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第56节

the lesser bourgeoisie-第56节

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as well to let Brigitte know that if Celeste refuses me; I am not
absolutely turned out into the cold。〃

〃I can easily believe that;〃 said Thuillier; 〃but as for putting the
whole decision into the hands of that little girl; especially if she
has; as you tell me; a fancy for Felix〃

〃I can't help it;〃 said the barrister。 〃I must; at any price; get out
of this position; it is no longer tenable。 You talk about your
pamphlet; I am not in a fit condition to finish it。 You; who have been
a man of gallantry; you must know the dominion that women; fatal
creatures! exercise over our whole being。〃

〃Bah!〃 said Thuillier; conceitedly; 〃they cared for me; but I did not
often care for them; I took them; and left them; you know。〃

〃Yes; but I; with my Southern nature; love passionately; and Celeste
has other attractions besides fortune。 Brought up in your household;
under your own eye; you have made her adorable。 Only; I must say; you
have shown great weakness in letting that young fellow; who does not
suit her in any respect; get such hold upon her fancy。〃

〃You are quite right; but the thing began in a childish friendship;
she and Felix played together。 You came much later; and it is a proof
of the great esteem in which we hold you; that when you made your
offer we renounced our earlier projects。〃

〃YOU did; yes;〃 said la Peyrade; 〃and with some literary manias
which; after all; are frequently full of sense and wityou have a
heart of gold; with you friendship is a sure thing; and you know what
you mean。 But Brigitte is another matter; you'll see; when you propose
to her to hasten the marriage; what a resistance she will make。〃

〃I don't agree with you。 I think that Brigitte has always wanted you
and still wants you for son…in…lawif I may so express myself。 But
whether she does or not; I beg you to believe that in all important
matters I know how to have my will obeyed。 Only; let us come now to a
distinct understanding of what you wish; then we can start with the
right foot foremost; and you'll see that all will go well。〃

〃I wish;〃 replied la Peyrade; 〃to put the last touches to your
pamphlet; for; above all things; I think of you。〃

〃Certainly;〃 said Thuillier; 〃we ought not to sink in port。〃

〃Well; in consequence of the feeling that I am oppressed; stultified
by the prospect of a marriage still so doubtful; I am certain that not
a page of manuscript could be got out of me in any form; until the
question is settled。〃

〃Very good;〃 said Thuillier; 〃then how do you present that question?〃

〃Naturally; if Celeste's decision be against me; I should wish an
immediate solution。 If I am condemned to make a marriage of
convenience I ought to lose no time in taking the opportunity I
mentioned to you。〃

〃So be it; but what time do you intend to allow us?〃

〃I should think that in fifteen days a girl might be able to make up
her mind。〃

〃Undoubtedly;〃 replied Thuillier; 〃but it is very repugnant to me to
let Celeste decide without appeal。〃

〃For my part; I will take that risk; in any case; I shall be rid of
uncertainty; and that is really my first object。 Between ourselves; I
am not risking as much as you think。 It will take more than fifteen
days for a son of Phellion; in other words; obstinacy incarnate in
silliness; to have done with philosophical hesitations; and it is very
certain that Celeste will not accept him for a husband unless he gives
her some proofs of conversion。〃

〃That's probable。 But suppose Celeste tries to dawdle; suppose she
refuses to accept the alternative?〃

〃That's your affair;〃 said the Provencal。 〃I don't know how you regard
the family in Paris; I only know that in my part of the country it is
an unheard…of thing that a girl should have such liberty。 If you; your
sister (supposing she plays fair in the matter); and the father and
mother can't succeed in making a girl whom you dower agree to so
simple a thing as to make a perfectly free choice between two suitors;
then good…bye to you! You'll have to write upon your gate…post that
Celeste is queen and sovereign of the house。〃

〃Well; we haven't got to that point yet;〃 said Thuillier; with a
capable air。

〃As for you; my old fellow;〃 resumed la Peyrade; 〃I must postpone our
business until after Celeste's decision。 Be that in my favor or not; I
will then go to work; and in three days the pamphlet can be finished。〃

〃Now;〃 said Thuillier; 〃I know what you have had on your mind。 I'll
talk about it with Brigitte。〃

