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tenderest and most virtuous of mothers； will grant me a little place
in her esteem； I shall count myself more than repaid for my trouble。〃
Madame Phellion plunged headlong into a responsive compliment； and the
countess； in her carriage； was at some distance from the house before
Phellion had ceased to offer her his most respectful salutations。
As the Latin…quarter element in Brigitte's salon became more rare and
less assiduous； a livelier Paris began to infiltrate it。 Among his
colleagues in the municipal council and among the upper employees of
the prefecture of the Seine； the new councillor had made several very
important recruits。 The mayor； and the deputy mayors of the
arrondissement； on whom； after his removal to the Madeleine quarter；
Thuillier had called； hastened to return the civility； and the same
thing happened with the superior officers of the first legion。 The
house itself had produced a contingent； and several of the new tenants
contributed； by their presence； to change the aspect of the dominical
meetings。 Among the number we must mention Rabourdin ＇see
〃Bureaucracy〃＇； the former head of Thuillier's office at the ministry
of finance。 Having had the misfortune to lose his wife； whose salon；
at an earlier period； checkmated that of Madame Colleville； Rabourdin
occupied as a bachelor the third floor； above the apartment let to
Cardot； the notary。 As the result of an odious slight to his just
claims； Rabourdin had voluntarily resigned his public functions。 At
this time； when he again met Thuillier； he was director of one of
those numerous projected railways； the construction of which is always
delayed by either parliamentary rivalry or parliamentary indecision。
Let us say； in passing； that the meeting with this able administrator；
now become an important personage in the financial world； was an
occasion to the worthy and honest Phellion to display once more his
noble character。 At the time of the resignation to which Rabourdin had
felt himself driven； Phellion alone； of all the clerks in the office；
had stood by him in his misfortunes。 Being now in a position to bestow
a great number of places； Rabourdin； on meeting once more his faithful
subordinate； hastened to offer him a position both easy and lucrative。
〃Mossieu；〃 said Phellion； 〃your benevolence touches me and honors me；
but my frankness owes you an avowal； which I beg you not to take in
ill part： I do not believe in 'railways；' as the English call them。〃
〃That's an opinion to which you have every right；〃 said Rabourdin；
smiling； 〃but； meanwhile； until the contrary is proved； we pay the
employees in our office well； and I should be glad to have you with me
in that capacity。 I know by experience that you are a man on whom I
can count。〃
〃Mossieu；〃 returned the great citizen； 〃I did my duty at that time；
and nothing more。 As for the offer you have been so good as to make to
me； I cannot accept it； satisfied with my humble fortunes； I feel
neither the need nor the desire to re…enter an administrative career；
and； in common with the Latin poet； I may say； 'Claudite jam rivos；
pueri； sat prata biberunt。'〃
Thus elevated in the character of its habitues； the salon Thuillier
still needed a new element of life。 Thanks to the help of Madame de
Godollo； a born organizer； who successfully put to profit the former
connection of Colleville with the musical world； a few artists came to
make diversion from bouillotte and boston。 Old…fashioned and
venerable； those two games were forced to beat a retreat before whist；
the only manner； said the Hungarian countess； in which respectable
people can kill time。
Like Louis XVI。； who began by putting his own hand to reforms which
subsequently engulfed his throne； Brigitte had encouraged； at first；
this domestic revolution； the need of sustaining her position suitably
in the new quarter to which she had emigrated had made her docile to
all suggestions of comfort and elegance。 But the day on which occurred
the scene we are about to witness； an apparently trivial detail had
revealed to her the danger of the declivity on which she stood。 The
greater number of the new guests； recently imported by Thuillier； knew
nothing of his sister's supremacy in his home。 On arrival； therefore；
they all asked Thuillier to present them to MADAME； and； naturally；
Thuillier could not say to them that his wife was a figure…head who
groaned under the iron hand of a Richelieu； to whom the whole
household bent the knee。 It was therefore not until the first homage
rendered to the sovereign 〃de jure〃 was paid； that the new…comers were
