THE COMPLETE WORKS OF ÉMILE ZOLA. Эмиль Золя

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СКАЧАТЬ in safety in the hands of the gallant abbé; but, in any case, there had been no actor word at which she had cause to blush.

      Marius had preserved the soft pink paper containing Donadéi’s declaration. He could have simply taken it to the Bishop of Marseille, but he preferred to punish and deride the abbé himself, in return for his having impudently made fun of him when he had sought to recommend Philippe to his kindness. His plan was formed. Only to put it into execution, he required the assistance of Sauvaire.

      He did not return to his office after lunch, but went in search of the master-stevedore in all the cafés. Sauvaire was not to be found. He then made up his mind to go and ask Cadet Cougourdan if he knew where his principal was in hiding.

      “Oh! He is not hiding himself, that’s not his habit,” answered Cadet laughing. “He must be in a restaurant at the Reserve, and I’ll bet he’s trying to show himself to all Marseille.”

      Marius went down to the Port and was rowed to the Reserve in one of those small pleasure boats supplied with a spare red-and-yellow striped awning. The boat glided slowly over the dense water of the harbour, amidst refuse of all sorts, orange peel, vegetable remains, objects without a name which were gathered together in a sort of whitish froth. And it continued on its way in the middle of a passage preserved between the vessels, skimming along in proximity to their dark sides. It was as if lost in a forest which shot up, on all sides, its straight, slender stems, each surmounted by a shred of crimson bunting.

      Before Marius had landed he could hear the noisy laughter of Sauvaire seated at a table on a terrace of a restaurant. He could not be seen, but he arranged matters so as to make known he was there.

      The restaurants at the Reserve resemble those at Asnières and Saint Cloud: they are chalets, pavilions, all kinds of ugly architectural conceptions. As a matter of fact they are built of plaster and planks, and the blasts of wind threaten to blow them out to sea. Sauvaire delighted in frequenting these restaurants because the charges there are very high, and one can be seen a long way off.

      Marius, guided by the master-stevedore’s elevated voice, found him at once. He was on a terrace with Clairon and Isnarde whom he no longer left: he was convinced he had the appearance of being more wealthy when dragging two women along with him, one on each arm. The terrace trembled beneath the storm of Sauvaire’s gaiety. Moreover, the worthy man was getting slightly tipsy.

      “Bravo, bravo!” he shouted, perceiving Marius, “we will begin lunching again. We have been lunching since noon. We have eaten cockles, bouillabaisse, tunny — “

      He continued and enumerated a dozen dishes with childlike pride. He felt quite flattered at having given himself indigestion.

      “Heh!” he continued, “one is very comfortable here. It’s expensive, but everything is very correct. What will you have to eat?”

      Marius excused himself, pointing out that it was three o’clock and that he had lunched long before.

      “Go along with you! One can always eat,” exclaimed Sauvaire, delighted at being caught at such a rakish pleasure party. “We are going on eating like this until evening. It’ll cost money, but so much the worse! Clairon, my girl, you’ll get drunk if you take so much champagne.”

      Clairon paid no attention to the remark and swallowed another large glass. Besides, she had nothing to fear as she was tipsy already.

      “Good heavens! How amusing these women are!” continued Sauvaire rising and fanning himself with his napkin.

      He went towards the balustrade on the terrace and shouted out very loud, so as to be heard by the passersby:

      “I’ve already spent a great deal of money with them, but I don’t regret it, they’re so comical!”

      Marius leant over towards him.

      “Do you want to have a good evening tomorrow?” he asked him.

      “Of course, I do,” answered Sauvaire.

      “It will cost you a few louis.”

      “The deuce! Will it be very funny?”

      “Very funny indeed. You shall have your money’s worth of laughter.”

      “I accept then.”

      “All Marseille will hear of the affair, and they’ll be talking of you for a week afterwards.

      “I accept, I accept.”

      “Very well, listen.”

      Marius bent down to Sauvaire’s ear and spoke to him in a low voice. He explained his plan. An instant later the master-stevedore burst into a fit of laughter that almost choked him. He thought the thing funny, very funny.

      “That’s agreed,” he said, when Marius had told him his secret. “I will be on the Boulevard de la Corderie with Clairon tomorrow evening at ten o’clock. Ah! What a good joke!”

      CHAPTER XVIII

      HOW ABBÉ DONADÉI ELOPED WITH THE SISTER SOUL TO HIS OWN

      ABBÉ DONADÉI had allowed himself to be overcome by one of those violent desires which sometimes burst out in cunning, sneaking natures. He so clever, so prudent, had been guilty of a clumsy mistake. He was conscious of it when the beadle had left with the prayer-book and love-letter. From that moment he must be prepared to meet all the consequences of his audacious act. Claire had excited a yearning in him which he meant to satisfy in spite of all. He was beyond the sacred scruples of his calling. He looked on things human from too lofty a height, he had mixed in too many jobs of a more or less honourable nature, to hesitate at a seduction. That was the least thing that troubled him. It was the sequel to the seduction, at which he felt alarmed.

      For two long months he had tried to attract the young girl to his house. Then, as she was about to accede to his wish in all simplicity, he had renounced that plan, convinced that an intrigue of this nature could not be carried on in the midst of Marseille. It was thus that he had little by little reached the point of wishing to play all for all, like a daring gambler; his passion was increasing and torturing him and he was ready to exchange his influential position for a woman’s free and entire love: he preferred to elope with Claire openly, and fly with her to Italy.

      Donadéi was too sharp and intelligent not to have thought of a retreat. If the young girl in the long run had been in his way, he would have shut her up in a convent and obtained the forgiveness of his uncle the Cardinal. When he had examined and calculated everything, an elopement seemed to him the most easy and prompt of all plans and the one which presented the least danger.

      He only feared one thing: that Claire would not keep the appointment and would refuse to run away with him. Then, the love-letter would become a terrible arm. He would be without the girl and might lose his position. But he was blinded by desire, he did not notice the calm candour of his penitent, but took the acts of adoration addressed to the Almighty for so many mute avowals made to himself.

      However, he had still fears, and regretted having advanced too far to be able to retreat. All his prudence and cowardice returned to him, and he impatiently awaited the beadle’s return. As soon as he caught sight of him he exclaimed:

      “Well?”

      “I СКАЧАТЬ