penguin island-第37章
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their invariable rule。 Now； one day； Paul Visire went to the house of his colleague Ceres； with whom he had an engagement。 It was Eveline who received him； the Minister of Commerce being delayed by a commission。
〃Not here！〃 said the lovers； smiling。
They said it； mouth to mouth； embracing； and clasping each other。 They were still saying it； when Hippolyte Ceres entered the drawing…room。
Paul Visire did not lose his presence of mind。 He declared to Madame Ceres that he would give up his attempt to take the dust out of her eye。 By this attitude he did not deceive the husband； but he was able to leave the room with some dignity。
Hippolyte Ceres was thunderstruck。 Eveline's conduct appeared incomprehensible to him； he asked her what reasons she had for it。
〃Why？ why？〃 he kept repeating continually； 〃why？〃
She denied everything； not to convince him； for he had seen them； but from expediency and good taste； and to avoid painful explanations。 Hippolyte Ceres suffered all the tortures of jealousy。 He admitted it to himself； he kept saying inwardly； 〃I am a strong man； I am clad in armour； but the wound is underneath； it is in my heart；〃 and turning towards his wife； who looked beautiful in her guilt； he would say：
〃It ought not to have been with him。〃
He was rightEveline ought not to have loved in government circles。
He suffered so much that he took up his revolver； exclaiming： 〃I will go and kill him！〃 But he remembered that a Minister of Commerce cannot kill his own Prime Minister； and he put his revolver back into his drawer。
The weeks passed without calming his sufferings。 Each morning he buckled his strong man's armour over his wound and sought in work and fame the peace that fled from him。 Every Sunday he inaugurated busts； statues； fountains； artesian wells； hospitals； dispensaries； railways； canals； public markets； drainage systems； triumphal arches； and slaughter houses； and delivered moving speeches on each of these occasions。 His fervid activity devoured whole piles of documents； he changed the colours of the postage stamps fourteen times in one week。 Nevertheless； he gave vent to outbursts of grief and rage that drove him insane； for whole days his reason abandoned him。 If he had been in the employment of a private administration this would have been noticed immediately； but it is much more difficult to discover insanity or frenzy in the conduct of affairs of State。 At that moment the government employees were forming themselves into associations and federations amid a ferment that was giving alarm both to the Parliament and to public feeling。 The postmen were especially prominent in their enthusiasm for trade unions。
Hippolyte Ceres informed them in a circular that their action was strictly legal。 The following day he sent out a second circular forbidding all associations of government employees as illegal。 He dismissed one hundred and eighty postmen； reinstated them； reprimanded themand awarded them gratuities。 At Cabinet councils he was always on the point of bursting forth。 The presence of the Head of the State scarcely restrained him within the limits of the decencies； and as he did not dare to attack his rival he consoled himself by heaping invectives upon General Debonnaire； the respected Minister of War。 The General did not hear them。 for he was deaf and occupied himself in composing verses for the Baroness Bildermann。 Hippolyte Ceres offered an indistinct opposition to everything the Prime Minister proposed。 In a word； he was a madman。 One faculty alone escaped the ruin of his intellect： he retained his Parliamentary sense； his consciousness of the temper of majorities； his thorough knowledge of groups； and his certainty of the direction in which affairs were moving。
VIII。 FURTHER CONSEQUENCES
The session ended calmly； and the Ministry saw no dangerous signs upon the benches where the majority sat。 It was visible； however； from certain articles in the Moderate journals； that the demands of the Jewish and Christian financiers were increasing daily； that the patriotism of the banks required a civilizing expedition to Nigritia； and that the steel trusts； eager in the defence of our coasts and colonies； were crying out for armoured cruisers and still more armoured cruisers。 Rumours of war began to be heard。 Such rumours sprang up every year as regularly as the trade winds； serious people paid no heed to them and the government usually let them die away from their own weakness unless they grew stronger and spread。 For in that case the country would be alarmed。 The financiers only wanted colonial wars and the people did not want any wars at all。 It loved to see its government proud and even insolent； but at the least suspicion that a European war was brewing； its violent emotion would quickly have reached the House。 Paul Visire was not uneasy。 The European situation was in his view completely reassuring。 He was only irritated by the maniacal silence of his Minister of Foreign Affairs。 That gnome went to the Cabinet meetings with a portfolio bigger than himself stuffed full of papers； said nothing； refused to answer all questions； even those asked him by the respected President of the Republic； and； exhausted by his obstinate labours； took a few moments' sleep in his arm…chair in which nothing but the top of his little black head was to be seen above the green tablecloth。
