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！
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。〃
End