ferragus-第20部分

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coaches。

〃Hein？〃　said　the　portress；　without　laying　down　the　stocking　she　was
knitting。

In　Paris　the　various　component　parts　which　make　up　the　physiognomy　of
any　given　portion　of　the　monstrous　city；　are　admirably　in　keeping　with
its　general　character。　Thus　porter；　concierge；　or　Suisse；　whatever
name　may　be　given　to　that　essential　muscle　of　the　Parisian　monster；　is
always　in　conformity　with　the　neighborhood　of　which　he　is　a　part；　in
fact；　he　is　often　an　epitome　of　it。　The　lazy　porter　of　the　faubourg
Saint…Germain；　with　lace　on　every　seam　of　his　coat；　dabbles　in　stocks；
he　of　the　Chaussee　d'Antin　takes　his　ease；　reads　the　money…articles　in
the　newspapers；　and　has　a　business　of　his　own　in　the　faubourg
Montmartre。　The　portress　in　the　quarter　of　prostitution　was　formerly　a
prostitute；　in　the　Marais；　she　has　morals；　is　cross…grained；　and　full
of　crotchets。

On　seeing　Monsieur　Jules　this　particular　portress；　holding　her
knitting　in　one　hand；　took　a　knife　and　stirred　the　half…extinguished
peat　in　her　foot…warmer；　then　she　said：

〃You　want　Madame　Etienne；　do　you　mean　Madame　Etienne　Gruget？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Jules；　assuming　a　vexed　air。

〃Who　makes　trimmings？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　then；　monsieur；〃　she　said；　issuing　from　her　cage；　and　laying
her　hand　on　Jules'　arm　and　leading　him　to　the　end　of　a　long　passage…
way；　vaulted　like　a　cellar；　〃go　up　the　second　staircase　at　the　end　of
the　court…yardwhere　you　will　see　the　windows　with　the　pots　of　pinks；
that's　where　Madame　Etienne　lives。〃

〃Thank　you；　madame。　Do　you　think　she　is　alone？〃

〃Why　shouldn't　she　be　alone？　she's　a　widow。〃

Jules　hastened　up　a　dark　stairway；　the　steps　of　which　were　knobby　with
hardened　mud　left　by　the　feet　of　those　who　came　and　went。　On　the
second　floor　he　saw　three　doors　but　no　signs　of　pinks。　Fortunately；　on
one　of　the　doors；　the　oiliest　and　darkest　of　the　three；　he　read　these
words；　chalked　on　a　panel：　〃Ida　will　come　to…night　at　nine　o'clock。〃

〃This　is　the　place；〃　thought　Jules。

He　pulled　an　old　bellrope；　black　with　age；　and　heard　the　smothered
sound　of　a　cracked　bell　and　the　barking　of　an　asthmatic　little　dog。　By
the　way　the　sounds　echoed　from　the　interior　he　knew　that　the　rooms
were　encumbered　with　articles　which　left　no　space　for　reverberation；
a　characteristic　feature　of　the　homes　of　workmen　and　humble
households；　where　space　and　air　are　always　lacking。

Jules　looked　out　mechanically　for　the　pinks；　and　found　them　on　the
outer　sill　of　a　sash　window　between　two　filthy　drain…pipes。　So　here
were　flowers；　here；　a　garden；　two　yards　long　and　six　inches　wide；
here；　a　wheat…ear；　here；　a　whole　life　epitomized；　but　here；　too；　all
the　miseries　of　that　life。　A　ray　of　light　falling　from　heaven　as　if　by
special　favor　on　those　puny　flowers　and　the　vigorous　wheat…ear　brought
out　in　full　relief　the　dust；　the　grease；　and　that　nameless　color；
peculiar　to　Parisian　squalor；　made　of　dirt；　which　crusted　and　spotted
the　damp　walls；　the　worm…eaten　balusters；　the　disjointed　window…
casings；　and　the　door　originally　red。　Presently　the　cough　of　an　old
woman；　and　a　heavy　female　step；　shuffling　painfully　in　list　slippers；
announced　the　coming　of　the　mother　of　Ida　Gruget。　The　creature　opened
the　door　and　came　out　upon　the　landing；　looked　up；　and　said：

〃Ah！　is　this　Monsieur　Bocquillon？　Why；　no？　But　perhaps　you're　his
brother。　What　can　I　do　for　you？　Come　in；　monsieur。〃

Jules　followed　her　into　the　first　room；　where　he　saw；　huddled
together；　cages；　household　utensils；　ovens；　furniture；　little
earthenware　dishes　full　of　food　or　water　for　the　dog　and　the　cats；　a
wooden　clock；　bed…quilts；　engravings　of　Eisen；　heaps　of　old　iron；　all
these　things　mingled　and　massed　together　in　a　way　that　produced　a　most
grotesque　effect；a　true　Parisian　dusthole；　in　which　were　not　lacking
a　few　old　numbers　of　the　〃Constitutionel。〃

Jules；　impelled　by　a　sense　of　prudence；　paid　no　attention　to　the
widow's　invitation　when　she　said　civilly；　showing　him　an　inner　room：

〃Come　in　here；　monsieur；　and　warm　yourself。〃

Fearing　to　be　overheard　by　Ferragus；　Jules　asked　himself　whether　it
were　not　wisest　to　conclude　the　arrangement　he　had　come　to　make　with
the　old　woman　in　the　crowded　antechamber。　A　hen；　which　descended
cackling　from　a　loft；　roused　him　from　this　inward　meditation。　He　came
to　a　resolution；　and　followed　Ida's　mother　into　the　inner　room；
whither　they　were　accompanied　by　the　wheezy　pug；　a　personage　otherwise
mute；　who　jumped　upon　a　stool。　Madame　Gruget　showed　the　assumption　of
semi…pauperism　when　she　invited　her　visitor　to　warm　himself。　Her　fire…
pot　contained；　or　rather　concealed　two　bits　of　sticks；　which　lay
apart：　the　grating　was　on　the　ground；　its　handle　in　the　ashes。　The
mantel…shelf；　adorned　with　a　little　wax　Jesus　under　a　shade　of　squares
of　glass　held　together　with　blue　paper；　was　piled　with　wools；　bobbins；
and　tools　used　in　the　making　of　gimps　and　trimmings。　Jules　examined
everything　in　the　room　with　a　curiosity　that　was　full　of　interest；　and
showed；　in　spite　of　himself；　an　inward　satisfaction。

〃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　tha