led up to Brigitte； and by reason of the stiffness which displeasure
at this misplacement of power gave to her greeting they were scarcely
encouraged to pay her any further attentions。 Quick to perceive this
species of overthrow； Queen Elizabeth said to herself； with that
profound instinct of domination which was her ruling passion：
〃If I don't take care I shall soon be nobody in this house。〃
Burrowing into that idea； she came to think that if the project of
making a common household with la Peyrade； then Celeste's husband；
were carried out； the situation which was beginning to alarm her would
become even worse。 From that moment； and by sudden intuition； Felix
Phellion； that good young man； with his head too full of mathematics
ever to become a formidable rival to her sovereignty； seemed to her a
far better match than the enterprising lawyer； and she was the first；
on seeing the Phellion father and mother arrive without the son； to
express regret at his absence。 Brigitte； however； was not the only one
to feel the injury that the luckless professor was doing to his
prospects in thus keeping away from her reception。 Madame Thuillier；
with simple candor； and Celeste with feigned reserve； both made
manifest their displeasure。 As for Madame de Godollo； who； in spite of
a very remarkable voice； usually required much pressing before she
would sing （the piano having been opened since her reign began）； she
now went up to Madame Phellion and asked her to accompany her； and
between two verses of a song she said in her ear：
〃Why isn't your son here？〃
〃He is coming；〃 said Madame Phellion。 〃His father talked to him very
decidedly； but to…night there happens to be a conjunction of I don't
know what planets； it is a great night at the Observatory； and he did
not feel willing to dispense with〃
〃It is inconceivable that a man should be so foolish！〃 exclaimed
Madame de Godollo； 〃wasn't theology bad enough； that he must needs
bring in astronomy too？〃
And her vexation gave to her voice so vibrating a tone that her song
ended in the midst of what the English call a thunder of applause。 La
Peyrade； who feared her extremely； was not one of the last； when she
returned to her place； to approach her； and express his admiration；
but she received his compliments with a coldness so near to incivility
that their mutual hostility was greatly increased。 La Peyrade turned
away to console himself with Madame Colleville； who had still too many
pretensions to beauty not to be the enemy of a woman made to intercept
all homage。
〃So you also； you think that woman sings well？〃 she said；
contemptuously； to Theodose。
〃At any rate； I have been to tell her so；〃 replied la Peyrade；
〃because without her； in regard to Brigitte； there's no security。 But
do just look at your Celeste； her eyes never leave that door； and
every time a tray is brought in； though it is an hour at least since
the last guest came； her face expresses disappointment。〃
We must remark； in passing； that since the reign of Madame de Godollo
trays were passed round on the Sunday reception days； and that without
scrimping； on the contrary； they were laden with ices； cakes； and
syrups； from Taurade's； then the best confectioner。
〃Don't harass me！〃 cried Flavie。 〃I know very well what that foolish
girl has in her mind； and your marriage will take place only too
soon。〃
〃But you know it is not for myself I make it；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃it is
a necessity for the future of all of us。 Come； come； there are tears
in your eyes！ I shall leave you； you are not reasonable。 The devil！ as
that Prudhomme of a Phellion says； 'Whoso wants the end wants the
means。'〃
And he went toward the group composed of Celeste； Madame Thuillier；
Madame de Godollo； Colleville； and Phellion。 Madame Colleville
followed him； and； under the influence of the feeling of jealousy she
had just shown； she became a savage mother。
〃Celeste；〃 she said； 〃why don't you sing？ These gentlemen wish to hear
you。〃
〃Oh； mamma！〃 cried the girl； 〃how can I sing after Madame de Godollo；
with my poor thread of a voice？ Besides； you know I have a cold。〃
〃That is to say that； as usual； you make yourself pretentious and
disagreeable； people sing as they can sing； all voices have their own
merits。〃
〃My dear；〃 said Colleville； who； having just lost twenty francs at the
card…tables； found courage in his ill…humor to oppose his wife； 〃that
saying； 'People sing as they can sing' is a bourgeois maxim。 People
sing with a voice； if they have one； but they don't sing after hearing
such a magnificent opera voi