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seems to me we have got enough of them as it is。〃
〃Bravo； Brigitte！〃 said Colleville； getting loose again； 〃you are
right； my girl； and I think； as you do； that the man who discovers a
new dish deserves better of humanity。〃
〃Colleville；〃 said Flavie； 〃I must say that your style of behavior is
in the worst taste。〃
〃My dear lady；〃 said the Abbe Gondrin； addressing Brigitte； 〃you might
be right if we were formed of matter only； and if； bound to our body；
there were not a soul with instincts and appetites that must be
satisfied。 Well； I think that this sense of the infinite which is
within us； and which we all try to satisfy each in our own way； is
marvellously well helped by the labors of astronomy； that reveal to us
from time to time new worlds which the hand of the Creator has put
into space。 The infinite in you has taken another course； this passion
for the comfort of those about you； this warm； devoted； ardent
affection which you feel for your brother； are equally the
manifestation of aspirations which have nothing material about them；
and which； in seeking their end and object； never think of asking；
'What good does that do？ what is the use of this？' Besides； I must
assure you that the stars are not as useless as you seem to think。
Without them how would navigators cross the sea？ They would be puzzled
to get you the vanilla with which you have flavored the delicious
cream I am now eating。 So； as Monsieur Colleville has perceived； there
is more affinity than you think between a dish and a star； no one
should be despised；neither an astronomer nor a good housekeeper〃
The abbe was here interrupted by the noise of a lively altercation in
the antechamber。
〃I tell you that I will go in；〃 said a loud voice。
〃No； monsieur； you shall not go in；〃 said another voice； that of the
man…servant。 〃The company are at table； I tell you； and nobody has the
right to force himself in。〃
Thuillier turned pale； ever since the seizure of his pamphlet； he
fancied all sudden arrivals meant the coming of the police。
Among the various social rules imparted to Brigitte by Madame de
Godollo； the one that most needed repeating was the injunction never；
as mistress of the house； to rise from the table until she gave the
signal for retiring。 But present circumstances appeared to warrant the
infraction of the rule。
〃I'll go and see what it is；〃 she said to Thuillier； whose anxiety she
noticed at once。 〃What IS the matter？〃 she said to the servant as soon
as she reached the scene of action。
〃Here's a gentleman who wants to come in； and says that no one is ever
dining at eight o'clock at night。〃
〃But who are you； monsieur？〃 said Brigitte； addressing an old man very
oddly dressed； whose eyes were protected by a green shade。
〃Madame； I am neither a beggar nor a vagabond；〃 replied the old man；
in stentorian tones； 〃my name is Picot； professor of mathematics。〃
〃Rue du Val…de…Grace？〃 asked Brigitte。
〃Yes； madame；No。 9； next to the print…shop。〃
〃Come in； monsieur； come in； we shall be only too happy to receive
you；〃 cried Thuillier； who； on hearing the name； had hurried out to
meet the savant。
〃Hein！ you scamp；〃 said the learned man； turning upon the man…servant；
who had retired； seeing that the matter was being settled amicably； 〃I
told you I should get in。〃
Pere Picot was a tall old man； with an angular； stern face； who；
despite the corrective of a blond wig with heavy curls； and that of
the pacific green shade we have already mentioned； expressed on his
large features； upon which the fury of study had produced a surface of
leaden pallor； a snappish and quarrelsome disposition。 Of this he had
already given proof before entering the dining…room； where every one
now rose to receive him。
His costume consisted of a huge frock…coat； something between a
paletot and a dressing…gown； between which an immense waistcoat of
iron…gray cloth； fastened from the throat to the pit of the stomach
with two rows of buttons； hussar fashion； formed a sort of buckler。
The trousers； though October was nearing its close； were made of black
lasting； and gave testimony to long service by the projection of a
darn on the otherwise polished surface covering the knees； the polish
being produced by the rubbing of the hands upon those parts。 But； in
broad daylight； the feature of the old savant's appearance which
struck the eye most vividly was a pair of Patagonian feet； imprisoned
in slippers of beaver cloth； the which； moulded upon the mountainous
elevations of gigantic bunions； made the spectator think；
