the two brothers-第9章

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of　the　party。　The　next　morning　Agathe　and　Madame　Descoings；　while

preparing　breakfast；　could　not　help　remarking　that　soires　would　be

terribly　expensive　if　Philippe　were　to　go　on　playing　that　sort　of

game；　as　the　Descoings　phrased　it。　The　worthy　old　woman；　then　seventy…

six　years　of　age；　proposed　to　sell　her　furniture；　give　up　her

appartement　on　the　second　floor　（which　the　owner　was　only　too　glad　to

occupy）；　and　take　Agathe's　parlor　for　her　chamber；　making　the　other

room　a　sitting…room　and　dining…room　for　the　family。　In　this　way　they

could　save　seven　hundred　francs　a　year；　which　would　enable　them　to

give　Philippe　fifty　francs　a　month　until　he　could　find　something　to

do。　Agathe　accepted　the　sacrifice。　When　the　colonel　came　down　and　his

mother　had　asked　how　he　liked　his　little　bedroom；　the　two　widows

explained　to　him　the　situation　of　the　family。　Madame　Descoings　and

Agathe　possessed；　by　putting　all　their　resources　together；　an　income

of　five　thousand　three　hundred　francs；　four　thousand　of　which　belonged

to　Madame　Descoings　and　were　merely　a　life　annuity。　The　Descoings　made

an　allowance　of　six　hundred　a　year　to　Bixiou；　whom　she　had

acknowledged　as　her　grandson　during　the　last　few　months；　also　six

hundred　to　Joseph；　the　rest　of　her　income；　together　with　that　of

Agathe；　was　spent　for　the　household　wants。　All　their　savings　were　by

this　time　eaten　up。



〃Make　yourselves　easy；〃　said　the　lieutenant…colonel。　〃I'll　find　a

situation　and　put　you　to　no　expense；　all　I　need　for　the　present　is

board　and　lodging。〃



Agathe　kissed　her　son；　and　Madame　Descoings　slipped　a　hundred　francs

into　his　hand　to　pay　for　his　losses　of　the　night　before。　In　ten　days

the　furniture　was　sold；　the　appartement　given　up；　and　the　change　in

Agathe's　domestic　arrangements　accomplished　with　a　celerity　seldom

seen　outside　of　Paris。　During　those　ten　days；　Philippe　regularly

decamped　after　breakfast；　came　back　for　dinner；　was　off　again　for　the

evening；　and　only　got　home　about　midnight　to　go　to　bed。　He　contracted

certain　habits　half　mechanically；　and　they　soon　became　rooted　in　him；

he　got　his　boots　blacked　on　the　Pont　Neuf　for　the　two　sous　it　would

have　cost　him　to　go　by　the　Pont　des　Arts　to　the　Palais…Royal；　where　he

consumed　regularly　two　glasses　of　brandy　while　reading　the　newspapers；

an　occupation　which　employed　him　till　midday；　after　that　he

sauntered　along　the　rue　Vivienne　to　the　cafe　Minerve；　where　the

Liberals　congregated；　and　where　he　played　at　billiards　with　a　number

of　old　comrades。　While　winning　and　losing；　Philippe　swallowed　four　or

five　more　glasses　of　divers　liquors；　and　smoked　ten　or　a　dozen　cigars

in　going　and　coming；　and　idling　along　the　streets。　In　the　evening；

after　consuming　a　few　pipes　at　the　Hollandais　smoking…rooms；　he　would

go　to　some　gambling…place　towards　ten　o'clock　at　night。　The　waiter

handed　him　a　card　and　a　pin；　he　always　inquired　of　certain　well…

seasoned　players　about　the　chances　of　the　red　or　the　black；　and　staked

ten　francs　when　the　lucky　moment　seemed　to　come；　never　playing　more

than　three　times；　win　or　lose。　If　he　won；　which　usually　happened；　he

drank　a　tumbler　of　punch　and　went　home　to　his　garret；　but　by　that　time

he　talked　of　smashing　the　ultras　and　the　Bourbon　body…guard；　and

trolled　out；　as　he　mounted　the　staircase；　〃We　watch　to　save　the

Empire！〃　His　poor　mother；　hearing　him；　used　to　think　〃How　gay　Philippe

is　to…night！〃　and　then　she　would　creep　up　and　kiss　him；　without

complaining　of　the　fetid　odors　of　the　punch；　and　the　brandy；　and　the

pipes。



〃You　ought　to　be　satisfied　with　me；　my　dear　mother；〃　he　said；　towards

the　end　of　January；　〃I　lead　the　most　regular　of　lives。〃



The　colonel　had　dined　five　times　at　a　restaurant　with　some　of　his　army

comrades。　These　old　soldiers　were　quite　frank　with　each　other　on　the

state　of　their　own　affairs；　all　the　while　talking　of　certain　hopes

which　they　based　on　the　building　of　a　submarine　vessel；　expected　to

bring　about　the　deliverance　of　the　Emperor。　Among　these　former

comrades；　Philippe　particularly　liked　an　old　captain　of　the　dragoons

of　the　Guard；　named　Giroudeau；　in　whose　company　he　had　seen　his　first

service。　This　friendship　with　the　late　dragoon　led　Philippe　into

completing　what　Rabelais　called　〃the　devil's　equipage〃；　and　he　added

to　his　drams；　and　his　tobacco；　and　his　play；　a　〃fourth　wheel。〃



One　evening　at　the　beginning　of　February；　Giroudeau　took　Philippe

after　dinner　to　the　Gaite；　occupying　a　free　box　sent　to　a　theatrical

journal　belonging　to　his　nephew　Finot；　in　whose　office　Giroudeau　was

cashier　and　secretary。　Both　were　dressed　after　the　fashion　of　the

Bonapartist　officers　who　now　belonged　to　the　Constitutional

Opposition；　they　wore　ample　overcoats　with　square　collars；　buttoned　to

the　chin　and　coming　down　to　their　heels；　and　decorated　with　the

rosette　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　and　they　carried　malacca　canes　with

