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appear； at first sight； ordinary； so natural is it； even on the
highest subjects。 Many peasant…women hold their children as the famous
Madonna in the Dresden gallery holds hers。 Well； the height of art in
a man of la Peyrade's force was to oblige others to say of him later：
〃Everybody would have been taken in by him。〃
Now； in the salon Thuillier； he noted a dawning opposition； he
perceived in Colleville the somewhat clear…sighted and criticising
nature of an artist who has missed his vocation。 The barrister felt
himself displeasing to Colleville； who （as the result of circumstances
not necessary to here report） considered himself justified in
believing in the science of anagrams。 None of this anagrams had ever
failed。 The clerks in the government office had laughed at him when；
demanding an anagram on the name of the poor helpless Auguste…Jean…
Francois Minard； he had produced； 〃J'amassai une si grande fortune〃；
and the event had justified him after the lapse of ten years！
Theodose； on several occasions； had made advances to the jovial
secretary of the mayor's office； and had felt himself rebuffed by a
coldness which was not natural in so sociable a man。 When the game of
bouillotte came to an end； Colleville seized the moment to draw
Thuillier into the recess of a window and say to him：
〃You are letting that lawyer get too much foothold in your house； he
kept the ball in his own hands all the evening。〃
〃Thank you； my friend； forewarned is forearmed；〃 replied Thuillier；
inwardly scoffing at Colleville。
Theodose； who was talking at the moment to Madame Colleville； had his
eye on the two men； and； with the same prescience by which women know
when and how they are spoken of； he perceived that Colleville was
trying to injure him in the mind of the weak and silly Thuillier。
〃Madame；〃 he said in Flavie's ear； 〃if any one here is capable of
appreciating you it is certainly I。 You seem to me a pearl dropped
into the mire。 You say you are forty…two； but a woman is no older than
she looks； and many women of thirty would be thankful to have your
figure and that noble countenance； where love has passed without ever
filling the void in your heart。 You have given yourself to God； I
know； and I have too much religion myself to regret it； but I also
know that you have done so because no human being has proved worthy of
you。 You have been loved； but you have never been adoredI have
divined that。 There is your husband； who has not known how to please
you in a position in keeping with your deserts。 He dislikes me； as if
he thought I loved you； and he prevents me from telling you of a way
that I think I have found to place you in the sphere for which you
were destined。 No； madame；〃 he continued； rising； 〃the Abbe Gondrin
will not preach this year through Lent at our humble Saint…Jacques du
Haut…Pas； the preacher will be Monsieur d'Estival； a compatriot of
mine； and you will hear in him one of the most impressive speakers
that I have ever known；a priest whose outward appearance is not
agreeable； but； oh！ what a soul！〃
〃Then my desire will be gratified；〃 said poor Madame Thuillier。 〃I
have never yet been able to understand a famous preacher。〃
A smile flickered on the lips of Mademoiselle Thuillier and several
others who heard the remark。
〃They devote themselves too much to theological demonstration；〃 said
Theodose。 〃I have long thought so myselfbut I never talk religion；
if it had not been for Madame DE Colleville； I〃
〃Are there demonstrations in theology？〃 asked the professor of
mathematics； naively； plunging headlong into the conversation。
〃I think； monsieur；〃 replied Theodose； looking straight at Felix
Phellion； 〃that you cannot be serious in asking me such a question。〃
〃Felix；〃 said old Phellion； coming heavily to the rescue of his son；
and catching a distressed look on the pale face of Madame Thuillier；
〃Felix separates religion into two categories； he considers it from
the human point of view and the divine point of view；tradition and
reason。〃
〃That is heresy； monsieur；〃 replied Theodose。 〃Religion is one； it
requires； above all things； faith。〃
Old Phellion； nonplussed by that remark； nodded to his wife：
〃It is getting late； my dear；〃 and he pointed to the clock。
〃Oh； Monsieur Felix；〃 said Celeste in a whisper to the candid
mathematician； 〃Couldn't you be； like Pascal and Bossuet； learned and
pious both？〃
The Phellions； on departing； carried the Collevilles with them。 Soon
no one remained in the salon but Dutocq； Theodose； and the Thuilliers。
