the lesser bourgeoisie-第97部分

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One　eveningit　was　towards　the　middle　of　Octoberthe　autumn；　as
frequently　happens　in　Paris；　was　magnificent；　and　along　the
boulevards；　where　the　Provencal　was　airing　his　love　and　his
melancholy；　the　out…door　life　and　gaiety　were　as　animated　as　in
summer。　On　the　boulevard　des　Italiens；　formerly　known　as　the　boulevard
de　Gand；　as　he　lounged　past　the　long　line　of　chairs　before　the　Cafe　de
Paris；　where；　mingled　with　a　few　women　of　the　Chaussee　d'Antin
accompanied　by　their　husbands　and　children；　may　be　seen　toward　evening
a　cordon　of　nocturnal　beauties　waiting　only　a　gloved　hand　to　gather
them；　la　Peyrade's　heart　received　a　cruel　shock。　From　afar；　he　thought
he　saw　his　adored　countess。

She　was　alone；　in　a　dazzling　toilet　scarcely　authorized　by　the　place
and　her　isolation；　before　her；　mounted　on　a　chair；　trembled　a　tiny
lap…dog；　which　she　stroked　from　time　to　time　with　her　beautiful　hands。
After　convincing　himself　that　he　was　not　mistaken；　la　Peyrade　was
about　to　dart　upon　that　celestial　vision；　when　he　was　forestalled　by　a
dandy　of　the　most　triumphant　type。　Without　throwing　aside　his　cigar；
without　even　touching　his　hat；　this　handsome　young　man　began　to
converse　with　the　barrister's　ideal；　but　when　she　saw　la　Peyrade
making　towards　her　the　siren　must　have　felt　afraid；　for　she　rose
quickly；　and　taking　the　arm　of　the　man　who　was　talking　to　her；　she
said　aloud：

〃Is　your　carriage　here；　Emile？　Mabille　closes　to…night；　and　I　should
like　to　go　there。〃

The　name　of　that　disreputable　place　thus　thrown　in　the　face　of　the
unhappy　barrister；　was　a　charity；　for　it　saved　him　from　a　foolish
action；　that　of　addressing；　on　the　arm　of　the　man　who　had　suddenly
made　himself　her　cavalier；　the　unworthy　creature　of　whom　he　was
thinking　a　few　seconds　earlier　with　so　much　tenderness。

〃She　is　not　worth　insulting；〃　he　said　to　himself。

But；　as　lovers　are　beings　who　will　not　allow　their　foothold　to　be
taken　from　them　easily；　the　Provencal　was　neither　convinced　nor
resigned　as　yet。　Not　far　from　the　place　which　his　countess　had　left；
sat　another　woman；　also　alone；　but　this　one　was　ripe　with　years；　with
feathers　on　her　head；　and　beneath　the　folds　of　a　cashmere　shawl　she
concealed　the　plaintive　remains　of　tarnished　elegance　and　long　past
luxury。　There　was　nothing　imposing　about　this　sight；　nor　did　it
command　respect；　but　the　contrary。　La　Peyrade　went　up　to　the　woman
without　ceremony　and　addressed　her。

〃Madame；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　know　that　woman　who　has　just　gone　away　on
the　arm　of　a　gentleman？〃

〃Certainly；　monsieur；　I　know　nearly　all　the　women　who　come　here。〃

〃And　her　name　is？〃

〃Madame　Komorn。〃

〃Is　she　as　impregnable　as　the　fortress　of　that　name？〃

Our　readers　will　doubtless　remember　that　at　the　time　of　the
insurrection　in　Hungary　our　ears　were　battered　by　the　press　and　by
novelists　about　the　famous　citadel　of　Komorn；　and　la　Peyrade　knew　that
by　assuming　a　tone　of　indifference　or　flippancy　he　was　more　likely　to
succeed　with　his　inquiries。

〃Has　monsieur　any　idea　of　making　her　acquaintance？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃but　she　is　a　woman　who　makes
people　think　of　her。〃

〃And　a　very　dangerous　woman；　monsieur；〃　added　his　companion；　〃a
fearful　spendthrift；　but　with　no　inclination　to　return　generously　what
is　done　for　her。　I　can　speak　knowingly　of　that；　when　she　first　arrived
here　from　Berlin；　six　months　ago；　she　was　very　warmly　recommended　to
me。〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　la　Peyrade。

