penguin island-第42节

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le　of　taking　advantage　of　any　familiarities　she　allowed　as　well　as　of　reproaching　her　coarsely　afterwards　if　she　discontinued　them。

As　he　was　a　professed　anti…clerical　and　free…thinker；　she　thought　it　a　good　plan　to　affect　an　appearance　of　piety　in　his　presence　and　to　be　seen　with　prayer…books　bound　in　red　morocco；　such　as　Queen　Marie　Leczinska's　or　the　Dauphiness　Marie　Josephine's　〃The　Last　Two　Weeks　of　Lent。〃　She　lost　no　opportunity；　either；　of　showing　him　the　subscriptions　that　she　collected　for　the　endowment　of　the　national　cult　of　St。　Orberosia。　Eveline　did　not　act　in　this　way　because　she　wished　to　tease　him。　Nor　did　it　spring　from　a　young　girl's　archness；　or　a　spirit　of　constraint；　or　even　from　snobbishness；　though　there　was　more　than　a　suspicion　of　this　latter　in　her　behaviour。　It　was　but　her　way　of　asserting　herself；　of　stamping　herself　with　a　definite　character；　of　increasing　her　value。　To　rouse　the　Deputy's　courage　she　wrapped　herself　up　in　religion；　just　as　Brunhild　surrounded　herself　with　flames　so　as　to　attract　Sigurd。　Her　audacity　was　successful。　He　thought　her　still　more　beautiful　thus。　Clericalism　was　in　his　eyes　a　sign　of　good　form。

Ceres　was　re…elected　by　an　enormous　majority　and　returned　to　a　House　which　showed　itself　more　inclined　to　the　Left；　more　advanced；　and；　as　it　seemed；　more　eager　for　reform　than　its　predecessor。　Perceiving　at　once　that　so　much　zeal　was　but　intended　to　hide　a　fear　of　change；　and　a　sincere　desire　to　do　nothing；　he　determined　to　adopt　a　policy　that　would　satisfy　these　aspirations。　At　the　beginning　of　the　session　he　made　a　great　speech；　cleverly　thought　out　and　well　arranged；　dealing　with　the　idea　that　all　reform　ought　to　be　put　off　for　a　long　time。　He　showed　himself　heated；　even　fervid；　holding　the　principle　that　an　orator　should　recommend　moderation　with　extreme　vehemence。　He　was　applauded　by　the　entire　assembly。　The　Clarences　listened　to　him　from　the　President's　box　and　Eveline　trembled　in　spite　of　herself　at　the　solemn　sound　of　the　applause。　On　the　same　bench　the　fair　Madame　Pensee　shivered　at　the　intonations　of　his　virile　voice。

As　soon　as　he　descended　from　the　tribune；　Ceres；　even　while　the　audience　were　still　clapping；　went　without　a　moment's　delay　to　salute　the　Clarences　in　their　box。　Eveline　saw　in　him　the　beauty　of　success；　and　as　he　leaned　towards　the　ladies；　wiping　his　neck　with　his　handkerchief　and　receiving　their　congratulations　with　an　air　of　modesty　though　not　without　a　tinge　of　self…conceit；　the　young　girl　glanced　towards　Madame　Pensee　and　saw　her；　palpitating　and　breathless；　drinking　in　the　hero's　applause　with　her　head　thrown　backwards。　It　seemed　as　if　she　were　on　the　point　of　fainting。　Eveline　immediately　smiled　tenderly　on　M。　Ceres。

The　Alcan　deputy's　speech　had　a　great　vogue。　In　political　〃spheres〃　it　was　regarded　as　extremely　able。　〃We　have　at　last　heard　an　honest　pronouncement；〃　said　the　chief　Moderate　journal。　〃It　is　a　regular　programme！〃　they　said　in　the　House。　It　was　agreed　that　he　was　a　man　of　immense　talent。

Hippolyte　Ceres　had　now　established　himself　as　leader　of　the　radicals；　socialists；　and　anti…clericals；　and　they　appointed　him　President　of　their　group；　which　was　then　the　most　considerable　in　the　House。　He　thus　found　himself　marked　out　for　office　in　the　next　ministerial　combination。

After　a　long　hesitation　Eveline　Clarence　accepted　the　idea　of　marrying　M。　Hippolyte　Ceres。　The　great　man　was　a　little　common　for　her　taste。　Nothing　had　yet　proved　that　he　would　one　day　reach　the　point　where　politics　bring　in　large　sums　of　money。　But　she　was　entering　her　twenty…seventh　year　and　knew　enough　of　life　to　see　that　she　must　not　be　too　fastidious　or　show　herself　too　difficult　to　please。

Hippolyte　Ceres　was　celebrated；　Hippolyte　Ceres　was　happy。　He　was　no　longer　recognisable；　the　elegance　of　his　clothes　and　deportment　had　increased　tremendously。　He　wore　an　undue　number　of　white　gloves。　Now　that　he　was　too　much　of　a　society　man；　Eveline　began　to　doubt　if　it　was　not　worse　than　being　too　little　of　one。　Madame　Clarence　regarded　the　engagement　with　favour。　She　was　reassured　concerning　her　daughter's　future　and　pleased　to　have　flowers　given　her　every　Thursday　for　her　drawing…room。

