penguin island-第33章

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monk；　that　the　devil；　assuming　a　monk's　form　had　carried　off　the　saint　to　a　cave　and　had　there　striven　with　her　until　she　overcame　him。　Neither　places　nor　dates　caused　them　any　embarrassment。　They　paid　no　heed　to　exegesis　and　took　good　care　not　to　grant　as　much　to　science　as　Canon　Princeteau　had　formerly　conceded。　They　knew　too　well　whither　that　would　lead。

The　church　shone　with　lights　and　flowers。　An　operatic　tenor　sang　the　famous　canticle　of　St。　Orberosia：

　　　　Virgin　of　Paradise　　　　　Come；　come　in　the　dusky　night　　　　　And　on　us　shed　　　　　Thy　beams　of　light。

Mademoiselle　Clarence　sat　beside　her　mother　and　in　front　of　Viscount　Clena。　She　remained　kneeling　during　a　considerable　time；　for　the　attitude　of　prayer　is　natural　to　discreet　virgins　and　it　shows　off　their　figures。

The　Reverend　Father　Douillard　ascended　the　pulpit。　He　was　a　powerful　orator　and　could；　at　once　melt；　surprise；　and　rouse　his　hearers。　Women　complained　only　that　he　fulminated　against　vice　with　excessive　harshness　and　in　crude　terms　that　made　them　blush。　But　they　liked　him　none　the　less　for　it。

He　treated　in　his　sermon　of　the　seventh　trial　of　St。　Orberosia；　who　was　tempted　by　the　dragon　which　she　went　forth　to　combat。　But　she　did　not　yield；　and　she　disarmed　the　monster。　The　orator　demonstrated　without　difficulty　that　we；　also；　by　the　aid　of　St。　Orberosia；　and　strong　in　the　virtue　which　she　inspires；　can　in　our　turn　overthrow　the　dragons　that　dart　upon　us　and　are　waiting　to　devour　us；　the　dragon　of　doubt；　the　dragon　of　impiety；　the　dragon　of　forgetfulness　of　religious　duties。　He　proved　that　the　charity　of　St。　Orberosia　was　a　work　of　social　regeneration；　and　he　concluded　by　an　ardent　appeal　to　the　faithful　〃to　become　instruments　of　the　Divine　mercy；　eager　upholders　and　supporters　of　the　charity　of　St。　Orberosia；　and　to　furnish　it　with　all　the　means　which　it　required　to　take　its　flight　and　bear　its　salutary　fruits。〃　*

*　Cf。　J。　Ernest　Charles　in　the　〃Censeur；〃　May…August；　1907；　p。　562；　col。　2。


After　the　ceremony；　the　Reverend　Father　Douillard　remained　in　the　sacristy　at　the　disposal　of　those　of　the　faithful　who　desired　information　concerning　the　charity；　or　who　wished　to　bring　their　contributions。　Mademoiselle　Clarence　wished　to　speak　to　Father　Douillard；　so　did　Viscount　Clena。　The　crowd　was　large；　and　a　queue　was　formed。　By　chance　Viscount　Clena　and　Mademoiselle　Clarence　were　side　by　side　and　possibly　they　were　squeezed　a　little　closely　to　each　other　by　the　crowd。　Eveline　had　noticed　this　fashionable　young　man；　who　was　almost　as　well　known　as　his　father　in　the　world　of　sport。　Clena　had　noticed　her；　and；　as　he　thought　her　pretty；　he　bowed　to　her；　then　apologised　and　pretended　to　believe　that　he　had　been　introduced　to　the　ladies；　but　could　not　remember　where。　They　pretended　to　believe　it　also。

He　presented　himself　the　following　week　at　Madame　Clarence's；　thinking　that　her　house　was　a　bit　fasta　thing　not　likely　to　displease　himand　when　he　saw　Eveline　again　he　felt　he　had　not　been　mistaken　and　that　she　was　an　extremely　pretty　girl。

Viscount　Clena　had　the　finest　motor…car　in　Europe。　For　three　months　he　drove　the　Clarences　every　day　over　hills　and　plains；　through　woods　and　valleys；　they　visited　famous　sites　and　went　over　celebrated　castles。　He　said　to　Eveline　all　that　could　be　said　and　did　all　that　could　be　done　to　overcome　her　resistance。　She　did　not　conceal　from　him　that　she　loved　him；　that　she　would　always　love　him；　and　love　no　one　but　him。　She　remained　grave　and　trembling　by　his　side。　To　his　devouring　passion　she　opposed　the　invincible　defence　of　a　virtue　conscious　of　its　danger。　At　the　end　of　three　months；　after　having　gone　uphill　and　down　hill；　turned　sharp　corners；　and　negotiated　level　crossings；　and　experienced　innumerable　break…downs；　he　knew　her　as　well　as　he　knew　the　fly…wheel　of　his　car；　but　not　much　better。　He　employed　surprises；　adventures；　sudden　stoppages　in　the　depths　of　forests　and　before　hotels；　but　he　had　advanced　no　farther。　He　said　to　himself　that　it　was　absurd；　then；　taking　her　again　in　his　car　he　set　off　at　fifty　miles　an　hour　quite　prepared　to　upset　her　in　a　ditch　or　to　smash　himself　and　her　against　a　tree。

