at the sign of the cat and racket-第6部分

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As　the　old　master　draper　had　never　yet　bid　his　assistant　be　seated　in
his　presence；　Joseph　Lebas　was　startled。

〃What　do　you　think　of　these　notes？〃　asked　Guillaume。

〃They　will　never　be　paid。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Well；　I　heard　the　day　before　yesterday　Etienne　and　Co。　had　made　their
payments　in　gold。〃

〃Oh；　oh！〃　said　the　draper。　〃Well；　one　must　be　very　ill　to　show　one's
bile。　Let　us　speak　of　something　else。Joseph；　the　stock…taking　is
done。〃

〃Yes；　monsieur；　and　the　dividend　is　one　of　the　best　you　have　ever
made。〃

〃Do　not　use　new…fangled　words。　Say　the　profits；　Joseph。　Do　you　know；
my　boy；　that　this　result　is　partly　owing　to　you？　And　I　do　not　intend
to　pay　you　a　salary　any　longer。　Madame　Guillaume　has　suggested　to　me
to　take　you　into　partnership。'Guillaume　and　Lebas；'　will　not　that
make　a　good　business　name？　We　might　add；　'and　Co。'　to　round　off　the
firm's　signature。〃

Tears　rose　to　the　eyes　of　Joseph　Lebas；　who　tried　to　hide　them。

〃Oh；　Monsieur　Guillaume；　how　have　I　deserved　such　kindness？　I　only　do
my　duty。　It　was　so　much　already　that　you　should　take　an　interest　in　a
poor　orph〃

He　was　brushing　the　cuff　of　his　left　sleeve　with　his　right　hand；　and
dared　not　look　at　the　old　man；　who　smiled　as　he　thought　that　this
modest　young　fellow　no　doubt　needed；　as　he　had　needed　once　on　a　time；
some　encouragement　to　complete　his　explanation。

〃To　be　sure；〃　said　Virginie's　father；　〃you　do　not　altogether　deserve
this　favor；　Joseph。　You　have　not　so　much　confidence　in　me　as　I　have　in
you。〃　（The　young　man　looked　up　quickly。）　〃You　know　all　the　secrets　of
the　cash…box。　For　the　last　two　years　I　have　told　you　almost　all　my
concerns。　I　have　sent　you　to　travel　in　our　goods。　In　short；　I　have
nothing　on　my　conscience　as　regards　you。　But　youyou　have　a　soft
place；　and　you　have　never　breathed　a　word　of　it。〃　Joseph　Lebas
blushed。　〃Ah；　ha！〃　cried　Guillaume；　〃so　you　thought　you　could　deceive
an　old　fox　like　me？　When　you　knew　that　I　had　scented　the　Lecocq
bankruptcy？〃

〃What；　monsieur？〃　replied　Joseph　Lebas；　looking　at　his　master　as
keenly　as　his　master　looked　at　him；　〃you　knew　that　I　was　in　love？〃

〃I　know　everything；　you　rascal；〃　said　the　worthy　and　cunning　old
merchant；　pulling　the　assistant's　ear。　〃And　I　forgive　youI　did　the
same　myself。〃

〃And　you　will　give　her　to　me？〃

〃Yeswith　fifty　thousand　crowns；　and　I　will　leave　you　as　much　by
will；　and　we　will　start　on　our　new　career　under　the　name　of　a　new
firm。　We　will　do　good　business　yet；　my　boy！〃　added　the　old　man；
getting　up　and　flourishing　his　arms。　〃I　tell　you；　son…in…law；　there　is
nothing　like　trade。　Those　who　ask　what　pleasure　is　to　be　found　in　it
are　simpletons。　To　be　on　the　scent　of　a　good　bargain；　to　hold　your　own
on　'Change；　to　watch　as　anxiously　as　at　the　gaming…table　whether
Etienne　and　Co。　will　fail　or　no；　to　see　a　regiment　of　Guards　march
past　all　dressed　in　your　cloth；　to　trip　your　neighbor　uphonestly　of
course！to　make　the　goods　cheaper　than　others　can；　then　to　carry　out
an　undertaking　which　you　have　planned；　which　begins；　grows；　totters；
and　succeeds！　to　know　the　workings　of　every　house　of　business　as　well
as　a　minister　of　police；　so　as　never　to　make　a　mistake；　to　hold　up
your　head　in　the　midst　of　wrecks；　to　have　friends　by　correspondence　in
every　manufacturing　town；　is　not　that　a　perpetual　game；　Joseph？　That
is　life；　that　is！　I　shall　die　in　that　harness；　like　old　Chevrel；　but
taking　it　easy　now；　all　the　same。〃

