The Lesser Bourgeoisie

the emigration to the Madeleine quarter, might be seen daily, between the tart Brigitte and the plaintive Madame Thuillier

ulation in furniture not less advantageous in its way, but more avowable, than the very shady purchase of the house itself. For si

social hierarchy than people think. As this Hungarian countess was a woman of great tact and accomplished training, in taking the direction which she had thought it wise to assume over the affairs of her proteges, she had been careful to guard her influence from all appearance of meddlesome and imperiou

was not confined to a simple struggle for influence. She made no secret of being opposed to his suit for Celeste; she gave her unequivocal approval to the love of Felix Phelli

heart of his citadel. His first mistake was in yielding to the barren pleasure of disappointing Cerizet in the lease of the house. If Brigitte by his advice and urging had not taken the administration of the proper

ss, feeling that he thus sent the Thuilliers before him to make his bed in the splendid apartment he intended to share with them. By thus removing them from their old home he saw another advantage,-that of withdrawing Celeste from daily intercourse with a rival who seemed to him dangerous. Depr

h he had been till then the exclusive object. In the sort of provincial life they had hitherto lived, Brigitte and his dear, good friend placed him, for want of comparison, at a height from which the juxtapositio

s, where his office was, he fumed against the arrangement of which he was the victim, and felt at times that la Peyrade was a tyrant. Madame Colleville, on the other hand, had flung herself into an alarming orgy of bonnets, mantles, and new gowns, requiring the presentation of a mass of bills, which led not infrequently to scenes in

ing in the balance with another cause for his diminishing

the secret desire of all his life. Two months had now passed without a sign of that glorious rattle; and the former sub-director, who would have felt such joy in parading his red ribbon on the boulevard of the

omtesse du Bruel had been paralyzed; but Thuillier did not take comfort in the explanation; and on certain days,

been unable to give proper care to the correction of proofs, about which, we may remember, he had reserved the right of punctilious examination. La Peyrade had now reached a point when he was forced to see that, in order to restore his influence, wh

Thuillier wished to eliminate from one of la Peyrade's sentences, declaring that never had he met with it anywhere; it

made himself exceedingly excited, and signified to Thuillier that he might terminate himself a work to which he appl

ing some conciliatory step, and accordingly he went to see the barrister, intending to make honorable amends and so put an end to his sulkiness. Wishing, how

gives no other explanation; but, from what Phellion tells me, I find that in the political vocabulary the meaning of the word has been extended to cover the influence which corrupt

d to be extremely busy in sorting his papers, contente

ve you got the last proofs?

," replied la Peyrade, "of course there are no p

a trifle you are affronted. I don't pretend to be a writer, only as my n

ou have consulted him, I don't see why you can't engage him to finish the

work were mine, in order to see the effect it would produce upon the public; but that's no reason why I should be willing to give my name to the things they are capable of writing. Do you wish me to give you a proof of the confidence

e of the family sees the matter clearly; and I'v

ier. "Have you, or have you not, an

s than political questions," replied Theodose. "I w

, and I say out my ideas; you can't be angry at that; and if you play me this trick, and refuse to c

thing easier for you than not to write a pamphle

I have read passages to all our friends, I have announced the matter in the municipal council, and if the w

ptible; that will clear you. You might even give Celeste to his booby

that you don't tell me. It is not natural that for a simple q

with the air of a man who makes up his mi

tion, I summon you to explain yourself. We must get out of these hints and innuendoes. What do

at I don't know how to detect changes. There are people about you who have set themselves, in an underhand way, to destroy me; and Brigitte has only one thought, and that is, how to find a decent way of not k

of which he was completely the dupe, "I don't know what Brigitte may have been doing to

is that pamphlet, about which you have talked a great deal too much, that has hindered your appointment. The ministers are so stupid! They would rather wait and have their hand for

ot a pretty observing eye, and yet I can't se

at you have never seen perpetually beside her that Madam

lyly, "so it is a little je

sister-whose mind is nothing above the ordinary, and to whom I am surprised that a man of yo

rrupted Thuillier, sucking in the complim

ough to recognize in me, does her the honor to consult her and devote himself to her as I have done, it can hardly be agreeable to him to find

ll," replied Thuillier, "househo

e heart. As you are so extraordinarily clear-sighted you ought to have seen that in Brigitte's mind nothing is l

"I'd like to see any one attempt

who is doing that very thing; and that person is Mademoiselle Celeste herself. In spite

u tell Flavie to

mother. I have found it necessary to do a little bit of courting to her myself, and,

ak to Celeste myself. It shall never be said t

osition. It is true we agreed that the marriage should only take place after you became a deputy; but I feel now that it is impossible to allow the greatest event of my life to remain at the mercy of doubtful circumstances. And, besides, such an arrangement, though at first agreed upon, seems to me now to have a flavor of a bargain which is unbecoming to both of us. I think I had better make you a confidence, to which I am led by the unpleasant state of things now between us. Dutocq ma

tting the whole decision into the hands of that little girl

tenable. You talk about your pamphlet; I am not in a fit condition to finish it. You, who have been a

ared for me, but I did not often care for t

ought up in your household, under your own eye, you have made her adorable. Only, I must say, you have shown g

played together. You came much later; and it is a proof of the great esteem in w

and wit-you have a heart of gold; with you friendship is a sure thing, and you know what you mean. But Brigitte

ut whether she does or not, I beg you to believe that in all important matters I know how to have my will obeyed. Only, let us come n

the last touches to your pamphlet; f

uillier, "we ought n

prospect of a marriage still so doubtful, I am certain that not a page of ma

lier; "then how do you

ediate solution. If I am condemned to make a marriage of convenience

at time do you in

fteen days a girl might be

"but it is very repugnant to me to

king as much as you think. It will take more than fifteen days for a son of Phellion, in other words, obstinacy incarnate in silliness, to have done

ste tries to dawdle; suppose she r

uld have such liberty. If you, your sister (supposing she plays fair in the matter), and the father and mother can't succeed in making a girl whom you dower agree to so simple

that point yet," said Thu

business until after Celeste's decision. Be that in my favor or not, I

hat you have had on your mind. I

n," said la Peyrade; "b

you mean

hear you say of yourself that the thing shal

a man without any will, a

a corner and hear how you will o

. I WILL, very firmly said, shall

, "from Chrysale down how often have we seen brave warriors lowerin

" replied Thuillier, m

ngth of his will had made him furious,-an actual tiger; and he went away resolved,

s hastening the period formerly agreed upon for the marriage, they committed the blunder of disarming themselves; they could not be sure that when the

t depend directly upon la Peyrade, whereas the influence he

s nest," said Brigitte, "to work his influence for

re legislator, who thought, however, that he might feel

ut getting your pamphlet finished, doesn't please me at all. Can't you get Phellion to help you, and do without Theodose? Or, I dare say, Madame de Godollo,

e makes these conditions. After all, we did promise him Celeste, and it is only fulfilling the promise a year earlier-

te won't have him?

ught to have thought of that when we made the engagement with la Peyrade; our word is passe

maid, "that if Celeste decides for Phellion

s very well that Felix will never bring himself in two weeks to please Celeste by going to confession, and

the matter as you choose; I shall not meddl

e, and intimated to her that she must

fidant, she knew she was sustained in her inclination, she had let herself gently follow it without thinking very seriously of the obstacles her choice might encounter. When, therefore, she was ordered to choose at once between Felix and la Peyrade, the simple-

intolerance of the young girl on one side, and the philosophical inflexibility of Phe