivier　Vinet；　whom　Cardot　brought　to
one　of　our　receptions。　It　seems　that　he　and　his　father　are　furious
that　we　didn't　want　him　for　Celeste；　and　they've　sworn　my
destruction。〃

〃Well；　why　did　we　refuse　him；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃if　it　wasn't　for　the
fine　eyes　of　monsieur　here？　For；　after　all；　a　substitute　in　Paris　is　a
very　suitable　match。〃

〃No　doubt；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　nonchalantly。　〃Only；　he　did　not　happen　to
bring　you　a　million。〃

〃Ah！〃　cried　Brigitte；　firing　up。　〃If　you　are　going　to　talk　any　more
about　that　house　you　helped　us　to　buy；　I　shall　tell　you　plainly　that
if　you　had　had　the　money　to　trick　the　notary　you　never　would　have　come
after　us。　You　needn't　think　I　have　been　altogether　your　dupe。　You
spoke　just　now　of　a　bargain；　but　you　proposed　that　bargain　yourself。
'Give　me　Celeste　and　I'll　get　you　that　house；'that's　what　you　said
to　us　in　so　many　words。　Besides　which；　we　had　to　pay　large　sums　on
which　we　never　counted。〃

〃Come；　come；　Brigitte；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃you　are　making　a　great　deal
out　of　nothing。〃

〃Nothing！　nothing！〃　exclaimed　Brigitte。　〃Did　we；　or　did　we　not；　have
to　pay　much　more　than　we　expected？〃

〃My　dear　Thuillier；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃I　think；　with　you；　that　the
matter　is　now　settled；　and　it　can　only　be　embittered　by　discussing　it
further。　My　course　was　decided　on　before　I　came　here；　all　that　I　have
now　heard　can　only　confirm　it。　I　shall　not　be　the　husband　of　Celeste；
but　you　and　I　can　remain　good　friends。〃

He　rose　to　leave　the　room。

〃One　moment；　monsieur；〃　said　Brigitte；　barring　his　way；　〃there　is　one
matter　which　I　do　not　consider　settled；　and　now　that　we　are　no　longer
to　have　interests　in　common；　I　should　not　be　sorry　if　you　would　be　so
good　as　to　tell　me　what　has　become　of　a　sum　of　ten　thousand　francs
which　Thuillier　gave　you　to　brib