In the mean time Hippolyte Ceres became a strong man again。 In company with his colleague Lapersonne he formed numerous intimacies with ladies of the theatre。 They were both to be seen at night entering fashionable restaurants in the company of ladies whom they over…topped by their lofty stature and their new hats； and they were soon reckoned amongst the most sympathetic frequenters of the boulevards。 Fortune Lapersonne had his own wound beneath his armour； His wife； a young milliner whom he carried off from a marquis； had gone to live with a chauffeur。 He loved her still； and could not console himself for her loss； so that very often in the private room of a restaurant； in the midst of a group of girls who laughed and ate crayfish； the two ministers exchanged a look full of their common sorrow and wiped away an unbidden tear。
Hippolyte Ceres； although wounded to the heart； did not allow himself to be beaten。 He swore that he would be avenged。
Madame Paul Visire； whose deplorable health forced her to live with her relatives in a distant province； received an anonymous letter specifying that M。 Paul Visire； who had not a half…penny when he married her； was spending her dowry on a married woman； E C； that he gave this woman thirty…thousand…franc motor…cars； and pearl necklaces costing twenty…five thousand francs； and that he was going straight to dishonour and ruin。 Madame Paul Visire read the letter； fell into hysterics； and handed it to her father。
〃I am going to box your husband's ears；〃 said M。 Blampignon； 〃he is a blackguard who will land you both in the workhouse unless we look out。 He may be Prime Minister； but he won't frighten me。〃
When he stepped off the train M。 Blampignon presented himself at the Ministry of the Interior； and was immediately received。 He entered the Prime Minister's room in a fury。
〃I have something to say to you； sir！〃 And he waved the anonymous letter。
Paul Visire welcomed him smiling。
〃You are welcome； my dear father。 I was going to write to you。 。 。 。 Yes； to tell you of your nomination to the rank of officer of the Legion of Honour。 I signed the patent this morning。〃
M。 Blampignon thanked his son…in…law warmly and threw the anonymous letter into the fire。
He returned to his provincial house and found his daughter fretting and agitated。
〃Well！ I saw your husband。 He is a delightful fellow。 But then； you don't understand how to deal with him。〃
About this time Hippolyte Ceres learned through a little scandalous newspaper （it is always through the newspapers that ministers are informed of the affairs of State） that the Prime Minister dined every evening with Mademoiselle Lysiane of the Folies Dramatiques； whose charm seemed to have made a great impression on him。 Thenceforth Ceres took a gloomy joy in watching his wife。 She came in every evening to dine or dress with an air of agreeable fatigue and the serenity that comes from enjoyment。
Thinking that she knew nothing； he sent her anonymous communications。 She read them at the table before him and remained still listless and smiling。
He then persuaded himself that she gave no heed to these vague reports； and that in order to disturb her it would be necessary to enable her to verify her lover's infidelity and treason for herself。 There were at the Ministry a number of trustworthy agents charged with secret inquiries regarding the national defence。 They were then employed in watching the spies of a neighbouring and hostile Power who had succeeded in entering the Postal and Telegraphic service。 M。 Ceres ordered them to suspend their work for the present and to inquire where； when； and how； the Minister of the Interior saw Mademoiselle Lysiane。 The agents performed their missions faithfully and told the minister that they had several times seen the Prime Minister with a woman； but that she was not Mademoiselle Lysiane。 Hippolyte Ceres asked them nothing further。 He was right； the loves of Paul Visire and Lysiane were but an alibi invented by Paul Visire himself； with Eveline's approval； for his fame was rather inconvenient to her； and she sighed for secrecy and mystery。
They were not shadowed by the agents of the Ministry of Commerce alone。 They were also followed by those of the Prefect of Police； and even by those of the Minister of the Interior； who disputed with each other the honour of protecting their chief。 Then there were the emissaries of several royalist； imperialist； and clerical organisations； those of eight or ten blackmailers； several amateur detectives； a multitude of reporters； and a crowd of photographers； who all made their appearance wherever these two took refuge in their perambulating love affairs； at big hotels； small hotels； town houses； country houses； private apartments； villas； museums； palaces； hovels。 They kept watch in the streets； from neighbouring houses； trees； walls； stair…cases； landings； roofs； adjoining rooms； and even chimneys。 The Minister and his friend saw with alarm all round their bed room； gimlets boring through doors and shutters； and drills making holes in the walls。 A photograph of Madame Ceres in night attire buttoning her boots was the utmost that had been obtained。
Paul Visire grew impatient and irritable； and often lost his good humour and agreeableness。 He came to the cabinet meetings in a rage and he； too； poured invectives upon General Debonnairea brave man under fire but a lax disciplinarianand launched his sarcasms at against the venerable admiral Vivier des Murenes whose ships went to the bottom without any apparent reason。
Fortune Lapersonne listened open…eyed； and grumbled scoffingly between his teeth：
〃He is not satisfied with robbing Hippolyte Ceres of his wife； but he must go and rob him of his catchwords too。〃
These storms were made known by the indiscretion of some ministers and by the complaints of the two old warriors； who declared thei
