登陆注册
5406500000028

第28章 IV(2)

answered the young man; "but as I don't know how to deal with a bourgeois--ah! excuse me, monsieur, the word slipped out--I must warn you that it is impossible to calculate the costs of tearing down and rebuilding. It will take at least eight days before I can give even an approximate idea of them. Trust yourself to me: you shall have a charming staircase, lighted from above, with a pretty vestibule opening from the street, and in the space under the stairway--"

"Must that be used?"

"Don't be worried--I will find room for a little porter's lodge. Your house shall be studied and remodelled /con amore/. Yes, monsieur, I

look to art and not to fortune. Above all things I do not want fame before I have earned it. To my mind, the best means of winning credit is not to play into the hands of contractors, but to get at good effects cheaply."

"With such ideas, young man," said Birotteau in a patronizing tone, "you will succeed."

"Therefore," resumed Grindot, "employ the masons, painters, locksmiths, carpenters, and upholsterers yourself. I will simply look over their accounts. Pay me only two thousand francs commission. It will be money well laid out. Give me the premises to-morrow at twelve o'clock, and have your workmen on the spot."

"How much it will cost, at a rough guess?" said Birotteau.

"From ten to twelve thousand francs," said Grindot. "That does not count the furniture; of course you will renew that. Give me the address of your cabinet-maker; I shall have to arrange with him about the choice of colors, so as to have everything in keeping."

"Monsieur Braschon, Rue Saint-Antoine, takes my orders," said Birotteau, assuming a ducal air.

The architect wrote down the address in one of those pretty note-books which invariably come from women.

"Well," said Birotteau, "I trust to you, monsieur; only you must wait till the lease of the adjoining house is made over to me, and I will get permission to cut through the wall."

"Send me a note this evening," said the architect; "it will take me all night to draw the plans--we would rather work for a bourgeois than for the King of Prussia, that is to say for ourselves. I will now take the dimensions, the pitch, the size of the widows, the pictures--"

"It must be finished on the appointed day," said Birotteau. "If not, no pay."

"It shall be done," said the architect. "The workmen must do without sleep; we will use drying oil in the paint. But don't let yourself be taken in by the contractors; always ask their price in advance, and have a written agreement."

"Paris is the only place in the world where you can wave a magic wand like that," said Birotteau, with an Asiatic gesture worthy of the Arabian Nights. "You will do me the honor to come to my ball, monsieur? Men of talent are not all disdainful of commerce; and you will meet a scientific man of the first order, Monsieur Vauquelin of the Institute; also Monsieur de la Billardiere, Monsieur le comte de Fontaine, Monsieur Lebas, judge and president of the Court of commerce, various magistrates, Monsieur le comte de Grandville of the royal suite, Monsieur Camusot of the Court of commerce, and Monsieur Cardot, his father-in-law, and, perhaps, Monsieur le duc de Lenoncourt, first gentleman of the bed-chamber to the king. I assemble my friends as much--to celebrate the emancipation of our territory--as to commemorate my--promotion to the order of the Legion of honor,"--

here Grindot made a curious gesture. "Possibly I showed myself worthy of that--signal--and royal--favor, by my services on the bench, and by fighting for the Bourbons upon the steps of Saint-Roch on the 13th Vendemiaire, where I was wounded by Napoleon. These claims--"

Constance, in a morning gown, here came out of her daughter's bedroom, where she had been dressing; her first glance cut short Cesar's eloquence just as he was about to formulate in flowing phrase, though modestly, the tale of his merits.

"/Tiens, Mimi/, this is Monsieur /de/ Grindot, a young man distinguished in his own sphere of life, and the possessor of a great talent. Monsieur is the architect recommended to us by Monsieur de la Billardiere to superintend our /little/ alteration."

The perfumer slipped behind his wife and made a sign to the architect to take notice of the word /little/, putting his finger on his lips.

Grindot took the cue.

"Will it be very expensive?" said Constance to the architect.

"Oh, no, madame; six thousand francs at a rough guess."

"A rough guess!" exclaimed Madame Birotteau. "Monsieur, I entreat you, begin nothing without an estimate and the specifications signed. I

know the ways of contractors: six thousand francs means twenty thousand. We are not in a position to commit such extravagance. I beg you, monsieur,--though of course my husband is master in his own house,--give him time to reflect."