The　celebration　of　the　marriage　raised　some　difficulties。　Eveline　was　pious　and　wished　to　receive　the　benediction　of　the　Church。　Hippolyte　Ceres；　tolerant　but　a　free…thinker；　wanted　only　a　civil　marriage。　There　were　many　discussions　and　even　some　violent　scenes　upon　the　subject。　The　last　took　place　in　the　young　girl's　room　at　the　moment　when　the　invitations　were　being　written。　Eveline　declared　that　if　she　did　not　go　to　church　she　would　not　believe　herself　married。　She　spoke　of　breaking　off　the　engagement；　and　of　going　abroad　with　her　mother；　or　of　retiring　into　a　convent。　Then　she　became　tender；　weak；　suppliant。　She　sighed；　and　everything　in　her　virginal　chamber　sighed　in　chorus；　the　holy…water　font；　the　palm…branch　above　her　white　bed；　the　books　of　devotion　on　their　little　shelves；　and　the　blue　and　white　statuette　of　St。　Orberosia　chaining　the　dragon　of　Cappadocia；　that　stood　upon　the　marble　mantelpiece。　Hippolyte　Ceres　was　moved；　softened；　melted。

Beautiful　in　her　grief；　her　eyes　shining　with　tears；　her　wrists　girt　by　a　rosary　of　lapis　lazuli　and；　so　to　speak；　chained　by　her　faith；　she　suddenly　flung　herself　at　Hippolyte's　feet；　and　dishevelled；　almost　dying；　she　embraced　his　knees。

He　nearly　yielded。

〃A　religious　marriage；〃　he　muttered；　〃a　marriage　in　church；　I　could　make　my　constituents　stand　that；　but　my　committee　would　not　swallow　the　matter　so　easily。　。　。　。　Still　I'll　explain　it　to　them　。　。　。　toleration；　social　necessities　。　。　。　。　They　all　send　their　daughters　to　Sunday　school　。　。　。　。　But　as　for　office；　my　dear　I　am　afraid　we　are　going　to　drown　all　hope　of　that　in　your　holy　water。〃

At　these　words　she　stood　up　grave；　generous；　resigned；　conquered　also　in　her　turn。

〃My　dear；　I　insist　no　longer。〃

〃Then　we　won't　have　a　religious　marriage。　It　will　be　better；　much　better　not。〃

〃Very　well；　but　be　guided　by　me。　I　am　going　to　try　and　arrange　everything　both　to　your　satisfaction　and　mine。〃

She　sought　the　Reverend　Father　Douillard　and　explained　the　situation。　He　showed　himself　even　more　accommodating　and　yielding　than　she　had　hoped。

〃Your　husband　is　an　intelligent　man；　a　man　of　order　and　reason；　he　will　come　over　to　us。　You　will　sanctify　him。　It　is　not　in　vain　that　God　has　granted　him　the　blessing　of　a　Christian　wife。　The　Church　needs　no　pomp　and　ceremonial　display　for　her　benedictions。　Now　that　she　is　persecuted；　the　shadow　of　the　crypts　and　the　recesses　of　the　catacombs　are　in　better　accord　with　her　festivals。　Mademoiselle；　when　you　have　performed　the　civil　formalities　come　here　to　my　private　chapel　in　costume　with　M。　Ceres。　I　will　marry　you；　a　observe　the　most　absolute　discretion。　I　will　obtain　the　necessary　dispensations　from　the　Archbishop　as　well　as　all　facilities　regarding　the　banns；　confession…tickets；　etc。〃

Hippolyte；　although　he　thought　the　combination　a　little　dangerous；　agreed　to　it；　a　good　deal　flattered；　at　bottom。

〃I　will　go　in　a　short　coat；〃　he　said。

He　went　in　a　frock　coat　with　white　gloves　and　varnished　shoes；　and　he　genuflected。

〃Politeness　demands。　。　。　。〃



V。　THE　VISIRE　CABINET

The　Ceres　household　was　established　with　modest　decency　in　a　pretty　flat　situated　in　a　new　building。　Ceres　loved　his　wife　in　a　calm　and　tranquil　fashion。　He　was　often　kept　late　from　home　by　the　Commission　on　the　Budget　and　he　worked　more　than　three　nights　a　week　at　a　report　on　the　postal　finances　of　which　he　hoped　to　make　a　masterpiece。　Eveline　thought　she　could　twist　him　round　her　finger；　and　this　did　not　displease　him。　The　bad　side　of　their　situation　was　that　they　had　not　much　money；　in　truth　they　had　very　little。　The　servants　of　the　Republic　do　not　grow　rich　in　her　service　as　easily　as　people　think。　Since　the　sovereign　is　no　longer　there　to　distribute　favours；　each　of　them　takes　what　he　can；　and　his　depredations；　limited　by　the　depredations　of　all　the　others；　are　reduced　to　modest　proportions。　Hence　that　austerity　of　morals　that　is　noticed　in　democratic　leaders。　They　can　only　grow　rich　during　periods　of　great　business　activity　and　then　they　find　themselves　exposed　to　the　envy　of　their　less　favoured　colleagues。　Hippolyte　Ceres　had　for　a　long　time　foreseen　such　a　period。　He　was　one　of　those　who　had　made　preparations　for　its　arrival。　Whilst　waiting　for　it　he　endured　his　poverty　with　dignity；　and　Eveline　shared　that　poverty　without　suffering　as　much　as　one　might　have　thought。　She　was　in　close　intimacy　with　the　Reverend　Father　Douillard　and　frequented　the　chapel　of　St。　Orberosia；　where　she　met　with　serious　society　and　people　in　a　position　to　render　her　useful　services。　She　knew　how　to　choose　among　them　and　gave　her　confidence　to　none　but　those　who　deserved　it。　She　had　gained　experience　since　her　motor　excursions　with　Viscount　Clena；　and　above　all　she　had　now　acquired　the　value　of　a　married　woman。

The　deputy　was　at　first　uneasy　about　these　pious　practices；　which　were　ridiculed　by　the　demagogic　newspapers；　but　he　was　soon　reassured；　for　he　saw　all　around　him　democratic　leaders　joyfully　becoming　reconciled　to　the　aristocracy　and　the　Church。

They　fo