The flattery administered by Theodose to Flavie seems at the first
sight coarsely commonplace； but we must here remark； in the interests
of this history； that the barrister was keeping himself as close as
possible to these vulgar minds； he was navigating their waters； he
spoke their language。 His painter was Pierre Grassou； and not Joseph
Bridau； his book was 〃Paul and Virginia。〃 The greatest living poet for
him was Casimire de la Vigne； to his eyes the mission of art was；
above all things； utility。 Parmentier； the discoverer of the potato；
was greater to him that thirty Raffaelles； the man in the blue cloak
seemed to him a sister of charity。 These were Thuillier's expressions；
and Theodose remembered them allon occasion。
〃That young Felix Phellion；〃 he now remarked； 〃is precisely the
academical man of our day； the product of knowledge which sends God to
the rear。 Heavens； what are we coming to？ Religion alone can save
France； nothing but the fear of hell will preserve us from domestic
robbery； which is going on at all hours in the bosom of families； and
eating into the surest fortunes。 All of you have a secret warfare in
your homes。〃
After this shrewd tirade； which made a great impression upon Brigitte；
he retired； followed by Dutocq； after wishing good evening to the
three Thuilliers。
〃That young man has great capacity；〃 said Thuillier； sententiously。
〃Yes； that he has；〃 replied Brigitte； extinguishing the lamps。
〃He has religion；〃 said Madame Thuillier； as she left the room。
〃Monsieur；〃 Phellion was saying to Colleville as they came abreast of
the Ecole de Mines； looking about him to see that no one was near； 〃it
is usually my custom to submit my insight to that of others； but it is
impossible for me not to think that that young lawyer plays the master
at our friend Thuillier's。〃
〃My own opinion；〃 said Colleville； who was walking with Phellion
behind his wife； Madame Phellion； and Celeste； 〃is that he's a Jesuit；
and I don't like Jesuits； the best of them are no good。 To my mind a
Jesuit means knavery； and knavery for knavery's sake； they deceive for
the pleasure of deceiving； and； as the saying is； to keep their hand
in。 That's my opinion； and I don't mince it。〃
〃I understand you； monsieur；〃 said Phellion； who was arm…in…arm with
Colleville。
〃No； Monsieur Phellion；〃 remarked Flavie in a shrill voice； 〃you don't
understand Colleville； but I know what he means； and I think he had
better stop saying it。 Such subjects are not to be talked of in the
street； at eleven o'clock at night； and before a young lady。〃
〃You are right； wife；〃 said Colleville。
When they reached the rue des Deux…Eglises； which Phellion was to
take； they all stopped to say good…night； and Felix Phellion； who was
bring up the rear； said to Colleville：
〃Monsieur； your son Francois could enter the Ecole Polytechnique if he
were well…coached； I propose to you to fit him to pass the
examinations this year。〃
〃That's an offer not to be refused！ Thank you； my friend；〃 said
Colleville。 〃We'll see about it。〃
〃Good！〃 said Phellion to his son； as they walked on。
〃Not a bad stroke！〃 said the mother。
〃What do you mean by that？〃 asked Felix。
〃You are very cleverly paying court to Celeste's parents。〃
〃May I never find the solution of my problem if I even thought of it！〃
cried the young professor。 〃I discovered； when talking with the little
Collevilles； that Francois has a strong turn for mathematics； and I
thought I ought to enlighten his father。〃
〃Good； my son！〃 repeated Phellion。 〃I wouldn't have you otherwise。 My
prayers are granted！ I have a son whose honor； probity； and private
and civic virtues are all that I could wish。〃
Madame Colleville； as soon as Celeste had gone to bed； said to her
husband：
〃Colleville； don't utter those blunt opinions about people without
knowing something about them。 When you talk of Jesuits I know you mean
priests； and I wish you would do me the kindness to keep your opinions
on religion to yourself when you are in company with your daughter。 We
may sacrifice our own souls； but not the souls of our children。 You
don't want Celeste to be a creature without religion？ And remember； my
dear； that we are at the mercy of others； we have four children to
provide for； and how do you know that； some day or other； you may not
need the services of this one or that one？ Therefore don't make
enemies。 You haven't any now； for you are a good…natured fellow； and；
thanks to that quality； which amounts in you to a charm； we have got
along pretty well in life； so far。〃
〃That's enough！〃 said Colleville； flinging his coat on a chair