下载辰思小说免费APP
"Iknowthatverywell；I’vemadethataffirmationscoresoftimeswhenIwasworkingfortherepublicannewspapersand——"
"Whenyouwere’thecourageousCerizet，’"interruptedduPortail。
"Well，thepresentmachination，hereitis。ThegovernmentwasmuchdispleasedatseeingThuillierelectedwithoutitsinfluencetotheCouncil—generaloftheSeine；itwasangrywithanindependentandpatrioticcitizenwhoshowedbyhiscandidacythathecoulddowithoutit；anditlearned，moreover，thatthisexcellentcitizenwaspreparingapamphletonthesubject，alwaysadelicateone，ofthefinances，astowhichthisdangerousadversaryhadgreatexperience。
So，whatdidthisessentiallycorruptgovernmentdo？Itsubornedamaninwhom，asitlearned，Thuillierplacedconfidence，andforasumoftwenty—fivethousandfrancs（ameretrifletothepolice），thistreacherousfriendagreedtoinsertintothepamphletthreeorfourphraseswhichexposedittoseizureandcauseditsauthortobesummonedbeforethecourtofassizes。NowthewaytomaketheexplanationclinchthedoubtinThuillier’smindistolethimknowthatthenextdaylaPeyrade，who，asThuillierknew，hadn’tasou，paidDutocqpreciselythatverysumoftwenty—fivethousandfrancs。"
"Thedevil！"criedCerizet，"itisn’tabadtrick。FellowsoftheThuillierspecieswillbelieveanythingagainstthepolice。"
"Weshallsee，then，"continuedduPortail，"whetherThuillierwillwanttokeepsuchacollaboratorbesidehim，andaboveall，whetherhewillbesoeagertogivehimhisgoddaughter。"
"Youareastrongman，monsieur，"saidCerizet，againexpressinghisapprobation；"butImustownthatIfeelsomescruplesatthepartassignedme。LaPeyradecameandofferedmethemanagementofthepaper，and，yousee，Ishouldbeworkingtoevicthim。"
"Andthatleaseheknockedyououtofinspiteofhispromises，haveyouforgottenthat？"askedthelittleoldman。"Besides，arewenotaimingforhishappiness，thoughtheobstinatefellowpersistsinthwartingourbenevolentintentions？"
"Itistrue，"saidCerizet，"thattheresultwillabsolveme。Yes，I’llgoresolutelyalongtheingeniouspathyou’vetracedoutforme。
Butthere’sonethingmore：Ican’tflingmyrevelationatThuillier’sheadattheveryfirst；Imusthavetimetopreparethewayforit，butthatsecuritywillhavetobepaidinimmediately。"
"Listentome，MonsieurCerizet，"saidduPortail，inatoneofauthority；"ifthemarriageoflaPeyradetomywardtakesplaceitismyintentiontorewardyourservices，andthesumofthirtythousandfrancswillbeyourperquisite。Now，thirtythousandfromonesideandtwenty—fivethousandfromtheothermakespreciselyfifty—fivethousandfrancsthatthematrimonialvicissitudesofyourfriendlaPeyradewillhaveputintoyourpocket。But，ascountrypeopledoattheshowsofafair，IshallnotpaytillIcomeout。IfyoutakethatmoneyoutofyourownhoardIshallfeelnoanxiety；youwillknowhowtokeepitfromtheclutchesofyourcreditors。If，onthecontrary，mymoneyisatstake，youwillhaveneitherthesameeagernessnorthesameintelligenceinkeepingitoutofdanger。Thereforearrangeyouraffairssothatyoucanpaydownyourownthirty—threethousand；incaseofsuccess，thatsumwillbringyouinprettynearlyahundredpercent。That’smylastword，andIshallnotlistentoanyobjections。"
Cerizethadnotimetomakeany，foratthatmomentthedoorofduPortail’sstudyopenedabruptly，andafair，slenderwoman，whosefaceexpressedangelicsweetness，enteredtheroomeagerly。Onherarm，wrappedinhandsomelongclothes，laywhatseemedtobetheformofaninfant。
"There！"shesaid，"thatnaughtyKatteinsistedthatthedoctorwasnothere。IknewperfectlywellthatIhadseenhimenter。Well，doctor，"shecontinued，addressingCerizet，"Iamnotsatisfiedwiththeconditionofmylittleone，notsatisfiedatall；sheisverypallid，andhasgrownsothin。Ithinkshemustbeteething。"
DuPortailmadeCerizetasigntoaccepttherolesoabruptlythrustuponhim。
