按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
cover the influence which corrupt ministers permit certain persons to
exercise illegally。 I think； therefore； that we may retain the
expression； though it is certainly not taken in that sense by Napoleon
Landais。〃
La Peyrade； who； in receiving his visitor； had affected to be
extremely busy in sorting his papers； contented himself by shrugging
his shoulders and saying nothing。
〃Well；〃 said Thuillier； 〃have you got the last proofs？ We ought to be
getting on。〃
〃If you have sent nothing to the printing…office；〃 replied la Peyrade；
〃of course there are no proofs。 I myself haven't touched the
manuscript。〃
〃But； my dear Theodose；〃 said Thuillier； 〃it isn't possible that for
such a trifle you are affronted。 I don't pretend to be a writer； only
as my name is on the book I have； I think； the right to my opinion
about a word。〃
〃But 'Mossie' Phellion；〃 replied Theodose； 〃is a writer； and inasmuch
as you have consulted him； I don't see why you can't engage him to
finish the work in which； for my part； I have resolved not to
co…operate any longer。〃
〃Heavens！ what temper！〃 cried Thuillier； 〃here you are furious just
because I seemed to question a word and then consulted some one。 You
know very well that I have read passages to Phellion； Colleville；
Minard； and Barniol as if the work were mine； in order to see the
effect it would produce upon the public； but that's no reason why I
should be willing to give my name to the things they are capable of
writing。 Do you wish me to give you a proof of the confidence I have
in you？ Madame la Comtesse de Godollo； to whom I read a few pages last
night； told me that the pamphlet was likely to get me into trouble
with the authorities； but I wouldn't allow what she said to have any
influence upon me。〃
〃Well；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃I think that the oracle of the family sees
the matter clearly； and I've no desire to bring your head to the
scaffold。〃
〃All that is nonsense；〃 said Thuillier。 〃Have you； or have you not； an
intention to leave me in the lurch？〃
〃Literary questions make more quarrels among friends than political
questions；〃 replied Theodose。 〃I wish to put an end to these
discussions between us。〃
〃But； my dear Theodose； never have I assumed to be a literary man。 I
think I have sound common…sense； and I say out my ideas； you can't be
angry at that； and if you play me this trick； and refuse to
collaborate any longer； it is because you have some other grudge
against me that I know nothing about。〃
〃I don't see why you call it a trick。 There's nothing easier for you
than not to write a pamphlet； you'll simply be Jerome Thuillier； as
before。〃
〃And yet it was you yourself who declared that this publication would
help my election； besides； I repeat； I have read passages to all our
friends； I have announced the matter in the municipal council； and if
the work were not to appear I should be dishonored； people would be
sure to say the government had bought me up。〃
〃You have only to say that you are the friend of Phellion； the
incorruptible； that will clear you。 You might even give Celeste to his
booby of a son； that alliance would certainly protect you from all
suspicion。〃
〃Theodose；〃 said Thuillier； 〃there is something in your mind that you
don't tell me。 It is not natural that for a simple quarrel about a
word you should wish to lose a friend like me。〃
〃Well； yes； there is；〃 replied la Peyrade； with the air of a man who
makes up his mind to speak out。 〃I don't like ingratitude。〃
〃Nor I either； I don't like it；〃 said Thuillier； hotly； 〃and if you
accuse me of so base an action； I summon you to explain yourself。 We
must get out of these hints and innuendoes。 What do you complain of？
What have you against a man whom only a few days ago you called your
friend？〃
〃Nothing and everything；〃 replied la Peyrade。 〃You and your sister are
much too clever to break openly with a man who； at the risk of his
reputation； has put a million in your hands。 But I am not so simple
that I don't know how to detect changes。 There are people about you
who have set themselves； in an underhand way； to destroy me； and
Brigitte has only one thought； and that is； how to find a decent way
of not keeping her promises。 Men like me don't wait till their claims
are openly protested； and I certainly do not intend to impose myself
on any family； still； I was far； I acknowledge； from expecting such
treatment。〃
〃Come； come；〃 said Thuillier； kindly； seeing in the barrister's eye
the glint of a tear of which he was completely the dupe； 〃I don't know
