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！
〃Joker！〃 replied the old maid； 〃you know very well you settled that
business last night； but you also know； of course； that her own
inclinations incline her that way。〃
〃Short of being blind； I must have seen that；〃 replied la Peyrade。
〃It is not an obstacle to my projects；〃 continued Mademoiselle
Thuillier； 〃but it serves to explain why I ask for Celeste a little
more time； and also why I have wished all along to postpone the
marriage to a later date。 I wanted to give you time to insinuate
yourself into the heart of my dear little girlbut you and Thuillier
upset my plans。〃
〃Nothing； I think； has been done without your sanction；〃 said la
Peyrade； 〃and if； during these fifteen days； I have not talked with
you on the subject； it was out of pure delicacy。 Thuillier told me
that everything was agreed upon with you。〃
〃On the contrary； Thuillier knows very well that I refused to mix
myself up on your new arrangements。 If you had not made yourself so
scarce lately； I might have been the first to tell you that I did not
approve of them。 However； I can truly say I did nothing to hinder
their success。〃
〃But that was too little；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃your active help was
absolutely necessary。〃
〃Possibly； but I； who know women better than you； being one of them；
I felt very sure that if Celeste was told to choose between two
suitors she would consider that a permission to think at her ease of
the one she liked best。 I myself had always left her in the vague as
to Felix； knowing as I did the proper moment to settle her mind about
him。〃
〃So；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃you mean that she refuses me。〃
〃It is much worse than that；〃 returned Brigitte； 〃she accepts you； and
is willing to pledge her word； but it is so easy to see she regards
herself as a victim； that if I were in your place I should feel
neither flattered nor secure in such a position。〃
In any other condition of mind la Peyrade would probably have answered
that he accepted the sacrifice； and would make it his business to win
the heart which at first was reluctantly given； but delay now suited
him； and he replied to Brigitte with a question：
〃Then what do you advise？ What course had I better take？〃
〃Finish Thuillier's pamphlet； in the first place； or he'll go crazy；
and leave me to work the other affair in your interests；〃 replied
Brigitte。
〃But am I in friendly hands？ For； to tell you the truth； little aunt；
I have not been able to conceal from myself that you have； for some
time past； changed very much to me。〃
〃Changed to you！ What change do you see in me； addled…pate that you
are？〃
〃Oh！ nothing very tangible；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃but ever since that
Countess Torna has had a footing in your house〃
〃My poor boy； the countess has done me many services； and I am very
grateful to her； but is that any reason why I should be false to you；
who have done us still greater services？〃
〃But you must admit；〃 said la Peyrade； craftily； 〃that she has told
you a great deal of harm of me。〃
〃Naturally she has； these fine ladies are all that way； they expect
the whole world to adore them； and she sees that you are thinking only
of Celeste； but all she has said to me against you runs off my mind
like water from varnished cloth。〃
〃So； then； little aunt； I may continue to count on you？〃 persisted la
Peyrade。
〃Yes； provided you are not tormenting； and will let me manage this
affair。〃
〃Tell me how you are going to do it？〃 asked la Peyrade； with an air of
great good…humor。
〃In the first place； I shall signify to Felix that he is not to set
foot in this house again。〃
〃Is that possible？〃 said the barrister； 〃I mean can it be done
civilly？〃
〃Very possible； I shall make Phellion himself tell him。 He's a man who
is always astride of principles； and he'll be the first to see that if
his son will not do what is necessary to obtain Celeste's hand he
ought to deprive us of his presence。〃
〃What next？〃 asked la Peyrade。
〃Next； I shall signify to Celeste that she was left at liberty to
choose one husband or the other； and as she did not choose Felix she
must make up her mind to take you； a pious fellow； such as she wants。
You needn't be uneasy； I'll sing your praises； especially your
generosity in not profiting by the arrangement she agreed to make
to…day。 But all that will take a week at least； and if Thuillier's
pamphlet isn't out before then； I don't know but what we shall have to
put him in a lunatic asylum。〃
〃The pamphlet can be out in two days。 But is it very certain； little
