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matter；〃 he added； in the tone of a man whose plans are not yet
decided。 〃I'll go to the mayor's office of your arrondissement； and
get Olympe's register of birth； and put up the banns。 The marriage
must take place a week from Saturday。〃
〃How he goes it； the rascal！〃 cried the admiring Madame Cardinal；
pushing her formidable son…in…law by the shoulder。
As he went downstairs Cerizet was surprised to see； through one of the
small round windows； an old man； evidently du Portail； walking in the
garden with a very important member of the government； Comte Martial
de la Roche…Hugon。 He stopped in the courtyard when he reached it； as
if to examine the old house； built in the reign of Louis XIV。； the
yellow walls of which； though of freestone； were bent like the elderly
beggar they contained。 Then he looked at the workshops； and counted
the workmen。 The house was otherwise as silent as a cloister。 Being
observed himself； Cerizet departed； thinking over in his mind the
various difficulties that might arise in extracting the sum hidden
beneath the dying man。
〃Carry off all that gold at night？〃 he said to himself； 〃why； those
porters will be on the watch； and twenty persons might see us！ It is
hard work to carry even twenty…five thousand francs of gold on one's
person。〃
Societies have two goals of perfection； the first is a state of
civilization in which morality equally infused and pervasive does not
admit even the idea of crime； the Jesuits reached that point； formerly
presented by the primitive Church。 The second is the state of another
civilization in which the supervision of citizens over one another
makes crime impossible。 The end which modern society has placed before
itself is the latter； namely； that in which a crime presents such
difficulties that a man must abandon all reasoning in order to commit
it。 In fact； iniquities which the law cannot reach are not left
actually unpunished； for social judgment is even more severe than that
of courts。 If a man like Minoret； the post…master at Nemours ＇see
〃Ursule Mirouet〃＇ suppresses a will and no one witnesses the act； the
crime is traced home to him by the watchfulness of virtue as surely as
a robbery is followed up by the detective police。 No wrong…doing
passes actually unperceived； and wherever a lesion in rectitude takes
place the scar remains。 Things can be no more made to disappear than
men； so carefully； in Paris especially； are articles and objects
ticketed and numbered； houses watched； streets observed； places spied
upon。 To live at ease； crime must have a sanction like that of the
Bourse； like that conceded by Cerizet's clients； who never complained
of his usury； and； indeed； would have been troubled in mind if their
flayer were not in his den of a Tuesday。
〃Well； my dear monsieur；〃 said Madame Perrache； the porter's wife； as
he passed her lodge； 〃how do you find him； that friend of God； that
poor man？〃
〃I am not the doctor；〃 replied Cerizet； who now decidedly declined
that role。 〃I am Madame Cardinal's business man。 I have just advised
her to have a cot…bed put up； so as to nurse her uncle night and day；
though； perhaps； she will have to get a regular nurse。〃
〃I can help her；〃 said Madame Perrache。 〃I nurse women in childbed。〃
〃Well； we'll see about it；〃 said Cerizet； 〃I'll arrange all that。 Who
is the tenant on your first floor？〃
〃Monsieur du Portail。 He has lodged here these thirty years。 He is a
man with a good income； monsieur； highly respectable； and elderly。 You
know people who invest in the Funds live on their incomes。 He used to
be in business。 But it is more than eleven years now since he has been
trying to restore the reason of a daughter of one of his friends；
Mademoiselle Lydie de la Peyrade。 She has the best advice； I can tell
you； the very first doctors in Paris； only this morning they had a
consultation。 But so far nothing has cured her； and they have to watch
her pretty close； for sometimes she gets up and walks at night〃
〃Mademoiselle Lydie de la Peyrade！〃 exclaimed Cerizet； 〃are you sure
of the name？〃
〃I've heard Madame Katte； her nurse； who also does the cooking； call
her so a thousand times； monsieur； though； generally； neither Monsieur
Bruneau； the valet； nor Madame Katte say much。 It's like talking to
the wall to try and get any information out of them。 We have been
porters here these twenty years and we've never found out anything
about Monsieur du Portail yet。 More than that； monsieur； he owns the
little house alongside； you see the double door from here。 Well； he