what Brigitte may have been doing to you； but one thing is very
certain： I have never ceased to be your most devoted friend。〃
〃No；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃since that mishap about the cross I am only
good； as the saying is； to throw to the dogs。 How could I have
struggled against secret influences？ Possibly it is that pamphlet；
about which you have talked a great deal too much； that has hindered
your appointment。 The ministers are so stupid！ They would rather wait
and have their hand forced by the fame of the publication than do the
thing with a good grace as the reward of your services。 But these are
political mysteries which would never enter your sister's mind。〃
〃The devil！〃 cried Thuillier。 〃I think I've got a pretty observing
eye； and yet I can't see the slightest change in Brigitte toward you。〃
〃Oh； yes！〃 said la Peyrade； 〃your eyesight is so good that you have
never seen perpetually beside her that Madame de Godollo； whom she now
thinks she can't live without。〃
〃Ha； ha！〃 said Thuillier； slyly； 〃so it is a little jealousy； is it；
in our mind？〃
〃Jealousy！〃 retorted la Peyrade。 〃I don't know if that's the right
word； but certainly your sisterwhose mind is nothing above the
ordinary； and to whom I am surprised that a man of your intellectual
superiority allows a supremacy in your household which she uses and
abuses〃
〃How can I help it； my dear fellow；〃 interrupted Thuillier； sucking in
the compliment； 〃she is so absolutely devoted to me。〃
〃I admit the weakness； but； I repeat； your sister doesn't fit into
your groove。 Well； I say that when a man of the value which you are
good enough to recognize in me； does her the honor to consult her and
devote himself to her as I have done； it can hardly be agreeable to
him to find himself supplanted by a woman who comes from nobody knows
whereand all because of a few trumpery chairs and tables she has
helped her to buy！〃
〃With women； as you know very well；〃 replied Thuillier； 〃household
affairs have the first place。〃
〃And Brigitte； who wants a finger in everything； also assumes to carry
matters with a high hand in affairs of the heart。 As you are so
extraordinarily clear…sighted you ought to have seen that in
Brigitte's mind nothing is less certain than my marriage with
Mademoiselle Colleville； and yet my love has been solemnly authorized
by you。〃
〃Good gracious！〃 cried Thuillier； 〃I'd like to see any one attempt to
meddle with my arrangements！〃
〃Well； without speaking of Brigitte； I can tell you of another
person；〃 said Theodose； 〃who is doing that very thing； and that person
is Mademoiselle Celeste herself。 In spite of their quarrels about
religion； her mind is none the less full of that little Phellion。〃
〃But why don't you tell Flavie to put a stop to it？〃
〃No one knows Flavie； my dear Thuillier； better than you。 She is a
woman rather than a mother。 I have found it necessary to do a little
bit of courting to her myself； and； you understand； while she is
willing for this marriage she doesn't desire it very much。〃
〃Well；〃 said Thuillier； 〃I'll undertake to speak to Celeste myself。 It
shall never be said that a slip of a girl lays down the law to me。〃
〃That's exactly what I don't want you to do；〃 cried la Peyrade。 〃Don't
meddle in all this。 Outside of your relations to your sister you have
an iron will； and I will never have it said that you exerted your
authority to put Celeste in my arms； on the contrary； I desire that
the child may have complete control over her own heart。 The only thing
I request is that she shall decide positively between Felix Phellion
and myself； because I do not choose to remain any longer in this
doubtful position。 It is true we agreed that the marriage should only
take place after you became a deputy； but I feel now that it is
impossible to allow the greatest event of my life to remain at the
mercy of doubtful circumstances。 And； besides； such an arrangement；
though at first agreed upon； seems to me now to have a flavor of a
bargain which is unbecoming to both of us。 I think I had better make
you a confidence； to which I am led by the unpleasant state of things
now between us。 Dutocq may have told you； before you left the
apartment in the rue Saint…Dominique； that an heiress had been offered
to me whose immediate fortune is larger than that which Mademoiselle
Colleville will eventually inherit。 I refused； because I have had the
folly to let my heart be won； and because an alliance with a family as
honorable as yours seemed to me more desirable； but； after all； it is
as well to let Brigitte know that if Celeste refuses me； I am not
absolutely tur