按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Well； monsieur； tell me； do you want to buy any of my things？〃 said
the old woman； seating herself in a cane arm…chair； which appeared to
be her headquarters。 In it she kept her handkerchief； snuffbox；
knitting； half…peeled vegetables； spectacles； calendar； a bit of
livery gold lace just begun； a greasy pack of cards； and two volumes
of novels； all stuck into the hollow of the back。 This article of
furniture； in which the old creature was floating down the river of
life； was not unlike the encyclopedic bag which a woman carries with
her when she travels； in which may be found a compendium of her
household belongings； from the portrait of her husband to /eau de
Melisse/ for faintness； sugarplums for the children； and English
court…plaster in case of cuts。
Jules studied all。 He looked attentively at Madame Gruget's yellow
visage； at her gray eyes without either brows or lashes； her toothless
mouth； her wrinkles marked in black； her rusty cap； her still more
rusty ruffles； her cotton petticoat full of holes； her worn…out
slippers； her disabled fire…pot； her table heaped with dishes and
silks and work begun or finished； in wool or cotton； in the midst of
which stood a bottle of wine。 Then he said to himself： 〃This old woman
has some passion； some strong liking or vice； I can make her do my
will。〃
〃Madame；〃 he said aloud； with a private sign of intelligence； 〃I have
come to order some livery trimmings。〃 Then he lowered his voice。 〃I
know；〃 he continued； 〃that you have a lodger who has taken the name of
Camuset。〃 The old woman looked at him suddenly； but without any sign
of astonishment。 〃Now； tell me； can we come to an understanding？ This
is a question which means fortune for you。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 she replied； 〃speak out； and don't be afraid。 There's no
one here。 But if I had any one above； it would be impossible for him
to hear you。〃
〃Ha！ the sly old creature； she answers like a Norman；〃 thought Jules；
〃We shall agree。 Do not give yourself the trouble to tell falsehoods；
madame；〃 he resumed； 〃In the first place； let me tell you that I mean
no harm either to you or to your lodger who is suffering from cautery；
or to your daughter Ida； a stay…maker； the friend of Ferragus。 You
see； I know all your affairs。 Do not be uneasy； I am not a detective
policeman； nor do I desire anything that can hurt your conscience。 A
young lady will come here to…morrow…morning at half…past nine o'clock；
to talk with this lover of your daughter。 I want to be where I can see
all and hear all； without being seen or heard by them。 If you will
furnish me with the means of doing so； I will reward that service with
the gift of two thousand francs and a yearly stipend of six hundred。
My notary shall prepare a deed before you this evening； and I will
give him the money to hold； he will pay the two thousand to you
to…morrow after the conference at which I desire to be present； as you
will then have given proofs of your good faith。〃
〃Will it injure my daughter； my good monsieur？〃 she asked； casting a
cat…like glance of doubt and uneasiness upon him。
〃In no way； madame。 But； in any case； it seems to me that your
daughter does not treat you well。 A girl who is loved by so rich a man
as Ferragus ought to make you more comfortable than you seem to be。〃
〃Ah； my dear monsieur； just think； not so much as one poor ticket to
the Ambigu； or the Gaiete； where she can go as much as she likes。 It's
shameful！ A girl for whom I sold my silver forks and spoons！ and now I
eat； at my age； with German metal；and all to pay for her
apprenticeship； and give her a trade； where she could coin money if
she chose。 As for that； she's like me； clever as a witch； I must do
her that justice。 But； I will say； she might give me her old silk
gowns；I； who am so fond of wearing silk。 But no！ Monsieur； she dines
at the Cadran…Bleu at fifty francs a head； and rolls in her carriage
as if she were a princess； and despises her mother for a Colin…Lampon。
Heavens and earth！ what heedless young ones we've brought into the
