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the lesser bourgeoisie-第107部分

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  gave me a number of invitations to dinner to carry to the
  Thuillier family; the Colleville family; the Minard family; the
  Abbe Gondrin; vicar of the Madeleine; and nearly all the guests
  who were present at another dinner a few months earlier; when he
  had an encounter with Mademoiselle Thuillier; and behaved; I must
  say; in a rather singular manner。 All the persons who received
  these invitations were so astonished to learn that the old man
  Picot had married a rich wife and was living in the Thuilliers'
  old apartment that most of them came to inquire of Monsieur
  Pascal; the porter; to see if they were hoaxed。 The information
  they obtained being honest and honorable; the whole society
  arrived punctually on time; but Monsieur Picot did not appear。
  The guests were received by Madame Picot; who does not speak
  French and could only say; 〃My husband is coming soon〃; after
  which; not being able to make further conversation; the company
  were dull and ill at ease。 At last Monsieur Picot arrived; and all
  present were stupefied on seeing; instead of an old blind man;
  shabbily dressed; a handsome young elderly man; bearing his years
  jauntily; like Monsieur Ferville of the Gymnase; who said with a
  lively air:

  〃I beg your pardon; mesdames; for not being here at the moment of
  your arrival; but I was at the Academy of Sciences; awaiting the
  result of an election;that of Monsieur Felix Phellion; who has
  been elected unanimously less three votes。〃

  This news seemed to have a great effect upon the company。 So then
  Monsieur Picot resumed:

  〃I must also; mesdames; ask your pardon for the rather improper
  manner in which I behaved a short time ago in the house where we
  are now assembled。 My excuse must be my late infirmity; the
  annoyances of a family lawsuit; and of an old housekeeper who
  robbed me and tormented me in a thousand ways; from whom I am
  happily delivered。 To…day you see me another man; rejuvenated and
  rich with the blessings bestowed upon me by the amiable woman who
  has given me her hand; and I should be in the happiest frame of
  mind to receive you if the recollection of my young friend; whose
  eminence as a man of science has just been consecrated by the
  Academy; did not cast upon my mind a veil of sadness。 All here
  present;〃 continued Monsieur Picot; raising his voice; which is
  rather loud; 〃are guilty towards him: I; for ingratitude when he
  gave me the glory of his discovery and the reward of his immortal
  labors; that young lady; whom I see over there with tears in her
  eyes; for having foolishly accused him of atheism; that other
  lady; with the stern face; for having harshly replied to the
  proposals of his noble father; whose white hairs she ought rather
  to have honored; Monsieur Thuillier; for having sacrificed him to
  ambition; Monsieur Colleville; for not performing his part of
  father and choosing for his daughter the worthiest and most
  honorable man; Monsieur Minard; for having tried to foist his son
  into his place。 There are but two persons in the room at this
  moment who have done him full justice;Madame Thuillier and
  Monsieur l'Abbe Gondrin。 Well; I shall now ask that man of God
  whether we can help doubting the divine justice when this generous
  young man; the victim of all of us; is; at the present hour; at
  the mercy of waves and tempests; to which for three long years he
  is consigned。〃

  〃Providence is very powerful; monsieur;〃 replied the Abbe Gondrin。
  〃God will protect Monsieur Felix Phellion wherever he may be; and
  I have the firmest hope that three years hence he will be among
  his friends once more。〃

  〃But three years!〃 said Monsieur Picot。 〃Will it still be time?
  Will Mademoiselle Colleville have waited for him?〃

  〃Yes; I swear it!〃 cried the young girl; carried away by an
  impulse she could not control。

  Then she sat down again; quite ashamed; and burst into tears。

  〃And you; Mademoiselle Thuillier; and you; Madame Colleville; will
  you permit this young lady to reserve herself for one who is
  worthy of her?〃

  〃Yes! Yes!〃 cried everybody; for Monsieur Picot's voice; which is
  very full and sonorous; seemed to have tears in it and affected
  everybody。

