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！
fever。 La Peyrade； thus prodded； picked up his hat in some ill…humor；
and went where his destiny called him；〃quo sua fata vocabant。〃
CHAPTER XV
AT DU PORTAIL'S
On reaching the rue Honore…Chevalier la Peyrade felt a doubt； the
dilapidated appearance of the house to which he was summoned made him
think he had mistaken the number。 It seemed to him that a person of
Monsieur du Portail's evident importance could not inhabit such a
place。 It was therefore with some hesitation that he accosted Sieur
Perrache； the porter。 But no sooner had he entered the antechamber of
the apartment pointed out to him than the excellent deportment of
Bruneau； the old valet； and the extremely comfortable appearance of
the furniture and other appointments made him see that he was probably
in the right place。 Introduced at once； as soon as he had given his
name； into the study of the master of the house； his surprise was
great when he found himself in presence of the commander； so called；
the friend of Madame de Godollo； and the little old man he had seen
half an hour earlier with Thuillier。
〃At last！〃 said du Portail； rising； and offering la Peyrade a chair；
〃at last we meet； my refractory friend； it has taken a good deal to
bring you here。〃
〃May I know； monsieur；〃 said la Peyrade； haughtily； not taking the
chair which was offered to him； 〃what interest you have in meddling
with my affairs？ I do not know you； and I may add that the place where
I once saw you did not create an unconquerable desire in me to make
your acquaintance。〃
〃Where have you seen me？〃 asked du Portail。
〃In the apartment of a strumpet who called herself Madame de Godollo。〃
〃Where monsieur； consequently； went himself；〃 said the little old man；
〃and for a purpose much less disinterested than mine。〃
〃I have not come here；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃to bandy words with any one。
I have the right； monsieur； to a full explanation as to the meaning of
your proceedings towards me。 I therefore request you not to delay them
by a facetiousness to which； I assure you； I am not in the humor to
listen。〃
〃Then； my dear fellow；〃 said du Portail； 〃sit down； for I am not in
the humor to twist my neck by talking up at you。〃
The words were reasonable； and they were said in a tone that showed
the old gentleman was not likely to be frightened by grand airs。 La
Peyrade therefore deferred to the wishes of his host； but he took care
to do so with the worst grace possible。
〃Monsieur Cerizet；〃 said du Portail； 〃a man of excellent standing in
the world； and who has the honor to be one of your friends〃
〃I have nothing to do with that man now；〃 said la Peyrade； sharply；
understanding the malicious meaning of the old man's speech。
〃Well； the time has been；〃 said du Portail； 〃when you saw him； at
least； occasionally： for instance； when you paid for his dinner at the
Rocher de Cancale。 As I was saying； I charged the virtuous Monsieur
Cerizet to sound you as to a marriage〃
〃Which I refused；〃 interrupted la Peyrade； 〃and which I now refuse
again； more vehemently than ever。〃
〃That's the question；〃 said the old man。 〃I think； on the contrary；
that you will accept it； and it is to talk over this affair with you
that I have so long desired a meeting。〃
〃But this crazy girl that you are flinging at my head；〃 said la
Peyrade； 〃what is she to you？ She can't be your daughter； or you would
put more decency into your hunt for a husband。〃
〃This young girl；〃 replied du Portail； 〃is the daughter of one of my
friends who died about ten years ago； at his death I took her to live
with me； and have given her all the care her sad condition needed。 Her
fortune； which I have greatly increased； added to my own； which I
intend to leave to her； will make her a very rich heiress。 I know that
you are no enemy to handsome 'dots；' for you have sought them in
various places；Thuillier's house； for instance； or； to use your own
expression； that of a strumpet whom you scarcely knew。 I have
therefore supposed you would accept at my hands a very rich young
woman； especially as her infirmity is declared by the best physicians
to be curable； whereas you can never cure Monsieur and Mademoiselle
Thuillier； the one of being a fool； the other of being a fury； any
more than you could cure Madame Komorn of being a woman of very medium
virtue and extremely giddy。〃
〃It may suit me；〃 replied la Peyrade； 〃to marry the daughter of a fool
and a fury if I choose her； or I might become the husband of a clever
coquette； if passion seized me； but the Queen of Sheba herself； if
