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man and he'll paddle in the slimiest puddle； he is hooking that little
Pron； and Pron is taking it all in； solely to get your little Celeste
for Felix Phellion。 Separate them； and in ten minutes they'll get
together again； and that young Minard will be growling round them like
an angry bulldog。〃
Felix； still under the strong emotion imparted to him by Celeste's
generous action and the cry that came from the girl's heart； though no
one but Madame Thuillier still thought of it； became inspired by one
of those ingenuous artfulnesses which are the honest charlatanism of
true love； but he was not to the manner born of it； and mathematics；
moreover； made him somewhat absent…minded。 He stationed himself near
Madame Thuillier； imagining that Madame Thuillier would attract
Celeste to her side。 This astute calculation succeeded all the better
because young Minard； who saw in Celeste nothing more than a 〃dot；〃
had no such sudden inspiration； and was drinking his coffee and
talking politics with Laudigeois； Monsieur Barniol； and Dutocq by
order of his father； who was thinking and planning for the general
election of the legislature in 1842。
〃Who wouldn't love Celeste？〃 said Felix to Madame Thuillier。
〃Little darling； no one in the world loves me as she does；〃 replied
the poor slave； with difficulty restraining her tears。
〃Ah！ madame； we both love you；〃 said the candid professor； sincerely。
〃What are you saying to each other？〃 asked Celeste； coming up。
〃My child；〃 said the pious woman； drawing her god…daughter down to her
and kissing her on the forehead。 〃He said that you both loved me。〃
〃Do not be angry with my presumption； mademoiselle。 Let me do all I
can to prove it；〃 murmured Felix。 〃Ah！ I cannot help it； I was made
this way； injustice revolts me to the soul！ Yes； the Saviour of men
was right to promise the future to the meek heart； to the slain lamb！
A man who did not love you； Celeste； must have adored you after that
sublime impulse of yours at table。 Ah； yes！ innocence alone can
console the martyr。 You are a kind young girl； you will be one of
those wives who make the glory and the happiness of a family。 Happy be
he whom you will choose！〃
〃Godmamma； with what eyes do you think Monsieur Felix sees me？〃
〃He appreciates you； my little angel； I shall pray to God for both of
you。〃
〃If you knew how happy I am that my father can do a service to
Monsieur Thuillier； and how I wish I could be useful to your
brother〃
〃In short；〃 said Celeste； laughing； 〃you love us all。〃
〃Well； yes；〃 replied Felix。
True love wraps itself in the mysteries of reserve； even in its
expression； it proves itself by itself； it does not feel the
necessity； as a false love does； of lighting a conflagration。 By an
observer （if such a being could have glided into the Thuillier salon）
a book might have been made in comparing the two scenes of love…
making； and in watching the enormous preparations of Theodose and the
simplicity of Felix： one was nature； the other was society；the true
and the false embodied。 Noticing her daughter glowing with happiness；
exhaling her soul through the pores of her face； and beautiful with
the beauty of a young girl gathering the first roses of an indirect
declaration； Flavie had an impulse of jealousy in her heart。 She came
across to Celeste and said in her ear：
〃You are not behaving well； my daughter； everybody is observing you；
you are compromising yourself by talking so long to Monsieur Felix
without knowing whether we approve of it。〃
〃But； mamma； my godmother is here。〃
〃Ah！ pardon me； dear friend；〃 said Madame Colleville； 〃I did not
notice you。〃
〃You do as others do；〃 said the poor nonentity。
That reply stung Madame Colleville； who regarded it as a barbed arrow。
She cast a haughty glance at Felix and said to Celeste； 〃Sit there； my
daughter；〃 seating herself at the same time beside Madame Thuillier
and pointing to a chair on the other side of her。
〃I will work myself to death；〃 said Felix to Madame Thuillier。 〃I'll
be a member of the Academy of Sciences； I'll make some great
discovery； and win her hand by force of fame。〃
〃Ah！〃 thought the poor woman to herself； 〃I ought to have had a
gentle； peaceful； learned man like that。 I might have slowly developed
in a life of quietness。 It was not thy will； O God！ but； I pray thee；
unite and bless these children； they are made for one another。〃
And she sat there； pensive； listening to the racket made by her
sister…in…lawa ten…horse power at workwho now； lending a hand to
her two servants； cleared the table； taking everything out of the