involuntarily； of the back of a dromedary or an advanced case of
elephantiasis。
Once installed in a chair which was hastily brought for him； and the
company having returned to their places at table； the old man suddenly
burst out in thundering tones； amid the silence created by
curiosity：
〃Where is he；that rogue； that scamp？ Let him show himself； let him
dare to speak to me！〃
〃Who is it that offends you； my dear monsieur？〃 said Thuillier； in
conciliating accents； in which there was a slight tone of patronage。
〃A scamp whom I couldn't find in his own home； and they told me he was
here； in this house。 I'm in the apartment； I think； of Monsieur
Thuillier of the Council…general； place de la Madeleine； first story
above the entresol？〃
〃Precisely；〃 said Thuillier； 〃and allow me to add； monsieur； that you
are surrounded with the respect and sympathy of all。〃
〃And you will doubtless permit me to add；〃 said Minard； 〃that the
mayor of the arrondissement adjoining that which you inhabit
congratulates himself on being here in presence of Monsieur Picot；
THE Monsieur Picot； no doubt； who has just immortalized his name by
the discovery of a star！〃
〃Yes； monsieur；〃 replied the professor； elevating to a still higher
pitch the stentorian diapason of his voice； 〃I am Picot （Nepomucene）；
but I have not discovered a star； I don't concern myself with any such
fiddle…faddle； besides； my eyes are very weak； and that insolent young
fellow I have come here to find is making me ridiculous with such
talk。 I don't see him here； he is hiding himself； I know； he dares not
look me in the face。〃
〃Who is this person who annoys you？〃 asked several voices at once。
〃An unnatural pupil of mine；〃 replied the old mathematician； 〃a scamp；
but full of ideas； his name is Felix Phellion。〃
The name was received； as may well be imagined； with amazement。
Finding the situation amusing； Colleville and la Peyrade went off into
fits of laughter。
〃You laugh； fools！〃 cried the irate old man； rising。 〃Yes； come and
laugh within reach of my arm。〃
So saying； he brandished a thick stick with a white china handle；
which he used to guide himself； thereby nearly knocking over a
candelabrum on the dinner…table upon Madame Minard's head。
〃You are mistaken； monsieur；〃 cried Brigitte； springing forward and
seizing his arm。 〃Monsieur Felix is not here。 He will probably come
later to a reception we are about to give； but at present he has not
arrived。〃
〃They don't begin early； your receptions；〃 said the old man； 〃it is
past eight o'clock。 Well； as Monsieur Felix is coming later； you must
allow me to wait for him。 I believe you were eating your dinners；
don't let me disturb you。〃
And he went back peaceably to his chair。
〃As you permit it； monsieur；〃 said Brigitte； 〃we will continue； or； I
should say； finish dinner； for we are now at the dessert。 May I offer
you anything；a glass of champagne and a biscuit？〃
〃I am very willing； madame；〃 replied the intruder。 〃No one ever
refuses champagne； and I am always ready to eat between my meals； but
you dine very late。〃
A place was made for him at table between Colleville and Mademoiselle
Minard； and the former made it his business to fill the glass of his
new neighbor； before whom was placed a dish of small cakes。
〃Monsieur；〃 said la Peyrade in a cajoling tone； 〃you saw how surprised
we were to hear you complain of Monsieur Felix Phellion；so amiable；
so inoffensive a young man。 What has he done to you； that you should
feel so angry with him？〃
With his mouth full of cakes； which he was engulfing in quantities
that made Brigitte uneasy； the professor made a sign that he would
soon answer； then； having mistaken his glass and swallowed the
contents of Colleville's； he replied：
〃You ask what that insolent young man had done to me？ A rascally
thing； and not the first； either。 He knows that I cannot abide stars；
having very good reason to hate them； as you shall hear： In 1807；
being attached to the Bureau of Longitudes； I was part of the
scientific expedition sent to Spain； under the direction of my friend
and colleague； Jean…Baptiste Biot； to determine the arc of the
terrestrial meridian from Barcelona to the Balearic isles。 I was just
in the act of observing a star （perhaps the very one my rascally pupil
has discovered）； when suddenly； war having broken out between France
and Spain； the peasants； seeing me perched with a telescope on Monte
Galazzo； took it into their heads that I was making signals to the
enemy。 A mob of savages broke my instruments； and talked of stringing
me up。 They were just going to do it； w