One　day；　having　come　to　take　her　on　some　excursion；　he　found　her　more　charming　than　ever；　and　more　provoking。　He　darted　upon　her　as　a　storm　falls　upon　the　reeds　that　border　a　lake。　She　bent　with　adorable　weakness　beneath　the　breath　of　the　storm；　and　twenty　times　was　almost　carried　away　by　its　strength；　but　twenty　times　she　arose；　supple　and；　bowing　to　the　wind。　After　all　these　shocks　one　would　have　said　that　a　light　breeze　had　barely　touched　her　charming　stem；　she　smiled　as　if　ready　to　be　plucked　by　a　bold　hand。　Then　her　unhappy　aggressor；　desperate；　enraged；　and　three　parts　mad；　fled　so　as　not　to　kill　her；　mistook　the　door；　went　into　the　bedroom　of　Madame　Clarence；　whom　he　found　putting　on　her　hat　in　front　of　a　wardrobe；　seized　her；　flung　her　on　the　bed；　and　possessed　her　before　she　knew　what　had　happened。

The　same　day　Eveline；　who　had　been　making　inquiries；　learned　that　Viscount　Clena　had　nothing　but　debts；　lived　on　money　given　him　by　an　elderly　lady；　and　promoted　the　sale　of　the　latest　models　of　a　motor…car　manufacturer。　They　separated　with　common　accord　and　Eveline　began　again　disdainfully　to　serve　tea　to　her　mother's　guests。



III。　HIPPOLYTE　CERES

In　Madame　Clarence's　drawing…room　the　conversation　turned　upon　love；　and　many　charming　things　were　said　about　it。

〃Love　is　a　sacrifice；〃　sighed　Madame　Cremeur。

〃I　agree　with　you；〃　replied　M。　Boutourle　with　animation。

But　Professor　Haddock　soon　displayed　his　fastidious　insolence。

〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　Penguin　ladies　have　made　a　great　fuss　since；　through　St。　Mael's　agency；　they　became　viviparous。　But　there　is　nothing　to　be　particularly　proud　of　in　that；　for　it　is　a　state　they　share　in　common　with　cows　and　pigs；　and　even　with　orange　and　lemon　trees；　for　the　seeds　of　these　plants　germinate　in　the　pericarp。〃

〃The　self…importance　which　the　Penguin　ladies　give　themselves　does　not　go　so　far　back　as　that；〃　answered　M。　Boutourle。　〃It　dates　from　the　day　when　the　holy　apostle　gave　them　clothes。　But　this　self…importance　was　long　kept　in　restraint；　and　displayed　itself　fully　only　with　increased　luxury　of　dress　and　in　a　small　section　of　society。　For　go　only　two　leagues　from　Alca　into　the　country　at　harvest　time；　and　you　will　see　whether　women　are　over…precise　or　self…important。〃

On　that　day　M。　Hippolyte　Ceres　paid　his　first　call。　He　was　a　Deputy　of　Alca；　and　one　of　the　youngest　members　of　the　House。　His　father　was　said　to　have　kept　a　dram　shop；　but　he　himself　was　a　lawyer　of　robust　physique；　a　good　though　prolix　speaker；　with　a　self…important　air　and　a　reputation　for　ability。

〃M。　Ceres；〃　said　the　mistress　of　the　house；　〃your　constituency　is　one　of　the　finest　in　Alca。〃

〃And　there　are　fresh　improvements　made　in　it　every　day；　Madame。〃

〃Unfortunately；　it　is　impossible　to　take　a　stroll　through　it　any　longer；〃　said　M。　Boutourle。

〃Why？〃　asked　M。　Ceres。

〃On　account　of　the　motors；　of　course。〃

〃Do　not　give　them　a　bad　name；〃　answered　the　Deputy。　〃They　are　our　great　national　industry。〃

