unconscious comedians-第6部分

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〃There　are　seventy…one　tenants　in　this　house；〃　said　Bixiou；　〃and　the

average　of　what　they　owe　Ravenouillet　is　six　thousand　francs　a　month；

eighteen　thousand　quarterly　for　money　advanced；　postage；　etc。；　not

counting　the　rents　due。　He　is　Providenceat　thirty　per　cent；　which　we

all　pay　him；　though　he　never　asks　for　anything。〃



〃Oh；　Paris！　Paris！〃　cried　Gazonal。



〃I'm　going　to　take　you　now；　cousin　Gazonal；〃　said　Bixiou；　after

indorsing　the　notes；　〃to　see　another　comedian；　who　will　play　you　a

charming　scene　gratis。〃



〃Who　is　it？〃　said　Gazonal。



〃A　usurer。　As　we　go　along　I'll　tell　you　the　debut　of　friend

Ravenouillet　in　Paris。〃



Passing　in　front　of　the　porter's　lodge；　Gazonal　saw　Mademoiselle

Lucienne　Ravenouillet　holding　in　her　hand　a　music　score　（she　was　a

pupil　of　the　Conservatoire）；　her　father　reading　a　newspaper；　and

Madame　Ravenouillet　with　a　package　of　letters　to　be　carried　up　to　the

lodgers。



〃Thanks；　Monsieur　Bixiou！〃　said　the　girl。



〃She's　not　a　rat；〃　explained　Leon　to　his　cousin；　〃she　is　the　larva　of

the　grasshopper。〃



〃Here's　the　history　of　Ravenouillet；〃　continued　Bixiou；　when　the　three

friends　reached　the　boulevard。　〃In　1831　Massol；　the　councillor　of

state　who　is　dealing　with　your　case；　was　a　lawyer…journalist　who　at

that　time　never　thought　of　being　more　than　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　and

