按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
washed them down had begun； nevertheless； to raise the thermometer；
when； rushing into the room where the banquet was taking place； a
young man in a cap conveyed to Thuillier a most unexpected and
crushing blow。
〃Master；〃 said the new…comer to Barbet （he was a clerk in the
bookseller's shop）； 〃we are done for！ The police have made a raid upon
us； a commissary and two men have come to seize monsieur's pamphlet。
Here's a paper they have given me for you。〃
〃Look at that；〃 said Barbet； handing the document to la Peyrade； his
customary assurance beginning to forsake him。
〃A summons to appear at once before the court of assizes；〃 said la
Peyrade； after reading a few lines of the sheriff's scrawl。
Thuillier had turned as pale as death。
〃Didn't you fulfil all the necessary formalities？〃 he said to Barbet；
in a choking voice。
〃This is not a matter of formalities；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃it is a
seizure for what is called press misdemeanor； exciting contempt and
hatred of the government； you probably have the same sort of
compliment awaiting you at home； my poor Thuillier。〃
〃Then it is treachery！〃 cried Thuillier； losing his head completely。
〃Hang it； my dear fellow！ you know very well what you put in your
pamphlet； for my part； I don't see anything worth whipping a cat for。〃
〃There's some misunderstanding；〃 said Barbet； recovering courage； 〃it
will all be explained； and the result will be a fine cause of
complaintwon't it； messieurs？〃
〃Waiter； pens and ink！〃 cried one of the journalists thus appealed to。
〃Nonsense！ you'll have time to write your article later；〃 said another
of the brotherhood； 〃what has a bombshell to do with this 'filet
saute'？〃
That； of course； was a parody on the famous speech of Charles XII。；
King of Sweden； when a shot interrupted him while dictating to a
secretary。
〃Messieurs；〃 said Thuillier； rising； 〃I am sure you will excuse me for
leaving you。 If； as Monsieur Barbet thinks； there is some
misunderstanding； it ought to be explained at once； I must therefore；
with your permission； go to the police court。 La Peyrade；〃 he added in
a significant tone； 〃you will not refuse； I presume； to accompany me。
And you； my dear publisher； you would do well to come too。〃
〃No； faith！〃 said Barbet； 〃when I breakfast； I breakfast； if the
police have committed a blunder； so much the worse for them。〃
〃But suppose the matter is serious？〃 cried Thuillier； in great
agitation。
〃Well； I should say； what is perfectly true； that I had never read a
line of your pamphlet。 One thing is very annoying； those damned juries
hate beards； and I must cut off mine if I'm compelled to appear in
court。〃
〃Come； my dear amphitryon； sit down again；〃 said the editor of the
〃Echo de la Bievre；〃 〃we'll stand by you； I've already written an
article in my head which will stir up all the tanners in Paris； and；
let me tell you； that honorable corporation is a power。〃
〃No； monsieur；〃 replied Thuillier； 〃no； a man like me cannot rest an
hour under such an accusation as this。 Continue your breakfast without
us； I hope soon to see you again。 La Peyrade； are you coming？〃
〃He's charming； isn't he？〃 said Barbet； when Thuillier and his counsel
had left the room。 〃To ask me to leave a breakfast after the oysters；
and go and talk with the police！ Come； messieurs； close up the ranks；〃
he added； gaily。
〃Tiens！〃 said one of the hungry journalists； who had cast his eyes
into the garden of the Palais…Royal； on which the dining…room of the
restaurant opened； 〃there's Barbanchu going by； suppose I call him
in？〃
〃Yes； certainly；〃 said Barbet junior； 〃have him up。〃
〃Barbanchu！ Barbanchu！〃 called out the journalist。
Barbanchu； his hat being over his eyes； was some time in discovering
the cloud above him whence the voice proceeded。
〃Here； up here！〃 called the voice； which seemed to Barbanchu celestial
when he saw himself hailed by a man with a glass of champagne in his
hand。 Then； as he seemed to hesitate； the party above called out in
chorus：
〃Come up！ come up！ THERE'S FAT TO BE HAD！〃
When Thuillier left the office of the public prosecutor he could no
longer have any illusions。 The case against him was serious； and the
stern manner in which he had been received made him see that when the
trial came up he would be treated without mercy。 Then； as always
happens among accomplices after the non…success of an affair they have
done in common； he turned upon la Peyrade in the sharpest manner： La
Peyrade had paid no attention to what he wrote； he had given full