dining…room to accommodate the dancers； vociferating； like the captain
of a frigate on his quarter…deck when taking his ship into action：
〃Have you plenty of raspberry syrup？〃 〃Run out and buy some more
orgeat！〃 〃There's not enough glasses。 Where's the 'eau rougie'？ Take
those six bottles of 'vin ordinaire' and make more。 Mind that
Coffinet； the porter； doesn't get any。〃 〃Caroline； my girl； you are to
wait at the sideboard； you'll have tongue and ham to slice in case
they dance till morning。 But mind； no waste！ Keep an eye on
everything。 Pass me the broom； put more oil in those lamps； don't make
blunders。 Arrange the remains of the dessert so as to make a show on
the sideboard； ask my sister to come and help us。 I'm sure I don't
know what she's thinking about； that dawdle！ Heavens； how slow she is！
Here； take away these chairs； they'll want all the room they can get。〃
The salon was full of Barniols； Collevilles； Phellions； Laudigeois；
and many others whom the announcement of a dance at the Thuilliers'；
spread about in the Luxembourg between two and four in the afternoon；
the hour at which the bourgeoisie takes its walk； had drawn thither。
〃Are you ready； Brigitte？〃 said Colleville； bolting into the dining…
room； 〃it is nine o'clock； and they are packed as close as herrings in
the salon。 Cardot； his wife and son and daughter and future son…in…law
have just come； accompanied by that young Vinet； the whole faubourg
Saint Antoine is debouching。 Can't we move the piano in here？〃
Then he gave the signal； by tuning his clarionet； the joyous sounds of
which were greeted with huzzas from the salon。
It is useless to describe a ball of this kind。 The toilets； faces； and
conversations were all in keeping with one fact which will surely
suffice even the dullest imagination； they passed round； on tarnished
and discolored trays； common tumblers filled with wine； 〃eau rougie；〃
and 〃eau sucree。〃 The trays on which were glasses of orgeat and
glasses of syrup and water appeared only at long intervals。 There were
five card…tables and twenty…five players； and eighteen dancers of both
sexes。 At one o'clock in the morning； all presentMadame Thuillier；
Mademoiselle Brigitte； Madame Phellion； even Phellion himselfwere
dragged into the vivacities of a country…dance； vulgarly called 〃La
Boulangere；〃 in which Dutocq figured with a veil over his head； after
the manner of the Kabyl。 The servants who were waiting to escort their
masters home； and those of the household； were audience to this
performance； and after the interminable dance had lasted one whole
hour it was proposed to carry Brigitte in triumph when she gave the
announcement that supper was served。 This circumstance made her see
the necessity of hiding a dozen bottles of old burgundy。 In short； the
company had amused themselves so well； the matrons as well as the
young girls； that Thuillier found occasion to say：
〃Well； well； this morning we little thought we should have such a fete
to…night。〃
〃There's never more pleasure；〃 said the notary Cardot； 〃than in just
such improvised balls。 Don't talk to me of parties where everybody
stands on ceremony。〃
This opinion； we may remark； is a standing axiom among the
bourgeoisie。
〃Well； for my part；〃 said Madame Minard； 〃I prefer the dignified old
ways。〃
〃We didn't mean that for you； madame； your salon is the chosen haunt
of pleasure；〃 said Dutocq。
When 〃La Boulangere〃 came to an end； Theodose pulled Dutocq from the
sideboard where he was preparing to eat a slice of tongue； and said to
him：
〃Let us go； we must be at Cerizet's very early in the morning； we
ought both of us to think over that affair； it is not so easy to
manage as Cerizet seems to imagine。〃
〃Why not？〃 asked Dutocq； bringing his slice of tongue to eat in the
salon。
〃Don't you know the law？〃
〃I know enough of it to be aware of the dangers of the affair。 If that
notary wants the house and we filch it from him； there are means by
which he can recover it； he can put himself into the skin of a
registered creditor。 By the present legal system relating to
mortgages； when a house is sold at the request of creditors； if the
price obtained for it at auction is not enough to pay all debts； the
owners have the right to bid it in and hold it for a higher sum； now
the notary； seeing himself caught； may back out of the sale in that
way。〃
〃Well；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃it needs attention。〃
〃Very good；〃 replied Dutocq； 〃we'll go and see Cerizet。〃
These words； 〃go and see Cerizet；〃 were overheard by Minard； who was
following the two associates；