The Lesser Bourgeoisie

OISONING ON

morning to see du Portail, with whom la Peyrade was n

what effect did the news we gave to the president of the ba

t now. The eel has wriggled out of our hands; neither softness nor violence has any effect upon that devil of a man. He has quarrelled with the bar, and is in better odor th

hout much appearance of feeling, "th

llier to buy a newspaper, and he'll make him sink forty thousand francs in it. Thuillier, once involved,

paper

st on his last legs managed to set up in the Mouffetard quarter by the help of a lot of tanners-that, you know, is the industry of the qua

rtail. "La Peyrade has talent, activity, and much resource of mind; he may make somet

abid conservative; but since the seizure he has gone over to the Opposition. His first stage will probably be the Left-centre; but if the election wind shou

ger from the point of view of my opinions, which are extremely conservative and governmental." Then, after a mome

la Peyrade,-an evening paper; and a pretty piece o

don't you do it again,-journal

at du Portail

the devil, monsieur? Can not

ood many things. But what has been

siness, and not knowing whom else to get,

du Portail, "but it was quit

r reflection. I wanted to know

ied we should get, as the proverb says, wing or foot. I h

won't help me with the thirty-three-thousand francs' security which must be paid down in my name. I

-five thousand francs la Peyrade paid you not

imes," replied Cerizet. "I was adding it up last nig

d your debts you hav

d, but those I haven

s were more than twenty-five thousand francs

or less?" replied Cerizet, as th

is whether the utility of your presence in this enterprise is worth to me the interest on one

ements, and by always taking the side of the fool against the clever man, I can increase the conceit of one and wound the conceit of the other until life together becomes impossible. Besides, you spoke just

said du Portail, "but defeat to la Pey

e another nice little insidious mean

iently; "you go round and round the pot as if I wer

o Dutocq and I were much puzzled to know how la Peyrade was, all of

vered the origin of that very improbable sum in

judge," s

osely at the office of the justice-of-peace, after the meeting with la Peyrade, he had been unable to extract fro

fessor of mathematics," said du Portail, as he made a note of the information. "

give an answer to la Peyrade in the course of to-

er making certain inquiries I see it is more to my interests not to meddle in the affair, you can

l exercised over his agent, he never lost an opportunity to remind

ay Cerizet

to draw interest on her stolen property, must have taken it into her head to consult la Peyrade; his devout exterior may hav

ranc notes, and twelve

e the slightest doubt left. Now, what use do you expec

makes enormous secret loans; and that in order to get out of his difficulties he means to gnaw the newspaper to the bone; and I shall insinuate t

t there's another and even more conclu

r; I'm listenin

as he, to explain to himself the re

bit of humbug. The 'honest bourgeois' is persuaded that the seizure was instigated by Monsieur Olivier Vinet, substitute to the procureur-general. The young man aspire

which you are to be the organ, Thuillier shall receive from Monsieur Vinet a

id Cerizet, w

; "you must assure Thuillier that he is the victim of police machin

ffirmation scores of times when I was wo

excellent citizen was preparing a pamphlet on the subject, always a delicate one, of the finances, as to which this dangerous adversary had great experience. So, what did this essentially corrupt government do? It suborned a man in whom, as it learned, Thuillier placed confidence, and for a sum of twenty-five thousand francs (a mere trifle to the police), this treacherous frien

d trick. Fellows of the Thuillier species

r will want to keep such a collaborator beside him, and above

t I must own that I feel some scruples at the part assigned me. La Peyrade came and o

en that?" asked the little old man. "Besides, are we not aiming for his happines

you've traced out for me. But there's one thing more: I can't fling my revelation at Thuillier's head at the

d francs that the matrimonial vicissitudes of your friend la Peyrade will have put into your pocket. But, as country people do at the shows of a fair, I shall not pay till I come out. If you take that money out of your own hoard I shall feel no anxiety; you will know how to keep it from the clutches of your creditors. If, on the contrary, my m

ptly, and a fair, slender woman, whose face expressed angelic sweetness, entered the room eage

d seen him enter. Well, doctor," she continued, addressing Cerizet, "I am not satisfied with the condition of

sign to accept the role so

n always turn pale at that crisis; but there's nothi

our readers have recognized as du Portail's ward, Lydie de la Pe

gs, she exhibited to Cerizet a bundle of linen whi

a trifle thin, it is true, but the fl

do think she is better since morning. What had I better giv

"try panada. Does sh

face brightening, "she adores them

zet, "but without vanilla

other, listening to the doctor as to a god who reassured her. "Uncle," she added, "please ri

r guardian; "but there's no hurry, h

xious to put an end to the scene, which, in spit

it is very kind of you to come sometimes without being sent for. If you knew how anxious we p

Cerizet; "she'll be muc

f; it is wonderful how calming it is. Adieu, doctor," she said again, pausing

as quite

at if reality could take the place of her constant hallucination she might recover her reason. Well, this is the girl that fool of a Peyrade refuses, with the accompaniment of a magnificent 'dot.' But he must come t

fection of shades and tones that filled her hardened hea

and if I were in his place-But we shall bring him round to your purpose. Now I

elity at the door of the study, he heard a

commander?" said that voice, w

o the salon. Monsieur is not alon

ce of Katte, the

," said du Portail

ctly to the staircase, whence Cerizet betook himself to the office

, if not openly to declare Thuillier's candidacy, to at least make it felt and foreseen. The terms of the manifesto, after la Peyrade had made a rough draft of it, were discussed at great length. This discussion took place in Ceri

my, and presently bitter; but as, by the deed of partnership the deciding word was left to la Peyrade in all matters concer

resentments into the bosom of his faithful manager, thus affording the latter a ready-made and natural opportunity to insinuate the calumnious revelatio

iding it, and of talking over the course he would be compelled to take by this infernal discovery. Se

the relation to la Peyrade. In the first place, she had treated him badly, and that was a strong reason for disliking him; then, in case that adventurer, as she now called him, married Celeste, the fear of her authority being lessened

are the master of that, and you can do as yo

ot with reproaches, but, on the contrary, with a crow of triumph, c

WE don't want him to work that newspaper. This Monsieur Cerizet seems, from what you tell me, the right sort of man, and we can get another manager. Besides, when Madam

ar, is so far only accused. He must be heard in his

'll let that man twist you round his finger again. A deed

cation, clear, categorical, and convincing, I shall decide to break with him, and I'll prove to you that I am no milksop. But Cerizet himself i

to demand an explanation and go to the bottom of th

the room with solemnity; "you shall see