The Lesser Bourgeoisie

Thuilliers, or whether he should be compelled to fall back on the rich crazy woman who had bullion where others have brains. But everything that reminded him of his

? Was there for him no better, no nobler use to make of the faculties he felt within him? The bar was open to him as to others; that was a broad, straight path which could lead him to all the satisfaction of legitimate ambition. Like Figaro, who displayed more science and calculation in merely getting a living than statesmen had shown in governing Spain fo

f them. I'll shake off this province 'intra muros,' a thousand times more absurd and petty than the true provinces; they at least, side by side with their pettiness, have habits and cus

at the Palais in secondary cases. He accepted those that presented themselves at once, and three weeks after his rupt

to his office at the Palais in the course of the day, as he had something of importance to say to him. La Peyrade instantly thought of the transaction relating to the purchase of t

e had made of the Hungarian woman. In his savage determination to bring about the marriage with the crazy girl, had this virulent old man denounced him? On seeing him courageously and with some appearance of success entering a career in which he might find f

e Coffinet, who had the honor to take charge of his housekeeping, came up to ask if h

ade had an idea that he h

office," he said

isitor, whose face did not

ting with you not long ago at Vefour's; I was invited to that

r, offering a chair; "you are atta

it is on the subject of that paper that I have no

aid la

ible defeat last night? But instead of resigning, as every one ex

" said la Peyrade. "I have n

if I am well informed, Monsieur Thuillier, already member of the Council-general,

de, "that is likely

f which I am confident you will not underestimate. The 'Echo de la Bievre,' a s

la Peyrade, "to make that paper sup

ose to Monsieur Thuillier that he purchase the paper itsel

st journal-as you called it just now-it is a sheet I have seldom met with; in fact, it would be entirely unknown to me were

bowed his thank

can give it to you on easy terms, for we wer

ge for a prosp

paper for a special object. That object has been attained. The 'Echo de la Bievre' has therefore become an effect without a cause. In suc

yrade, "does the p

e whole affair was direct and immediate action on the ministry of commerce to obtain a higher duty on the introduction of for

newspaper, however circumscribed its action, would be a lever

assment, for you have to please and amuse them, and in so doing, the real object has to be neglected. A newspaper which has a definite and circumscr

which has no subscribers, does not pay its expenses, and has until now b

, "I shall ask you another question.

about newspaper business. With his rather bourgeois ideas, the ownership of a newspaper will seem to him a ruinous speculation. Therefore, if, in additi

ter in my hands. Only, I beg to remark that we have had propositions from other parties, and in giving Mo

e honor of seeing you at your own ho

I will come here, at the same ho

g out his visitor, whom he was incline

elected to the Chamber gave him enough to think about. Evidently his dear good friend would have to come back to him, and Thuillier's eagerness for election would deliver him over, bound hand and foot. Was it not the right moment to attempt to renew his marriage with Celeste? Far from being an obstacle to the good resolutions inspired by his amorous

a Peyrade obeyed the summons and went to s

tion ought always to be received with great distrust, told him that he was ready to receive and welcome an explanation. La Peyrade dared not entrench himself in absolute denial; the hand from which he believed the blow had come se

der the charges made against you, and the statements by which you have defended yo

spite, and in case of condemnation a new project on which to rest his head. Accordingly, he put on his go

s Pas perdus with that harassed look of business which denotes a lawyer overwhelmed with work. Whether he had really excited himself in pleading, or whether he was pretending to be exhausted to prove that his gown was not a dignity for show, as it was with many of his

uptly, as if some thought had changed his purpose, and went and seated himself on one of the benches which surround the walls of that great antechamber of Justice. There he undid his bundle, took out a paper, and buried himself in it with the air of a man who had not had time to examin

or made up his mind, and sailing straight before the wind he heade

on as he had got within hailing dist

like Turks at Constantinople, where a friend of mine affirmed you cou

et. Is there ever any end to your legal bothers? I was summoned here this mor

glad to see you, but I must leave you now; I have an appoin

e it," said

hat mortal enemy of yours? he sits

llier, naming a

e gift of ubiquity; he has been all the morning in the fifth court-

t he could. "Oh, hang it!" he said; "those men in g

aloud, but as if to himself: "Always the sa

about?" asked Thuill

f I and the whole world didn't know that your pamphlet business

rrassment; "something about registry fees,-it is

the Moniteur, announcing the dissolution of the Chamber, made

hat has my candidacy to do wit

candidate for the Chamber; how hampered he'll be by his attitude to his ex-friend Monsieur de la Peyrade, with whom he wishes now he hadn't quarrelled. I'll summon him for fees he

. "I used so little craft, as you call it, that I've just come fr

th men who play above-board. Well, what do you want of me? Have you c

" said Thuil

d bringing out a paper, "here's what I scribbled just now in the cou

about?" aske

nd you'

read as

aper, small size, at

editions at 5,00

francs . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

cashier) . . . .

. . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . .

e . . . . . . . .

ographic news . .

-

onthly,

ly, 18

up a paper?" asked

hing at all; you are the one to be

idea into my head. But reflect, my dear Theodose, one hundred and eighty one thousand thre

; but in any case, I beg you to observe that the costs are very high on that estimate, and some could be cut off altogether. For instance, you would not want an administrator. You, yourself, an old accountant, and I,

housand four hundred fran

consists in calculating on the yearly

nths," sai

u thirty thousand francs, even supp

tainly less than I thought at first. But do

that in going to live in the other quarter you have lost, electorally speaking, an immense amount of ground. You are no longer the man o

many things wanted besides money,-a name for one

ou and I and a few young fellows who grow on every bus

is it?" ask

de la

already a pape

you to start an entirely new paper? 'Echo de la Bievre!' that title is a treasure to a man who wants suppo

Thuillier, wi

ing it; it can b

er in a discouraged tone; "you nev

de, hunching his shoulders; "we have other

ulties?" echo

t has taken place between us I should boldly harness myself to your

shed, "I thought that friendship was

nd the other side nothing, friendship gets tired of that sort

have I to offer you that yo

e Brigitte's vinegar; every self-respecting man would have acted as I did. Give and keep

very unreasonably; but the

the success of the election or Mademoiselle Celeste's caprices. I claim the right

s treated you with too much good faith to fear any of these pre

ste should manage your election,

would still take fifteen days; and just think, with the elec

shing of the banns is not a step from which there is no retreat, it is at least a public pledge and a long step taken; after that we can get your notary to draw the contract at once. Moreover,

r, going back to his objections, "su

g in a poke. If to-morrow you authorize me, I won't say to buy, but to let these people know that you may possibly make the purchase

r fellow," said Th

purchased we are to fix the d

ll you bind yourself to use your

e, is not altogether an hypothesis. I have already received s

"you would make a better deputy than I; bu

the pledges I have given you. As for the election, I prefer that people say of me, 'He makes deputies, but will be none himself.

ignty which criticises intellect, art, talent, fame, virtue, absurdity, and even truth; whoever has occupied that tribune erected by his own hands, fulfilled the functions of that magistracy to which he is self-appointed,-in shor

elieved he could revive it. The subscribers, on the vendor's own showing, were few and far between, but he would exercise upon them a "compelle intrare" both powerful and irresistible. In the circumstances under which the affair was presented to him it might surely be considered provinc

e power on the election; and by involving their capital in an enterprise which, without him, they would feel a gulf and a

d the Provencal, and we have seen the peremptory manner in which Thuillier was fo

ne Lousteau never clearly accounted to the share-holders, put Thuillier in possession of the name, property,