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you； she seems to me to be inclined to make trouble。〃
〃In what way？〃 asked Brigitte； continuing to dust。
〃I think she and Madame Thuillier went to see the Abbe Gondrin this
morning； and she has been attacking me about Felix Phellion； and talks
of him as if he were a god； from that to refusing to marry la Peyrade
is but a step。〃
〃Those cursed skull…caps！〃 said Brigitte； 〃they meddle in everything！
I didn't want to invite him； but you would insist。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Flavie； 〃it was proper。〃
〃Proper！ I despise proprieties！〃 cried the old maid。 〃He's a maker of
speeches； he said nothing last night that wasn't objectionable。 Send
Celeste to me； I'll settle her。〃
At this instant a servant announced to Brigitte the arrival of a clerk
from the office of the new notary chosen； in default of Dupuis； to
draw up the contract。 Without considering her disorderly appearance；
Brigitte ordered him to be shown in； but she made him the
condescension of descending from her perch instead of talking from the
height of it。
〃Monsieur Thuillier；〃 said the clerk； 〃came to our office this morning
to explain to the master the clauses of the contract he has been so
good as to entrust to us。 But before writing down the stipulations； we
are in the habit of obtaining from the lips of each donor a direct
expression of his or her intentions。 In accordance with this rule；
Monsieur Thuillier told us that he gives to the bride the reversion；
at his death； of the house he inhabits； which I presume to be this
one？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Brigitte； 〃that is the understanding。 As for me； I give
three hundred thousand francs a year in the Three…per…cents； capital
and interest； but the bride is married under the dotal system。〃
〃That is so；〃 said the clerk； consulting his notes。 〃Mademoiselle
Brigitte； three thousand francs a year。 Now； there is Madame Celeste
Thuillier； wife of Louis…Jerome Thuillier； who gives six thousand in
the Three…per…cents； capital and interest； and six thousand more at
her death。〃
〃All that is just as if the notary had written it down；〃 said
Brigitte； 〃but if it is your custom you can see my sister…in…law； they
will show you the way。〃
So saying； the old maid ordered the 〃male domestic〃 to take the clerk
to Madame Thuillier。
A moment later the clerk returned； saying there was certainly some
misunderstanding； and that Madame Thuillier declared she had no
intention of making any agreement in favor of the marriage。
〃That's a pretty thing！〃 cried Brigitte。 〃Come with me； monsieur。〃
Then； like a hurricane； she rushed into Madame Thuillier's chamber；
the latter was pale and trembling。
〃What's this you have told monsieur？that you give nothing to
Celeste's 'dot'？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the slave； declaring insurrection； although in a shaking
voice； 〃my intention is to do nothing。〃
〃Your intention；〃 said Brigitte； scarlet with anger； 〃is something
new。〃
〃That is my intention；〃 was all the rebel replied。
〃At least you will give your reasons？〃
〃The marriage does not please me。〃
〃Ha！ and since when？〃
〃It is not necessary that monsieur should listen to our discussion；〃
said Madame Thuillier； 〃it will not appear in the contract。〃
〃No wonder you are ashamed of it；〃 said Brigitte； 〃the appearance you
are making is not very flattering to youMonsieur；〃 she continued；
addressing the clerk； 〃it is easier； is it not； to mark out passages
in a contract than to add them？〃
The clerk made an affirmative sign。
〃Then put in what you were told to write； later； if madame persists；
the clause can be stricken out。〃
The clerk bowed and left the room。
When the two sisters…in…law were alone together； Brigitte began。
〃Ah ca！〃 she cried； 〃have you lost your head？ What is this crotchet
you've taken into it？〃
〃It is not a crotchet； it is a fixed idea。〃
〃Which you got from the Abbe Gondrin； you dare not deny that you went
to see him with Celeste。〃
〃It is true that Celeste and I saw our director this morning； but I
did not open my lips to him about what I intended to do。〃
〃So； then； it is in your own empty head that this notion sprouted？〃
〃Yes。 As I told you yesterday； I think Celeste can be more suitably
married； and my intention is not to rob myself for a marriage of which
I disapprove。〃
〃YOU disapprove！ Upon my word！ are we all to take madame's advice？〃
〃I know well；〃 replied Madame Thuillier； 〃that I count for nothing in
this house。 So far as I am concerned； I have long accepted my
position； but； when the matter concerns the happiness of a child I
