the lesser bourgeoisie-第76章

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feel　that　neither　I；　nor　my　wife；　have　ever　attempted　to　influence
your　decision；　we　have　allowed　our　young　people　to　love　each　other
without　much　consideration　as　to　where　that　attachment　would　lead〃

〃It　led　to　upsetting　their　minds；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃that's　what　love
is；　and　that's　why　I　deprived　myself　of　it。〃

〃What　you　say　is；　indeed；　true　of　my　unfortunate　son；〃　resumed
Phellion；　〃for；　notwithstanding　the　noble　distractions　he　has
endeavored　to　give　to　his　sorrow；　he　is　to…day　so　miserably　overcome
by　it　that　this　morning；　in　spite　of　the　glorious　success　he　has　just
obtained；　he　was　speaking　to　me　of　undertaking　a　voyage　of
circumnavigation　around　the　globe；a　rash　enterprise　which　would
detain　him　from　his　native　land　at　least　three　years；　if；　indeed；　he
escaped　the　dangers　of　so　prolonged　a　journey。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃it　isn't　a　bad　idea；　he'll　return　consoled；
having　discovered　three　or　four　more　new　stars。〃

〃His　present　discovery　suffices；〃　said　Phellion；　with　double　his
ordinary　gravity；　〃and　it　is　under　the　auspices　of　that　triumph；　which
has　placed　his　name　at　so　great　a　height　in　the　scientific　world；　that
I　have　the　assurance　to　say　to　you；　point…blank：　Mademoiselle；　I　have
come　to　ask　you；　on　behalf　of　my　son；　who　loves　as　he　is　beloved；　for
the　hand　in　marriage　of　Mademoiselle　Celeste　Colleville。〃

〃But；　my　dear　man；〃　replied　Brigitte；　〃it　is　too　late；　remember　that
we　are　DIAMETRICALLY　engaged　to　la　Peyrade。〃

〃It　is　never；　they　say；　too　late　to　do　well；　and　yesterday　it　would
have　been　in　my　judgment　too　early。　My　son；　having　to　offer　an
equivalent　for　a　fortune；　could　not　say　to　you　until　to…day：　'Though
Celeste；　by　your　generosity　has　a　〃dot〃　which　mine　is　far　from
equalling；　yet　I　have　the　honor　to　be　a　member　of　the　Royal　order　of
the　Legion　of　honor；　and　shortly；　according　to　appearance；　I　shall　be
a　member　of　the　Royal　Academy　of　Sciences；　one　of　the　five　branches　of
the　Institute。'〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Brigitte；　〃Felix　is　getting　to　be　a　very　pretty
match；　but　we　have　passed　our　word　to　la　Peyrade；　the　banns　are
published　at　the　mayor's　office；　and　unless　something　extraordinary
happens　the　contract　will　be　signed。　La　Peyrade　is　very　busy　about
Thuillier's　election；　which　he　has　now　got　into　good　shape；　we　have
capital　engaged　with　him　in　the　affair　of　this　newspaper；　and　it　would
be　impossible　to　go　back　on　our　promise；　even　if　we　wished　to　do　so。〃

〃So；〃　said　Phellion；　〃in　one　of　the　rare　occasions　of　life　when　reason
and　inclination　blend　together；　you　think　you　must　be　guided　solely　by
the　question　of　material　interests。　Celeste；　as　we　know；　has　no
inclination　for　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade。　Brought　up　with　Felix〃

〃Brought　up　with　Felix！〃　interrupted　Brigitte。　〃She　was　given　a　period
of　time　to　choose　between　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade　and　your　son；that's
how　we　coerce　her；　if　you　please；and　she　would　not　take　Monsieur
Felix；　whose　atheism　is　too　well　known。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　mademoiselle；　my　son　is　not　an　atheist；　for
Voltaire　himself　doubted　if　there　could　be　atheists；　and　no　later　than
yesterday；　in　this　house；　an　ecclesiastic；　as　admirable　for　his
talents　as　for　his　virtues；　after　making　a　magnificent　eulogy　of　my
son；　expressed　the　desire　to　know　him。〃

〃Parbleu！　yes；　to　convert　him；〃　said　Brigitte。　〃But　as　for　this
marriage；　I　am　sorry　to　tell　you　that　the　mustard　is　made　too　late　for
the　dinner；　Thuillier　will　never　renounce　his　la　Peyrade。〃

〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Phellion；　rising；　〃I　feel　no　humiliation　for　the
useless　step　I　have　this　day　taken；　I　do　not　even　ask　you　to　keep　it
secret；　for　I　shall　myself　mention　it　to　our　friends　and
acquaintances。〃

