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！
〃I have；〃 said Madame Phellion； understanding less and less what her
husband was coming to。
〃Well；〃 continued Phellion； 〃you owe to God an additional
thanksgiving； for He has granted that you be the mother of a man of
genius； his toil； which lately we rebuked； and which made us fear for
the reason of our child； was the waythe rough and jagged wayby
which men come to fame。〃
〃Ah ca！〃 cried Madame Phellion； 〃can't you stop coming yourself to an
explanation of what you mean； and get there？〃
〃Your son；〃 said Minard； cautious this time in measuring the joy he
was about to bestow； fearing another fainting…fit of happiness； 〃has
just made a very important scientific discovery。〃
〃Is it true？〃 said Madame Phellion； going up to Felix； and taking him
by both hands as she looked at him lovingly。
〃When I say important；〃 continued Minard； 〃I am only sparing your
maternal emotions； it is； in truth； a sublime； a dazzling discovery。
He is only twenty…five years old； but his name； from henceforth； is
immortal。〃
〃And this is the man；〃 said Madame Phellion； half beside herself； and
kissing Felix with effusion； 〃to whom that la Peyrade is preferred！〃
〃No； not preferred； madame；〃 said Minard； 〃for the Thuilliers are not
the dupes of that adventurer。 But he has made himself necessary to
them。 Thuillier fancies that without la Peyrade he could not be
elected； the election is still doubtful； and they are sacrificing
everything to it。〃
〃But isn't it odious；〃 cried Madame Phellion； 〃to consider such
interests before the happiness of their child！〃
〃Ah！〃 said Minard； 〃but Celeste is not their child； only their adopted
daughter。〃
〃Brigitte's； if you like；〃 said Madame Phellion； 〃but as for
Thuillier〃
〃My good wife；〃 said Phellion； 〃no censoriousness。 The good God has
just sent us a great consolation； and； indeed； though certainly far
advanced； this marriage； about which I regret to say Felix does not
behave with all the philosophy I could desire； may still not take
place。〃
Seeing that Felix shook his head with a look of incredulity； Minard
hastened to say：
〃Yes； yes； the commander is quite right。 Last night there was a hitch
about signing the contract； and it was not signed。 You were not there；
by the bye； and your absence was much remarked upon。〃
〃We were invited；〃 said Phellion； 〃and up to the last moment we
hesitated whether to go or not。 But； as you will readily see； our
position was a false one； besides； Felixand I see now it must have
been in consequence of his lecture at the Academywas completely worn
out with fatigue and emotion。 To present ourselves without him would
have seemed very singular； therefore we decided that it would be
wisest and best to absent ourselves。〃
The presence of the man whom he had just declared immortal did not
deter Minard； when the occasion was thus made for him； from plunging
eagerly into one of the most precious joys of bourgeois existence；
namely； the retailing of gossip。
〃Just imagine！〃 he began； 〃last night at the Thuilliers' the most
extraordinary things took place； one after another。〃
First he related the curious episode of pere Picot。 Then he told of
the hearty approbation given to Felix's conduct by the Abbe Gondrin；
and the desire the young preacher had expressed to meet him。
〃I'll go and see him；〃 said Felix； 〃do you know where he lives？〃
〃Rue de la Madeleine； No。 8；〃 replied Minard。 〃But the great event of
the evening was the spectacle of that fine company assembled to listen
to the marriage…contract； and waiting in expectation a whole hour for
the notary； whonever came！〃
〃Then the contract is not signed？〃 said Felix； eagerly。
〃Not even read； my friend。 Suddenly some one came in and told Brigitte
that the notary had started for Brussels。〃
〃Ah！ no doubt；〃 said Phellion； naively； 〃some very important
business。〃
〃Most important；〃 replied Minard； 〃a little bankruptcy of five hundred
thousand francs which the gentleman leaves behind him。〃
〃But who is this public officer；〃 demanded Phellion； 〃so recreant； in
this scandalous manner； to the sacred duties of his calling？〃
〃Parbleu！ your neighbor in the rue Saint…Jacques； the notary Dupuis。〃
〃What！〃 said Madame Phellion； 〃that pious man？ Why； he is churchwarden
of the parish！〃
〃Eh！ madame； those are the very ones；〃 said Minard； 〃to run offthere
are many precedents for that。〃
〃But；〃 said Phellion； 〃such news cast suddenly among the company must
have fallen like a thunderbolt。〃
〃Especially；〃 said Minard； 〃as it was brought in the most unexpected
and singular manner。〃
