Fromont and Risler -- Volume 2

essed men; but the idea of his returning, amid clouds of pipe-smoke, to his friends of earlier days, Sigismond, Delobelle, and her own father, humiliated her and made her unhap

odor of fresh drugs, of pharmaceutical preparations, imparted to that narrow

of the North, one had a vision of a vast, low room with hams hanging from the rafters, casks of beer standing in a row, the floor ankle-deep with sawdust, and on

ompatriots, who listened admiringly, but without comprehending them, to the endless harangues of Chebe and Delobelle. When Risler ceased his visits to the brewery, the two last-named worthies likewise turned th

a house of my own, at the gates of Paris, almost in the country, a little garden which I will pl

ic design, the paint perfectly fresh; a water-butt planted beside a vine-clad arbor played the part of a pond. In addition to all these advantages, only a hedge separated this paradise from another "chalet with garden" of precisely the same description, occupied by Sigismond Planus the cashier, an

be driven in the house was the subject of leisurely reflections, of endless discussions. It was the same with the garden. He had determined at first to ma

n orchard of it," said t

-trees against the wall. He dug for whole mornings, knitting his brows in a preoccup

do rest a bit-you'

rk and kitchen garden; and whenever he went into Paris M. Chebe was

en, they sang duets; and in presence of the stars in heaven, which began to twinkle simultaneously with the lanterns on the railway around the city, Ferdinand would become poetical. But when the rain cam

rassy slope of the fortifications, still fresh and green, and, a little farther on, at the corner of a street, the office of the Paris omnibuses, with all the points of their route inscribed in enticing letters on the green walls. Whenever one of the omnibuses lumbered away on it

way, his feet encased in embroidered slippers, with the authoritative demeanor of a wealthy landowner of the vicinity. This he missed more than anything else, consumed as he was by the desire to make people think about him. So that, having nothing to do,

shes us-your daught

esponsibility for that monstrous and unnatural child. It was a genuine relief for poor Madame Chebe when her husband took an omnibus at the office to go

bore Risler a grudge, and freel

rum'. Instead of which, Sidonie received him very coldly, and Risler no longer even took him to the brewery. However, the actor d

on the boulevard happened to be for sale, as a result of the failure of its manager. Delobelle mentioned it to Risler, at first very vaguely, in a wholly hypothetical form-"There would be a good chance to make a fine stroke." Risler listened with his usual phlegm

tion. Delobelle did not conceal the fact that he had found some one to advance the funds; the result being that he was surrounded by a crowd of unemployed actors, old comrades who tapped him familiarly on the shoulder and recalled themselves to his recollection-" You know, old boy." He promised engagements, breakfasted at the cafe, wrote l

lle, being the first to arrive at the brewery, established himself at their old table, ordered a pitcher of beer and two glasses, and waited. He waited a long while, with his eye on the door, trembling

ting-for that was the main point-acting, in a theatre of his own, roles written ex

themselves, from man to man. The real fact concerning this affair of honor was that M. Chebe had given notice of his intention to leave the little house at Montrouge, and had hired a shop with an entresol in the Rue du Mail, in the midst of a business district. A shop? Yes, indeed! And now he was a little alarmed regarding his hasty step, anxious to know how his son-in-law would

two dogs meeting beside the same dish. Each divined for whom t

spread over the table, and emphasizing the words "my son-in-la

" Delobelle replied, g

he added with a dignified, myst

r of very grea

e, his three hairs standing er

ad done, then sat erect with his hands in his pockets and his back against the wall, waiting in his turn. The

er did n

patience and fidgeted about on the bench, eac

lowed, and naturally poor Ris

p a man of my years wai

oned his great age exc

, that he is making sp

obe

the

ieur had compa

imed the illustrious actor, in whose

s-" continu

ith all his good-nature, was an egotist pure and simple, a parvenu. They laughed at his accent and his bearing, they mimicked certain of his peculiar

ather and mother away from their daughter; if anything happens to her, he can't b

ecome a great flirt. However, what can you expect? He will get no m

s walking toward them, distributing

ained at home; Sidonie had company-Delobelle touched M. Chebe's foot under the table- and, as he spoke, the poor man, deci