〃Tell　it　to　whom　you　like；　my　good　man；〃　replied　Brigitte；
acrimoniously。　〃Because　your　son　has　discovered　a　star；if；　indeed；
he　did　discover　it；　and　not　that　old　fool　the　government　decorateddo
you　expect　him　to　marry　a　daughter　of　the　King　of　the　French？〃

〃Enough；〃　said　Phellion；　〃we　will　say　no　more。　I　might　answer　that；
without　depreciating　the　Thuilliers；　the　Orleans　family　seems　to　me
more　distinguished；　but　I　do　not　like　to　introduce　acerbity　into　the
conversation；　and　therefore；　begging　you　to　receive　the　assurance　of
my　humble　respects；　I　retire。〃

So　saying；　he　made　his　exit　majestically；　and　left　Brigitte　with　the
arrow　of　his　comparison；　discharged　after　the　manner　of　the　Parthian
〃in　extremis；〃　sticking　in　her　mind；　and　she　herself　in　a　temper　all
the　more　savage　because　already；　the　evening　before；　Madame　Thuillier；
after　the　guests　were　gone；　had　the　incredible　audacity　to　say
something　in　favor　of　Felix。　Needless　to　relate　that　the　poor　helot
was　roughly　put　down　and　told　to　mind　her　own　business。　But　this
attempt　at　a　will　of　her　own　in　her　sister…in…law　had　already　put　the
old　maid　in　a　vile　humor；　and　Phellion；　coming　to　reopen　the　subject；
exasperated　her。　Josephine；　the　cook；　and　the　〃male　domestic；〃
received　the　after…clap　of　the　scene　which　had　just　taken　place。
Brigitte　found　that　in　her　absence　everything　had　been　done　wrong；　and
putting　her　own　hand　to　the　work；　she　hoisted　herself　on　a　chair；　at
the　risk　of　her　neck；　to　reach　the　upper　shelves　of　the　closet；　where
her　choicest　china；　for　gala　days；　was　carefully　kept　under　lock　and
key。

This　day；　which　for　Brigitte　began　so　ill；　was；　beyond　all　gainsaying；
one　of　the　stormiest　and　most　portentous　of　this　narrative。



CHAPTER　XIV

A　STORMY　DAY

As　an　exact　historian；　we　must　go　back　and　begin　the　day　at　six　in　the
morning；　when　we　can　see　Madame　Thuillier　going　to　the　Madeleine　to
hear　the　mass　that　the　Abbe　Gondrin　was　in　the　habit　of　saying　at　that
hour；　and　afterwards　approaching　the　holy　table；a　viaticum　which
pious　souls　never　fail　to　give　themselves　when　it　is　in　their　minds　to
accomplish　some　great　resolution。

About　mid…day　the　abbe　received　a　visit　in　his　own　home　from　Madame
Thuillier　and　Celeste。　The　poor　child　wanted　a　little　development　of
the　words　by　which　the　priest　had　given　security；　the　evening　before；
in　Brigitte's　salon；　for　the　eternal　welfare　of　Felix　Phellion。　It
seemed　strange　to　the　mind　of　this　girl…theologian　that；　without
practising　religion；　a　soul　could　be　received　into　grace　by　the　divine
justice；　for　surely　the　anathema　is　clear：　Out　of　the　Church　there　is
no　salvation。

〃My　dear　child；〃　said　the　Abbe　Gondrin；　〃learn　to　understand　that
saying　which　seems　to　you　so　inexplicable。　It　is　more　a　saying　of
thanksgiving　for　those　who　have　the　happiness　to　live　within　the　pale
of　our　holy　mother　the　Church　than　a　malediction　upon　those　who　have
the　misfortune　to　live　apart　from　her。　God　sees　to　the　depths　of　all
hearts；　He　knows　His　elect；　and　so　great　is　the　treasure　of　His
goodness　that　to　none　is　it　given　to　limit　its　riches　and　its
munificence。　Who　shall　dare　to　say　to　God：　Thou　wilt　be　generous　and
munificent　so　far　and　no　farther。　Jesus　Christ　forgave　the　woman　in
adultery；　and　on　the　cross　He　promised　heaven　to　a　thief；　in　order　to
prove　to　us　that　He　deals　with　men；　not　according　to　human　sentiments；
but　according　to　HIS　wisdom　and　HIS　mercy。　He　who　thinks　himself　a
Christian　may　be　in　the　eyes　of　God　an　idolator；　and　another　who　is
thought　a　pagan　may；　by　his　feelings　and　his　actions　be；　without　his
own　knowledge；　a　Christian。　Our　holy　religion　has　this　that　is　divine
about　it；　all　grandeur；　all　heroism　are　but　the　practice　of　its
precepts。　I　was　saying　yesterday　to　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade　that　pure
souls　must　be；　in　course　of　time；　its　inevitable　conquest。　It　is　all…
important　to　give　them　their　just　credit；　that　is　a　confidence　which
returns　great　dividends；　and；　besides；　charity　commands　it。〃

