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第39节

the lesser bourgeoisie-第39节

小说: the lesser bourgeoisie 字数: 每页4000字

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become a bourgeois like Thuillier; like Minard; and so many others。

But he had a waking of which he did not dream。 He found Fortune
standing before him; and emptying her gilded horns of plenty at his
feet in the person of Madame Cardinal。 He had always had a liking for
the woman; and had promised her for a year past the necessary sum to
buy a donkey and a little cart; so that she could carry on her
business on a large scale; and go from Paris to the suburbs。 Madame
Cardinal; widow of a porter in the corn…market; had an only daughter;
whose beauty Cerizet had heard of from some of the mother's cronies。
Olympe Cardinal was about thirteen years of age at the time; 1837;
when Cerizet began his system of loans in the quarter; and with a view
to an infamous libertinism; he had paid great attention to the mother;
whom he rescued from utter misery; hoping to make Olympe his mistress。
But suddenly; in 1838; the girl left her mother; and 〃made her life;〃
to use an expression by which the lower classes in Paris describe the
abuse of the most precious gifts of nature and youth。

To look for a girl in Paris is to look for a smelt in the Seine;
nothing but chance can throw her into the net。 The chance came。 Mere
Cardinal; who to entertain a neighbor had taken her to the Bobino
theatre; recognized in the leading lady her own daughter; whom the
first comedian had held under his control for three years。 The mother;
gratified at first at beholding her daughter in a fine gown of gold
brocade; her hair dressed like that of a duchess; and wearing open…
worked stockings; satin shoes; and receiving the plaudits of the
audience; ended by screaming out from her seat in the gallery:

〃You shall soon hear of me; murderer of your own mother! I'll know
whether miserable strolling…players have the right to come and debauch
young girls of sixteen!〃

She waited at the stage…door to capture her daughter; but the first
comedian and the leading lady had no doubt jumped across the
footlights and left the theatre with the audience; instead of issuing
by the stage…door; where Madame Cardinal and her crony; Mere
Mahoudeau; made an infernal rumpus; which two municipal guards were
called upon to pacify。 Those august personages; before whom the two
women lowered the diapason of their voices; called the mother's
attention to the fact that the girl was of legitimate theatrical age;
and that instead of screaming at the door after the director; she
could summon him before the justice…of…peace; or the police…court;
whichever she pleased。

The next day Madame Cardinal intended to consult Cerizet; in view of
the fact that he was a clerk in the office of the justice…of…peace;
but; before reaching his lair in the rue des Poules; she was met by
the porter of a house in which an uncle of hers; a certain Toupillier;
was living; who told her that the old man hadn't probably two days to
live; being then in the last extremity。

〃Well; how do you expect me to help it?〃 replied the widow Cardinal。

〃We count on you; my dear Madame Cardinal; we know you won't forget
the good advice we'll give you。 Here's the thing。 Lately; your poor
uncle; not being able to stir round; has trusted me to go and collect
the rents of his house; rue Notre…Dame de Nazareth; and the arrears of
his dividends at the Treasury; which come to eighteen hundred francs。〃

By this time the widow Cardinal's eyes were becoming fixed instead of
wandering。

〃Yes; my dear;〃 continued Perrache; a hump…backed little concierge;
〃and; seeing that you are the only person who ever thinks about him;
and that you come and see him sometimes; and bring him fish; perhaps
he may make a bequest in your favor。 My wife; who has been nursing him
for the last few days since he has been so ill; spoke to him of you;
but he wouldn't have you told about his illness。 But now; don't you
see; it is high time you should show yourself there。 It is pretty nigh
two months since he has been able to attend to business。〃

〃You may well think; you old thief;〃 replied Madame Cardinal; hurrying
at top speed toward the rue Honore…Chevalier; where her uncle lived in
a wretched garret; 〃that the hair would grow on my hand before I could
ever imagine that。 What! my uncle Toupillier rich! the old pauper of
the church of Saint…Sulpice!〃