imposed upon me； neither you； monsieur； nor the ablest and most
powerful man living could force me to accept。〃
〃Precisely； therefore it is to your own good sense and intelligence
that I now address myself； but we have to come face to face with
people in order to speak to them； you know。 Now； then； let us look
into your present situation； and don't get angry if； like a surgeon
who wants to cure his patient； I lay my hand mercilessly on wounds
which have long tormented and harassed you。 The first point to state
is that the Celeste Colleville affair is at an end for you。〃
〃Why so？〃 demanded la Peyrade。
〃Because I have just seen Thuillier and terrified him with the history
of the misfortunes he has incurred； and those he will incur if he
persists in the idea of giving you his goddaughter in marriage。 He
knows now that it was I who paralyzed Madame du Bruel's kind offices
in the matter of the cross； that I had his pamphlet seized； that I
sent that Hungarian woman into his house to handle you all； as she
did； and that my hand is opening fire in the ministerial journals；
which will only increase from bad to worse；not to speak of other
machinations which will be directed against his candidacy。 Therefore
you see； my good friend； that not only have you no longer the credit
in Thuillier's eyes of being his great helper to that election； but
that you actually block the way to his ambition。 That is enough to
prove to you that the side by which you have imposed yourself on that
familywho have never sincerely liked or desired youis now
completely battered down and dismantled。〃
〃But to have done all that which you claim with such pretension； who
are you？〃 demanded la Peyrade。
〃I shall not say that you are very inquisitive； for I intend to answer
your question later； but for the present let us continue； if you
please； the autopsy of your existence； dead to…day； but which I
propose to resuscitate gloriously。 You are twenty…eight years old； and
you have begun a career in which I shall not allow you to make another
step。 A few days hence the Council of the order of barristers will
assemble and will censure； more or less severely； your conduct in the
matter of the property you placed with such candor in Thuillier's
hands。 Do not deceive yourself； censure from that quarter （and I
mention only your least danger） is as fatal to a barrister as being
actually disbarred。〃
〃And it is to your kind offices； no doubt；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃that I
shall owe that precious result？〃
〃Yes； I may boast of it；〃 replied du Portail； 〃for； in order to tow
you into port it has been necessary to strip you of your rigging；
unless that were done； you would always have tried to navigate under
your own sails the bourgeois shoals that you are now among。〃
Seeing that he； undoubtedly； had to do with a strong hand； la Peyrade
thought best to modify his tone； and so； with a more circumspect air；
he said：
〃You will allow me； monsieur； to reserve my acknowledgments until I
receive some fuller explanation。〃
〃Here you are； then；〃 continued du Portail； 〃at twenty…eight years of
age； without a penny； virtually without a profession； with antecedents
that are verymiddling； with associates like Monsieur Dutocq and the
courageous Cerizet； owing to Mademoiselle Thuillier ten thousand
francs； and to Madame Lambert twenty…five thousand； which you are no
doubt extremely desirous to return to her； and finally； this marriage；
your last hope； your sheet…anchor； has just become an utter
impossibility。 Between ourselves； if I have something reasonable to
propose to you； do you not think that you had much better place
yourself at my disposal？〃
〃I have time enough to prove that your opinion is mistaken；〃 returned
la Peyrade； 〃and I shall not form any resolutions so long as the
designs you choose to have upon me are not more fully explained。〃
〃You were spoken to； at my instigation； about a marriage；〃 resumed du
Portail。 〃This marriage； as I think； is closely connected with a past
existence from which a certain hereditary or family duty has devolved
upon you。 Do you know what that uncle of yours； to whom you applied in
1829； was doing in Paris？ In your family he was thought to be a
millionaire； and； dying suddenly； you remember； before you got to him；
he did not leave enough for his burial； a pauper's grave was all that
remained to him。〃
〃Did you know him？〃 asked la Peyrade。
〃He was my oldest and dearest friend；〃 replied du Portail。
〃If that is so；〃 said la Peyrade； hastily； 〃a sum of two thousand
francs； which I received on my arrival in Paris from some unknown
source〃
〃Cam