In　the　heat　of　his　eager　rhetoric；　old　Guillaume　had　scarcely　looked
at　his　assistant；　who　was　weeping　copiously。　〃Why；　Joseph；　my　poor
boy；　what　is　the　matter？〃

〃Oh；　I　love　her　so！　Monsieur　Guillaume；　that　my　heart　fails　me；　I
believe〃

〃Well；　well；　boy；〃　said　the　old　man；　touched；　〃you　are　happier　than
you　know；　by　God！　For　she　loves　you。　I　know　it。〃

And　he　blinked　his　little　green　eyes　as　he　looked　at　the　young　man。

〃Mademoiselle　Augustine！　Mademoiselle　Augustine！〃　exclaimed　Joseph
Lebas　in　his　rapture。

He　was　about　to　rush　out　of　the　room　when　he　felt　himself　clutched　by
a　hand　of　iron；　and　his　astonished　master　spun　him　round　in　front　of
him　once　more。

〃What　has　Augustine　to　do　with　this　matter？〃　he　asked；　in　a　voice
which　instantly　froze　the　luckless　Joseph。

〃Is　it　not　she　thatthatI　love？〃　stammered　the　assistant。

Much　put　out　by　his　own　want　of　perspicacity；　Guillaume　sat　down
again；　and　rested　his　long　head　in　his　hands　to　consider　the
perplexing　situation　in　which　he　found　himself。　Joseph　Lebas；
shamefaced　and　in　despair；　remained　standing。

〃Joseph；〃　the　draper　said　with　frigid　dignity；　〃I　was　speaking　of
Virginie。　Love　cannot　be　made　to　order；　I　know。　I　know；　too；　that　you
can　be　trusted。　We　will　forget　all　this。　I　will　not　let　Augustine
marry　before　Virginie。Your　interest　will　be　ten　per　cent。〃

The　young　man；　to　whom　love　gave　I　know　not　what　power　of　courage　and
eloquence；　clasped　his　hand；　and　spoke　in　his　turnspoke　for　a
quarter　of　an　hour；　with　so　much　warmth　and　feeling；　that　he　altered
the　situation。　If　the　question　had　been　a　matter　of　business　the　old
tradesman　would　have　had　fixed　principles　to　guide　his　decision；　but；
tossed　a　thousand　miles　from　commerce；　on　the　ocean　of　sentiment；
without　a　compass；　he　floated；　as　he　told　himself；　undecided　in　the
face　of　such　an　unexpected　event。　Carried　away　by　his　fatherly
kindness；　he　began　to　beat　about　the　bush。

〃Deuce　take　it；　Joseph；　you　must　know　that　there　are　ten　years　between
my　two　children。　Mademoiselle　Chevrel　was　no　beauty；　still　she　has　had
nothing　to　complain　of　in　me。　Do　as　I　did。　Come；　come；　don't　cry。　Can
you　be　so　silly？　What　is　to　be　done？　It　can　be　managed　perhaps。　There
is　always　some　way　out　of　a　scrape。　And　we　men　are　not　always　devoted
Celadons　to　our　wivesyou　understand？　Madame　Guillaume　is　very　pious。
。　。　。　Come。　By　Gad；　boy；　give　your　arm　to　Augustine　this　morning　as　we
go　to　Mass。〃

These　were　the　phrases　spoken　at　random　by　the　old　draper；　and　their
conclusion　made　the　lover　happy。　He　was　already　thinking　of　a　friend
of　his　as　a　match　for　Mademoiselle　Virginie；　as　he　went　out　of　the
smoky　office；　pressing　his　future　father…in…law's　hand；　after　saying
with　a　knowing　look　that　all　would　turn　out　for　the　best。

〃What　will　Madame　Guillaume　say　to　it？〃　was　the　idea　that　greatly
troubled　the　worthy　merchant　when　he　found　himself　alone。

