the lesser bourgeoisie-第68章

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this　ought　to　cause；　for　he　had　with　him　an　individual　whom　I　am　not
allowed　to　name；　a　younger　man　of　science；　of　great　promise；　who　was
sharing　his　profane　occupation。〃

Celeste　and　Madame　Thuillier　looked　at　each　other；　and　both　saw　a
gleam　of　hope　in　the　other's　eyes。

〃Why　can't　you　tell　us　the　name　of　that　young　man　of　science？〃　Madame
Thuillier　ventured　to　say；　for　she　never　put　any　diplomacy　into　the
expression　of　her　thoughts。

〃Because　he　has　not；　like　Pere　Anselme；　the　saintliness　which　would
absolve　him　in　the　eyes　of　monsieur　here　for　this　flagrant　violation
of　the　Sabbath。　Besides；〃　added　Madame　de　Godollo；　in　a　significant
manner；　〃he　asked　me　not　to　mention　that　I　had　met　him　there。〃

〃Then　you　know　a　good　many　scientific　young　men？〃　said　Celeste；
interrogatively；　〃this　one　and　Monsieur　Felixthat　makes　two。〃

〃My　dear　love；〃　said　the　countess；　〃you　are　an　inquisitive　little
girl；　and　you　will　not　make　me　say　what　I　do　not　choose　to　say；
especially　after　a　confidence　that　Pere　Anselme　made　to　me；　for　if　I
did；　your　imagination　would　at　once　set　off　at　a　gallop。〃

The　gallop　had　already　started；　and　every　word　the　countess　said　only
added　to　the　anxious　eagerness　of　the　young　girl。

〃As　for　me；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　sarcastically；　〃I　shouldn't　be　at　all
surprised　if　Pere　Anselme's　young　collaborator　was　that　very　Felix
Phellion。　Voltaire　always　kept　very　close　relations　with　the　Jesuits
who　brought　him　up；　but　he　never　talked　religion　with　them。〃

〃Well；　my　young　savant　does　talk　of　it　to　his　venerable　brother　in
science；　he　submits　his　doubts　to　him；　in　fact；　that　was　the　beginning
of　their　scientific　intimacy。〃

〃And　does　Pere　Anselme；〃　asked　Celeste；　〃hope　to　convert　him？〃

〃He　is　sure　of　it；〃　replied　the　countess。　〃His　young　collaborator；
apart　from　a　religious　education　which　he　certainly　never　had；　has
been　brought　up　to　the　highest　principles；　he　knows；　moreover；　that
his　conversion　to　religion　would　make　the　happiness　of　a　charming　girl
whom　he　loves；　and　who　loves　him。　Now；　my　dear；　you　will　not　get
another　word　out　of　me；　and　you　may　think　what　you　like。〃

〃Oh！　godmother！〃　whispered　Celeste；　yielding　to　the　freshness　of　her
feelings；　〃suppose　it　were　he！〃

And　the　tears　filled　her　eyes　as　she　pressed　Madame　Thuillier's　hand。

At　this　moment　the　servant　threw　open　the　door　of　the　salon；　and；
singular　complication！　announced　Monsieur　Felix　Phellion。

The　young　professor　entered　the　room；　bathed　in　perspiration；　his
cravat　in　disorder；　and　himself　out　of　breath。

〃A　pretty　hour；〃　said　Phellion；　sternly；　〃to　present　yourself。〃

〃Father；〃　said　Felix；　moving　to　the　side　of　the　room　where　Madame
Thuillier　and　Celeste　were　seated；　〃I　could　not　leave　before　the　end
of　the　phenomenon；　and　then　I　couldn't　find　a　carriage；　and　I　have　run
the　whole　way。〃

〃Your　ears　ought　to　have　burned　as　you　came；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃for
you　have　been　for　the　last　half…hour　in　the　minds　of　these　ladies；　and
a　great　problem　has　been　started　about　you。〃

Felix　did　not　answer。　He　saw　Brigitte　entering　the　salon　from　the
dining…room　where　she　had　gone　to　tell　the　man…servant　not　to　bring　in
more　trays；　and　he　hurried　to　greet　her。

After　listening　to　a　few　reproaches　for　the　rarity　of　his　visits　and
receiving　forgiveness　in　a　very　cordial　〃Better　late　than　never；〃　he
turned　towards　his　pole；　and　was　much　astonished　to　hear　himself
addressed　by　Madame　de　Godollo　as　follows：

〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　〃I　hope　you　will　pardon　the　indiscretion　I　have；
in　the　heat　of　conversation；　committed　about　you。　I　have　told　these
ladies　where　I　met　you　this　morning。〃

〃Met　me？〃　said　Felix；　〃if　I　had　the　honor　to　meet　you；　madame；　I　did
not　see　you。〃

An　almost　imperceptible　smile　flickered　on　la　Peyrade's　lips。

〃You　saw　me　well　enough　to　ask　me　to　keep　silence　as　to　where　I　had
met　you；　but；　at　any　rate；　I　did　not　go　beyond　a　simple　statement；　I
said　you　saw　Pere　Anselme　sometimes；　and　had　certain　scientific
relations　with　him；　also　that　you　defended　your　religious　doubts　to
him　as　you　do　to　Celeste。〃