〃Tell us all about it；〃 said Madame Phellion； with animation。
〃Well； it seems；〃 continued Minard； 〃that this canting swindler had
charge of the savings of a number of servants； and that Monsieur de la
Peyradebecause； you see； they are all of a clique； these pious
peoplewas in the habit of recruiting clients for him in that walk of
life〃
〃I always said so！〃 interrupted Madame Phellion。 〃I knew that
Provencal was no good at all。〃
〃It seems；〃 continued the mayor； 〃that he had placed in Dupuis's hands
all the savings of an old housekeeper； pious herself； amounting to a
pretty little sum。 Faith！ I think myself it was worth some trouble。
How much do you suppose it was？ Twenty…five thousand francs； if you
please！ This housekeeper； whose name is Madame Lambert〃
〃Madame Lambert！〃 cried Felix； 〃why； that's Monsieur Picot's
housekeeper； close cap； pale； thin face； speaks always with her eyes
lowered； shows no hair？〃
〃That's she；〃 said Minard；〃a regular hypocrite！〃
〃Twenty…five thousand francs of savings！〃 said Felix。 〃I don't wonder
that poor pere Picot is always out of money。〃
〃And that someone had to meddle with the sale of his book；〃 said
Minard； slyly。 〃However that may be； you can imagine that the woman
was in a fine state of mind on hearing of the flight of the notary。
Off she went to la Peyrade's lodgings； there she was told he was
dining at the Thuilliers'； to the Thuilliers' she came； after running
about the streetsfor they didn't give her quite the right address
till ten o'clock； but she got there while the company were still
sitting round waiting for the notary； and gaping at each other； no one
knowing what to say and do； for neither Brigitte nor Thuillier have
faculty enough to get out of such a scrape with credit； and we all
missed the voice of Madame de Godollo and the talent of Madame
Phellion。〃
〃Oh！ you are too polite； Monsieur le maire；〃 said Madame Phellion；
bridling。
〃Well； as I said；〃 continued Minard； 〃at ten o'clock Madame Lambert
reached the antechamber of Monsieur the general…councillor； and there
she asked； in great excitement； to see la Peyrade。〃
〃That was natural；〃 said Phellion； 〃he being the intermediary of the
investment； this woman had a right to question him。〃
〃You should just have seen that Tartuffe！〃 continued Minard。 〃He had
no sooner gone out than he returned； bringing the news。 As everybody
was longing to get away； there followed a general helter…skelter。 And
then what does our man do？ He goes back to Madame Lambert； who was
crying that she was ruined！ she was lost！which might very well be
true； but it might also be only a scene arranged between them in
presence of the company； whom the woman's outcries detained in the
antechamber。 'Don't be anxious； my good woman；' said la Peyrade； 'the
investment was made at your request； consequently； I owe you nothing；
BUT it is enough that the money passed through my hands to make my
conscience tell me I am responsible。 If the notary's assets are not
enough to pay you I will do so。'〃
〃Yes；〃 said Phellion； 〃that was my idea as you told it； the
intermediary is or ought to be responsible。 I should not have
hesitated to do as Monsieur de la Peyrade did； and I do not think that
after such conduct as that he ought to be taxed with Jesuitism。〃
〃Yes； you would have done so；〃 said Minard； 〃and so should I； but we
shouldn't have done it with a brass band； we should have paid our
money quietly； like gentlemen。 But this electoral manager； how is he
going to pay it？ Out of the 'dot'？〃
At this moment the little page entered the room and gave a letter to
Felix Phellion。 It came from pere Picot； and was written at his
dictation by Madame Lambert； for which reason we will not reproduce
the orthography。 The writing of Madame Lambert was of those that can
never be forgotten when once seen。 Recognizing it instantly； Felix
hastened to say：
〃A letter from the professor〃； then； before breaking the seal； he
added； 〃Will you permit me； Monsieur le maire。〃
〃He'll rate you finely；〃 said Minard； laughing。 〃I never saw anything
so comical as his wrath last night。〃
Felix； as he read the letter； smiled to himself。 When he had finished
it； he passed it to his father； saying：
〃Read it aloud if you like。〃
Whereupon； with his solemn voice and manner； Phellion read as
follows：
My dear Felix；I have just received your note； it came in the
nick of time； for I was； as they say； in a fury with you。 You tell
me that you were guilty of that abuse of confidence （about which I
intended to write you a piece of my mind） in order to give a
kn