penguin island-第34章

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out　of　it。　It　is　indeed　deplorable。　But　M。　Leon　Blum　need　not　fret　too　much。　If　the　evil　exists；　as　he　says　it　does；　in　our　middle…class　society；　I　can　assure　him　that　everywhere　else　he　would　see　a　consoling　spectacle。　Among　the　people；　the　mass　of　the　people　through　town　and　country；　girls　do　not　deny　themselves　that　pleasure。〃

〃It　is　depravity！〃　said　Madame　Cremeur。

And　she　praised　the　innocence　of　young　girls　in　terms　full　of　modesty　and　grace。　It　was　charming　to　hear　her。

Professor　Haddock's　views　on　the　same　subject　were；　on　the　contrary；　painful　to　listen　to。

〃Respectable　young　girls；〃　said　he；　〃are　guarded　and　watched　over。　Besides；　men　do　not；　as　a　rule；　pursue　them　much；　either　through　probity；　or　from　a　fear　of　grave　responsibilities；　or　because　the　seduction　of　a　young　girl　would　not　be　to　their　credit。　Even　then　we　do　not　know　what　really　takes　place；　for　the　reason　that　what　is　hidden　is　not　seen。　This　is　a　condition　necessary　to　the　existence　of　all　society。　The　scruples　of　respectable　young　girls　could　be　more　easily　overcome　than　those　of　married　women　if　the　same　pressure　were　brought　to　bear　on　them；　and　for　this　there　are　two　reasons：　they　have　more　illusions；　and　their　curiosity　has　not　been　satisfied。　Women；　for　the　most　part；　have　been　so　disappointed　by　their　husbands　that　they　have　not　courage　enough　to　begin　again　with　somebody　else。　I　myself　have　been　met　by　this　obstacle　several　times　in　my　attempts　at　seduction。〃

At　the　moment　when　Professor　Haddock　ended　his　unpleasant　remarks；　Mademoiselle　Eveline　Clarence　entered　the　drawing…room　and　listlessly　handed　about　tea　with　that　expression　of　boredom　which　gave　an　oriental　charm　to　her　beauty。

〃For　my　part；〃　said　Hippolyte　Ceres；　looking　at　her；　〃I　declare　myself　the　young　ladies'　champion。〃

〃He　must　be　a　fool；〃　thought　the　girl。

Hippolyte　Ceres；　who　had　never　set　foot　outside　of　his　political　world　of　electors　and　elected；　thought　Madame　Clarence's　drawing…room　most　select；　its　mistress　exquisite；　and　her　daughter　amazingly　beautiful。　His　visits　became　frequent　and　he　paid　court　to　both　of　them。　Madame　Clarence；　who　now　liked　attention；　thought　him　agreeable。　Eveline　showed　no　friendliness　towards　him；　and　treated　him　with　a　hauteur　and　disdain　that　he　took　for　aristocratic　behaviour　and　fashionable　manners；　and　he　thought　all　the　more　of　her　on　that　account。　This　busy　man　taxed　his　ingenuity　to　please　them；　and　he　sometimes　succeeded。　He　got　them　cards　for　fashionable　functions　and　boxes　at　the　Opera。　He　furnished　Mademoiselle　Clarence　with　several　opportunities　of　appearing　to　great　advantage　and　in　particular　at　a　garden　party　which；　although　given　by　a　Minister；　was　regarded　as　really　fashionable；　and　gained　its　first　success　in　society　circles　for　the　Republic。

At　that　party　Eveline　had　been　much　noticed　and　had　attracted　the　special　attention　of　a　young　diplomat　called　Roger　Lambilly　who；　imagining　that　she　belonged　to　a　rather　fast　set；　invited　her　to　his　bachelor's　flat。　She　thought　him　handsome　and　believed　him　rich；　and　she　accepted。　A　little　moved；　almost　disquieted；　she　very　nearly　became　the　victim　of　her　daring；　and　only　avoided　defeat　by　an　offensive　measure　audaciously　carried　out。　This　was　the　most　foolish　escapade　in　her　unmarried　life。

Being　now　on　friendly　terms　with　Ministers　and　with　the　President；　Eveline　continued　to　wear　her　aristocratic　and　pious　affectations；　and　these　won　for　her　the　sympathy　of　the　chief　personages　in　the　anti…clerical　and　democratic　Republic。　M。　Hippolyte　Ceres；　seeing　that　she　was　succeeding　and　doing　him　credit；　liked　her　still　more。　He　even　went　so　far　as　to　fall　madly　in　love　with　her。