loaded　knobs；　which　they　held　by　strings　of　braided　leather。　The　late

troopers　had　just　（to　use　one　of　their　own　expressions）　〃made　a　bout

of　it；〃　and　were　mutually　unbosoming　their　hearts　as　they　entered　the

box。　Through　the　fumes　of　a　certain　number　of　bottles　and　various

glasses　of　various　liquors；　Giroudeau　pointed　out　to　Philippe　a　plump

and　agile　little　ballet…girl　whom　he　called　Florentine；　whose　good

graces　and　affection；　together　with　the　box；　belonged　to　him　as　the

representative　of　an　all…powerful　journal。



〃But；〃　said　Philippe；　〃I　should　like　to　know　how　far　her　good　graces

go　for　such　an　iron…gray　old　trooper　as　you。〃



〃Thank　God；〃　replied　Giroudeau；　〃I've　stuck　to　the　traditions　of　our

glorious　uniform。　I　have　never　wasted　a　farthing　upon　a　woman　in　my

life。〃



〃What's　that？〃　said　Philippe；　putting　a　finger　on　his　left　eye。



〃That　is　so；〃　answered　Giroudeau。　〃But；　between　ourselves；　the

newspaper　counts　for　a　good　deal。　To…morrow；　in　a　couple　of　lines；　we

shall　advise　the　managers　to　let　Mademoiselle　Florentine　dance　a

particular　step；　and　so　forth。　Faith；　my　dear　boy；　I'm　uncommonly

lucky！〃



〃Well！〃　thought　Philippe；　〃if　this　worthy　Giroudeau；　with　a　skull　as

polished　as　my　knee；　forty…eight　years；　a　big　stomach；　a　face　like　a

ploughman；　and　a　nose　like　a　potato；　can　get　a　ballet…girl；　I　ought　to

be　the　lover　of　the　first　actress　in　Paris。　Where　does　one　find　such

luck？〃　he　said　aloud。



〃I'll　show　you　Florentine's　place　to…night。　My　Dulcinea　only　earns

fifty　francs　a　month　at　the　theatre；〃　added　Giroudeau；　〃but　she　is

very　prettily　set　up；　thanks　to　an　old　silk　dealer　named　Cardot；　who

gives　her　five　hundred　francs　a　month。〃



〃Well；　but？〃　exclaimed　the　jealous　Philippe。



〃Bah！〃　said　Giroudeau；　〃true　love　is　blind。〃



When　the　play　was　over　Giroudeau　took　Philippe　to　Mademoiselle

Florentine's　appartement；　which　was　close　to　the　theatre；　in　the　rue

de　Crussol。



〃We　must　behave　ourselves；〃　said　Giroudeau。　〃Florentine's　mother　is

here。　You　see；　I　haven't　the　means　to　pay　for　one；　so　the　worthy　woman

is　really　her　own　mother。　She　used　to　be　a　concierge；　but　she's　not

without　intelligence。　Call　her　Madame；　she　makes　a　point　of　it。〃



Florentine　happened　that　night　to　have　a　friend　with　her；a　certain

Marie　Godeschal；　beautiful　as　an　angel；　cold　as　a　danseuse；　and　a

pupil　of　Vestris；　who　foretold　for　her　a　great　choregraphic　destiny。

Mademoiselle　Godeschal；　anxious　to　make　her　first　appearance　at　the

Panorama…Dramatique　under　the　name　of　Mariette；　based　her　hopes　on　the

protection　and　influence　of　a　first　gentleman　of　the　bedchamber；　to

whom　Vestris　had　promised　to　introduce　her。　Vestris；　still　green

himself　at　this　period；　did　not　think　his　pupil　sufficiently　trained

to　risk　the　introduction。　The　ambitious　girl　did；　in　the　end；　make　her

pseudonym　of　Mariette　famous；　and　the　motive　of　her　ambition；　it　must

be　said；　was　praiseworthy。　She　had　a　brother；　a　clerk　in　Derville's

law　office。　Left　orphans　and　very　poor；　and　devoted　to　each　other；　the