〃Yes；　at　that　time　I　had　in　the　environs　of　Ville　d'Avray　a　very
beautiful　place；　with　park　and　coverts　and　a　stream　for　fishing；　but
as　I　was　alone　I　found　it　dull；　and　several　of　these　ladies　and
gentlemen　said　to　me；　'Madame　Louchard；　why　don't　you　organize　parties
in　the　style　of　picnics？'〃

〃Madame　Louchard！〃　repeated　la　Peyrade；　〃are　you　any　relation　to
Monsieur　Louchard　of　the　commercial　police？〃

〃His　wife；　monsieur；　but　legally　separated　from　him。　A　horrid　man　who
wants　me　to　go　back　to　him；　but　I；　though　I'm　ready　to　forgive　most
things；　I　can't　forgive　a　want　of　respect；　just　imagine　that　he　dared
to　raise　his　hand　against　me！〃

〃Well；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　trying　to　bring　her　back　to　the　matter　in
hand；　〃you　organized　those　picnics；　and　Madame　de　GodoI　mean　Madame
Komorn〃

〃Was　one　of　my　first　lodgers。　It　was　there　she　made　acquaintance　with
an　Italian；　a　handsome　man；　and　rich；　a　political　refugee；　but　one　of
the　lofty　kind。　You　understand　it　didn't　suit　my　purposes　to　have
intrigues　going　on　in　my　house；　still　the　man　was　so　lovable；　and　so
unhappy　because　he　couldn't　make　Madame　Komorn　like　him；　that　at　last
I　took　an　interest　in　this　particular　love　affair；　which　produced　a
pot　of　money　for　madame；　for　she　managed　to　get　immense　sums　out　of
that　Italian。　Well；　would　you　believe　that　whenbeing　just　then　in
great　needI　asked　her　to　assist　me　with　a　trifling　little　sum；　she
refused　me　point…blank；　and　left　my　house；　taking　her　lover　with　her；
who；　poor　man；　can't　be　thankful　for　the　acquaintance　now。〃

〃Why　not？　What　happened　to　him？〃　asked　la　Peyrade。

〃It　happened　to　him　that　this　serpent　knows　every　language　in　Europe；
she　is　witty　and　clever　to　the　tips　of　her　fingers；　but　more
manoeuvring　than　either；　so；　being；　as　it　appears；　in　close　relations
to　the　police；　she　gave　the　government　a　lot　of　papers　the　Italian
left　about　carelessly；　on　which　they　expelled　him　from　France。〃

〃Well；　after　his　departure；　Madame　Komorn〃

〃Since　then；　she　has　had　a　good　many　adventures　and　upset　several
fortunes；　and　I　thought　she　had　left　Paris。　For　the　last　two　months
she　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　but　three　days　ago　she　reappeared；　more
brilliant　than　ever。　My　advice　to　monsieur　is　not　to　trust　himself　in
that　direction；　and　yet；　monsieur　looks　to　me　a　Southerner；　and
Southerners　have　passions；　perhaps　what　I　have　told　him　will　only
serve　to　spur　them　up。　However；　being　warned；　there's　not　so　much
danger；　and　she　is　a　most　fascinating　creatureoh！　very　fascinating。
She　used　to　love　me　very　much；　though　we　parted　such　ill…friends；　and
just　now；　seeing　me　here；　she　came　over　and　asked　my　address；　and　said
she　should　come　and　see　me。〃

〃Well；　madame；　I'll　think　about　it；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　rising　and
bowing　to　her。

The　bow　was　returned　with　extreme　coldness；　his　abrupt　departure　did
not　show　him　to　be　a　man　of　SERIOUS　intentions。

It　might　be　supposed　from　the　lively　manner　in　which　la　Peyrade　made
these　inquiries　that　his　cure　though　sudden　was　complete；　but　this
surface　of　indifference　and　cool　self…possession　was　only　the
stillness　of　the　atmosphere　that　precedes　a　storm。　On　leaving　Madame
Louchard；　la　Peyrade　flung　himself　into　a　street…cab　and　there　gave
way　to　a　passion　of　tears　like　that　Madame　Colleville　had　witnessed　on
the　day　he　believed　that　Cerizet　had　got　the　better　of　him　in　the　sale
of　the　house。

What　was　his　position　now？　The　investment　of　the　Thuilliers；　prepared
with　so　much　care；　all　useless；　Flavie　well　avenged　for　the　odious
comedy　he　had　played　with　her；　his　affairs　in　a　worse　state　than　they
were　when　Cerizet　and　Dutocq　had　sent　him；　like　a　devouring　wolf；　into
the　sheepfold　from　which　he　had　allowed　the　stupid　sheep　to　dri