aunt； that we are playing above…board？ Mountains； as they say； never
meet； but men do； and certainly； when the time comes to promote the
election； I can do Thuillier either good or bad service。 Do you know；
the other day I was terribly frightened。 I had a letter from him in my
pocket； in which he spoke of the pamphlet as being written by me。 I
fancied for a moment that I had dropped it in the Luxembourg。 If I
had； what a scandal it would have caused in the quarter。〃
〃Who would dare to play tricks with such a wily one as you？〃 said
Brigitte； fully comprehending the comminatory nature of la Peyrade's
last words； interpolated into the conversation without rhyme or
reason。 〃But really；〃 she added； 〃why should you complain of us？ It is
you who are behindhand in your promises。 That cross which was to have
been granted within a week； and that pamphlet； which ought to have
appeared a long time ago〃
〃The pamphlet and the cross will both appear in good time； the one
will bring the other；〃 said la Peyrade； rising。 〃Tell Thuillier to
come and see me to…morrow evening； and I think we can then correct the
last sheet。 But； above all； don't listen to the spitefulness of Madame
de Godollo； I have an idea that in order to make herself completely
mistress of this house she wants to alienate all your old friends； and
also that she is casting her net for Thuillier。〃
〃Well； in point of fact；〃 said the old maid； whom the parting shot of
the infernal barrister had touched on the ever…sensitive point of her
authority； 〃I must look into that matter you speak of there； she is
rather coquettish； that little woman。〃
La Peyrade gained a second benefit out of that speech so adroitly
flung out； he saw by Brigitte's answer to it that the countess had not
mentioned to her the visit he had paid her during the day。 This
reticence might have a serious meaning。
Four days later； the printer； the stitcher； the paper glazier having
fulfilled their offices； Thuillier had the inexpressible happiness of
beginning on the boulevards a promenade； which he continued through
the Passages； and even to the Palais…Royal； pausing before all the
book…shops where he saw； shining in black letters on a yellow poster；
the famous title：
TAXATION AND THE SLIDING…SCALE
by J。 Thuillier；
Member of the Council…General of the Seine。
Having reached the point of persuading himself that the care he had
bestowed upon the correction of proofs made the merit of the work his
own； his paternal heart； like that of Maitre Corbeau； could not
contain itself for joy。 We ought to add that he held in very low
esteem those booksellers who did not announce the sale of the new
work； destined to become； as he believed； a European event。 Without
actually deciding the manner in which he would punish their
indifference； he nevertheless made a list of these rebellious persons；
and wished them as much evil as if they had offered him a personal
affront。
The next day he spent a delightful morning in writing a certain number
of letters； sending the publication to friends； and putting into paper
covers some fifty copies； to which the sacramental phrase； 〃From the
author；〃 imparted to his eyes an inestimable value。
But the third day of the sale brought a slight diminution of his
happiness。 He had chosen for his editor a young man； doing business at
a breakneck pace； who had lately established himself in the Passage
des Panoramas； where he was paying a ruinous rent。 He was the nephew
of Barbet the publisher； whom Brigitte had had as a tenant in the rue
Saint…Dominique d'Enfer。 This Barbet junior was a youth who flinched
at nothing； and when he was presented to Thuillier by his uncle； he
pledged himself； provided he was not shackled in his advertising； to
sell off the first edition and print a second within a week。
Now； Thuillier had spent about fifteen hundred francs himself on costs
of publication； such； for instance； as copies sent in great profusion
to the newspapers； but at the close of the third day SEVEN copies only
had been sold； and three of those on credit。 It might be believed that
in revealing to the horror…stricken Thuillier this paltry result the
young publisher would have lost at least something of his assurance。
On the contrary； this Guzman of the book…trade hastened to say：
〃I am delighted at what has happened。 If we had sold a hundred copies
it would trouble me far more than the fifteen hundred now on our
hands； that's what I call hanging fire； whereas this insignificant
sale only proves that the edition will go off like a rocket。〃
〃But when？〃 asked Thuillier； who thought this view paradoxical。
〃Pa