〃Ah！　my　God！〃　cried　Celeste；　〃to　learn　that　too　late！　I；　who　could
have　chosen　between　Felix　and　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade；　and　did　not　dare
to　follow　the　ideas　of　my　heart！　Oh！　Monsieur　l'abbe；　couldn't　you
speak　to　my　mother？　Your　advice　is　always　listened　to。〃

〃Impossible；　my　dear　child；〃　replied　the　vicar。　〃If　I　had　the
direction　of　Madame　Colleville's　conscience　I　might　perhaps　say　a
word；　but　we　are　so　often　accused　of　meddling　imprudently　in　family
matters！　Be　sure　that　my　intervention　here；　without　authority　or
right；　would　do　you　more　harm　than　good。　It　is　for　you　and　for　those
who　love　you；〃　he　added；　giving　a　look　to　Madame　Thuillier；　〃to　see　if
these　arrangements；　already　so　far　advanced；　could　be　changed　in　the
direction　of　your　wishes。〃

It　was　written　that　the　poor　child　was　to　drink　to　the　dregs　the　cup
she　had　herself　prepared　by　her　intolerance。　As　the　abbe　finished
speaking；　his　housekeeper　came　in　to　ask　if　he　would　receive　Monsieur
Felix　Phellion。　Thus；　like　the　Charter　of　1830；　Madame　de　Godollo's
officious　falsehood　was　turned　into　truth。

〃Go　this　way；〃　he　said　hastily；　showing　his　two　penitents　out　by　a
private　corridor。

Life　has　such　strange　encounters　that　it　does　sometimes　happen　that
the　same　form　of　proceeding　must　be　used　by　courtesans　and　by　the　men
of　God。

〃Monsieur　l'abbe；〃　said　Felix　to　the　young　vicar　as　soon　as　they　met；
〃I　have　heard　of　the　kind　manner　in　which　you　were　so　very　good　as　to
speak　of　me　in　Monsieur　Thuillier's　salon　last　night；　and　I　should
have　hastened　to　express　my　gratitude　if　another　interest　had　not
drawn　me　to　you。〃

The　Abbe　Gondrin　passed　hastily　over　the　compliments；　eager　to　know　in
what　way　he　could　be　useful　to　his　fellow…man。

〃With　an　intention　that　I　wish　to　think　kindly；〃　replied　Felix；　〃you
were　spoken　to　yesterday　about　the　state　of　my　soul。　Those　who　read　it
so　fluently　know　more　than　I　do　about　my　inner　being；　for；　during　the
last　few　days　I　have　felt　strange；　inexplicable　feelings　within　me。
Never　have　I　doubted　God；　but；　in　contact　with　that　infinitude　where
he　has　permitted　my　thought　to　follow　the　traces　of　his　work　I　seem　to
have　gathered　a　sense　of　him　less　vague；　more　immediate；　and　this　has
led　me　to　ask　myself　whether　an　honest　and　upright　life　is　the　only
homage　which　his　omnipotence　expects　of　me。　Nevertheless；　there　are
numberless　objections　rising　in　my　mind　against　the　worship　of　which
you　are　the　minister；　while　sensible　of　the　beauty　of　its　external
form　in　many　of　its　precepts　and　practices；　I　find　myself　deterred　by
my　reason。　I　shall　have　paid　dearly；　perhaps　by　the　happiness　of　my
whole　life；　for　the　slowness　and　want　of　vigor　which　I　have　shown　in
seeking　the　solution　of　my　doubts。　I　have　now　decided　to　search　to　the
bottom　of　them。　No　one　so　well　as　you；　Monsieur　l'abbe；　can　help　me　to
solve　them。　I　have　come　with　confidence　to　lay　them　before　you；　to　ask
you　to　listen　to　me；　to　answer　me；　and　to　tell　me　by　what　studies　I
can　pursue　the　search　for　light。　It　is　a　cruelly　afflicted　soul　that
appeals　to　you。　Is　not　that　a　good　ground　for　the　seed　of　your　word？〃

The　Abbe　Gondrin　eagerly　protested　the　joy　with　which；　notwithstanding
his　own　insufficiency；　he　would　undertake　to　reply　to　the　scruples　of
conscience　in　the　young　savant。　After　asking　him　for　a　place　in　his
friendship；　and　telling　him　to　come　at　certain　hours　for　conversation；
he　asked　him　to　read；　as　a　first　step；　the　〃Thoughts〃　of　Pascal。　A
natural　affinity；　on　the　side　of　science；　would；　he　believed；