le was

ether, Messieurs; do n

low tone, wink

e the

hoed Risler, in

es," whisper

w within himself, and resumed the reading of his docum

ld not long be subdued.-He wasn't old enough to be buried, deuce take it!-He should have died of ennui at Montrou

y a shop?" Risler ti

onsieur Risler, a merchant and son of a merchant. Oh! I see what you're coming at. I have no business. But whose fault is it? If the people wh

onversation could be heard: "a more convenient shop- high ceilings-better air-future p

is estimates, presenting the eloquent back of the man who is not listening. Risler, sor

n-in- law turned with a smile to the illustrious Delobelle, and met

t is true," though

s courtesy. Instead of discreetly moving away, he took his glass and joined the others, so that the great man,

alk this o

n truth, for M. Ch

f I leave him with this swindler, wh

e to postpone the matter to some other day, for Risler told them

e, incensed at the thought of his son-i

with Georges. Monsieur Gardinois is v

tory might take fire in the night. And he repeated sententiously: "The eye of the master, my dear fellow, the eye of the master," while the actor-who was little better

ge omnibus bore away the tyrannical fathe

s eyeglasses on his nose, he began, in a declamatory tone, always upon the stage: "When one considers coolly the decr

nately, right in the middle of the prospectus, the cafe closed. The lights were extinguished; they must go.-And the estimates?-It was agreed that they should read them as they walked along. They s

." (When Delobelle mentioned himself, he commonly called himself Bibi.) "A leading man is paid twenty thousand francs,

e. The reading of the estimates being concluded, Delobelle, dismayed to find that they were drawing near the c

he owed principally to the proximity of the factory and t

good as done, and he stared at his companion, intensely agitated

, "I can't do what you

certain sum from the concern each month; then, when they struck a balance at the end of the year they divided the profits. It had cost him a good deal to begin housekeeping: all his savings.

to his full height; but Risler was determined, and all Bibi's arguments met the s

be done cheaper. "It would still be too dear for me," Risler interrupted. "My name doesn't belong to me. It is a part

He tried everything, invoked the sacred interests of art, went so far as to

nd our wives are expecting us. No ill-will, eh?-This is not a refusal, you understand. -By the way, come and see me af

ing, and Desiree's little fingers, as she mounted an insect, moved so fast that it made one dizzy to watch them. Even the long feathers of the little birds scattered about on the table before her seemed more brilliant, more richly colored, than on other days. It was because a lovely visitor

obelle from time to time, as if to sum up a whole world

fond of us, too, although since she was married she does seem to neglect her old friends a little. But we

energy to her work. Her electrified fingers moved with redoubled swiftness. You would have said that they were

asked her; but at that moment she was only slightly interested in wh

a brilliant man in those days, so lighthearted, so glad to be alive. Those who see him now don't know him, poor man, misfortune has changed him so. Oh, well! I feel sure that all that's necessary is a little success to make him young and happy again. And then there's money to be made managing theatres. Th

the pale little recluse, t

ep echoed in the vestibule. There was a moment of speechless, breathless anguish. The women dare

akfasted on credit during the whole period of his managership, a bill which must be paid-all these things occurred to him in the silence and gloom of the five flights he had to

orner, and the two dear, anxious faces looking up at him with glistening eyes. He stood a full minute without speaking-and you know how long a

am ac

ornament" flew to the four corners of the room. His terrified wife rose and timidly approached him, whi

d-a fragmentary soliloquy, interrupted by sighs and dramatic hiccoughs, overflowing with imprecations against

encon, his marriage to this "sainted woman," and he pointed to the poor creature who stood by his side, with

onologue. He recalled his arrival in Paris, his humiliations, his privations. Alas! he was not the one who had known privation.

ses, "oh! to have struggled so long. For ten years, fifteen years, ha

" cried Desiree, c

ept all this devotion in the name of sacred art. But this is

you say?" cried Mamma Del

y strength. They have slain the artist in

ore him to struggle on, prove to him that he had no right to give u

e fight a little while, since it was their wish; but it