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sing with a voice； if they have one； but they don't sing after hearing
such a magnificent opera voice as that of Madame la comtesse。 For my
part； I readily excuse Celeste for not warbling to us one of her
sentimental little ditties。〃
〃Then it is well worth while；〃 said Flavie； leaving the group； 〃to
spend so much money on expensive masters who are good for nothing。〃
〃So；〃 said Colleville； resuming the conversation which the invasion of
Flavie had interrupted； 〃Felix no longer inhabits this earth； he lives
among the stars？〃
〃My dear and former colleague；〃 said Phellion； 〃I am； as you are；
annoyed with my son for neglecting； as he does； the oldest friends of
his family； and though the contemplation of those great luminous
bodies suspended in space by the hand of the Creator presents； in my
opinion； higher interest than it appears to have to your more eager
brain； I think that Felix； by not coming here to…night； as he promised
me he would； shows a want of propriety； about which； I can assure you
I shall speak my mind。〃
〃Science；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃is a fine thing； but it has；
unfortunately； the attribute of making bears and monomaniacs。〃
〃Not to mention；〃 said Celeste； 〃that it destroys all religious
sentiments。〃
〃You are mistaken there； my dear child；〃 said Madame de Godollo。
〃Pascal； who was himself a great example of the falseness of your
point of view； says； if I am not mistaken； that a little science draws
us from religion； but a great deal draws us back to it。〃
〃And yet； madame；〃 said Celeste； 〃every one admits that Monsieur Felix
is really very learned； when he helped my brother with his studies
nothing could be； so Francois told me； clearer or more comprehensible
than his explanations； and you see； yourself； he is not the more
religious for that。〃
〃I tell you； my dear child； that Monsieur Felix is not irreligious；
and with a little gentleness and patience nothing would be easier than
to bring him back。〃
〃Bring back a savant to the duties of religion！〃 exclaimed la Peyrade。
〃Really； madame； that seems to me very difficult。 These gentlemen put
the object of their studies before everything else。 Tell a
geometrician or a geologist； for example； that the Church demands；
imperatively； the sanctification of the Sabbath by the suspension of
all species of work； and they will shrug their shoulders； though God
Himself did not disdain to rest from His labors。〃
〃So that in not coming here this evening；〃 said Celeste； naively；
〃Monsieur Felix commits not only a fault against good manners； but a
sin。〃
〃But； my dearest；〃 said Madame de Godollo； 〃do you think that our
meeting here this evening to sing ballads and eat ices and say evil of
our neighborwhich is the customary habit of salonsis more pleasing
to God than to see a man of science in his observatory busied in
studying the magnificent secrets of His creation？〃
〃There's a time for all things；〃 said Celeste； 〃and； as Monsieur de la
Peyrade says； God Himself did not disdain to rest。〃
〃But； my love；〃 said Madame de Godollo； 〃God has time to do so； He is
eternal。〃
〃That；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃is one of the wittiest impieties ever
uttered； those are the reasons that the world's people put forth。 They
interpret and explain away the commands of God； even those that are
most explicit and imperative； they take them； leave them； or choose
among them； the free…thinker subjects them to his lordly revision； and
from free…thinking the distance is short to free actions。〃
During this harangue of the barrister Madame de Godollo had looked at
the clock； it then said half…past eleven。 The salon began to empty。
Only one card…table was still going on； Minard； Thuillier； and two of
the new acquaintances being the players。 Phellion had just quitted the
group with which he had so far been sitting； to join his wife； who was
talking with Brigitte in a corner； by the vehemence of his pantomimic
action it was easy to see that he was filled with some virtuous
indignation。 Everything seemed to show that all hope of seeing the
arrival of the tardy lover was decidedly over。
〃Monsieur；〃 said the countess to la Peyrade； 〃do you consider the
gentlemen attached to Saint…Jacques du Haut Pas in the rue des Postes
good Catholics？〃
〃Undoubtedly；〃 replied the barrister； 〃religion has no more loyal
supporters。〃
〃This morning；〃 continued the countess； 〃I had the happiness to be
received by Pere Anselme。 He is thought the model of all Christian
virtues； and yet the good father is a very learned mathematician。〃