At　breakfast　Madame　Guillaume　and　Virginie；　to　whom　the　draper　had　not
yet　confided　his　disappointment；　cast　meaning　glances　at　Joseph　Lebas；
who　was　extremely　embarrassed。　The　young　assistant's　bashfulness
commended　him　to　his　mother…in…law's　good　graces。　The　matron　became　so
cheerful　that　she　smiled　as　she　looked　at　her　husband；　and　allowed
herself　some　little　pleasantries　of　time…honored　acceptance　in　such
simple　families。　She　wondered　whether　Joseph　or　Virginie　were　the
taller；　to　ask　them　to　compare　their　height。　This　preliminary　fooling
brought　a　cloud　to　the　master's　brow；　and　he　even　made　such　a　point　of
decorum　that　he　desired　Augustine　to　take　the　assistant's　arm　on　their
way　to　Saint…Leu。　Madame　Guillaume；　surprised　at　this　manly　delicacy；
honored　her　husband　with　a　nod　of　approval。　So　the　procession　left　the
house　in　such　order　as　to　suggest　no　suspicious　meaning　to　the
neighbors。

〃Does　it　not　seem　to　you；　Mademoiselle　Augustine；〃　said　the　assistant；
and　he　trembled；　〃that　the　wife　of　a　merchant　whose　credit　is　as　good
as　Monsieur　Guillaume's；　for　instance；　might　enjoy　herself　a　little
more　than　Madame　your　mother　does？　Might　wear　diamondsor　keep　a
carriage？　For　my　part；　if　I　were　to　marry；　I　should　be　glad　to　take
all　the　work；　and　see　my　wife　happy。　I　would　not　put　her　into　the
counting…house。　In　the　drapery　business；　you　see；　a　woman　is　not　so
necessary　now　as　formerly。　Monsieur　Guillaume　was　quite　right　to　act
as　he　didand　besides；　his　wife　liked　it。　But　so　long　as　a　woman
knows　how　to　turn　her　hand　to　the　book…keeping；　the　correspondence；
the　retail　business；　the　orders；　and　her　housekeeping；　so　as　not　to
sit　idle；　that　is　enough。　At　seven　o'clock；　when　the　shop　is　shut；　I
shall　take　my　pleasures；　go　to　the　play；　and　into　company。But　you
are　not　listening　to　me。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　Monsieur　Joseph。　What　do　you　think　of　painting？　That　is
a　fine　calling。〃

〃Yes。　I　know　a　master　house…painter；　Monsieur　Lourdois。　He　is　well…to…
do。〃

Thus　conversing；　the　family　reached　the　Church　of　Saint…Leu。　There
Madame　Guillaume　reasserted　her　rights；　and；　for　the　first　time；
placed　Augustine　next　herself；　Virginie　taking　her　place　on　the　fourth
chair；　next　to　Lebas。　During　the　sermon　all　went　well　between
Augustine　and　Theodore；　who；　standing　behind　a　pillar；　worshiped　his
Madonna　with　fervent　devotion；　but　at　the　elevation　of　the　Host；
Madame　Guillaume　discovered；　rather　late；　that　her　daughter　Augustine
was　holding　her　prayer…book　upside　down。　She　was　about　to　speak　to　her
strongly；　when；　lowering　her　veil；　she　interrupted　her　own　devotions
to　look　in　the　direction　where　her　daughter's　eyes　found　attraction。
By　the　help　of　her　spectacles　she　saw　the　young　artist；　whose
fashionable　elegance　seemed　to　proclaim　him　a　cavalry　officer　on　leave
rather　than　a　tradesman　of　the　neighborhood。　It　is　difficult　to
conceive　of　the　state　of　violent　agitation　in　which　Madame　Guillaume
found　herselfshe；　who　flattered　herself　on　having　brought　up　her
daughters　to　perfectionon　discovering　in　Augustine　a　clandestine
passion　of　which　her　prudery　and　ignorance　exaggerated　the　perils。　She
believed　her　daughter　to　be　cankered　to　the　core。

〃Hold　your　book　right　way　up；　miss；〃　she　muttered　in　a　low　voice；
tremulous　with　wrath。　She　snatched　away　the　tell…tale　prayer…book　and
returned　it　with　the　letter…press　right　way　up。　〃Do　not　allow　your
eyes　to　look　anywhere　but　at　your　prayers；〃　she　added；　〃or　I　shall
have　something　to　say　to　you。　Your　father　and　I　will　talk　to　you　after
church。〃

These　words　came　like　a　thunderbolt　on　poor　Augustine。　She　felt　faint；
but；　torn　between　the　distress　she　felt　and　the　dread　of　causing　a
commotion　in　church　she　bravely　concealed　her　anguish。　It　was；
however；　easy　to　discern　the　stormy　state　of　her　soul　from　the
trembling　of　her　prayer…book；　and　the　tears　which　dropped　on　every
p