Henceforth；　in　spite　of　everything；　she　began　to　observe　him　with　interest；　being　curious　to　see　if　his　passion　would　increase。　He　appeared　to　her　without　elegance　or　grace；　and　not　well　bred；　but　active；　clear…sighted；　full　of　resource；　and　not　too　great　a　bore。　She　still　made　fun　of　him；　but　he　had　now　won　her　interest。

One　day　she　wished　to　test　him。　It　was　during　the　elections；　when　members　of　Parliament　were；　as　the　phrase　runs；　requesting　a　renewal　of　their　mandates。　He　had　an　opponent；　who；　though　not　dangerous　at　first　and　not　much　of　an　orator；　was　rich　and　was　reported　to　be　gaining　votes　every　day。　Hippolyte　Ceres；　banishing　both　dull　security　and　foolish　alarm　from　his　mind；　redoubled　his　care。　His　chief　method　of　action　was　by　public　meetings　at　which　he　spoke　vehemently　against　the　rival　candidate。　His　committee　held　huge　meetings　on　Saturday　evenings　and　at　three　o'clock　on　Sunday　afternoons。　One　Sunday；　as　he　called　on　the　Clarences；　he　found　Eveline　alone　in　the　drawing…room。　He　had　been　chatting　for　about　twenty　or　twenty…five　minutes；　when；　taking　out　his　watch；　he　saw　that　it　was　a　quarter　to　three。　The　young　girl　showed　herself　amiable；　engaging；　attractive；　and　full　of　promises。　Ceres　was　fascinated；　but　he　stood　up　to　go。

〃Stay　a　little　longer；〃　said　she　in　a　pressing　and　agreeable　voice　which　made　him　promptly　sit　down　again。

She　was　full　of　interest；　of　abandon；　curiosity；　and　weakness。　He　blushed；　turned　pale；　and　again　got　up。

Then；　in　order　to　keep　him　still　longer；　she　looked　at　him　out　of　two　grey　and　melting　eyes；　and　though　her　bosom　was　heaving；　she　did　not　say　another　word。　He　fell　at　her　feet　in　distraction；；　but　once　more　looking　at　his　watch；　he　jumped　up　with　a　terrible　oath。

〃D！　a　quarter　to　four！　I　must　be　off。〃

And　immediately　he　rushed　down　the　stairs。

From　that　time　onwards　she　had　a　certain　amount　of　esteem　for　him。



IV。　A　POLITICIAN'S　MARRIAGE

She　was　not　quite　in　love　with　him；　but　she　wished　him　to　be　in　love　with　her。　She　was；　moreover；　very　reserved　with　him；　and　that　not　solely　from　any　want　of　inclination　to　be　otherwise；　since　in　affairs　of　love　some　things　are　due　to　indifference；　to　inattention；　to　woman's　instinct；　to　traditional　custom　and　feeling；　to　a　desire　to　try　one's　power；　and　to　satisfaction　at　seeing　its　results。　The　reason　of　her　prudence　was　that　she　knew　him　to　be　very　much　infatuated　and　capable　of　taking　advantage　of　any　familiarities　she　allowed　as　well　as　of　reproaching　her　coarsely　afterwards　if　she　discontinued　them。

As　he　was　a　professed　anti…clerical　and　free…thinker；　she　thought　it　a　good　plan　to　affect　an　appearance　of　piety　in　his　presence　and　to　be　seen　with　prayer…books　bound　in　red　morocco；　such　as　Queen　Marie　Leczinska's　or　the　Dauphiness　Marie　Josephine's　〃The　Last　Two　Weeks　of　Lent。〃　She　lost　no　opportunity；　either；　of　showing　him　the　subscriptions　that　she　collected　for　the　endowment　of　the　national　cult　of　St。　Orberosia。　Eveline　did　not　act　in　this　way　because　she　wished　to　tease　him。　Nor　did　it　spring　from　a　young　girl's　archness；　or　a　spirit　of　constraint；　or　even　from　snobbishness；　though　there　was　more　than　a　suspicion　of　this　latter　in　her　behaviour。　It　was　but　her　way　of　asserting　herself；　of　stamping　herself　with　a　definite　character；　of　increasing　her　value。　To　rouse　the　Deputy's　courage　she　wrapped　herself　up　in　religion；　just　as　Brunhild　surrounded　herself　with　flames　so　as　to　attract　Sigurd。　Her　audacity　was　successful。　He　thought　her　still　more　beautiful　thus。　Clericalism　was　in　his　eyes　a　sign　of　good　form。

