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in this hovel。 In an alcove stood a bed； with tester and valence of
green serge； which the moths had transformed into lace。 The window；
almost useless； had a heavy coating of grease upon its panes； which
dispensed with the necessity of curtains。 The whitewashed walls
presented to the eye fuliginous tones； due to the wood and peat burned
by the pauper in his stove。 On the fireplace were a broken water…
pitcher； two bottles； and a cracked plate。 A worm…eaten chest of
drawers contained his linen and decent clothes。 The rest of the
furniture consisted of a night…table of the commonest description；
another table； worth about forty sous； and two kitchen chairs with the
straw seats almost gone。 The extremely picturesque costume of the
centenarian pauper was hanging from a nail； and below it； on the
floor； were the shapeless mat…weed coverings that served him for
shoes； the whole forming； with his amorphous old hat and knotty stick；
a sort of panoply of misery。
As he entered； Cerizet gave a rapid glance at the old man； whose head
lay on a pillow brown with grease and without a pillow…case； his
angular profile； like those which engravers of the last century were
fond of making out of rocks in the landscapes they engraved； was
strongly defined in black against the green serge hangings of the
tester。 Toupillier； a man nearly six feet tall； was looking fixedly at
some object at the foot of his bed； he did not move on hearing the
groaning of the heavy door； which； being armed with iron bolts and a
strong lock； closed his domicile securely。
〃Is he conscious？〃 said Cerizet； before whom Madame Cardinal started
back； not having recognized him till he spoke。
〃Pretty nearly；〃 she replied。
〃Come out on the staircase； so that he doesn't hear us；〃 whispered
Cerizet。 〃This is how we'll manage it；〃 he continued； in the ear of
his future mother…in…law。 〃He is weak； but he isn't so very low； we
have fully a week before us。 I'll send you a doctor who'll suit us；
you understand？ and later in the evening I'll bring you six poppy…
heads。 In the state he's in； you see； a decoction of poppy…heads will
send him into a sound sleep。 I'll send you a cot…bed on pretence of
your sleeping in the room with him。 We'll move him from one bed to the
other； and when we've found the money there won't be any difficulty in
carrying it off。 But we ought to know who the people are who live in
this old barrack。 If Perrache suspects； as you think； about the money；
he might give an alarm； and so many tenants； so many spies； you
know〃
〃Oh！ as for that；〃 said Madame Cardinal； 〃I've found out already that
Monsieur du Portail； the old man who occupies the first floor； has
charge of an insane woman； I heard their Dutch servant…woman； Katte；
calling her Lydie this morning。 The only other servant is an old valet
named Bruneau； he does everything； except cook。〃
〃But the binder and the stitcher down below；〃 returned Cerizet； 〃they
begin work very early in the morningWell； anyhow； we must study the
matter；〃 he added； in the tone of a man whose plans are not yet
decided。 〃I'll go to the mayor's office of your arrondissement； and
get Olympe's register of birth； and put up the banns。 The marriage
must take place a week from Saturday。〃
〃How he goes it； the rascal！〃 cried the admiring Madame Cardinal；
pushing her formidable son…in…law by the shoulder。
As he went downstairs Cerizet was surprised to see； through one of the
small round windows； an old man； evidently du Portail； walking in the
garden with a very important member of the government； Comte Martial
de la Roche…Hugon。 He stopped in the courtyard when he reached it； as
if to examine the old house； built in the reign of Louis XIV。； the
yellow walls of which； though of freestone； were bent like the elderly
beggar they contained。 Then he looked at the workshops； and counted
the workmen。 The house was otherwise as silent as a cloister。 Being
observed himself； Cerizet departed； thinking over in his mind the
various difficulties that might arise in extracting the sum hidden
beneath the dying man。
〃Carry off all that gold at night？〃 he said to himself； 〃why； those
porters will be on the watch； and twenty persons might see us！ It is
hard work to carry even twenty…five thousand francs of gold on one's
person。〃
Societies have two goals of perfection； the first is a state of
civilization in which morality equally infused and pervasive does not
admit even the idea of crime； the Jesuits reached that point； formerly
presented by the primitive Church。 The second is the state of another
civilization in which the supervision of citizens over one another
makes crime impossible。 The end which modern society has placed before
itself is the latter； namely； that in which a crime presents such
difficulties that a man must abandon all reasoning in order to commit
it。 In fact； iniquities which the law cannot reach are not left
actually unpunished； for social judgment is even more severe than that
of courts。 If a man like Minoret； the post…master at Nemours ＇see
〃Ursule Mirouet〃＇ suppresses a will and no one witnesses the act； the
crime is traced home to him by the watchfulness of virtue as surely as
a robbery is followed up by the detective police。 No wrong…doing
passes actually unperceived； and wherever a lesion in rectitude takes
place the scar remains。 Things can be no more made to disappear than
men； so carefully； in Paris especially； are articles and objects
ticketed and numbered； houses watched； streets observed； places spied
upon。 To live at ease； crime must have a sanction like that of the
Bourse； like that conceded by Cerizet's clients； who never complained
of his usury； and； indeed； would have been troubled in mind if their
flayer were not in his den of a Tuesday。
〃Well； my dear monsieur；〃 said Madame Perrache； the porter's wife； as
he passed her lodge； 〃how do you find him； that friend of God； that
poor man？〃
〃I am not the doctor；〃 replied Cerizet； who now decidedly declined
that role。 〃I am Madame Cardinal's business man。 I have just advised
her to have a cot…bed put up； so as to nurse her uncle night and day；
though； perhaps； she will have to get a regular nurse。〃
〃I can help her；〃 said Madame Perrache。 〃I nurse women in childbed。〃
〃Well； we'll see about it；〃 said Cerizet； 〃I'll arrange all that。 Who
is the tenant on your first floor？〃
〃Monsieur du Portail。 He has lodged here these thirty years。 He is a
man with a good income； monsieur； highly respectable； and elderly。 You
know people who invest in the Funds live on their incomes。 He used to
be in business。 But it is more than eleven years now since he has been
trying to restore the reason of a daughter of one of his friends；
Mademoiselle Lydie de la Peyrade。 She has the best advice； I can tell
you； the very first doctors in Paris； only this morning they had a
consultation。 But so far nothing has cured her； and they have to watch
her pretty close； for sometimes she gets up and walks at night〃
〃Mademoiselle Lydie de la Peyrade！〃 exclaimed Cerizet； 〃are you sure
of the name？〃
〃I've heard Madame Katte； her nurse； who also does the cooking； call
her so a thousand