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Celeste； Madame and Mademoiselle Minard and Minard junior； two of
Thuillier's colleagues in the Council…general； the notary Dupuis；
charged with the duty of drawing up the contract； and lastly； the Abbe
Gondrin； director of the consciences of Madame Thuillier and Celeste；
who was to give the nuptial blessing。
The latter was the former vicar of Saint…Jacques du Haut…Pas； whose
great refinement of manner and gift of preaching had induced the
archbishop to remove him from the humble parish where his career had
begun to the aristocratic church of the Madeleine。 Since Madame
Thuillier and Celeste had again become his parishioners； the young
abbe visited them occasionally； and Thuillier； who had gone to him to
explain； after his own fashion； the suitableness of the choice made
for Celeste in the person of la Peyrade （taking pains as he did so to
cast reflections on the religious opinions of Felix Phellion）； had
easily led him to contribute by his persuasive words to the
resignation of the victim。
When the time came to sit down to table three guests were missing；
two Minards； father and son； and the notary Dupuis。 The latter had
written a note to Thuillier in the morning； excusing himself from the
dinner； but saying that at nine o'clock precisely he would bring the
contract and place himself at the orders of Mademoiselle Thuillier。 As
for Julien Minard； his mother excused him as being confined to his
room with a sore…throat。 The absence of Minard senior remained
unexplained； but Madame Minard insisted that they should sit down to
table without him； which was done； Brigitte ordering that the soup be
kept hot for him； because in the bourgeois code of manners and customs
a dinner without soup is no dinner at all。
The repast was far from gay； and though the fare was better； the
vivacity and the warmth of the conversation was far； indeed； from that
of the famous improvised banquet at the time of the election to the
Council…general。 The gaps occasioned by the absence of three guests
may have been one reason； then Flavie was glum； she had had an
interview with la Peyrade in the afternoon which ended in tears；
Celeste； even if she had been content with the choice imposed on her；
would scarcely； as a matter of propriety； have seemed joyful； in fact；
she made no effort to brighten a sad face； and dared not look at her
godmother； whose own countenance gave the impression； if we may so
express it； of the long bleating of a sheep。 The poor girl seeing this
feared to exchange a look with her lest she might drive her to tears。
Thuillier now felt himself； on all sides； of such importance that he
was pompous and consequential； while Brigitte； uneasy out of her own
world； where she could lord it over every one without competition；
seemed constrained and embarrassed。
Colleville tried by a few jovialities to raise the temperature of the
assemblage； but the coarse salt of his witticisms had an effect； in
the atmosphere in which he produced them； of a loud laugh in a sick…
chamber； and a mute intimation from his wife； Thuillier； and la
Peyrade to BEHAVE HIMSELF put a stopper on his liveliness and
turbulent expansion。 It was somewhat remarkable that the gravest
member of the party； aided by Rabourdin； was the person who finally
warmed up the atmosphere。 The Abbe Gondrin； a man of a most refined
and cultivated mind； had； like every pure and well…ordered soul； a
fund of gentle gaiety which he was well able to communicate； and
liveliness was beginning to dawn upon the party when Minard entered
the room。
After making his excuses on the ground of important duties； the mayor
of the eleventh arrondissement； who was in the habit of taking the
lead in the conversation wherever he went； said； having swallowed a
few hasty mouthfuls：
〃Messieurs and mesdames； have you heard the great news？〃
〃No； what is it？〃 cried several voices at once。
〃The Academy of Sciences received； to…day； at its afternoon session；
the announcement of a vast discovery： the heavens possess a new star！〃
〃Tiens！〃 said Colleville； 〃that will help to replace the one that
Beranger thought was lost when he grieved （to that air of 'Octavie'）
over Chateaubriand's departure： 'Chateaubriand； why fly thy land？'〃
This quotation； which he sang； exasperated Flavie； and if the custom
had been for wives to sit next to their husbands； the former clarionet
of the Opera…Comique would not have escaped with a mere 〃Colleville！〃
imperiously calling him to order。
〃The point which gives this great astronomical event a special
interest on this occasion；〃 continued Minard； 〃is that the author of