Ceres　was　re…elected　by　an　enormous　majority　and　returned　to　a　House　which　showed　itself　more　inclined　to　the　Left；　more　advanced；　and；　as　it　seemed；　more　eager　for　reform　than　its　predecessor。　Perceiving　at　once　that　so　much　zeal　was　but　intended　to　hide　a　fear　of　change；　and　a　sincere　desire　to　do　nothing；　he　determined　to　adopt　a　policy　that　would　satisfy　these　aspirations。　At　the　beginning　of　the　session　he　made　a　great　speech；　cleverly　thought　out　and　well　arranged；　dealing　with　the　idea　that　all　reform　ought　to　be　put　off　for　a　long　time。　He　showed　himself　heated；　even　fervid；　holding　the　principle　that　an　orator　should　recommend　moderation　with　extreme　vehemence。　He　was　applauded　by　the　entire　assembly。　The　Clarences　listened　to　him　from　the　President's　box　and　Eveline　trembled　in　spite　of　herself　at　the　solemn　sound　of　the　applause。　On　the　same　bench　the　fair　Madame　Pensee　shivered　at　the　intonations　of　his　virile　voice。

As　soon　as　he　descended　from　the　tribune；　Ceres；　even　while　the　audience　were　still　clapping；　went　without　a　moment's　delay　to　salute　the　Clarences　in　their　box。　Eveline　saw　in　him　the　beauty　of　success；　and　as　he　leaned　towards　the　ladies；　wiping　his　neck　with　his　handkerchief　and　receiving　their　congratulations　with　an　air　of　modesty　though　not　without　a　tinge　of　self…conceit；　the　young　girl　glanced　towards　Madame　Pensee　and　saw　her；　palpitating　and　breathless；　drinking　in　the　hero's　applause　with　her　head　thrown　backwards。　It　seemed　as　if　she　were　on　the　point　of　fainting。　Eveline　immediately　smiled　tenderly　on　M。　Ceres。

The　Alcan　deputy's　speech　had　a　great　vogue。　In　political　〃spheres〃　it　was　regarded　as　extremely　able。　〃We　have　at　last　heard　an　honest　pronouncement；〃　said　the　chief　Moderate　journal。　〃It　is　a　regular　programme！〃　they　said　in　the　House。　It　was　agreed　that　he　was　a　man　of　immense　talent。

Hippolyte　Ceres　had　now　established　himself　as　leader　of　the　radicals；　socialists；　and　anti…clericals；　and　they　appointed　him　President　of　their　group；　which　was　then　the　most　considerable　in　the　House。　He　thus　found　himself　marked　out　for　office　in　the　next　ministerial　combination。

After　a　long　hesitation　Eveline　Clarence　accepted　the　idea　of　marrying　M。　Hippolyte　Ceres。　The　great　man　was　a　little　common　for　her　taste。　Nothing　had　yet　proved　that　he　would　one　day　reach　the　point　where　politics　bring　in　large　sums　of　money。　But　she　was　entering　her　twenty…seventh　year　and　knew　enough　of　life　to　see　that　she　must　not　be　too　fastidious　or　show　herself　too　difficult　to　please。

Hippolyte　Ceres　was　celebrated；　Hippolyte　Ceres　was　happy。　He　was　no　longer　recognisable；　the　elegance　of　his　clothes　and　deportment　had　increased　tremendously。　He　wore　an　undue　number　of　white　gloves。　Now　that　he　was　too　much　of　a　society　man；　Eveline　began　to　doubt　if　it　was　not　worse　than　being　too　little　of　one。　Madame　Clarence　regarded　the　engagement　with　favour。　She　was　reassured　concerning　her　daughter's　future　and　pleased　to　have　flowers　given　her　every　Thursday　for　her　drawing…room。

The　celebration　of　the　marriage　raised　some　difficulties。　Eveline　was　pious　and　wished　to　receive　the　benediction　of　the　Church。　Hippolyte　Ceres；　tolerant　but　a　free…thinker；　wanted　only　a　civil　marriage。　There　were　many　discussions　and　even　some　violent　scenes　upon　the　subject。　The　last　took　place　in　the　young　girl's　room　at　the　moment　when　the　invitations　were　being　written。　Eveline　declared　that　if　she　did　not　go　to　church　she　would　not　believe　herself　married。　She　spoke　of　breaking　off　the　engagement；　and　of　going　abroad　with　her　mother；　or　of　retiring　into　a　convent。　Then　she　became　tender；　weak；　suppliant。　She　sighed；　and　everything　in　her　virginal　chamber　sighed　in　chorus；　the　holy…water　font；　the　palm…branch　above　her　white　bed；　the　books　of　devotion　on　their　little　shelves；　and　the　blue　and　white　statuette　of　St。　Orberosia　chaining　the　dragon　of　Cappadocia；　that　stood　upon　the　marble　mantelpiece。　Hippolyte　Ceres　was　moved；　softened；　melted。

Beautiful　in　her