THE COMPLETE WORKS OF ÉMILE ZOLA. Эмиль Золя
than part with the child, she stared him in the face.
Mathéus was at first stupefied. He did not expect to find this young woman, whom he did not know and who appeared to be the child’s mother. Then, the wretch gave a smile of ill-omen. After all, he preferred to have to deal with this young woman than with Philippe. With a push he would tumble her over on the hay and easily take the child from her. Fine no doubt read his thoughts in his eyes, for she put her back against the wall and stiffened her legs ready for the struggle.
They did not exchange a word. The taper was dimly burning. He stretched out his hand, she closed her eyes, thinking herself already dead, when a sound, increasing as it proceeded, rose from the room where Philippe was still with the gendarmes. A well-beloved voice which the young woman recognised, was crying: “Pardon! Pardon!” amid outbursts of joy and triumph.
Fine felt her courage return.
“Do you hear?” she asked Mathéus. “Heaven has come to our assistance. It’s for you, rascal, that the gendarmes have brought the handcuffs.”
Mathéus in alarm, forgot Fine and the child, thinking only of his safety. He ran to the door of the loft and listened. Then he began thinking where he could fly to in case things took an unfavourable turn.
Down below, Philippe, after reading the warrant for his arrest, had to give himself up to the gendarmes. He succeeded, however, in delaying his departure under pretence that he could not quit the gardener’s house, without leaving him a few words of explanation. The truth was that he had seen Mathéus disappear by the staircase and was trembling for Fine and his child. He counted no longer on Marius, he simply wanted to await the gardener’s return so as not to leave the house at the mercy of M. de Cazalis.
The gendarmes allowed him to write a few lines and then told him he must set out. He gazed about him in despair and only saw the ex-deputy who was sneering.
“Well!” exclaimed the latter, “so you’re muzzled! You won’t carry off any more heiresses, you won’t cause any more scandal in families. Ah! it’ll be a curious sight to see the gallant Philippe Cayol fastened to the pillory!”
Philippe did not answer — out of disdain and so as not to be tempted to smack the man in the face. Since he had been there, he feigned to ignore his presence. Whilst M. de Cazalis insulted him, a gendarme put on the handcuffs.
“Off we go!” he said.
And Philippe was obliged to advance towards the door. He felt dreadful agony at the throat and almost burst out sobbing. Just at that moment, as the door was open, a joyful shout resounded outside, and a man walked in repeating: “Pardon! Pardon!”
It was Marius. Not having been able to get a fly, he had run all the way from Marseille. He drew a paper from beneath his dusty clothes and presented it to the gendarmes. This paper announced the pardon which the King had granted to Philippe.
The document had been promised to the condemned man’s brother for more than a month, and as chance would have it, it arrived at the very moment when M. de Cazalis was exerting his last vestiges of influence to prevail on the authorities to act. If Marius had not proceeded at once to Saint Barnabé with Fine, it was because he wanted to see once more whether the pardon had not come to hand.
The gendarmes read the all-powerful letter and bowed before it. Their errand was over: it only remained for them to withdraw. M. de Cazalis, with haggard features, terrified at this unforeseen issue, watched them leave with anger, as if they had been working for the liberty of his enemy. He was thinking in the folly of his despair, whether there was not some means of compelling them to take Philippe off to prison in spite of all. Marius had embraced his brother on entering, Saying to him:
“You are free. Heaven be praised! I’ve come in time!”
And Philippe had remained for a moment motionless, choking, not daring to understand. Then he suddenly darted upstairs. He had just thought of the man who had gone up there to rob him of his son.
Mathéus heard the sound of his footsteps. In terror, understanding that he was threatened with danger, he looked rapidly about him for something to assist him in flight. Hanging from a pulley before the window of the loft, which stood wide open, was a piece of cord. He grasped it at the risk of falling and slid down, almost falling on the head of M. de Cazalis, who was leaving with an oath on his lips, and rage in his heart.
When the ex-deputy saw Mathéus without the child, he almost struck him. His expedition had entirely failed, he had not secured either father or son.
Fine, rescued from the brutality of Mathéus, hastened downstairs with Philippe to the room below. And there the two brothers and young woman, mad with joy, smothered little Joseph with kisses.
“Now, we are strong!” exclaimed Marius. “We are no longer at the disadvantage of having a criminal sentence hanging over our heads, and can work openly for the happiness of this child.”
CHAPTER X
THE INSURRECTION OF FEBRUARY, 1848
THE two brothers on awakening the next morning experienced considerable delight at finding themselves together and free of all fear. They had brought Joseph away with them the evening before, after having thanked Ayasse, the gardener, and handsomely rewarded him.
Philippe and his son slept at the little lodging of the young married couple. During the night Marius who was very much upset and unable to close his eyes, thought out the plan of a new existence, and as soon as the family were assembled round the breakfast-table proceeded to explain it.
“Come,” he said, “let us speak seriously. We must decide what we are going to do with this child, and what Philippe will do.”
Philippe at once became grave and attentive. He had often thought of the life he would lead when it would be no longer necessary to keep in hiding; and he felt it was his duty to work for his son and renounce his ambitious ideas and follies.
“The child,” continued Marius, smiling, and looking at Fine, “will easily find a mother.”
The young woman was holding little Joseph on her knees and encouraging him to eat his bread and milk with all sorts of caresses. When she heard what her husband said, she exclaimed:
“A mother! Here she is! He was entrusted to me, given to me. Is not that so, Philippe? It’s I who am his mother. As we have no children, I’ll take this one and I’ll not part with him. He will always stay with me and you’ll see how fond I shall be of him!”
Philippe who was very much affected at these words pressed the hands of the former flower-girl warmly. The thought of bringing up his son had caused him much anxiety, and he had often inquired of himself how he could attend to a boy of four. Fine’s offer relieved him of his embarrassed position: he would not be separated from Joseph and the child would have a devoted mother to watch over him.
“The child is provided for,” continued Marius, laughing, “and I will undertake to provide for the father; but before we go any further, tell me, Philippe, what your ideas are.”
“I wish to work,” replied the young man, “I want to make you forget my follies, and to assure for myself a calm and happy future.”
“That is perfect. You renounce your dreams of wealth, and consent to be a poor fellow like I am?”
“Yes.”
“Then I can give you what you want. You must cast aside the stevedore’s blouse. I will offer you a modest position which will enable you to live without being a drag upon anyone.”
“I accept all, in anticipation. I confide in you with my eyes closed, being sure that whatever you do will conduce to my happiness.”
“Very well! I am going to place you immediately with my employer, M. Martelly. For more than six months I have been reserving a post for you there, that will bring you in eighteen hundred francs a year. Believe me, my dear brother, remain obscure, do not seek