deigned　to　have　King　Louis…Philippe　on　his　throne。　Forgive　his

ambition；　he's　from　Carcassonne。　One　morning　there　entered　to　him　a

young　rustic　of　his　parts；　who　said：　'You　know　me　very　well；　Mossoo

Massol；　I'm　your　neighbour　the　grocer's　little　boy；　I've　come　from

down　there；　for　they　tell　me　a　fellow　is　certain　to　get　a　place　if　he

comes　to　Paris。'　Hearing　these　words；　Massol　shuddered；　and　said　to

himself　that　if　he　were　weak　enough　to　help　this　compatriot　（to　him

utterly　unknown）　he　should　have　the　whole　department　prone　upon　him；

his　bell…rope　would　break；　his　valet　leave　him；　he　should　have

difficulties　with　his　landlord　about　the　stairway；　and　the　other

lodgers　would　assuredly　complain　of　the　smell　of　garlic　pervading　the

house。　Consequently；　he　looked　at　his　visitor　as　a　butcher　looks　at　a

sheep　whose　throat　he　intends　to　cut。　But　whether　the　rustic

comprehended　the　stab　of　that　glance　or　not；　he　went　on　to　say　（so

Massol　told　me）；　'I've　as　much　ambition　as　other　men。　I　will　never　go

back　to　my　native　place；　if　I　ever　do　go　back；　unless　I　am　a　rich　man。

Paris　is　the　antechamber　of　Paradise。　They　tell　me　that　you　who　write

the　newspapers　can　make；　as　they　say；　〃fine　weather　and　foul〃；　that

is；　you　have　things　all　your　own　way；　and　it's　enough　to　ask　your　help

to　get　any　place；　no　matter　what；　under　government。　Now；　though　I　have

faculties；　like　others；　I　know　myself：　I　have　no　education；　I　don't

know　how　to　write；　and　that's　a　misfortune；　for　I　have　ideas。　I　am　not

seeking；　therefore；　to　be　your　rival；　I　judge　myself；　and　I　know　I

couldn't　succeed　there。　But；　as　you　are　so　powerful；　and　as　we　are

almost　brothers；　having　played　together　in　childhood；　I　count　upon　you

to　launch　me　in　a　career　and　to　protect　me　Oh；　you　MUST；　I　want　a

place；　a　place　suitable　to　my　capacity；　to　such　as　I　am；　a　place　were

I　can　make　my　fortune。'　Massol　was　just　about　to　put　his　compatriot

neck　and　crop　out　of　the　door　with　some　brutal　speech；　when　the　rustic

ended　his　appeal　thus：　'I　don't　ask　to　enter　the　administration　where

people　advance　like　tortoisesthere's　your　cousin；　who　has　stuck　in

one　post　for　twenty　years。　No；　I　only　want　to　make　my　debut。''On　the

stage？'　asked　Massol　only　too　happy　at　that　conclusion。'No；　though　I

have　gesture　enough；　and　figure；　and　memory。　But　there's　too　much　wear

and　tear；　I　prefer　the　career　of　PORTER。'　Massol　kept　his　countenance；

and　replied：　'I　think　there's　more　wear　and　tear　in　that；　but　as　your

choice　is　made　I'll　see　what　I　can　do'；　and　he　got　him；　as

Ravenouillet　says；　his　first　'cordon。'〃



〃I　was　the　first　master；〃　said　Leon；　〃to　consider　the　race　of　porter。

You'll　find　knaves　of　morality；　mountebanks　of　vanity；　modern

sycophants；　septembriseurs；　disguised　in　philanthropy；　inventors　of

palpitating　questions；　preaching　the　emancipation　of　the　negroes；

improvement　of　little　thieves；　benevolence　to　liberated　convicts；　and

who；　nevertheless；　leave　their　porters　in　a　condition　worse　than　that

of　the　Irish；　in　holes　more　dreadful　than　a　mud　cabin；　and　pay　them

less　money　to　live　on　than　the　State　pays　to　support　a　convict。　I　have

done　but　one　good　action　in　my　life；　and　that　was　to　build　my　porter　a

decent　lodge。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Bixiou；　〃if　a　man；　having　built　a　great　cage　divided　into