regard as my own〃
〃Parbleu！〃 cried Brigitte； 〃you never knew how to have one； for；
certainly； Thuillier〃
〃Sister；〃 said Madame Thuillier； with dignity； 〃I took the sacrament
this morning； and there are some things I cannot listen to。〃
〃There's a canting hypocrite for you！〃 cried Brigitte； 〃playing the
saint； and bringing trouble into families！ And you think to succeed；
do you？ Wait till Thuillier comes home； and he'll shake this out of
you。〃
By calling in the marital authority in support of her own； Brigitte
showed weakness before the unexpected resistance thus made to her
inveterate tyranny。 Madame Thuillier's calm words； which became every
moment more resolute； baffled her completely； and she found no
resource but insolence。
〃A drone！〃 she cried； 〃a helpless good…for…nothing！ who can't even
pick up her own handkerchief！ that thing wants to be mistress of this
house！〃
〃I wish so little to be its mistress；〃 said Madame Thuillier； 〃that
last night I allowed you to silence me after the first words I said in
behalf of Celeste。 But I am mistress of my own property； and as I
believe that Celeste will be wretched in this marriage； I keep it to
use as may seem best to me。〃
〃Your property； indeed！〃 said Brigitte； with a sneer。
〃Yes； that which I received from my father and my mother； and which I
brought as my 'dot' to Monsieur Thuillier。〃
〃And pray who invested it； this property； and made it give you twelve
thousand francs a year？〃
〃I have never asked you for any account of it；〃 said Madame Thuillier；
gently。 〃If it had been lost in the uses you made of it； you would
never have heard a single word from me； but it has prospered； and it
is just that I should have the benefit。 It is not for myself that I
reserve it。〃
〃Perhaps not； if this is the course you take； it is not at all sure
that you and I will go out of the same door long。〃
〃Do you mean that Monsieur Thuillier will send me away？ He must have
reasons for doing that； and； thank God！ I have been a wife above
reproach。〃
〃Viper！ hypocrite！ heartless creature！〃 cried Brigitte； coming to an
end of her arguments。
〃Sister；〃 said Madame Thuillier； 〃you are in my apartment〃
〃Am I； you imbecile？〃 cried the old maid； in a paroxysm of anger。 〃If
I didn't restrain myself〃
And she made a gesture both insulting and threatening。
Madame Thuillier rose to leave the room。
〃No！ you shall not go out；〃 cried Brigitte； pushing her down into her
chair； 〃and till Thuillier comes home and decides what he will do with
you you'll stay locked up here。〃
Just as Brigitte； her face on fire； returned to the room where she had
left Madame Colleville； her brother came in。 He was radiant。
〃My dear；〃 he said to the Megaera； not observing her fury； 〃everything
is going on finely； the conspiracy of silence is broken； two papers；
the 'National' and a Carlist journal； have copied articles from us；
and there's a little attack in a ministerial paper。〃
〃Well； all is not going on finely here；〃 said Brigitte； 〃and if it
continues； I shall leave the barrack。〃
〃Whom are you angry with now？〃 asked Thuillier。
〃With your insolent wife； who has made me a scene； I am trembling all
over。〃
〃Celeste make you a scene！〃 said Thuillier； 〃then it is the very first
time in her life。〃
〃There's a beginning to everything； and if you don't bring her to
order〃
〃But what was it aboutthis scene？〃
〃About madame's not choosing that la Peyrade should marry her
goddaughter； and out of spite； to prevent the marriage； she refused to
give anything in the contract。〃
〃Come； be calm；〃 said Thuillier； not disturbed himself； the admission
of the 〃Echo〃 into the polemic making another Pangloss of him。 〃I'll
settle all that。〃
〃You； Flavie；〃 said Brigitte； when Thuillier had departed to his wife；
〃you will do me the pleasure to go down to your own apartment； and
tell Mademoiselle Celeste that I don't choose to see her now； because
if she made me any irritating answer I might box her ears。 You'll tell
her that I don't like conspiracies； that she was left at liberty to
choose Monsieur Phellion junior if she wanted him； and she did not
want him； that the matter is now all arranged； and that if she does
not wish to see her 'dot' reduced to what you are able to give her；
which isn't as much as a bank…messenger could carry in his waistcoat
pocket〃
〃But； my dear Brigitte；〃 interrupted Flavie； turning upon her at this
impertinence； 〃you may dispense with reminding us in this harsh way of
our poverty； for； after all； we have never asked you for anything； and
we pay our rent punctually； and as for the 'dot；' Monsieur Felix
Phellio