〃That's a sad conclusion;〃 said la Peyrade; 〃but; unhappily; so it
is。〃

〃What do you mean by that?〃

〃I would rather; as you can easily imagine; hear you say of yourself
that the thing shall be done; but old habits can't be broken up。〃

〃Ah ca! do you think I'm a man without any will; any initiative of my
own?〃

〃No! but I'd like to be hidden in a corner and hear how you will open
the subject with your sister。〃
 
〃Parbleu! I shall open it frankly。 I WILL; very firmly said; shall
meet every one of her objections。〃

〃Ah; my poor fellow!〃 said la Peyrade; clapping him on the shoulder;
〃from Chrysale down how often have we seen brave warriors lowering
their penants before the wills of women accustomed to master them!〃

〃We'll see about THAT;〃 replied Thuillier; making a theatrical exit。

The eager desire to publish his pamphlet; and the clever doubt thrown
upon the strength of his will had made him furious;an actual tiger;
and he went away resolved; in case of opposition; to reduce his
household; as the saying is; by fire and sword。

When he reached home Thuillier instantly laid the question before
Brigitte。 She; with her crude good sense and egotism; pointed out to
him that by thus hastening the period formerly agreed upon for the
marriage; they committed the blunder of disarming themselves; they
could not be sure that when the election took place la Peyrade would
put the same zeal into preparing for it。 It might be;〃 said the old
maid; 〃just as it has been about the cross。〃

〃There's this difference;〃 said Thuillier; 〃the cross doesn't depend
directly upon la Peyrade; whereas the influence he exerts in the 12th
arrondissement he can employ as he will。〃

〃And suppose he willed; after we have feathered his nest;〃 said
Brigitte; 〃to work his influence for his own election? He is very
ambitious; you know。〃

This danger did not fail to strike the mind of the future legislator;
who thought; however; that he might feel some security in the honor
and morality of la Peyrade。

〃A man's honor can't be very delicate;〃 returned Brigitte; 〃when he
tries to get out of a bargain; and this fashion of dangling a bit of
sugar before us about getting your pamphlet finished; doesn't please
me at all。 Can't you get Phellion to help you; and do without
Theodose? Or; I dare say; Madame de Godollo; who knows everybody in
politics; could find you a journalistthey say there are plenty of
them out at elbows; a couple of hundred francs would do the thing。〃

〃But the secret would get into the papers;〃 said Thuillier。 〃No; I
must absolutely have Theodose; he knows that; and he makes these
conditions。 After all; we did promise him Celeste; and it is only
fulfilling the promise a year earlierwhat am I saying?a few
months; a few weeks; possibly; for the king may dissolve the Chamber
before any one expects it。〃

〃But suppose Celeste won't have him?〃 objected Brigitte。

〃Celeste! Celeste; indeed!〃 ejaculated Thuillier; 〃she MUST have
whomsoever we choose。 We ought to have thought of that when we made
the engagement with la Peyrade; our word is passed now; you know。
Besides; if the child is allowed to choose between la Peyrade and
Phellion〃

〃So you really think;〃 said the sceptical old maid; 〃that if Celeste
decides for Phellion you can still count on la Peyrade's devotion?〃

〃What else can I do? Those are his conditions。 Besides; the fellow has
calculated the whole thing; he knows very well that Felix will never
bring himself in two weeks to please Celeste by going to confession;
and unless he does; that little monkey will never accept him for a
husband。 La Peyrade's game is very clever。〃

〃Too clever;〃 said Brigitte。 〃Well; settle the matter as you choose; I
shall not meddle; all this manoeuvring is not to my taste。〃

Thuillier went to see Madame Colleville; and intimated to her that she
must inform Celeste of the designs upon her。

Celeste had never been officially authorized to indulge her sentiment
for Felix Phellion。 Flavie; on the contrary; had once expressly
forbidden her to encourage the hopes of the young professor; but as;
on the part of Madame Thuillier; her godmother and her confidant; she
knew she was sustained in her inclination; she had let herself gently
follow it without thinking very seriously of the obstacles her choice
might encounter。 When; therefore; she was ordered to choose at once
between Felix and la Peyrade; the simple…hearted girl was at first
only struck by the advantages of one half of the alternative; and she
fancied she did herself a great service by agreeing to an arrangement
which made her the mistress of her own choice and allowed her to
bestow it as her heart desired。

But la Peyrade wa

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