〃Pere　Anselme！〃　said　Felix；　stupidly。

〃Yes；　Pere　Anselme；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃a　great　mathematician　who　does
not　despair　of　converting　you。　Mademoiselle　Celeste　wept　for　joy。〃

Felix　looked　around　him　with　a　bewildered　air。　Madame　de　Godollo　fixed
upon　him　a　pair　of　eyes　the　language　of　which　a　poodle　could　have
understood。

〃I　wish；〃　he　said　finally；　〃I　could　have　given　that　joy　to
Mademoiselle　Celeste；　but　I　think；　madame；　you　are　mistaken。〃

〃Ah！　monsieur；　then　I　must　be　more　precise；〃　said　the　countess；　〃and
if　your　modesty　still　induces　you　to　hide　a　step　that　can　only　honor
you；　you　can　contradict　me；　I　will　bear　the　mortification　of　having
divulged　a　secret　which；　I　acknowledge；　you　trusted　implicitly　to　my
discretion。〃

Madame　Thuillier　and　Celeste　were　truly　a　whole　drama　to　behold；　never
were　doubt　and　eager　expectation　more　plainly　depicted　on　the　human
face。　Measuring　her　words　deliberately；　Madame　de　Godollo　thus
continued：

〃I　said　to　these　ladies；　because　I　know　how　deep　an　interest　they　take
in　your　salvation；　and　because　you　are　accused　of　boldly　defying　the
commandments　of　God　by　working　on　Sundays；　that　I　had　met　you　this
morning　at　the　house　of　Pere　Anselme；　a　mathematician　like　yourself；
with　whom　you　were　busy　in　solving　a　problem；　I　said　that　your
scientific　intercourse　with　that　saintly　and　enlightened　man　had　led
to　other　explanations　between　you；　that　you　had　submitted　to　him　your
religious　doubts；　and　he　did　not　despair　of　removing　them。　In　the
confirmation　you　can　give　of　my　words　there　is　nothing；　I　am　sure；　to
wound　your　self…esteem。　The　matter　was　simply　a　surprise　you　intended
for　Celeste；　and　I　have　had　the　stupidity　to　divulge　it。　But　when　she
hears　you　admit　the　truth　of　my　words　you　will　have　given　her　such
happiness　that　I　shall　hope　to　be　forgiven。〃

〃Come；　monsieur；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃there's　nothing　absurd　or
mortifying　in　having　sought　for　light；　you；　so　honorable　and　so　truly
an　enemy　to　falsehood；　you　cannot　deny　what　madame　affirms　with　such
decision。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Felix；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　〃will　you；
Mademoiselle　Celeste；　allow　me　to　say　a　few　words　to　you　in　private；
without　witnesses？〃

Celeste　rose；　after　receiving　an　approving　sign　from　Madame　Thuillier。
Felix　took　her　hand　and　led　her　to　the　recess　of　the　nearest　window。

〃Celeste；〃　he　said；　〃I　entreat　you：　wait！　See；〃　he　added；　pointing　to
the　constellation　of　Ursa　Minor；　〃beyond　those　visible　stars　a　future
lies　before　us；　I　will　place　you　there。　As　for　Pere　Anselme；　I　cannot
admit　what　has　been　said；　for　it　is　not　true。　It　is　an　invented　tale。
But　be　patient　with　me；　you　shall　soon　know　all。〃

〃He　is　mad！〃　said　the　young　girl；　in　tones　of　despair；　as　she　resumed
her　place　beside　Madame　Thuillier。

Felix　confirmed　this　judgment　by　rushing　frantically　from　the　salon；
without　perceiving　the　emotion　in　which　his　father　and　his　mother
started　after　him。　After　this　sudden　departure；　which　stupefied
everybody；　la　Peyrade　approached　Madame　de　Godollo　very　respectfully；
and　said　to　her：

〃You　must　admit；　madame；　that　it　is　difficult　to　drag　a　man　from　the
water　when　he　persists　in　being　drowned。〃

〃I　had　no　idea　until　this　moment　of　such　utter　simplicity；〃　replied
the　countess；　〃it　is　too　silly。　I　pass　over　to　the　enemy；　and　with
that　enemy　I　am　ready　and　desirous　to　have；　whenever　he　pleases；　a
frank　and　honest　explanation。〃



CHAPTER　IV

HUNGARY　VERSUS　PROVENCE

The　next　day　Theodose　felt　himself　possessed　by　two　curiosities：　How
would　Celeste　behave　as　to　the　option　she　had　accepted？　and　this
Comtesse　Torna　de　Godollo；　what　did　she　mean　by　what　she　had　said；　and
what　did　she　want　with　him？

The　first　of　these　questions　seemed；　undoubtedly；　to　have　the　right　of
way；　and　yet；　by　some　secret　instinct；　la　Peyrade　felt　more　keenly
drawn　toward　the　conclusion　of　the　second　problem。　He　decided；
therefore；　to　take　his　first　step　in　that　direction；　fully
understanding　that　he　could　not　too　carefully　arm　himself　for　the
interview　to　which　the　countess　had　invited　him。

The　morning　had　been　ra