"Madame, monsieur the deputy-mayor has ordered me to deliver the premises, all finished, in twenty days. If we delay, you will be likely to incur the expense without obtaining the looked-for result."

"There are expenses and expenses," said the handsome mistress of "The Queen of Roses."

"Ah! madame, do you think an architect who seeks to put up public buildings finds it glorious to decorate a mere appartement? I have come down to such details merely to oblige Monsieur de la Billardiere;

and if you fear--"

Here he made a movement to retreat.

"Well, well, monsieur," said Constance re-entering her daughter's room, where she threw her head on Cesarine's shoulder.

"Ah, my daughter!" she cried, "your father will ruin himself! He has engaged an architect with mustachios, who talks about public buildings! He is going to pitch the house out of windows and build us a Louvre. Cesar is never idle about his follies; he only spoke to me about it in the night, and he begins it in the morning!"

同类推荐
  • 周易图

    周易图

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大乘法苑义林章补阙

    大乘法苑义林章补阙

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 妙法莲华经广量天地品

    妙法莲华经广量天地品

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 东原录

    东原录

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 医闾先生集

    医闾先生集

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 集诸法宝最上义论

    集诸法宝最上义论

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 心理医生简明诊疗手册

    心理医生简明诊疗手册

    本书由多名心理学专家在整合大量的心理学资料的基础上编撰而成,分别对心理异常、人格障碍、病态心理、不良情绪、不良嗜好和怪僻等一系列常见的心理问题,以及儿童心理、青少年心理、中老年心理和两性心理等方面常出现的问题进行了阐释和剖析,并就这些心理问题的治疗与保健方法作了详尽的说明。
  • 双生莲:绝色天下

    双生莲:绝色天下

    【经典文学】今日风行,明日经典【流光飛舞】编辑旗下出品一个人为了你连命都不要,宁可魂飞魄散也要护着你,是不是爱?可如果这个人转身就忘了你将别人拥入怀中呢?初相见,他是雷音寺藏经阁的金童,她为了盗得修罗刀将他胁持下界,天上弹指一挥间,她和他在人间已经相处几个月,他为了化解她满心黑暗仇恨倾心相待。父母生养,却是他教会了她成长。充满了空间风暴的传送通道中,她只来得及抓住他面具彼端的丝带,在亲眼目睹他被风暴撕裂的前一刻,发现那张脸是与她相处了几个月却用了三千年来忘记的人。缘去缘来,是他教她懂得了爱。她心灰意冷被囚禁千年,却终究不舍得就这样放弃,当她踏遍千山外水再次站在他面前,他已将她忘记,有了心爱之人,隔了千年时光,只有她还留在原地。虚弱到只剩魂魄的她为了帮他的族人重回倾国,暗中帮他铲除仇敌,却一次次将自己置身危险中,最终他们得以携手站在倾国巍峨大殿前,接受四方朝拜,可是为何午夜梦回想起的又是另一个身影?是谁在她遇到危险的时候一次次挺身而出,是谁在她受伤时将她抱紧,又是谁以血肉之躯投入火海,抵消了一切杀业罪孽,换得天下太平?为什么知道的人都不告诉她,重生之后的他还有个同胞兄弟?她凭借容貌认出他,最后才知认错了人。雷音寺万佛大殿,她长刀指向万佛至尊,冷声厉斥:“天生万物,存在就是合理,你算什么东西,我阿修罗族的命运岂容你来定夺!”骄傲坚韧如她,最终因为他跪下认错,泪如雨下的乞求:“告诉我,他在哪里?”这世间真正能伤她的不过一个情字,能让她落泪的也只他一人,而他对她,究竟是爱至深处说不出,还是凉情薄性转身即忘?
  • 毛泽东与西游记 封神演义

    毛泽东与西游记 封神演义

    在毛泽东喜欢阅读的古典文学名著中,《封神演义》占有特殊位置。他读《封神演义》虽不及《三国演义》和《红楼梦》那样,当作政治、军事书来读,也不像对《西游记》、《水浒传》那样,对书中故事时常运用,随手拈来譬解事物,解释道理。从目前看到的史料中,毛泽东谈起《封神演义》的时候不算多,但是,毛泽东却熟读这部书,对书中故事有自己的分析,并且用他这种分析,讲述重要道理。
  • 铁雪云烟

