the lesser bourgeoisie-第60节

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sing　with　a　voice；　if　they　have　one；　but　they　don't　sing　after　hearing
such　a　magnificent　opera　voice　as　that　of　Madame　la　comtesse。　For　my
part；　I　readily　excuse　Celeste　for　not　warbling　to　us　one　of　her
sentimental　little　ditties。〃

〃Then　it　is　well　worth　while；〃　said　Flavie；　leaving　the　group；　〃to
spend　so　much　money　on　expensive　masters　who　are　good　for　nothing。〃

〃So；〃　said　Colleville；　resuming　the　conversation　which　the　invasion　of
Flavie　had　interrupted；　〃Felix　no　longer　inhabits　this　earth；　he　lives
among　the　stars？〃

〃My　dear　and　former　colleague；〃　said　Phellion；　〃I　am；　as　you　are；
annoyed　with　my　son　for　neglecting；　as　he　does；　the　oldest　friends　of
his　family；　and　though　the　contemplation　of　those　great　luminous
bodies　suspended　in　space　by　the　hand　of　the　Creator　presents；　in　my
opinion；　higher　interest　than　it　appears　to　have　to　your　more　eager
brain；　I　think　that　Felix；　by　not　coming　here　to…night；　as　he　promised
me　he　would；　shows　a　want　of　propriety；　about　which；　I　can　assure　you
I　shall　speak　my　mind。〃

〃Science；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃is　a　fine　thing；　but　it　has；
unfortunately；　the　attribute　of　making　bears　and　monomaniacs。〃

〃Not　to　mention；〃　said　Celeste；　〃that　it　destroys　all　religious
sentiments。〃

〃You　are　mistaken　there；　my　dear　child；〃　said　Madame　de　Godollo。
〃Pascal；　who　was　himself　a　great　example　of　the　falseness　of　your
point　of　view；　says；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　that　a　little　science　draws
us　from　religion；　but　a　great　deal　draws　us　back　to　it。〃

〃And　yet；　madame；〃　said　Celeste；　〃every　one　admits　that　Monsieur　Felix
is　really　very　learned；　when　he　helped　my　brother　with　his　studies
nothing　could　be；　so　Francois　told　me；　clearer　or　more　comprehensible
than　his　explanations；　and　you　see；　yourself；　he　is　not　the　more
religious　for　that。〃

〃I　tell　you；　my　dear　child；　that　Monsieur　Felix　is　not　irreligious；
and　with　a　little　gentleness　and　patience　nothing　would　be　easier　than
to　bring　him　back。〃

〃Bring　back　a　savant　to　the　duties　of　religion！〃　exclaimed　la　Peyrade。
〃Really；　madame；　that　seems　to　me　very　difficult。　These　gentlemen　put
the　object　of　their　studies　before　everything　else。　Tell　a
geometrician　or　a　geologist；　for　example；　that　the　Church　demands；
imperatively；　the　sanctification　of　the　Sabbath　by　the　suspension　of
all　species　of　work；　and　they　will　shrug　their　shoulders；　though　God
Himself　did　not　disdain　to　rest　from　His　labors。〃

〃So　that　in　not　coming　here　this　evening；〃　said　Celeste；　naively；
〃Monsieur　Felix　commits　not　only　a　fault　against　good　manners；　but　a
sin。〃

〃But；　my　dearest；〃　said　Madame　de　Godollo；　〃do　you　think　that　our
meeting　here　this　evening　to　sing　ballads　and　eat　ices　and　say　evil　of
our　neighborwhich　is　the　customary　habit　of　salonsis　more　pleasing
to　God　than　to　see　a　man　of　science　in　his　observatory　busied　in
studying　the　magnificent　secrets　of　His　creation？〃

〃There's　a　time　for　all　things；〃　said　Celeste；　〃and；　as　Monsieur　de　la
Peyrade　says；　God　Himself　did　not　disdain　to　rest。〃

〃But；　my　love；〃　said　Madame　de　Godollo；　〃God　has　time　to　do　so；　He　is
eternal。〃

〃That；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃is　one　of　the　wittiest　impieties　ever
uttered；　those　are　the　reasons　that　the　world's　people　put　forth。　They
interpret　and　explain　away　the　commands　of　God；　even　those　that　are
most　explicit　and　imperative；　they　take　them；　leave　them；　or　choose
among　them；　the　free…thinker　subjects　them　to　his　lordly　revision；　and
from　free…thinking　the　distance　is　short　to　free　actions。〃

During　this　harangue　of　the　barrister　Madame　de　Godollo　had　looked　at
the　clock；　it　then　said　half…past　eleven。　The　salon　began　to　empty。
Only　one　card…table　was　still　going　on；　Minard；　Thuillier；　and　two　of
the　new　acquaintances　being　the　players。　Phellion　had　just　quitted　the
group　with　which　he　had　so　far　been　sitting；　to　join　his　wife；　who　was
talking　with　Brigitte　in　a　corner；　by　the　vehemence　of　his　pantomimic
action　it　was　easy　to　see　that　he　was　filled　with　some　virtuous
indignation。　Everything　seemed　to　show　that　all　hope　of　seeing　the
arrival　of　the　tardy　lover　was　decidedly　over。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　countess　to　la　Peyrade；　〃do　you　consider　the
gentlemen　attached　to　Saint…Jacques　du　Haut　Pas　in　the　rue　des　Postes
good　Catholics？〃

〃Undoubtedly；〃　replied　the　barrister；　〃religion　has　no　more　loyal
supporters。〃

〃This　morning；〃　continued　the　countess；　〃I　had　the　happiness　to　be
received　by　Pere　Anselme。　He　is　thought　the　model　of　all　Christian
virtues；　and　yet　the　good　father　is　a　very　learned　mathematician。〃

〃I　have　not　said；　madame；　that　the　two　qualities　were　absolutely
incompatible。〃

〃But　you　did　say　that　a　true　Christian　could　not　attend　to　any　species
of　work　on　Sunday。　If　so；　Pere　Anselme　must　be　an　unbeliever；　for　when
I　was　admitted　to　his　room　I　found　him　standing　before　a　blackboard
with　a　bit　of　chalk　in　his　hand；　busy　with　a　problem　which　was；　no
doubt；　knotty；　for　the　board　was　three…parts　covered　with　algebraic
signs；　and　I　must　add　that　he　did　not　seem　to　care　for　the　scandal
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　P