Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau [126]
opened with excessive violence, for her walk had increased her fury.
"Heap of vermin! I want my money; I will have my money! You shall give me my money, or I carry off your scent-bags, and that satin trumpery, and the fans, and everything you've got here, for my two thousand francs. Who ever heard of mayors robbing the people? If you don't pay me I'll send you to the galleys; I'll go to the police,--justice shall be done! I won't leave this place till I've got my money."
She made a gesture as if to break the glass before the shelves on which the valuables were placed.
"Mother Madou takes a drop too much," whispered Celestin to his neighbor.
The virago overheard him,--for in paroxysms of passion the organs are either paralyzed or trebly acute,--and she forthwith applied to Celestin's ear the most vigorous blow that ever resounded in a Parisian perfumery.
"Learn to respect women, my angel," she said, "and don't smirch the names of the people you rob."
"Madame," said Madame Birotteau, entering from the back-shop, where she happened to be with her husband,--whom Pillerault was persuading to go with him, while Cesar, to obey the law, was humbly expressing his willingness to go to prison,--"madame, for heaven's sake do not raise a mob, and bring a crowd upon us!"
"Hey! let them come," said the woman; "I'll tell them a tale that will make you laugh the wrong side of your mouth. Yes, my nuts and my francs, picked up by the sweat of my brow, helped you to give balls. There you are, dressed like the queen of France in woollen which you sheared off the backs of poor sheep such as me! Good God! it would burn my shoulders, that it would, to wear stolen goods! I've got nothing but rabbit-skin to cover my carcass, but it is mine! Brigands, thieves, my money or--"
She darted at a pretty inlaid box containing toilet articles.
"Put that down, madame!" said Cesar, coming forward, "nothing here is mine; everything belongs to my creditors. I own nothing but my own person; if you wish to seize that and put me in prison, I give you my word of honor"--the tears fell from his eyes--"that I will wait here till you have me arrested."
The tone and gesture were so completely in keeping with his words that Madame Madou's anger subsided.
"My property has been carried off by a notary; I am innocent of the disasters I cause," continued Cesar, "but you shall be paid in course of time if I have to die in the effort, and work like a galley-slave as a porter in the markets."
"Come, you are a good man," said the market-woman. "Excuse my words, madame; but I may as well go and drown myself, for Gigonnet will hound me down. I can't get any money for ten months to redeem those damned notes of yours which I gave him."
"Come and see me to-morrow morning," said Pillerault, showing himself. "I will get you the money from one of my friends, at five per cent."
"Hey! if it isn't the worthy Pere Pillerault! Why, to be sure, he's your uncle," she said to Constance. "Well, you are all honest people, and I sha'n't lose my money, shall I? To-morrow morning, then, old fellow!" she said to the retired iron-monger.
*****
Cesar was determined to live on amid the wreck of his fortunes at "The Queen of Roses," insisting that he would see his creditors and explain his affairs to them himself. Despite Madame Birotteau's earnest entreaties, Pillerault seemed to approve of Cesar's decision and took him back to his own room. The wily old man then went to Monsieur Haudry, explained the case, and obtained from him a prescription for a sleeping draught, which he took to be made up, and then returned to spend the evening with the family. Aided by Cesarine he induced her father to drink with them. The narcotic soon put Cesar to sleep, and when he woke up, fourteen hours later, he was in Pillerault's bedroom, Rue des Bourdonnais, fairly imprisoned by the old man, who was sleeping himself on a cot-bed in the salon.
When Constance heard the coach containing Pillerault and Cesar roll away from the door, her courage deserted her. Our powers are
"Heap of vermin! I want my money; I will have my money! You shall give me my money, or I carry off your scent-bags, and that satin trumpery, and the fans, and everything you've got here, for my two thousand francs. Who ever heard of mayors robbing the people? If you don't pay me I'll send you to the galleys; I'll go to the police,--justice shall be done! I won't leave this place till I've got my money."
She made a gesture as if to break the glass before the shelves on which the valuables were placed.
"Mother Madou takes a drop too much," whispered Celestin to his neighbor.
The virago overheard him,--for in paroxysms of passion the organs are either paralyzed or trebly acute,--and she forthwith applied to Celestin's ear the most vigorous blow that ever resounded in a Parisian perfumery.
"Learn to respect women, my angel," she said, "and don't smirch the names of the people you rob."
"Madame," said Madame Birotteau, entering from the back-shop, where she happened to be with her husband,--whom Pillerault was persuading to go with him, while Cesar, to obey the law, was humbly expressing his willingness to go to prison,--"madame, for heaven's sake do not raise a mob, and bring a crowd upon us!"
"Hey! let them come," said the woman; "I'll tell them a tale that will make you laugh the wrong side of your mouth. Yes, my nuts and my francs, picked up by the sweat of my brow, helped you to give balls. There you are, dressed like the queen of France in woollen which you sheared off the backs of poor sheep such as me! Good God! it would burn my shoulders, that it would, to wear stolen goods! I've got nothing but rabbit-skin to cover my carcass, but it is mine! Brigands, thieves, my money or--"
She darted at a pretty inlaid box containing toilet articles.
"Put that down, madame!" said Cesar, coming forward, "nothing here is mine; everything belongs to my creditors. I own nothing but my own person; if you wish to seize that and put me in prison, I give you my word of honor"--the tears fell from his eyes--"that I will wait here till you have me arrested."
The tone and gesture were so completely in keeping with his words that Madame Madou's anger subsided.
"My property has been carried off by a notary; I am innocent of the disasters I cause," continued Cesar, "but you shall be paid in course of time if I have to die in the effort, and work like a galley-slave as a porter in the markets."
"Come, you are a good man," said the market-woman. "Excuse my words, madame; but I may as well go and drown myself, for Gigonnet will hound me down. I can't get any money for ten months to redeem those damned notes of yours which I gave him."
"Come and see me to-morrow morning," said Pillerault, showing himself. "I will get you the money from one of my friends, at five per cent."
"Hey! if it isn't the worthy Pere Pillerault! Why, to be sure, he's your uncle," she said to Constance. "Well, you are all honest people, and I sha'n't lose my money, shall I? To-morrow morning, then, old fellow!" she said to the retired iron-monger.
*****
Cesar was determined to live on amid the wreck of his fortunes at "The Queen of Roses," insisting that he would see his creditors and explain his affairs to them himself. Despite Madame Birotteau's earnest entreaties, Pillerault seemed to approve of Cesar's decision and took him back to his own room. The wily old man then went to Monsieur Haudry, explained the case, and obtained from him a prescription for a sleeping draught, which he took to be made up, and then returned to spend the evening with the family. Aided by Cesarine he induced her father to drink with them. The narcotic soon put Cesar to sleep, and when he woke up, fourteen hours later, he was in Pillerault's bedroom, Rue des Bourdonnais, fairly imprisoned by the old man, who was sleeping himself on a cot-bed in the salon.
When Constance heard the coach containing Pillerault and Cesar roll away from the door, her courage deserted her. Our powers are