"Yes，evidently，"hesaid，"itistheteeth；childrenalwaysturnpaleatthatcrisis；butthere’snothinginthat，mydearlady，thatneedmakeyouanxious。"
"Doyoureallythinkso，doctor，"saidthepoorcrazedgirl，whomourreadershaverecognizedasduPortail’sward，LydiedelaPeyrade；
"butseeherdearlittlearms，howthintheyaregetting。"
Thentakingoutthepinsthatfastenedtheswathings，sheexhibitedtoCerizetabundleoflinenwhichtoherpoordistractedmindrepresentedababy。
"Why，no，no，"saidCerizet，"sheisatriflethin，itistrue，butthefleshisfirmandhercolorexcellent。"
"Poordarling！"saidLydie，kissingherdreamlovingly。"Idothinksheisbettersincemorning。WhathadIbettergiveher，doctor？Brothdisgustsher，andshewon’ttakesoup。"
"Well，"saidCerizet，"trypanada。Doesshelikesweetthings？"
"Oh，yes！"criedthepoorgirl，herfacebrightening，"sheadoresthem。Wouldchocolatebegoodforher？"
"Certainly，"repliedCerizet，"butwithoutvanilla；vanillaisveryheating。"
"ThenI’llgetwhattheycallhealth—chocolate，"saidLydie，withalltheintonationsofamother，listeningtothedoctorastoagodwhoreassuredher。"Uncle，"sheadded，"pleaseringforBruneau，andtellhimtogotoMarquisatonceandgetsomepoundsofthatchocolate。"
"Bruneauhasjustgoneout，"saidherguardian；"butthere’snohurry，heshallgointhecourseoftheday。"
"There，sheisgoingtosleep，"saidCerizet，anxioustoputanendtothescene，which，inspiteofhishardenednature，hefelttobepainful。
"True，"saidthegirl，replacingthebandagesandrising；"I’llputhertobed。Adieu，doctor；itisverykindofyoutocomesometimeswithoutbeingsentfor。Ifyouknewhowanxiouswepoormothersare，andhow，withawordortwo，youcandoussuchgood。Ah，theresheiscrying！"
"Sheissosleepy，"saidCerizet；"she’llbemuchbetterinhercradle。"
"Yes，andI’llplayherthatsonataofBeethoventhatdearpapawassofondof；itiswonderfulhowcalmingitis。Adieu，doctor，"shesaidagain，pausingonthethresholdofthedoor。"Adieu，kinddoctor！"Andshesenthimakiss。
Cerizetwasquiteovercome。
"Yousee，"saidduPortail，"thatsheisanangel，——nevertheleastill—humor，neverasharpword；sadsometimes，butalwayscausedbyafeelingofmotherlysolicitude。Thatiswhatfirstgavethedoctorstheideathatifrealitycouldtaketheplaceofherconstanthallucinationshemightrecoverherreason。Well，thisisthegirlthatfoolofaPeyraderefuses，withtheaccompanimentofamagnificent’dot。’Buthemustcometoit，orI’llforswearmyname。
Listen，"headdedasthesoundofapianocametothem；"hear！whattalent！Thousandsofsanewomencan’tcomparewithher；theyarenotasreasonableassheis，exceptonthesurface。"
WhenBeethoven’ssonata，playedfromthesoulwithaperfectionofshadesandtonesthatfilledherhardenedhearerwithadmiration，hadceasedtosound，Cerizetsaid：——
"Iagreewithyou，monsieur；laPeyraderefusesanangel，atreasure，apearl，andifIwereinhisplace——Butweshallbringhimroundtoyourpurpose。NowIshallserveyounotonlywithzeal，butwithenthusiasm，Imaysayfanaticism。"
AsCerizetwasconcludingthisoathoffidelityatthedoorofthestudy，heheardawoman’svoicewhichwasnotthatofLydie。
"Isheinhisstudy，thedearcommander？"saidthatvoice，withaslightlyforeignaccent。
"Yes，madame，butpleasecomeintothesalon。Monsieurisnotalone；I
willtellhimyouarehere。"
ThiswasthevoiceofKatte，theoldDutchmaid。
"Stop，gothisway，"saidduPortailquicklytoCerizet。
Andheopenedahiddendoorwhichledthroughadarkcorridordirectlytothestaircase，whenceCerizetbetookhimselftotheofficeofthe"EchodelaBievre，"whereaheateddiscussionwasgoingon。
Thearticlebywhichtheneweditorsofeverynewspaperlaybeforethepublictheir"professionoffaith，"asthetechnicalsayingis，alwaysproducesalaboriousanddifficultparturition。Inthisparticular
后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节
