The Lesser Bourgeoisie Part 57

"But I imagine that thoughts, especially if detached, cannot be very consecutive," said Thuillier.

"Evidently not," replied Ph.e.l.lion; "detached thoughts imply the idea of a very great number of subjects on which the author lets his pen stray without the pretension of presenting a whole."

"You will of course sign them?" said la Peyrade.

"Oh, no!" replied Ph.e.l.lion, alarmed. "I could not put myself on exhibition in that way."

"Your modesty, which by the bye I understand and approve, settles the matter," said la Peyrade. "Thoughts are a subject altogether individual, which imperatively require to be personified by a name. You must be conscious of this yourself. 'Divers Thoughts by Monsieur Three-Stars'

says nothing to the public."

Seeing that Ph.e.l.lion was about to make objections, Thuillier, who was in a hurry to begin his fight with la Peyrade, cut the matter short rather sharply.

"My dear Ph.e.l.lion," he said, "I beg your pardon for not being able to enjoy the pleasure of your conversation any longer, but we have to talk, la Peyrade and I, over a matter of much importance, and in newspaper offices this devilish time runs away so fast. If you are willing, we will postpone the question to another day. Madame Ph.e.l.lion is well, I trust?"

"Perfectly well," said the great citizen, rising, and not appearing to resent his dismissal. "When does your first number appear?" he added; "it is eagerly awaited in the arrondiss.e.m.e.nt."

"To-morrow I think our confession of faith will make its appearance,"

replied Thuillier, accompanying him to the door. "You will receive a copy, my dear friend. We shall meet again soon, I hope. Come and see us, and bring that ma.n.u.script; la Peyrade's point of view may be a little arbitrary."

With this balm shed upon his wound, Ph.e.l.lion departed, and Thuillier rang the bell for the porter.

"Could you recognize the gentlemen who has just gone out the next time you see him?" asked Thuillier.

"Oh, yes, m'sieu, his round ball of a head is too funny to forget; besides, it is Monsieur Ph.e.l.lion; haven't I opened the door to him hundreds of times?"

"Well, whenever he comes again neither I nor Monsieur de la Peyrade will be here. Remember that's a positive rule. Now leave us."

"The devil!" cried la Peyrade, when the two partners were alone, "how you manage bores. But take care; among the number there may be electors.

You did right to tell Ph.e.l.lion you would send him a copy of the paper; he has a certain importance in the quarter."

"Well," said Thuillier, "we can't allow our time to be taken up by all the dull-heads who come and offer their services. But now you and I have to talk, and talk very seriously. Be seated and listen."

"Do you know, my dear fellow," said la Peyrade, laughing, "that journalism is making you into something very solemn? 'Be seated, Cinna,'--Caesar Augustus couldn't have said it otherwise."

"Cinnas, unfortunately, are more plentiful than people think," replied Thuillier.

He was still under the goad of the promise he had made to Brigitte, and he meant to fulfil it with cutting sarcasm. The top continued the whirling motion imparted to it by the old maid's lash.

La Peyrade took a seat at the round table. As he was puzzled to know what was coming, he endeavored to seem unconcerned, and picking up the large scissors used for the loans which all papers make from the columns of their brethren of the press, he began to snip up a sheet of paper, on which, in Thuillier's handwriting, was an attempt at a leading article, never completed.

Though la Peyrade was seated and expectant, Thuillier did not begin immediately; he rose and went toward the door which stood ajar, with the intention of closing it. But suddenly it was flung wide open, and Coffinet appeared.

"Will monsieur," said Coffinet to la Peyrade, "receive two ladies? They are very well-dressed, and the young one ain't to be despised."

"Shall I let them in?" said la Peyrade to Thuillier.

"Yes, since they are here," growled Thuillier; "but get rid of them as soon as possible."

Coffinet's judgment on the toilet of the two visitors needs revision.

A woman is well-dressed, not when she wears rich clothes, but when her clothes present a certain harmony of shapes and colors which form an appropriate and graceful envelope to her person. Now a bonnet with a flaring brim, surmounted by nodding plumes, an immense French cashmere shawl, worn with the awkward inexperience of a young bride, a plaid silk gown with enormous checks and a triple tier of flounces with far too many chains and trinkets (though to be just, the boots and gloves were irreproachable), const.i.tuted the apparel of the younger of these ladies.

As for the other, who seemed to be in the tow of her dressy companion, she was short, squat, and high-colored, and wore a bonnet, shawl, and gown which a practised eye would at once have recognized as second hand.

Mothers of actresses are always clothed by this very economical process.

Their garments, condemned to the service of two generations, reverse the order of things, and go from descendants to ancestors.

Advancing two chairs, la Peyrade inquired, "To whom have I the honor of speaking?"

"Monsieur," said the younger visitor, "I am a dramatic artist, and as I am about to make my first appearance in this quarter, I allow myself to hope that a journal of this locality will favor me."

"At what theatre?" asked la Peyrade.

"The Folies, where I am engaged for the Dejazets."

"The Folies?" echoed la Peyrade, in a tone that demanded an explanation.

"Folies-Dramatiques," interposed the agreeable Madame Cardinal, whom the reader has doubtless recognized.

"When do you appear?" asked la Peyrade.

"Next week, monsieur,--a fairy piece in which I play five parts."

"You'll encourage her, monsieur, won't you?" said Madame Cardinal, in a coaxing voice; "she's so young, and I can certify she works day and night."

"Mother!" said Olympe, with authority, "the public will judge me; all I want is that monsieur will kindly promise to notice my debut."

"Very good, mademoiselle," said la Peyrade in a tone of dismissal, beginning to edge the pair to the door.

Olympe Cardinal went first, leaving her mother to hurry after her as best she could.

"At home to no one!" cried Thuillier to the office-boy as he closed the door and slipped the bolt. "Now," he said, addressing la Peyrade, "we will talk. My dear fellow," he went on, starting with irony, for he remembered to have heard that nothing was more confusing to an adversary, "I have heard something that will give you pleasure. I know now why MY pamphlet was seized."

So saying, he looked fixedly at la Peyrade.

"Parbleu!" said the latter in a natural tone of voice, "it was seized because they chose to seize it. They wanted to find, and they found, because they always find the things they want, what the king's adherents call 'subversive doctrine.'"

"No, you are wrong," said Thuillier; "the seizure was planned, concocted, and agreed upon before publication."

"Between whom?" asked la Peyrade.

"Between those who wanted to kill the pamphlet, and the wretches who were paid to betray it."

"Well, in any case, those who paid," said la Peyrade, "got mighty little for their money; for, persecuted though it was, I don't see that your pamphlet made much of a stir."

"Those who sold may have done better?" said Thuillier with redoubled irony.

"Those who sold," returned la Peyrade, "were the cleverer of the two."

"Ah, I know," said Thuillier, "that you think a great deal of cleverness; but allow me to tell you that the police, whose hand I see in all this, doesn't usually throw its money away."