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that； except on the day of the famous dance of the candidacy； they
never once opened the piano in the rue Saint…Dominique！〃
〃It would have been； I am sure； most agreeable to the company to have
a talent like yours put in requisition；〃 remarked Minard； 〃but those
are not ideas that could ever come into the mind of that good
Brigitte。 She'd have seen two more candles to light。 Five…franc pieces
are her music。 So； when la Peyrade and Thuillier insisted that she
should move into the apartment in the Place de la Madeleine； she
thought of nothing but the extra costs entailed by the removal。 She
judged； rightly enough； that beneath those gilded ceilings her old
'penates' might have a singular effect。〃
〃See how all things link together；〃 remarked Phellion； 〃and how； from
the summits of society； luxury infiltrates itself； sooner or later；
through the lower classes； leading to the ruin of empires。〃
〃You are broaching there； my dear commander；〃 said Minard； 〃one of the
most knotty questions of political economy。 Many good minds think； on
the contrary； that luxury is absolutely demanded in the interests of
commerce； which is certainly the life of States。 In any case； this
view； which isn't yours； appears to have been that of Madame de
Godollo； for； they tell me； her apartment is very coquettishly
furnished； and to coax Mademoiselle Brigitte into the same path of
elegance she made a proposal to her as follows： 'A friend of mine；'
she said； 'a Russian princess for whom one of the first upholsterers
has just made splendid furniture； is suddenly recalled to Russia by
the czar； a gentleman with whom no one dares to trifle。 The poor woman
is therefore obliged to turn everything she owns here into money as
fast as possible； and I feel sure she would sell this furniture for
ready money at a quarter of the price it cost her。 All of it is nearly
new； and some things have never been used at all。'〃
〃So；〃 cried Madame Phellion； 〃all that magnificence displayed before
our eyes last night was a magnificent economical bargain？〃
〃Just so；〃 replied Minard； 〃and the thing that decided Mademoiselle
Brigitte to take that splendid chance was not so much the desire to
renew her shabby furniture as the idea of doing an excellent stroke of
business。 In that old maid there's always something of Madame la
Ressource in Moliere's 'Miser。'〃
〃I think； Monsieur le maire； that you are mistaken；〃 said Phellion。
〃Madame la Ressource is a character in 'Turcaret；' a very immoral play
by the late Le Sage。〃
〃Do you think so？〃 said Minard。 〃Well； very likely。 But what is
certain is that； though the barrister ingratiated himself with
Brigitte in helping her to buy the house； it was by this clever
jockeying about the furniture that the foreign countess got upon the
footing with Brigitte that you now see。 You may have remarked；
perhaps； that a struggle is going on between those two influences；
which we may designate as the house； and its furniture。〃
〃Yes； certainly；〃 said Madame Phellion； with a beaming expression that
bore witness to the interest she took in the conversation； 〃it did
seem to me that the great lady allowed herself to contradict the
barrister； and did it； too； with a certain sharpness。〃
〃Very marked sharpness；〃 resumed Minard； 〃and that intriguing fellow
perceives it。 It strikes me that the lady's hostility makes him
uneasy。 The Thuilliers he got cheaply； for； between ourselves you
know； there's not much in Thuillier himself； but he feels now that he
has met a tough adversary； and he is looking anxiously for a weak spot
on which to attack her。〃
〃Well； that's justice；〃 said Madame Phellion。 〃For some time past that
man； who used to make himself so small and humble； has been taking
airs of authority in the house which are quite intolerable； he behaves
openly as the son…in…law； and you know very well； in that affair of
Thuillier's election he jockeyed us all； and made us the stepping…
stone for his matrimonial ambition。〃
〃Yes； but I can assure you；〃 said Minard； 〃that at the present time
his influence is waning。 In the first place； he won't find every day
for his dear； good friend； as he calls him； a fine property worth a
million to be bought for a bit of bread。〃
〃Then they did get that house very cheap？〃 said Madame Phellion；
interrogatively。
〃They got it for nothing； as the result of a dirty intrigue which the
lawyer Desroches related to me the other day。 If it ever became known
to the council of the bar； that little barrister would be badly
compromised。 The next thing is the coming election to the Chamber。
