登陆注册
15491300000092

第92章 CHAPTER I PHELLION, UNDER A NEW ASPECT(1)

Between the first and second parts of this history an immense event had taken place in the life of Phellion.

There is no one who has not heard of the misfortunes of the Odeon, that fatal theatre which, for years, ruined all its directors. Right or wrong, the quarter in which this dramatic impossibility stands is convinced that its prosperity depends upon it; so that more than once the mayor and other authorities of the arrondissement have, with a courage that honors them, taken part in the most desperate efforts to galvanize the corpse.

Now to meddle with theatrical matters is one of the eternally perennial ambitions of the lesser bourgeoisie. Always, therefore, the successive saviours of the Odeon feel themselves magnificently rewarded if they are given ever so small a share in the administration of that enterprise. It was at some crisis in its affairs that Minard, in his capacity as mayor of the 11th arrondissement, had been called to the chairmanship of the committee for reading plays, with the power to join unto himself as assistants a certain number of the notables of the Latin quarter,--the selection being left to him.

We shall soon know exactly how near was the realization of la Peyrade's projects for the possession of Celeste's "dot"; let us merely say now that these projects in approaching maturity had inevitably become noised abroad; and as this condition of things pointed, of course, to the exclusion of Minard junior and also of Felix the professor, the prejudice hitherto manifested by Minard pere against old Phellion was transformed into an unequivocal disposition towards friendly cordiality; there is nothing that binds and soothes like the feeling of a checkmate shared in common. Judged without the evil eye of paternal rivalry, Phellion became to Minard a Roman of incorruptible integrity and a man whose little treatises had been adopted by the University,--in other words, a man of sound and tested intellect.

So that when it became the duty of the mayor to select the members of the dramatic custom-house, of which he was now the head, he immediately thought of Phellion. As for the great citizen, he felt, on the day when a post was offered to him in that august tribunal, that a crown of gold had been placed upon his brow.

It will be well understood that it was not lightly, nor without having deeply meditated, that a man of Phellion's solemnity had accepted the high and sacred mission which was offered to him. He said within himself that he was called upon to exercise the functions of a magistracy, a priestly office.

"To judge of men," he replied to Minard, who was much surprised at his hesitation, "is an alarming task, but to judge of minds!--who can believe himself equal to such a mission?"Once more the family--that rock on which the firmest resolutions split --had threatened to infringe on the domain of his conscience. The thought of boxes and tickets of which the future member of the committee could dispose in favor of his own kin had excited in the household so eager a ferment that his freedom of decision seemed for a moment in danger. But, happily, Brutus was able to decide himself in the same direction along which a positive uprising of the whole Phellionian tribe intended to push him. From the observations of Barniol, his son-in-law, and also by his own personal inspiration, he became persuaded that by his vote, always given to works of irreproachable morality, and by his firm determination to bar the way to all plays that mothers of families could not take their daughters to witness, he was called upon to render the most signal services to morals and public order. Phellion, to use his own expression, had therefore become a member of the areopagus presided over by Minard, and--still speaking as he spoke--he was issuing from the exercise of his functions, which were both delicate and interesting, when the conversation we are about to report took place. A knowledge of this conversation is necessary to an understanding of the ulterior events of this history, and it will also serve to put into relief the envious insight which is one of the most marked traits of the bourgeois character.

同类推荐
  • 北征录

    北征录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 岂有此理

    岂有此理

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Literary Boston As I Knew It

    Literary Boston As I Knew It

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 绪言

    绪言

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 炙膏肓腧穴法

    炙膏肓腧穴法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 霸世狂尊

    霸世狂尊

    天武大陆,强者为尊。要问谁是尊闲,唯我霸世狂尊。一位天才的崛起,注定有着另一群天才的陨落。一位天才的崛起,命中注定将会成为一位绝世的巅峰强者。你狂,我更狂,你霸道,我就霸世,你的世界我主宰!看一位不一样的少年,如何成就霸世狂尊。【新人求推荐收藏!】
  • 今晚不寂寞:与尸同眠

    今晚不寂寞:与尸同眠

    我十一岁的那年,后爸喝醉了,撕了我的衣裤,差点就把我……大半夜的,我跑了出去。在大街上,却碰到了一支接亲的队伍。走在最前面的是纸做的马,接着还有顶着大白花的轿子,还有纸做的童男童女。阴差阳错之下,我穿上了本该是新娘子穿的红裙子。那个晚上改变了我的一生。高三毕业的时候,我被后爸半卖半嫁地,成了一个傻子的老婆,而这个傻子就是当初那大半夜迎亲的人,一个没有心跳,没有呼吸的男人。
  • 忧丝难忘

    忧丝难忘

    忘忧,忘忧,本想忘却尘世,为何总是躲不过世间烦忧,让人心悸的她那眉间为何总有淡淡愁绪?有谁能抚平她心中的愁思,误入红尘的仙子又将何去何从······
  • 桃花归:高冷公子别太急

    桃花归:高冷公子别太急

    “白虹贯日,桃花出,而有形无魂,二八始得桃花归,花开盛世。”一句古老的预言,一只暗淡无光的白玉镯子,一段抹不掉的梦魇;她从异世归来,一扫相府大小姐的痴傻,能舞墨也能弹琴,却被卷入一个神器之争的漩涡中,原本天真无害的她也瞬间成长起来,梦中的白衣男子是否就是她的归宿?这是缘还是劫?或许一切在冥冥之中早有安排!【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 二战史·血海翻腾

    二战史·血海翻腾

    本书介绍了第二次世界大战中,在亚洲战场上,反法西斯阵营与法西斯帝国主义国家之间比较大型经典的海战。主要包括:登陆冲绳岛,珊瑚海战役,中途岛大海战,马绍尔群岛海战等。
  • 天雄霸业

    天雄霸业

    这是一个杀手的世界。这是一个争霸的世界。这是一个感情的纷争与错乱的世界。这更是一个复仇的世界!
  • 圣宇苍天

    圣宇苍天

    寡母受辱自缢,乡村少年持刀而起,屠尽仇人骨!杀!杀!杀!杀!杀!杀!杀!
  • 天道妖君

    天道妖君

    修炼一途引灵力入体,继灵根于丹田,共存共生方可成就大道。少年慕青本是慕家分家公子,十五岁成为分家之中第一人,但宗族却剥夺了他的灵路名额。在体内灵魂妖姬的帮助下,慕青重夺名额,但却再次做出出人意料的决定...........。天道妖君,看慕青一路征伐..............
  • 怜月:青春期之回忆独存

    怜月:青春期之回忆独存

    他曾说:不管你爱不爱我,我的爱都在这里。不管你回不回头,我都在原地等候。梦梦在此感谢各位读者的支持。下面进入正题:某男带着小肉包寻得某女,某女狂想“跟你回去,以什么身份,情人?小三?还是家妓?哈哈哈……”请各位继续支持梦梦,群号:439131292,QQ:2534713898求票票支持和评论。
  • 影响你一生的习惯全集

    影响你一生的习惯全集

    习惯每时每刻都在左右着我们的行为,影响着我们的人生。它能够影响个人的卫生、形象,也能影响人的身体健康、行为处世、杜交、口才、婚姻、爱情等。好习惯让你品尝命运的成果,坏习惯使你饱尝命运的苦果。本书在向读者阐释习惯对人的一生所产生的重大影响的同时,还精心为读者提供了一些培养好习惯、摒弃坏习惯的行而有效之方,以期使读者通过阅读来改变命运、成就人生。