按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃If you make yourself useful；〃 said the well…to…do printer； 〃why
should not somebody advance the money？〃
〃It won't be my gaffer in any case！〃 said Cerizet。
〃Pooh！ Perhaps by that time he will have found out the secret。〃
The words were spoken in a way that could not but rouse the worst
thoughts in the listener； and Cerizet gave the papermaker and printer
a very searching look。
〃I do not know what he is busy about；〃 he began prudently； as the
master said nothing； 〃but he is not the kind of man to look for
capitals in the lower case！〃
〃Look here； my friend；〃 said the printer； taking up half…a…dozen
sheets of the diocesan prayer…book and holding them out to Cerizet；
〃if you can correct these for us by to…morrow； you shall have eighteen
francs to…morrow for them。 We are not shabby here； we put our
competitor's foreman in the way of making money。 As a matter of fact；
we might let Mme。 Sechard go too far to draw back with her Shepherd's
Calendar； and ruin her； very well； we give you permission to tell her
that we are bringing out a Shepherd's Calendar of our own； and to call
her attention too to the fact that she will not be the first in the
field。〃
Cerizet's motive for working so slowly on the composition of the
almanac should be clear enough by this time。
When Eve heard that the Cointets meant to spoil her poor little
speculation； dread seized upon her； at first she tried to see a proof
of attachment in Cerizet's hypocritical warning of competition； but
before long she saw signs of an over…keen curiosity in her sole
compositorthe curiosity of youth； she tried to think。
〃Cerizet；〃 she said one morning； 〃you stand about on the threshold；
and wait for M。 Sechard in the passage； to pry into his private
affairs； when he comes out into the yard to melt down the rollers； you
are there looking at him； instead of getting on with the almanac。
These things are not right； especially when you see that I； his wife；
respect his secrets； and take so much trouble on myself to leave him
free to give himself up to his work。 If you had not wasted time； the
almanac would be finished by now； and Kolb would be selling it； and
the Cointets could have done us no harm。〃
〃Eh！ madame；〃 answered Cerizet。 〃Here am I doing five francs' worth of
composing for two francs a day； and don't you think that that is
enough？ Why； if I did not read proofs of an evening for the Cointets；
I might feed myself on husks。〃
〃You are turning ungrateful early；〃 said Eve； deeply hurt； not so much
by Cerizet's grumbling as by his coarse tone； threatening attitude；
and aggressive stare； 〃you will get on in life。〃
〃Not with a woman to order me about though； for it is not often that
the month has thirty days in it then。〃
Feeling wounded in her womanly dignity； Eve gave Cerizet a withering
look and went upstairs again。 At dinner…time she spoke to David。
〃Are you sure； dear； of that little rogue Cerizet？〃
〃Cerizet！〃 said David。 〃Why； he was my youngster； I trained him； I
took him on as my copy…holder。 I put him to composing； anything that
he is he owes to me； in fact！ You might as well ask a father if he is
sure of his child。〃
Upon this； Eve told her husband that Cerizet was reading proofs for
the Cointets。
〃Poor fellow！ he must live；〃 said David； humbled by the consciousness
that he had not done his duty as a master。
〃Yes； but there is a difference； dear； between Kolb and CerizetKolb
tramps about twenty leagues every day； spends fifteen or twenty sous；
and brings us back seven and eight and sometimes nine francs of sales；
and when his expenses are paid； he never asks for more than his wages。
Kolb would sooner cut off his hand than work a lever for the Cointets；
Kolb would not peer among the things that you throw out into the yard
if people offered him a thousand crowns to do it； but Cerizet picks
them up and looks at them。〃
It is hard for noble natures to think evil； to believe in ingratitude；
only through rough experience do they learn the extent of human
corruption； and even when there is nothing left them to learn in this
kind； they rise to an indulgence which is the last degree of contempt。
〃Pooh！ pure Paris street…boy's curiosity；〃 cried David。
〃Very well； dear； do me the pleasure to step downstairs and look at
the work done by this boy of yours； and tell me then whether he ought
not to have finished our almanac this month。〃
David went into the workshop after dinner； and saw that the calendar
should have been set up in a week。 Then； when he heard that the
Cointets were bringing out a similar almanac； he came to the rescue。
He took command of the printing office； Kolb helped at home instead of
selling broadsheets。 Kolb and Marion pulled off the impressions from
one form while David worked another press with Cerizet； and
superintended the printing in various inks。 Every sheet must be
printed four separate times； for which reason none but small houses
will attempt to produce a Shepherd's calendar； and that only in the
country where labor is cheap； and the amount of capital employed in
the business is so small that the interest amounts to little。
Wherefore； a press which turns out beautiful work cannot compete in
the printing of such sheets； coarse though they may be。
So； for the first time since old Sechard retired； two presses were at
work in the old house。 The calendar was； in its way； a masterpiece；
but Eve was obliged to sell it for less than a halfpenny； for the
Cointets were supplying hawkers at the rate of three centimes per
copy。 Eve made no loss on the copies sold to hawkers； on Kolb's sales；
made directly； she gained； but her little speculation was spoiled。
Cerizet saw that his fair employer distrusted him； in his own
conscience he posed as the accuser； and said to himself； 〃You suspect
me； do you？ I will have my revenge；〃 for the Paris street…boy is made
on this wise。 Cerizet accordingly took pay out of all proportion to
the work of proof…reading done for the Cointets； going to their office
every evening for the sheets； and returning them in the morning。 He
came to be on familiar terms with them through the daily chat； and at
length saw a chance of escaping the military service； a bait held out
to him by the brothers。 So far from requiring prompting from the
Cointets； he was the first to propose the espionage and exploitation
of David's researches。
Eve saw how little she could depend upon Cerizet； and to find another
Kolb was simply impossible； she made up her mind to dismiss her one
compositor； for the insight of a woman who loves told her that Cerizet
was a traitor； but as this meant a deathblow to the business； she took
a man's resolution。 She wrote to M。 Metivier； with whom David and the
Cointets and almost every papermaker in the department had business
relations； and asked him to put the following advertisement into a
trade paper：
〃FOR SALE； as a going concern； a Printing Office； with License and
Plant； situated at Angouleme。 Apply for particulars to M。 Metivier；
Rue Serpente。〃
The Cointets saw the advertisement。 〃That little woman has a head on
her shoulders；〃 they said。 〃It is time that we took her business u