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CHAPTERV
SHOWINGHOWNEARTHETARPEIANROCKISTOTHECAPITOL
OnleavingMadamedeGodollo，laPeyradefeltthenecessityofgatheringhimselftogether。Beneaththeconversationhehadjustmaintainedwiththisstrangewoman，whatcouldhesee，——atrap，orarichanddistinguishedmarriageofferedtohim。Undersuchadoubtasthis，topressCelesteforanimmediateanswerwasneitherclevernorprudent；itwassimplytobindhimself，andclosethedoortothechanges，stillveryill—defined，whichseemedofferedtohim。TheresultoftheconsultationwhichTheodoseheldwithhimselfashewalkedalongtheboulevardwasthatheought，forthemoment，tothinkonlyofgainingtime。Consequently，insteadofgoingtotheThuilliers’tolearnCeleste’sdecision，hewenthome，andwrotethefollowinglittlenotetoThuillier：——
MydearThuillier，——YouwillcertainlynotthinkitextraordinarythatIshouldnotpresentmyselfatyourhouseto—day，——partlybecauseIfearthesentencewhichwillbepronounceduponme，andpartlybecauseIdonotwishtoseemanimpatientandunmannerlycreditor。Afewdays，moreorless，willmatterlittleundersuchcircumstances，andyetMademoiselleCollevillemayfindthemdesirablefortheabsolutefreedomofherchoice。Ishall，therefore，notgotoseeyouuntilyouwriteforme。
Iamnowmorecalm，andIhaveaddedafewmorepagestoourmanuscript；itwilltakebutlittletimetohandinthewholetotheprinter。
Everyours，TheodosedelaPeyrade。
Twohourslateraservant，dressedinwhatwasevidentlythefirststeptowardsalivery，whichtheThuilliersdidnotasyetventuretorisk，the"maledomestic，"whomMinardhadmentionedtothePhellions，arrivedatlaPeyrade’slodgingswiththefollowingnote：——
Cometo—night，withoutfail。WewilltalkoverthewholeaffairwithBrigitte。
YourmostaffectionatelydevotedJeromeThuillier。
"Good！"saidlaPeyrade；"evidentlythereissomehindranceontheotherside；Ishallhavetimetoturnmyselfround。"
Thatevening，whentheservantannouncedhimintheThuilliersalon，theComtessedeGodollo，whowassittingwithBrigitte，hastenedtoriseandleavetheroom。AsshepassedlaPeyradeshemadehimaveryceremoniousbow。Therewasnothingconclusivetobededucedfromthisabruptdeparture，whichmightsignifyanything，eithermuchornothing。
Aftertalkingoftheweatherandsoforthforatime，aspersonsdowhohavemettodiscussadelicatesubjectaboutwhichtheyarenotsureofcomingtoanunderstanding，thematterwasopenedbyBrigitte，whohadsentherbrothertotakeawalkontheboulevard，tellinghimtoleavehertomanagetheaffair。
"Mydearboy，"shesaidtoTheodose，"itwasveryniceofyounottocomehereto—daylikeaGRASP—ALL，toputyourpistolatourthroats，forwewerenot，asithappened，quitereadytoansweryou。Ithink，"
sheadded，"thatourlittleCelesteneedsatriflemoretime。"
"Then，"saidlaPeyrade，quickly，"shehasnotdecidedinfavorofMonsieurFelixPhellion？"
"Joker！"repliedtheoldmaid，"youknowverywellyousettledthatbusinesslastnight；butyoualsoknow，ofcourse，thatherowninclinationsinclineherthatway。"
"Shortofbeingblind，Imusthaveseenthat，"repliedlaPeyrade。
"Itisnotanobstacletomyprojects，"continuedMademoiselleThuillier；"butitservestoexplainwhyIaskforCelestealittlemoretime；andalsowhyIhavewishedallalongtopostponethemarriagetoalaterdate。Iwantedtogiveyoutimetoinsinuateyourselfintotheheartofmydearlittlegirl——butyouandThuillierupsetmyplans。"
"Nothing，Ithink，hasbeendonewithoutyoursanction，"saidlaPeyrade，"andif，duringthesefifteendays，Ihavenottalkedwithyouonthesubject，itwasoutofpuredelicacy。Thuilliertoldmethateverythingwasagreeduponwithyou。"
"Onthecontrary，ThuillierknowsverywellthatIrefusedtomixmyselfuponyournewarrangements。Ifyouhadnotmadeyourselfsoscarcelately，ImighthavebeenthefirsttotellyouthatIdidnotapproveofthem。However，IcantrulysayIdidnothingtohindertheirsuccess。"
"Butthatwastoolittle，"saidlaPeyrade；"youractivehelpwasabsolutelynecessary。"
"Possibly；butI，whoknowwomenbetterthanyou，beingoneofthem，——