swing to his stupid Saint…Simonian ideas； HE didn't care for the
consequences； it was not HE who would have to pay the fine and go to
prison！ Then； when la Peyrade answered that the matter did not look to
him serious； and he expected to get a verdict of acquittal without
difficulty； Thuillier burst forth upon him； vehemently：
〃Parbleu！ the thing is plain enough； monsieur sees nothing in it？
Well； I shall not put my honor and my fortune into the hands of a
little upstart like yourself； I shall take some great lawyer if the
case comes to trial。 I've had enough of your collaboration by this
time。〃
Under the injustice of these remarks la Peyrade felt his anger rising。
However； he saw himself disarmed； and not wishing to come to an open
rupture； he parted from Thuillier； saying that he forgave a man
excited by fear； and would go to see him later in the afternoon； when
he would probably be calmer； they could then decide on what steps they
had better take。
Accordingly； about four o'clock； the Provencal arrived at the house in
the Place de la Madeleine。 Thuillier's irritation was quieted； but
frightful consternation had taken its place。 If the executioner were
coming in half an hour to lead him to the scaffold he could not have
been more utterly unstrung and woe…begone。 When la Peyrade entered
Madame Thuillier was trying to make him take an infusion of linden…
leaves。 The poor woman had come out of her usual apathy； and proved
herself； beside the present Sabinus； another Eponina。
As for Brigitte； who presently appeared； bearing a foot…bath； she had
no mercy or restraint towards Theodose； her sharp and bitter
reproaches； which were out of all proportion to the fault； even
supposing him to have committed one would have driven a man of the
most placid temperament beside himself。 La Peyrade felt that all was
lost to him in the Thuillier household； where they now seemed to seize
with joy the occasion to break their word to him and to give free rein
to revolting ingratitude。 On an ironical allusion by Brigitte to the
manner in which he decorated his friends； la Peyrade rose and took
leave； without any effort being made to retain him。
After walking about the streets for awhile； la Peyrade； in the midst
of his indignation； turned to thoughts of Madame de Godollo； whose
image； to tell the truth； had been much in his mind since their former
interview。
CHAPTER VI
'TWAS THUS THEY BADE ADIEU
Not only once when the countess met the barrister at the Thuilliers
had she left the room； but the same performance took place at each of
their encounters； and la Peyrade had convinced himself； without
knowing exactly why； that in each case； this affectation of avoiding
him； signified something that was not indifference。 To have paid her
another visit immediately would certainly have been very unskilful；
but now a sufficient time had elapsed to prove him to be a man who was
master of himself。 Accordingly； he returned upon his steps to the
Boulevard de la Madeleine； and without asking the porter if the
countess was at home； he passed the lodge as if returning to the
Thuilliers'； and rang the bell of the entresol。
The maid who opened the door asked him； as before； to wait until she
notified her mistress； but； on this occasion； instead of showing him
into the dining…room； she ushered him into a little room arranged as a
library。
He waited long； and knew not what to think of the delay。 Still； he
reassured himself with the thought that if she meant to dismiss him he
would not have been asked to wait at all。 Finally the maid reappeared；
but even then it was not to introduce him。
〃Madame la comtesse；〃 said the woman； 〃was engaged on a matter of
business； but she begged monsieur be so kind as to wait； and to amuse
himself with the books in the library； because she might be detained
longer than she expected。〃
The excuse； both in form and substance； was certainly not
discouraging； and la Peyrade looked about him to fulfil the behest to
amuse himself。 Without opening any of the carved rosewood bookcases；
which enclosed a collection of the most elegantly bound volumes he had
ever laid his eyes upon； he saw on an oblong table with claw feet a
pell…mell of books sufficient for the amusement of a man whose
attention was keenly alive elsewhere。
But； as he opened one after another of the various volumes； he began
to fancy that a feast of Tantalus had been provided for him： one book
was English； another German； a third Russian； there was even one in
cabalistic letters that seemed Turkish。 Was this a polyglottic joke
the countess had arranged for him？
One volume； howev