world； we have nothing to boast of there。 A mother； monsieur； can't be
anything else but a good mother； and I've concealed that girl's ways；
and kept her in my bosom； to take the bread out of my mouth and cram
everything into her own。 Well； well！ and now she comes and fondles one
a little； and says； 'How d'ye do； mother？' And that's all the duty she
thinks of paying。 But she'll have children one of these days； and then
she'll find out what it is to have such baggage；which one can't help
loving all the same。〃
〃Do you mean that she does nothing for you？〃
〃Ah； nothing？ No； monsieur； I didn't say that； if she did nothing；
that would be a little too much。 She gives me my rent and thirty…six
francs a month。 But； monsieur； at my age；and I'm fifty…two years
old； with eyes that feel the strain at night；ought I to be working
in this way？ Besides； why won't she have me to live with her？ I should
shame her； should I？ Then let her say so。 Faith； one ought to be
buried out of the way of such dogs of children； who forget you before
they've even shut the door。〃
She pulled her handkerchief from her pocket； and with it a lottery
ticket that dropped on the floor； but she hastily picked it up；
saying； 〃Hi！ that's the receipt for my taxes。〃
Jules at once perceived the reason of the sagacious parsimony of which
the mother complained； and he was the more certain that the widow
Gruget would agree to the proposed bargain。
〃Well； then； madame；〃 he said； 〃accept what I offer you。〃
〃Did you say two thousand francs in ready money； and six hundred
annuity； monsieur？〃
〃Madame； I've changed my mind； I will promise you only three hundred
annuity。 This way seems more to my own interests。 But I will give you
five thousand francs in ready money。 Wouldn't you like that as well？〃
〃Bless me； yes； monsieur！〃
〃You'll get more comfort out of it； and you can go to the Ambigu and
Franconi's at your ease in a coach。〃
〃As for Franconi； I don't like that； for they don't talk there。
Monsieur； if I accept； it is because it will be very advantageous for
my child。 I sha'n't be a drag on her any longer。 Poor little thing！
I'm glad she has her pleasures； after all。 Ah； monsieur； youth must be
amused！ And so； if you assure me that no harm will come to anybody〃
〃Not to anybody；〃 replied Jules。 〃But now； how will you manage it？〃
〃Well； monsieur； if I give Monsieur Ferragus a little tea made of
poppy…heads to…night； he'll sleep sound； the dear man； and he needs
it； too； because of his sufferings； for he does suffer； I can tell
you； and more's the pity。 But I'd like to know what a healthy man like
him wants to burn his back for； just to get rid of a tic douleureux
which troubles him once in two years。 However； to come back to our
business。 I have my neighbor's key； her lodging is just above mine；
and in it there's a room adjoining the one where Monsieur Ferragus is；
with only a partition between them。 My neighbor is away in the country
for ten days。 Therefore； if I make a hole to…night while Monsieur
Ferragus is sound asleep； you can see and hear them to…morrow at your
ease。 I'm on good terms with a locksmith；a very friendly man； who
talks like an angel； and he'll do the work for me and say nothing
about it。〃
〃Then here's a hundred francs for him。 Come to…night to Monsieur
Desmaret's office； he's a notary； and here's his address。 At nine
o'clock the deed will be ready； butsilence！〃
〃Enough； monsieur； as you saysilence！ Au revoir； monsieur。〃
Jules went home； almost calmed by the certainty that he should know
the truth on the morrow。 As he entered the house； the porter gave him
the letter properly resealed。
〃How do you feel now？〃 he said to his wife； in spite of the coldness
that separated them。
〃Pretty well； Jules；〃 she answered in a coaxing voice； 〃do come and
dine beside me。〃
〃Very good；〃 he said； giving her the letter。 〃Here is something
Fouguereau gave me for you。〃
Clemence； who was very pale； colored high when she saw the letter； and
that sudden redness was a fresh blow to her husband。
〃Is that joy；〃 he said； laughing； 〃or the effect of expectation？〃
〃Oh； of many thing