〃Ah!〃 returned the porter; 〃but he fed well。 He went to bed every
night with his best friend; a big bottle of Roussillon。 My wife has
tasted it; though he told us it was common stuff。 The wine…merchant in
the rue des Canettes supplies it to him。〃

〃Don't say a word about all this;〃 said the widow; when she parted
from the man who had given her the information。 〃I'll take care and
remember youif anything comes of it。〃

Toupillier; former drum…major in the French Guards; had been for the
two years preceding 1789 in the service of the Church as beadle of
Saint…Sulpice。 The Revolution deprived him of that post; and he then
dropped down into a state of abject misery。 He was even obliged to
take to the profession of model; for he ENJOYED; as they say; a fine
physique。 When public worship was restored; he took up his beadle's
staff once more; but in 1816 he was dismissed; as much on account of
his immorality as for his political opinions。 Nevertheless; he was
allowed to stay about the door of the church and distribute the holy
water。 Later; an unfortunate affair; which we shall presently mention;
made him lose even that position; but; still finding means to keep to
the sanctuary; he obtained permission to be allowed as a pauper in the
porch。 At this period of life; being then seventy…two years of age; he
made himself ninety…six; and began the profession of centenarian。

In all Paris it was impossible to find another such beard and head of
hair as Toupillier's。 As he walked he appeared bent double; he held a
stick in his shaking hand;a hand that was covered with lichen; like
a granite rock; and with the other he held out the classic hat with a
broad brim; filthy and battered; into which; however; there fell
abundant alms。 His legs were swathed in rags and bandages; and his
feet shuffled along in miserable overshoes of woven mat…weed; inside
of which he had fastened excellent cork soles。 He washed his face with
certain compounds; which gave it an appearance of forms of illness;
and he played the senility of a centenarian to the life。 He reckoned
himself a hundred years old in 1830; at which time his actual age was
eighty; he was the head of the paupers of Saint…Sulpice; the master of
the place; and all those who came to beg under the arcades of the
church; safe from the persecutions of the police and beneath the
protection of the beadle and the giver of holy water; were forced to
pay him a sort of tithe。

When a new heir; a bridegroom; or some godfather left the church;
saying; 〃Here; this is for all of you; don't torment any of my party;〃
Toupillier; appointed by the beadle to receive these alms; pocketed
three…fourths; and distributed only the remaining quarter among his
henchmen; whose tribute amounted to a sou a day。 Money and wine were
his last two passions; but he regulated the latter and gave himself up
to the former; with neglecting his personal comfort。 He drank at night
only; after his dinner; and for twenty years he slept in the arms of
drunkenness; his last mistress。

In the early morning he was at his post with all his faculties。 From
then until his dinner; which he took at Pere Lathuile's (made famous
by Charlet); he gnawed crusts of bread by way of nourishment; and he
gnawed them artistically; with an air of resignation which earned him
abundant alms。 The beadle and the giver of holy water; with whom he
may have had some private understanding; would say of him:

〃He is one of the worthy poor of the church; he used to know the
rector Languet; who built Saint…Sulpice; he was for twenty years
beadle of the church before the Revolution; and he is now over a
hundred years old。〃

This little biography; well known to all the pious attendants of the
church; was; of course; the best of his advertisements; and no hat was
so well lined as his。 He bought his house in 1826; and began to invest
his money in the Funds in 1830。 From the value of the two investments
he must have made something like six thousand francs a year; and
probably turned them over by usury; after Cerizet's own fashion; for
the sum he paid for the house was forty thousand francs; while his
investment in 1830 was forty…eight thousand more。 His niece; deceived
by the old man as much as he deceived the functionaries and the pious
souls of the church; believed him the most miserable of paupers; and
when she had any fish that were spoiling she sometimes took them to
the aged beggar。

Consequently; she now felt it her right to get what she could in
return for her pity and her liberality to an uncle who was likely to
have a crowd of collateral heirs; she herself being the third and last
Toupillier daughter。 She had four brothers; and her father; a porter
with a hand…cart; had told her; in her childhood; of three aunts and
four uncles; who all led an existence of the baser sort。

After inspecting the sick man; she went; at ful

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