〃I　know。　The　Penguins　of　to…day　make　me　think　of　the　ancient　Egyptians。　According　to　Clement　of　Alexandria；　Taine　tells　usthough　he　misquotes　the　textthe　Egyptians　worshipped　the　crocodiles　that　devoured　them。　The　Penguins　to…day　worship　the　motors　that　crush　them。　Without　a　doubt　the　future　belongs　to　the　metal　beast。　We　are　no　more　likely　to　go　back　to　cabs　than　we　are　to　go　back　to　the　diligence。　And　the　long　martyrdom　of　the　horse　will　come　to　an　end。　The　motor；　which　the　frenzied　cupidity　of　manufacturers　hurls　like　a　juggernaut's　car　upon　the　bewildered　people　and　of　which　the　idle　and　fashionable　make　a　foolish　though　fatal　elegance；　will　soon　begin　to　perform　its　true　function；　and　putting　its　strength　at　the　service　of　the　entire　people；　will　behave　like　a　docile；　toiling　monster。　But　in　order　that　the　motor　may　cease　to　be　injurious　and　become　beneficent　we　must　build　roads　suited　to　its　speed；　roads　which　it　cannot　tear　up　with　its　ferocious　tyres；　and　from　which　it　will　send　no　clouds　of　poisonous　dust　into　human　lungs。　We　ought　not　to　allow　slower　vehicles　or　mere　animals　to　go　upon　those　roads；　and　we　should　establish　garages　upon　them　and　foot…bridges　over　them；　and　so　create　order　and　harmony　among　the　means　of　communication　of　the　future。　That　is　the　wish　of　every　good　citizen。〃

Madame　Clarence　led　the　conversation　back　to　the　improvements　in　M。　Ceres'　constituency。　M。　Ceres　showed　his　enthusiasm　for　demolitions；　tunnelings；　constructions；　reconstructions；　and　all　other　fruitful　operations。

〃We　build　to…day　in　an　admirable　style；〃　said　he；　〃everywhere　majestic　avenues　are　being　reared。　Was　ever　anything　as　fine　as　our　arcaded　bridges　and　our　domed　hotels！〃

〃You　are　forgetting　that　big　palace　surmounted　an　immense　melon…shaped　dome；〃　grumbled　by　M。　Daniset；　an　old　art　amateur；　in　a　voice　of　restrained　rage。　〃I　am　amazed　at　the　degree　of　ugliness　which　a　modern　city　can　attain。　Alca　is　becoming　Americanised。　Everywhere　we　are　destroying　all　that　is　free；　unexpected；　measured；　restrained；　human；　or　traditional　among　the　things　that　are　left　us。　Everywhere　we　are　destroying　that　charming　object；　a　piece　of　an　old　wall　that　bears　up　the　branches　of　a　tree。　Everywhere　we　are　suppressing　some　fragment　of　light　and　air；　some　fragment　of　nature；　some　fragment　of　the　associations　that　still　remain　with　us；　some　fragment　of　our　fathers；　some　fragment　of　ourselves。　And　we　are　putting　up　frightful；　enormous；　infamous　houses；　surmounted　in　Viennese　style　by　ridiculous　domes；　or　fashioned　after　the　models　of　the　'new　art'　without　mouldings；　or　having　profiles　with　sinister　corbels　and　burlesque　pinnacles；　and　such　monsters　as　these　shamelessly　peer　over　the　surrounding　buildings。　We　see　bulbous　protuberances　stuck　on　the　fronts　of　buildings　and　we　are　told　they　are　'new　art'　motives。　I　have　seen　the　'new　art'　in　other　countries；　but　it　is　not　so　ugly　as　with　us；　it　has　fancy　and　it　has　simplicity。　It　is　only　in　our　own　country　that　by　a　sad　privilege　we　may　behold　the　newest　and　most　diverse　styles　of　architectural　ugliness。　Not　an　enviable　privilege！〃

〃Are　you　not　afraid；〃　asked　M。　Ceres　severely；　〃are　you　not　afraid　that　these　bitter　criticisms　tend　to　keep　out　of　our　capital　the　foreigners　who　flow　into　it　from　all　arts　of　the　world　and　who　leave　millions　behind　them？〃

〃You　may　set　your　mind　at　rest　about　that；〃　answered　M。　Daniset。　〃Foreigners　do　not　come　to　admire　our　buildings；　they　come　to　see　our　courtesans；　our　dressmakers；　and　our　dancing　saloons。〃

〃We　have　one　bad　habit；〃　sighed　M。　Ceres；　〃it　is　that　we　calumniate　ourselves。〃

Madame　Clarence　as　an　accomplished　hostess　thought　it　was　time　to　return　to　the　subject　of　love　and　asked　M。　Jumel　his　opinion　of　M。　Leon　Blum's　recent　book　in　which　the　author　complained。　。　。　。

〃。　。　。　That　an　irrational　custom；〃　went　on　Professor　Haddock；　〃prevents　respectable　young　ladies　from　making　love；　a　thing　they　would　enjoy　doing；　whilst　mercenary　girls　do　it　too　much　and　without　getting　any　enjoyment　out　of　it。　It　is　indeed　deplorable。　But　M。　Leon　Blum　need　not　fret　too　much。　If　the　evil　exists；　as