thousands　of　compartments　like　the　cells　of　a　beehive　or　the　dens　of　a

menagerie；　constructed　to　receive　human　beings　of　all　trades　and　all

kinds；　if　that　animal；　calling　itself　the　proprietor；　should　go　to　a

man　of　science　and　say：　'I　want　an　individual　of　the　bimanous　species；

able　to　live　in　holes　full　of　old　boots；　pestiferous　with　rags；　and

ten　feet　square；　I　want　him　such　that　he　can　live　there　all　his　life；

sleep　there；　eat　there；　be　happy；　get　children　as　pretty　as　little

cupids；　work；　toil；　cultivate　flowers；　sing　there；　stay　there；　and

live　in　darkness　but　see　and　know　everything；'　most　assuredly　the　man

of　science　could　never　have　invented　the　porter　to　oblige　the

proprietor；　Paris；　and　Paris　only　could　create　him；　or；　if　you　choose；

the　devil。〃



〃Parisian　creative　powers　have　gone　farther　than　that；〃　said　Gazonal；

〃look　at　the　workmen！　You　don't　know　all　the　products　of　industry；

though　you　exhibit　them。　Our　toilers　fight　against　the　toilers　of　the

continent　by　force　of　misery；　as　Napoleon　fought　Europe　by　force　of

regiments。〃



〃Here　we　are；　at　my　friend　the　usurer's；〃　said　Bixiou。　〃His　name　is

Vauvinet。　One　of　the　greatest　mistakes　made　by　writers　who　describe

our　manners　and　morals　is　to　harp　on　old　portraits。　In　these　days　all

trades　change。　The　grocer　becomes　a　peer　of　France；　artists　capitalize

their　money；　vaudevillists　have　incomes。　A　few　rare　beings　may　remain

what　they　originally　were；　but　professions　in　general　have　no　longer

either　their　special　costume　or　their　formerly　fixed　habits　and　ways。

In　the　past　we　had　Gobseck；　Gigounet；　Samonon；the　last　of　the

Romans；　to…day　we　rejoice　in　Vauvinet；　the　good…fellow　usurer；　the

dandy　who　frequents　the　greenroom　and　the　lorettes；　and　drives　about

in　a　little　coupe　with　one　horse。　Take　special　note　of　my　man；　friend

Gazonal；　and　you'll　see　the　comedy　of　money；　the　cold　man　who　won't

give　a　penny；　the　hot　man　who　snuffs　a　profit；　listen　to　him

attentively！〃



All　three　went　up　to　the　second　floor　of　a　fine…looking　house　on　the

boulevard　des　Italiens；　where　they　found　themselves　surrounded　by　the

elegances　then　in　fashion。　A　young　man　about　twenty…eight　years　of　age

advanced　to　meet　them　with　a　smiling　face；　for　he　saw　Leon　de　Lora

first。　Vauvinet　held　out　his　hand　with　apparent　friendliness　to

Bixiou；　and　bowed　coldly　to　Gazonal　as　he　motioned　them　to　enter　his

office；　where　bourgeois　taste　was　visible　beneath　the　artistic

appearance　of　the　furniture；　and　in　spite　of　the　statuettes　and　the

thousand　other　little　trifles　applied　to　our　little　apartments　by

modern　art；　which　has　made　itself　as　small　as　its　patrons。



Vauvinet　was　dressed；　like　other　young　men　of　our　day　who　go　into

business；　with　extreme　elegance；　which　many　of　them　regard　as　a

species　of　prospectus。



〃I've　come　for　some　money；〃　said　Bixiou；　laughing；　and　presenting　his

notes。



Vauvinet　assumed　a　serious　air；　which　made　Gazonal　smile；　such

difference　was　there　between　the　smiling　visage　that　received　them　and

the　countenance　of　the　money…lender　recalled　to　business。



〃My　dear　fellow；〃　said　Vauvinet；　looking　at　Bixiou；　〃I　should

certainly　oblige　you　with　the　greatest　pleasure；　but　I　haven't　any

money　to　loan　at　the　present　time。〃



〃Ah；　bah！〃



〃No；　I　have　given　all　I　had　toyou　know　who。　That　poor　Lousteau　went

into　partnership　for　the　management　of　a　theatre　with　an　old

vaudevillist　who　has　great　influence　with　the　ministry；　Ridal；　and

they　came　to　me　yesterday　for　thirty　thousand　francs。　I'm　cleaned　out；

and　so　completely　that　I　was　just　in　the　act　of　sending　to　Cerizet　for

a　hundred　louis；　when　I　lost　at　lansquenet　this　morning；　at　Jenny

Cadine's。〃



〃You　must　indeed　me　hard…up　if　you　can't　oblige　this　poor　Bixiou；〃

said　Leon　de　Lora；　〃for　he　can　be　very　sharp…tongued　when　he　hasn't　a

sou。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Bixiou；　〃I　could　never　say　anything　but　good　of　Vauvinet；

he's　full　of　goods。〃



〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　Vauvinet；　〃if　I　had　the　money；　I　couldn't

possibly　discount；　even　at　fifty　per　cent；　notes　which　are　drawn　by

your　porter。　Ravenouillet's　paper　isn't　in　demand。　He's　not　a

Rothschild。　I　warn　you　that　his　notes　are　worn　thin；　you　had　better

invent　another　firm。　Find　an　uncle。　As　for　a　friend　who'll　sign　notes

for　us　there's　no　such　being　to　be　found；　the　matter…of…factness　of

the　present　age　is　making　awful　progress。〃



〃I　have　a　friend；〃　said　Bixiou；　motioning　to　Leon's　cousin。　〃Monsieur

here；　one　of　the　most　distinguished　manufacturers　of　cloth　in　the

South；　named　Gazonal。　His　hair　is　not　very　well　dressed；〃　added

Bixiou；　looking　at　the　touzled　and　luxuriant　crop　on　the　provincial's

head；　〃but　I　am　going　to　take　him　to　Marius；　who　will　make　him　look

less　like　a　poodle…dog；　an　appearance　so　injurious　to　his　credit；　and

to　ours。〃



〃I　don't　believe　in　Southern　securities；　be　it　said　without　offence　to

monsieur；〃　replied　Vauvinet；　with　whom　Gazonal　was　so　entertained　that

he　did　not　resent　his　insolence。



Gazonal；　that　extremely　penetrating　intellect；　thought　that　the

painter　and　Bixiou　intended；　by　way　of　teaching　him　to　know　Paris；　to

make　him　pay　the　thousand　francs　for　his　breakfast　at　the　Cafe　de

Paris；　for　this　son　of　the　Pyrenees　had　never　got　out　of　that　armor　of

distrust　which　i