the discovery is a denizen of the twelfth arrondissement； which many
of you still inhabit； or have inhabited。 But other points are striking
in this great scientific fact。 The Academy； on the reading of the
communication which announced it； was so convinced of the existence of
this star that a deputation was appointed to visit the domicile of the
modern Galileo and compliment him in the name of the whole body。 And
yet this star is not visible to either the eye or the telescope！ It is
only by the power of calculation and induction that its existence and
the place it occupies in the heavens have been proved in the most
irrefutable manner： 'There MUST be THERE a hitherto unknown star； I
cannot see it； but I am sure of it；'that is what this man of science
said to the Academy； whom he instantly convinced by his deductions。
And do you know； messieurs； who is this Christopher Columbus of a new
celestial world？ An old man； two…thirds blind； who has scarcely eyes
enough to walk in the street。〃
〃Wonderful！ Marvellous！ Admirable！〃 came from all sides。
〃What is the name of this learned man？〃 asked several voices。
〃Monsieur Picot； or； if you prefer it； pere Picot； for that is how
they call him in the rue du Val…de…Grace； where he lives。 He is simply
an old professor of mathematics； who has turned out several very fine
pupils；by the bye； Felix Phellion； whom we all know； studied under
him； and it was he who read； on behalf of his blind old master； the
communication to the Academy this afternoon。〃
Hearing that name； and remembering the promise Felix had made her to
lift her to the skies； which； as he said it； she had fancied a sign of
madness； Celeste looked at Madame Thuillier； whose face had taken a
sudden glow of animation； and seemed to say to her； 〃Courage； my
child！ all is not lost。〃
〃My dear Theodose；〃 said Thuillier； 〃Felix is coming here to…night；
you must take him aside and get him to give you a copy of that
communication； it would be a fine stroke of fortune for the 'Echo' to
be the first to publish it。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Minard； assuming the answer； 〃that would do good service
to the public； for the affair is going to make a great noise。 The
committee； not finding Monsieur Picot at home； went straight to the
Minister of Public Instruction； and the minister flew to the Tuileries
and saw the King； and the 'Messager' came out this eveningstrange to
say； so early that I could read it in my carriage as I drove along
with an announcement that Monsieur Picot is named Chevalier of the
Legion of honor； with a pension of eighteen hundred francs from the
fund devoted to the encouragement of science and letters。〃
〃Well；〃 said Thuillier； 〃there's one cross at least well bestowed。〃
〃But eighteen hundred francs for the pension seems to me rather
paltry；〃 said Dutocq。
〃So it does；〃 said Thuillier； 〃and all the more because that money
comes from the tax…payers； and； when one sees the taxes； as we do；
frittered away on court favorites〃
〃Eighteen hundred francs a year；〃 interrupted Minard； 〃is certainly
something； especially for savants； a class of people who are
accustomed to live on very little。〃
〃I think I have heard；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃that this very Monsieur
Picot leads a strange life； and that his family； who at first wanted
to shut him up as a lunatic； are now trying to have guardians
appointed over him。 They say he allows a servant…woman who keeps his
house to rob him of all he has。 Parbleu！ Thuillier； you know her； it
is that woman who came to the office the other day about some money in
Dupuis's hands。〃
〃Yes； yes； true；〃 said Thuillier； significantly； 〃you are right； I do
know her。〃
〃It is queer；〃 said Brigitte； seeing a chance to enforce the argument
she had used to Celeste； 〃that all these learned men are good for
nothing outside of their science； in their homes they have to be
treated like children。〃
〃That proves；〃 said the Abbe Gondrin； 〃the great absorption which
their studies give to their minds； and； at the same time； a simplicity
of nature which is very touching。〃
〃When they are not as obstinate as mules；〃 said Brigitte； hastily。
〃For myself； monsieur l'abbe； I must say that if I had had any idea of
marriage； a savant wouldn't have suited me at all。 What do they do；
these savants； anyhow？ Useless things most of the time。 You are all
admiring one who has discovered a star； but as long as we are in this
world what good is that to us？ For all the use we make of stars it
seems to me we have got enough of them as it is。〃
〃Bravo； Brigitte！〃 said Colleville； gettin