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！
more oily within and without； hair greasy； stomach puffy； skin dull
and moist； like that of the prior of a convent； always wearing list
shoes； a blue coat； and grayish trousers； made his appearance。
〃What is it； monsieur？〃 he said with an air which combined that of a
protector and a subordinate。
〃Ravenouillet His name is Ravenouillet；〃 said Bixiou turning to
Gazonal。 〃Have you our notebook of bills due with you？〃
Ravenouillet pulled out of his pocket the greasiest and stickiest book
that Gazonal's eyes had ever beheld。
〃Write down at three months' sight two notes of five hundred francs
each； which you will proceed to sign。〃
And Bixiou handed over two notes already drawn to his order by
Ravenouillet； which Ravenouillet immediately signed and inscribed on
the greasy book； in which his wife also kept account of the debts of
the other lodgers。
〃Thanks； Ravenouillet；〃 said Bixiou。 〃And here's a box at the
Vaudeville for you。〃
〃Oh！ my daughter will enjoy that；〃 said Ravenouillet； departing。
〃There are seventy…one tenants in this house；〃 said Bixiou； 〃and the
average of what they owe Ravenouillet is six thousand francs a month；
eighteen thousand quarterly for money advanced； postage； etc。； not
counting the rents due。 He is Providenceat thirty per cent； which we
all pay him； though he never asks for anything。〃
〃Oh； Paris！ Paris！〃 cried Gazonal。
〃I'm going to take you now； cousin Gazonal；〃 said Bixiou； after
indorsing the notes； 〃to see another comedian； who will play you a
charming scene gratis。〃
〃Who is it？〃 said Gazonal。
〃A usurer。 As we go along I'll tell you the debut of friend
Ravenouillet in Paris。〃
Passing in front of the porter's lodge； Gazonal saw Mademoiselle
Lucienne Ravenouillet holding in her hand a music score （she was a
pupil of the Conservatoire）； her father reading a newspaper； and
Madame Ravenouillet with a package of letters to be carried up to the
lodgers。
〃Thanks； Monsieur Bixiou！〃 said the girl。
〃She's not a rat；〃 explained Leon to his cousin； 〃she is the larva of
the grasshopper。〃
〃Here's the history of Ravenouillet；〃 continued Bixiou； when the three
friends reached the boulevard。 〃In 1831 Massol； the councillor of
state who is dealing with your case； was a lawyer…journalist who at
that time never thought of being more than Keeper of the Seals； and
deigned to have King Louis…Philippe on his throne。 Forgive his
ambition； he's from Carcassonne。 One morning there entered to him a
young rustic of his parts； who said： 'You know me very well； Mossoo
Massol； I'm your neighbour the grocer's little boy； I've come from
down there； for they tell me a fellow is certain to get a place if he
comes to Paris。' Hearing these words； Massol shuddered； and said to
himself that if he were weak enough to help this compatriot （to him
utterly unknown） he should have the whole department prone upon him；
his bell…rope would break； his valet leave him； he should have
difficulties with his landlord about the stairway； and the other
lodgers would assuredly complain of the smell of garlic pervading the
house。 Consequently； he looked at his visitor as a butcher looks at a
sheep whose throat he intends to cut。 But whether the rustic
comprehended the stab of that glance or not； he went on to say （so
Massol told me）； 'I've as much ambition as other men。 I will never go
back to my native place； if I ever do go back； unless I am a rich man。
Paris is the antechamber of Paradise。 They tell me that you who write
the newspapers can make； as they say； 〃fine weather and foul〃； that
is； you have things all your own way； and it's enough to ask your help
to get any place； no matter what； under government。 Now； though I have
faculties； like others； I know myself： I have no education； I don't
know how to write； and that's a misfortune； for I have ideas。 I am not
seeking； therefore； to be your rival； I judge myself； and I know I
couldn't succeed there。 But； as you are so powerful； and as we are
almost brothers； having played together in childhood； I count upon you
to launch me in a career and to protect me Oh； you MUST； I want a
place； a place suitable to my capacity； to such as I am； a place were
I can make my fortune。' Massol was just about to put his compatriot
neck and crop out of the door with some brutal speech； when the rustic
ended his appeal thus： 'I don't ask to enter the administration where
people advance like tortoisesthere's your cousin； who has stuck in
one post for twenty years。 No； I only want to make my debut。''On the
stage？' asked Massol only too happy at that conclusion。'No； though I
have gesture enough； and figure； and memory。 But there's too much wear
and tear； I prefer the career of PORTER。' Massol kept his countenance；
and replied： 'I think there's more wear and tear in that； but as your
choice is made I'll see what I can do'； and he got him； as
Ravenouillet says； his first 'cordon。'〃
〃I was the first master；〃 said Leon； 〃to consider the race of porter。
You'll find knaves of morality； mountebanks of vanity； modern
sycophants； septembriseurs； disguised in philanthropy； inventors of
palpitating questions； preaching the emancipation of the negroes；
improvement of little thieves； benevolence to liberated convicts； and
who； nevertheless； leave their porters in a condition worse than that
of the Irish； in holes more dreadful than a mud cabin； and pay them
less money to live on than the State pays to support a convict。 I have
done but one good action in my life； and that was to build my porter a
decent lodge。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Bixiou； 〃if a man； having built a great cage divided into
thousands of compartments like the cells of a beehive or the dens of a
menagerie； constructed to receive human beings of all trades and all
kinds； if that animal； calling itself the proprietor； should go to a
man of science and say： 'I want an individual of the bimanous species；
able to live in holes full of old boots； pestiferous with rags； and
ten feet square； I want him such that he can live there all his life；
sleep there； eat there； be happy； get children as pretty as little
cupids； work； toil； cultivate flowers； sing there； stay there； and
live in darkness but see and know everything；' most assuredly the man
of science could never have invented the porter to oblige the
proprietor； Paris； and Paris only could create him； or； if you choose；
the devil。〃
〃Parisian creative powers have gone farther than that；〃 said Gazonal；
〃look at the workmen！ You don't know all the products of industry；
though you exhibit them。 Our toilers fight against the toilers of the
continent by force of misery； as Napoleon fought Europe by force of
regiments。〃
〃Here we are； at my friend the usurer's；〃 said Bixiou。 〃His name is
Vauvinet。 One of the greatest mistakes made by writers who describe
our manners and morals is to harp on old portraits。 In these days all
trades change。 The grocer