can go out that way and receive his company too； and we know nothing
about it。 Our owner doesn't know anything more than we do； when people
ring at that door； Monsieur Bruneau goes and opens it。〃
〃Then you didn't see the gentleman who is talking with him in the
garden go by this way？〃
〃Bless me！ no； that I didn't！〃
〃Ah！〃 thought Cerizet as he got into the cabriolet； 〃she must be the
daughter of that uncle of Theodose。 I wonder if du Portail can be the
secret benefactor who sent money from time to time to that rascal？
Suppose I send an anonymous letter to the old fellow； warning him of
the danger the barrister runs from those notes for twenty…five
thousand francs？〃
An hour later the cot…bed had arrived for Madame Cardinal； to whom the
inquisitive portress offered her services to bring her something to
eat。
〃Do you want to see the rector？〃 Madame Cardinal inquired of her
uncle。
She had noticed that the arrival of the bed seemed to draw him from
his somnolence。
〃I want wine！〃 replied the pauper。
〃How do you feel now； Pere Toupillier？〃 asked Madame Perrache； in a
coaxing voice。
〃I tell you I want wine；〃 repeated the old man； with an energetic
insistence scarcely to be expected of his feebleness。
〃We must first find out if it is good for you； uncle；〃 said Madame
Cardinal； soothingly。 〃Wait till the doctor comes。〃
〃Doctor！ I won't have a doctor！〃 cried Toupillier； 〃and you； what are
you doing here？ I don't want anybody。〃
〃My good uncle； I came to know if you'd like something tasty。 I've got
some nice fresh soleshey！ a bit of fried sole； with a squeeze of
lemon on it？〃
〃Your fish； indeed！〃 cried Toupillier； 〃all rotten！ That last you
brought me； more than six weeks ago； it is there in the cupboard； you
can take it away with you。〃
〃Heavens！ how ungrateful sick men are！〃 whispered the widow Cardinal
to Perrache。
Nevertheless； to exhibit solicitude； she arranged the pillow under the
patient's head； saying：
〃There！ uncle； don't you feel better like that？〃
〃Let me alone！〃 shouted Toupillier； angrily； 〃I want no one here； I
want wine； leave me in peace。〃
〃Don't get angry； little uncle； we'll fetch you some wine。〃
〃Number six wine； rue des Canettes；〃 cried the pauper。
〃Yes； I know；〃 replied Madame Cardinal； 〃but let me count out my
coppers。 I want to get something better for you than that kind of
wine； for； don't you see； an uncle； he's a kind of father； and one
shouldn't mind what one does for him。〃
So saying； she sat down； with her legs apart； on one of the
dilapidated chairs； and poured into her apron the contents of her
pockets； namely： a knife； her snuff…box； two pawn…tickets； some crusts
of bread； and a handful of copper； from which she extracted a few
silver bits。
This exhibition； intended to prove her generous and eager devotion；
had no result。 Toupillier seemed not to notice it。 Exhausted by the
feverish energy with which he had demanded his favorite remedy； he
made an effort to change his position； and； with his back turned to
his two nurses； he again muttered： 〃Wine！ wine！〃 after which nothing
more was heard of him but a stentorous breathing； that plainly showed
the state of his lungs； which were beginning to congest。
〃I suppose I must go and fetch his wine！〃 said the Cardinal； restoring
to her pockets； with some ill…humor； the cargo she had just pulled out
of them。
〃If you don't want to go〃 began Madame Perrache； always ready to
offer her services。
The fishwife hesitated for a moment； then； reflecting that something
might be got out of a conversation with the wine…merchant； and sure；
moreover； that as long as Toupillier lay on his gold she could safely
leave him alone with the portress； she said：
〃Thank you； Madame Perrache； but I'd better make acquaintance with his
trades…folk。〃
Then； having spied behind the night…table a dirty bottle which might
hold about two quarts；
〃Did he say the rue des Canelles？〃 she inquired of the portress。
〃Corner of the rue Guisarde；〃 replied Madame Perrache。 〃Monsieur
Legrelu； a tall； fine man with big whiskers and no hair。〃 Then；
lowering her voice； she added： 〃His number…six wine； you know； is
Roussillon； and the best； too。 However； the wine…merchant knows； it is
enough if you tell him you have come from his customer； the pauper of
Saint…Sulpice。〃
〃No need to tell me anything twice；〃 said the Cardinal； opening the
door and making； as they say； a false exit。 〃Ah ca！〃 she said； coming
back； 〃what does he burn in his stove； supposing I want to heat some
remedy for him？〃
〃Goodness！〃 said the portress； 〃he doesn't make much provision for
winter；