    铁雪云烟

    首届全球华语新锐小说大赛终极决赛入围作品*她在雪地中救他,已是第三世相逢。为拯救浩劫,二人穿越至前两世。第一世,在蓝甲部族长到七岁的她被带回铁仓部族,被看成没出息的挂名少族长。她目睹过铁仓人对蓝甲人的残暴欺压与杀戮,却听父亲说母亲是被蓝甲人害死的。同年她认识了八岁的他。长大后她练成神功,在妖入侵之际带兵作战屡立奇功,在一些人眼里她却是恶魔。后来他为何决定以自己的命换她的命?穿越回第三世后,拯救大计遭大变故,看到的活路会不会正是绝路?一生光阴,三世悲欢,铁雪塔成了永恒见证。*本文开始写于2009年*入围2018华语言情大赛总榜的作品于2019年1月24日至2月14日打榜,本文在影视赛区,感谢支持
  • 永恒战帝

    永恒战帝

    一个怀着血海深仇的少年,家人尽去。以一介半废之体,历经艰险,寻得机缘,血战皇都,报仇血恨......最强神术、人族大劫、永恒之界......且看永恒战帝武冲,逆战苍穹,破灭世界,遨游混沌!
  • 穿越之问鼎后宫

    穿越之问鼎后宫

    无故穿越到羽国后宫成了皇甫康然最宠的妃子,却在一次偶然的机会中,陆语曼得知自己得宠并不是因为皇甫康然真正的喜欢。本无所求的她,必须为了生存而开始进行一次次的斗争。暗杀——看语贵妃如何化险为夷;嫁祸——看语贵妃如何反败为胜。争后位不为权、不为宠,只为生存。情节虚构,请勿模仿!
  • 快穿王者:女孩,别太狂

    快穿王者:女孩,别太狂

    【不一样的王者荣耀】【女主可傻可攻可带飞】一夜醒来,来到了一个版本不一样的王者荣耀 。 王者世界里,美男无处不在,高冷小守约,邪魅小韩信,腹黑诸葛亮,还有一坑货小系统,每天表示,早上起床,怀里有一个小奶狗,晚上摇身一变,成为万年大总攻,嘤嘤嘤,美男,求放过。
  • 黑森林

    黑森林

    是传说把我们引到这里来的,黑森林,往前的每一步都意味着冒险,可好奇心让我们走出了至少十步。我们迷路了。四处都是高大的树,而黑森林的路则由石头和草、会飞的落叶,低垂的树枝和风一起构成,由种种神秘构成,于是,我们这些像模像样的探险者,迷路了。蘑菇 雨下起来了。纷纷下落的雨点落到半空突然地停了下来,它们在阳光里旋转一下,把光粘在自己的身上然后落到地上。因此,停顿之后再落下的雨点光彩夺目,就像一团团小小的火焰落下来摔碎一样。我们打起了伞。来黑森林探险,我们每个人都准备了伞和其他的东西。
  • 反穿男主有点甜

    反穿男主有点甜

    她——孤儿院里走出来的小透明,无权无势,连同门师姐都想踩上一脚,然而小透明的演艺事业却意外开挂。角色被抢?没关系,最佳新人还是我!片场被欺压?不好意思,导演又给我加戏了!谁能料到,温柔无害的小透明还有另外一副面孔?他——战功赫赫的梁国大将军,一场叛变,他由古穿今,一穷二白的“黑户”跺一跺脚,成了江城名声赫赫的骁爷。据说,荣丰的林骁,俊美而腹黑,矜贵而残忍。一个让女人前仆后继,男人退避三舍的危险人物。她和他——秦禾救了林骁一次,又一次,搞的她以为自己是英雄救美里的那个“英雄”。后来她才知道,原来自己还是里面那个“美”。秦禾跟林骁好的时候,有人劝她:“林骁这个人沾着毒,碰上了非死即伤!”骁爷勾唇邪魅一笑:“沾都沾上了,还想逃?你生是我的人,死是我的鬼,就算哪天我死了,你也别想改嫁,否则我爬也会从地狱里爬出来!”*有人说,骁爷太不解风情,要不是那一张风华绝代的脸,跟榆木疙瘩也没什么区别了!秦禾说,来,骁爷的土味情话了解一下?