  〃Then it is time;〃 he said; 〃to forgive Providence。〃

  And rushing suddenly to the door; where my ear was glued to the
  keyhole; he very nearly caught me。

  〃Announce;〃 he said to me; in a very loud tone of voice; 〃Monsieur
  Felix Phellion and his family。〃

  And thereupon the door of a side room opened; and five or six
  persons came out; who were led by Monsieur Picot into the salon。

  At the sight of her LOVER; Mademoiselle Colleville was taken ill;
  but the faint lasted only a minute; seeing Monsieur Felix at her
  feet she threw herself into Madame Thuillier's arms; crying out:

  〃Godmother! you always told me to hope。〃

  Mademoiselle Thuillier; who; in spite of her harsh nature and want
  of education; I have always myself thought a remarkable woman; now
  had a fine impulse。 As the company were about to go into the
  dining…room;

  〃One moment!〃 she said。

  Then going up to Monsieur Phellion; senior; she said to him:

  〃Monsieur and old friend! I ask you for the hand of Monsieur Felix
  Phellion for our adopted daughter; Mademoiselle Colleville。〃

  〃Bravo! bravo!〃 they call cried in chorus。

  〃My God!〃 said Monsieur Phellion; with tears in his eyes; 〃what
  have I done to deserve such happiness?〃

  〃You have been an honest man and a Christian without knowing it;〃
  replied the Abbe Gondrin。

Here la Peyrade flung down the manuscript。

〃You did not finish it;〃 said Corentin; taking back the paper。
〃However; there's not much more。 Monsieur Henri confesses to me that
the scene had MOVED HIM; he also says that; knowing the interest I had
formerly taken in the marriage; he thought he ought to inform me of
its conclusion; ending with a slightly veiled suggestion of a fee。 No;
stay;〃 resumed Corentin; 〃here is a detail of some importance:〃

  The English woman seems to have made it known during dinner that;
  having no heirs; her fortune; after the lives of herself and her
  husband; will go to Felix。 That will make him powerfully rich one
  of these days。

La Peyrade had risen and was striding about the room with rapid steps。

〃Well;〃 said Corentin; 〃what is the matter with you?〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃That is not true;〃 said the great detective。 〃I think you envy the
happiness of that young man。 My dear fellow; permit me to tell you
that if such a conclusion were to your taste; you should have acted as
he has done。 When I sent you two thousand francs on which to study
law; I did not intend you to succeed me; I expected you to row your
galley laboriously; to have the needful courage for obscure and
painful toil; your day would infallibly have come。 But you chose to
violate fortune〃

〃Monsieur!〃

〃I mean hasten it; reap it before it ripened。 You flung yourself into
journalism; then into business; questionable business; you made
acquaintance with Messieurs Dutocq and Cerizet。 Frankly; I think you
fortunate to have entered the port which harbors you to…day。 In any
case; you are not sufficiently simple of heart to have really valued
the joys reserved for Felix Phellion。 These bourgeois〃

〃These bourgeois;〃 said la Peyrade; quickly;〃I know them now。 They
have great absurdities; great vices even; but they have virtues; or;
at the least; estimable qualities; in them lies the vital force of our
corrupt society。〃

〃YOUR society!〃 said Corentin; smiling; 〃you speak as if you were
still in the ranks。 You have another sphere; my dear fellow; and you
must learn to be more content with your lot。 Governments pass;
societies perish or dwindle; but weWE dominate all things; the
police is eternal。〃



TRANSLATOR'S NOTE

  Note。This volume (〃Les Petits Bourgeois〃) was not published
  until 1854; more than three years after Balzac's death; although
  he says of it in March; 1844: 〃I must tell you that my work
  entitled 'Les Petits Bourgeois;' owing to difficulties of
  execution; requires still a month's labor; although the book is
  entirely written。〃 And again; in October; 1846; he says: 〃It is to
  such scruples〃 (care in perfecting his work) 〃that delays which
  have injured several of my works are due; for instance; 'Les
  Paysans;' which has long been nearly finished; and 'Les Petits
  Bourgeois;' which has been in type at the printing office for the
  last eighteen months。〃









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