IfeltverysurethatifCelestewastoldtochoosebetweentwosuitorsshewouldconsiderthatapermissiontothinkathereaseoftheoneshelikedbest。ImyselfhadalwaysleftherinthevagueastoFelix，knowingasIdidthepropermomenttosettlehermindabouthim。"
"So，"saidlaPeyrade，"youmeanthatsherefusesme。"
"Itismuchworsethanthat，"returnedBrigitte；"sheacceptsyou，andiswillingtopledgeherword；butitissoeasytoseesheregardsherselfasavictim，thatifIwereinyourplaceIshouldfeelneitherflatterednorsecureinsuchaposition。"
InanyotherconditionofmindlaPeyradewouldprobablyhaveansweredthatheacceptedthesacrifice，andwouldmakeithisbusinesstowintheheartwhichatfirstwasreluctantlygiven；butdelaynowsuitedhim，andherepliedtoBrigittewithaquestion：——
"Thenwhatdoyouadvise？WhatcoursehadIbettertake？"
"FinishThuillier’spamphlet，inthefirstplace，orhe’llgocrazy；
andleavemetoworktheotheraffairinyourinterests，"repliedBrigitte。
"ButamIinfriendlyhands？For，totellyouthetruth，littleaunt，Ihavenotbeenabletoconcealfrommyselfthatyouhave，forsometimepast，changedverymuchtome。"
"Changedtoyou！Whatchangedoyouseeinme，addled—patethatyouare？"
"Oh！nothingverytangible，"saidlaPeyrade；"buteversincethatCountessTornahashadafootinginyourhouse——"
"Mypoorboy，thecountesshasdonememanyservices，andIamverygratefultoher；butisthatanyreasonwhyIshouldbefalsetoyou，whohavedoneusstillgreaterservices？"
"Butyoumustadmit，"saidlaPeyrade，craftily，"thatshehastoldyouagreatdealofharmofme。"
"Naturallyshehas；thesefineladiesareallthatway；theyexpectthewholeworldtoadorethem，andsheseesthatyouarethinkingonlyofCeleste；butallshehassaidtomeagainstyourunsoffmymindlikewaterfromvarnishedcloth。"
"So，then，littleaunt，Imaycontinuetocountonyou？"persistedlaPeyrade。
"Yes；providedyouarenottormenting，andwillletmemanagethisaffair。"
"Tellmehowyouaregoingtodoit？"askedlaPeyrade，withanairofgreatgood—humor。
"Inthefirstplace，IshallsignifytoFelixthatheisnottosetfootinthishouseagain。"
"Isthatpossible？"saidthebarrister；"Imeancanitbedonecivilly？"
"Verypossible；IshallmakePhellionhimselftellhim。He’samanwhoisalwaysastrideofprinciples，andhe’llbethefirsttoseethatifhissonwillnotdowhatisnecessarytoobtainCeleste’shandheoughttodepriveusofhispresence。"
"Whatnext？"askedlaPeyrade。
"Next，IshallsignifytoCelestethatshewasleftatlibertytochooseonehusbandortheother，andasshedidnotchooseFelixshemustmakeuphermindtotakeyou，apiousfellow，suchasshewants。
Youneedn’tbeuneasy；I’llsingyourpraises，especiallyyourgenerosityinnotprofitingbythearrangementsheagreedtomaketo—day。Butallthatwilltakeaweekatleast，andifThuillier’spamphletisn’toutbeforethen，Idon’tknowbutwhatweshallhavetoputhiminalunaticasylum。"
"Thepamphletcanbeoutintwodays。Butisitverycertain，littleaunt，thatweareplayingabove—board？Mountains，astheysay，nevermeet，butmendo；andcertainly，whenthetimecomestopromotetheelection，IcandoThuilliereithergoodorbadservice。Doyouknow，theotherdayIwasterriblyfrightened。Ihadaletterfromhiminmypocket，inwhichhespokeofthepamphletasbeingwrittenbyme。I
fanciedforamomentthatIhaddroppeditintheLuxembourg。IfI
had，whatascandalitwouldhavecausedinthequarter。"
"Whowoulddaretoplaytrickswithsuchawilyoneasyou？"saidBrigitte，fullycomprehendingthecomminatorynatureoflaPeyrade’slastwords，interpolatedintotheconversationwithoutrhymeorreason。"Butreally，"sheadded，"whyshouldyoucomplainofus？Itisyouwhoarebehindhandinyourpromises。Thatcrosswhichwastohavebeengrantedwithinaweek，andthatpamphlet，whichoughttohaveappearedalongtimeago——"
"Thepamphletandthecrosswillbothappearingoodtime；theonewillbringtheother，"saidlaPeyrade，rising。"TellThuilliertocomeandseemeto—morrowevening，andIthinkwecanthencorrectthelastsheet。But，aboveall，don’tlistentothespitefulne
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