[The Lesser Bourgeoisie by Honore de Balzac]@TWC D-Link book
The Lesser Bourgeoisie

CHAPTER IV
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"I have seen him here several times." "He is a tenant," replied Metivier, shuffling the cards.
"A lawyer," added Barbet, in a low voice, "who occupies a small apartment on the third floor front.

Oh! _He_ doesn't amount to much; he has nothing." "What is the name of that young man ?" said Olivier Vinet to Thuillier.
"Theodose de la Peyrade; he is a barrister," replied Thuillier, in a whisper.
At that moment the women present, as well as the men, looked at the two young fellows, and Madame Minard remarked to Colleville:-- "He is rather good-looking, that stranger." "I have made his anagram," replied Colleville, "and his name, Charles-Marie-Theodose de la Peyrade, prophecies: 'Eh! monsieur payera, de la dot, des oies et le char.' Therefore, my dear Mamma Minard, be sure you don't give him your daughter." "They say that young man is better-looking than my son," said Madame Phellion to Madame Colleville.

"What do you think about it ?" "Oh! in the matter of physical beauty a woman might hesitate before choosing," replied Madame Colleville.
At that moment it occurred to young Vinet as he looked round the salon, so full of the lesser bourgeoisie, that it might be a shrewd thing to magnify that particular class; and he thereupon enlarged upon the meaning of the young Provencal barrister, declaring that men so honored by the confidence of the government should imitate royalty and encourage a magnificence surpassing that of the former court.

It was folly, he said, to lay by the emoluments of an office.

Besides, could it be done, in Paris especially, where costs of living had trebled,--the apartment of a magistrate, for instance, costing three thousand francs a year?
"My father," he said in conclusion, "allows me three thousand francs a year, and that, with my salary, barely allows me to maintain my rank." When the young substitute rode boldly into this bog-hole, the Provencal, who had slyly enticed him there, exchanged, without being observed, a wink with Dutocq, who was just then waiting for the place of a player at bouillotte.
"There is such a demand for offices," remarked the latter, "that they talk of creating two justices of the peace to each arrondissement in order to make a dozen new clerkships.


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