〃I have not said； madame； that the two qualities were absolutely
incompatible。〃
〃But you did say that a true Christian could not attend to any species
of work on Sunday。 If so； Pere Anselme must be an unbeliever； for when
I was admitted to his room I found him standing before a blackboard
with a bit of chalk in his hand； busy with a problem which was； no
doubt； knotty； for the board was three…parts covered with algebraic
signs； and I must add that he did not seem to care for the scandal
this ought to cause； for he had with him an individual whom I am not
allowed to name； a younger man of science； of great promise； who was
sharing his profane occupation。〃
Celeste and Madame Thuillier looked at each other； and both saw a
gleam of hope in the other's eyes。
〃Why can't you tell us the name of that young man of science？〃 Madame
Thuillier ventured to say； for she never put any diplomacy into the
expression of her thoughts。
〃Because he has not； like Pere Anselme； the saintliness which would
absolve him in the eyes of monsieur here for this flagrant violation
of the Sabbath。 Besides；〃 added Madame de Godollo； in a significant
manner； 〃he asked me not to mention that I had met him there。〃
〃Then you know a good many scientific young men？〃 said Celeste；
interrogatively； 〃this one and Monsieur Felixthat makes two。〃
〃My dear love；〃 said the countess； 〃you are an inquisitive little
girl； and you will not make me say what I do not choose to say；
especially after a confidence that Pere Anselme made to me； for if I
did； your imagination would at once set off at a gallop。〃
The gallop had already started； and every word the countess said only
added to the anxious eagerness of the young girl。
〃As for me；〃 said la Peyrade； sarcastically； 〃I shouldn't be at all
surprised if Pere Anselme's young collaborator was that very Felix
Phellion。 Voltaire always kept very close relations with the Jesuits
who brought him up； but he never talked religion with them。〃
〃Well； my young savant does talk of it to his venerable brother in
science； he submits his doubts to him； in fact； that was the beginning
of their scientific intimacy。〃
〃And does Pere Anselme；〃 asked Celeste； 〃hope to convert him？〃
〃He is sure of it；〃 replied the countess。 〃His young collaborator；
apart from a religious education which he certainly never had； has
been brought up to the highest principles； he knows； moreover； that
his conversion to religion would make the happiness of a charming girl
whom he loves； and who loves him。 Now； my dear； you will not get
another word out of me； and you may think what you like。〃
〃Oh！ godmother！〃 whispered Celeste； yielding to the freshness of her
feelings； 〃suppose it were he！〃
And the tears filled her eyes as she pressed Madame Thuillier's hand。
At this moment the servant threw open the door of the salon； and；
singular complication！ announced Monsieur Felix Phellion。
The young professor entered the room； bathed in perspiration； his
cravat in disorder； and himself out of breath。
〃A pretty hour；〃 said Phellion； sternly； 〃to present yourself。〃
〃Father；〃 said Felix； moving to the side of the room where Madame
Thuillier and Celeste were seated； 〃I could not leave before the end
of the phenomenon； and then I couldn't find a carriage； and I have run
the whole way。〃
〃Your ears ought to have burned as you came；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃for
you have been for the last half…hour in the minds of these ladies； and
a great problem has been started about you。〃
Felix did not answer。 He saw Brigitte entering the salon from the
dining…room where she had gone to tell the man…servant not to bring in
more trays； and he hurried to greet her。
After listening to a few reproaches for the rarity of his visits and
receiving forgiveness in a very cordial 〃Better late than never；〃 he
turned towards his pole； and was much astonished to hear himself
addressed by Madame de Godollo as follows：
〃Monsieur；〃 she said； 〃I hope you will pardon the indiscretion I have；
in the heat of conversation； committed about you。 I have told these
ladies where I met you this morning。〃
〃Met me？〃 said Felix； 〃if I had the honor to meet you； madame； I did
not see you。〃
An almost imperceptible smile flickered on la Peyrade's lips。
〃You saw me well enough to ask me to keep silence as to where I had
met you； but； at any rate； I did not go beyond a simple statement； I
said you saw Pere Anselme sometimes； and had certain scientific
relations with him； also that you defended your religious doubts to
him as you do to Celeste。〃
〃Pere Anselme！〃 said Felix； stupidly。
〃Yes； Pere Anselme；〃 said la P