brother　and　sister　had　seen　life　such　as　it　is　in　Paris。　The　one

wished　to　be　a　lawyer　that　he　might　support　his　sister；　and　he　lived

on　ten　sous　a　day；　the　other　had　coldly　resolved　to　be　a　dancer；　and

to　profit　by　her　beauty　as　much　as　by　her　legs　that　she　might　buy　a

practice　for　her　brother。　Outside　of　their　feeling　for　each　other；　and

of　their　mutual　life　and　interests；　everything　was　to　them；　as　it　once

was　to　the　Romans　and　the　Hebrews；　barbaric；　outlandish；　and　hostile。

This　generous　affection；　which　nothing　ever　lessened；　explained

Mariette　to　those　who　knew　her　intimately。



The　brother　and　sister　were　living　at　this　time　on　the　eighth　floor　of

a　house　in　the　Vieille　rue　du　Temple。　Mariette　had　begun　her　studies

when　she　was　ten　years　old；　she　was　now　just　sixteen。　Alas！　for　want

of　becoming　clothes；　her　beauty；　hidden　under　a　coarse　shawl；　dressed

in　calico；　and　ill…kept；　could　only　be　guessed　by　those　Parisians　who

devote　themselves　to　hunting　grisettes　and　the　quest　of　beauty　in

misfortune；　as　she　trotted　past　them　with　mincing　step；　mounted　on

iron　pattens。　Philippe　fell　in　love　with　Mariette。　To　Mariette；

Philippe　was　commander　of　the　dragoons　of　the　Guard；　a　staff…officer

of　the　Emperor；　a　young　man　of　twenty…seven；　and　above　all；　the　means

of　proving　herself　superior　to　Florentine　by　the　evident　superiority

of　Philippe　over　Giroudeau。　Florentine　and　Giroudeau；　the　one　to

promote　his　comrade's　happiness；　the　other　to　get　a　protector　for　her

friend；　pushed　Philippe　and　Mariette　into　a　〃mariage　en　detrempe；〃a

Parisian　term　which　is　equivalent　to　〃morganatic　marriage；〃　as　applied

to　royal　personages。　Philippe　when　they　left　the　house　revealed　his

poverty　to　Giroudeau；　but　the　old　roue　reassured　him。



〃I'll　speak　to　my　nephew　Finot；〃　he　said。　〃You　see；　Philippe；　the

reign　of　phrases　and　quill…drivers　is　upon　us；　we　may　as　well　submit。

To…day；　scribblers　are　paramount。　Ink　has　ousted　gunpowder；　and　talk

takes　the　place　of　shot。　After　all；　these　little　toads　of　editors　are

pretty　good　fellows；　and　very　clever。　Come　and　see　me　to…morrow　at　the

newspaper　office；　by　that　time　I　shall　have　said　a　word　for　you　to　my

nephew。　Before　long　you'll　have　a　place　on　some　journal　or　other。

Mariette；　who　is　taking　you　at　this　moment　（don't　deceive　yourself）

because　she　literally　has　nothing；　no　engagement；　no　chance　of

appearing　on　the　stage；　and　I　have　told　her　that　you　are　going　on　a

newspaper　like　myself；Mariette　will　try　to　make　you　believe　she　is

loving　you　for　yourself；　and　you　will　believe　her！　Do　as　I　do；keep

her　as　long　as　you　can。　I　was　so　much　in　love　with　Florentine　that　I

begged　Finot　to　write　her　up　and　help　her　to　a　debut；　but　my　nephew

replied；　'You　say　she　has　talent；　well；　the　day　after　her　first

appearance　she　will　turn　her　back　on　you。'　Oh；　that's　Finot　all　over！

You'll　find　him　a　knowing　one。〃



The　next　day；　about　four　o'clock；　Philippe　went　to　the　rue　de　Sentier；

where　he　found　Giroudeau　in　the　ent