Eating gives appetite； as they say； and our good Thuillier is hungry；
but he begins to perceive that Monsieur de la Peyrade； when it becomes
a question of getting him that mouthful； hasn't his former opportunity
to make dupes of us。 That is why the family is turning more and more
to Madame de Godollo； who seems to have some very high acquaintances
in the political world。 Besides all this； in fact； without dwelling on
the election business； which is still a distant matter； this Hungarian
countess is becoming； every day； more and more a necessity to
Brigitte； for it must be owned that without the help of the great
lady； the poor soul would look in the midst of her gilded salon like a
ragged gown in a bride's trousseau。〃
〃Oh； Monsieur le maire； you are cruel；〃 said Madame Phellion；
affecting compunction。
〃No； but say；〃 returned Minard； 〃with your hand on your conscience；
whether Brigitte； whether Madame Thuillier could preside in such a
salon？ No； it is the Hungarian countess who does it all。 She furnished
the rooms； she selected the male domestic； whose excellent training
and intelligence you must have observed； it was she who arranged the
menu of that dinner； in short； she is the providence of the parvenu
colony； which； without her intervention； would have made the whole
quarter laugh at it。 Andnow this is a very noticeable thinginstead
of being a parasite like la Peyrade； this Hungarian lady； who seems to
have a fortune of her own； proves to be not only disinterested； but
generous。 The two gowns that you saw Brigitte and Madame Thuillier
wear last night were a present from her； and it was because she came
herself to superintend the toilet of our two 'amphitryonesses' that
you were so surprised last night not to find them rigged in their
usual dowdy fashion。〃
〃But what can be the motive；〃 asked Madame Phellion； 〃of this maternal
and devoted guardianship？〃
〃My dear wife；〃 said Phellion； solemnly； 〃the motives of human actions
are not always； thank God！ selfishness and the consideration of vile
interests。 There are hearts in this world that find pleasure in doing
good for its own sake。 This lady may have seen in our good friends a
set of people about to enter blindly into a sphere they knew nothing
about； and having encouraged their first steps by the purchase of this
furniture； she may； like a nurse attached to her nursling； find
pleasure in giving them the milk of her social knowledge and her
counsels。〃
〃He seems to keep aloof from our strictures； the dear husband！〃 cried
Minard； 〃but just see how he goes beyond them！〃
〃I！〃 said Phellion； 〃it is neither my intention nor my habit to do
so。〃
〃All the same it would be difficult to say more neatly that the
Thuilliers are geese； and that Madame de Godollo is bringing them up
by hand。〃
〃I do not accept for these friends of ours；〃 said Phellion； 〃a
characterization so derogatory to their repute。 I meant to say that
they were lacking； perhaps； in that form of experience； and that this
noble lady has placed at their service her knowledge of the world and
its usages。 I protest against any interpretation of my language which
goes beyond my thought thus limited。〃
〃Well； anyhow； you will agree； my dear commander； that in the idea of
giving Celeste to this la Peyrade； there is something more than want
of experience； there is； it must be said； blundering folly and
immorality； for really the goings on of that barrister with Madame
Colleville〃
〃Monsieur le maire；〃 interrupted Phellion； with redoubled solemnity；
〃Solon； the law…giver； decreed no punishment for parricide； declaring
it to be an impossible crime。 I think the same thing may be said of
the offence to which you seem to make allusion。 Madame Colleville
granting favors to Monsieur de la Peyrade； and all the while intending
to give him her daughter？ No； monsieur； no！ that passes imagination。
Questioned on this subject； like Marie Antoinette； by a human
tribunal； Madame Colleville would answer with the queen； 'I appeal to
all mothers。'〃
〃Nevertheless； my friend；〃 said Madame Phellion； 〃allow me to remind
you that Madame Colleville is excessively light…minded； and has given；
as we al know； pretty good proofs of it。〃
〃Enough； my dear；〃 said Phellion。 〃The dinner hour summons us； I think
that； little by little； we have allowed this conversation to drift
toward the miry slough of backbiting。〃
〃You are full of illusions； my dear commander；〃 said Minard； taking
Phellion by the hand and shaking it； 〃but they are honorable
illusions； and I envy them。 Madame； I have the honor〃 added the
mayor； with