penguin island-第38章

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These　storms　were　made　known　by　the　indiscretion　of　some　ministers　and　by　the　complaints　of　the　two　old　warriors；　who　declared　their　intention　of　flinging　their　portfolios　at　the　beggar's　head；　but　who　did　nothing　of　the　sort。　These　outbursts；　far　from　injuring　the　lucky　Prime　Minister；　had　an　excellent　effect　on　Parliament　and　public　opinion；　who　looked　on　them　as　signs　of　a　keen　solicitude　for　the　welfare　of　the　national　army　and　navy。　The　Prime　Minister　was　the　recipient　of　general　approbation。

To　the　congratulations　of　the　various　groups　and　of　notable　personages；　he　replied　with　simple　firmness：　〃Those　are　my　principles！〃　and　he　had　seven　or　eight　Socialists　put　in　prison。

The　session　ended；　and　Paul　Visire；　very　exhausted；　went　to　take　the　waters。　Hippolyte　Ceres　refused　to　leave　his　Ministry；　where　the　trade　union　of　telephone　girls　was　in　tumultuous　agitation。　He　opposed　it　with　an　unheard　of　violence；　for　he　had　now　become　a　woman…hater。　On　Sundays　he　went　into　the　suburbs　to　fish　along　with　his　colleague　Lapersonne；　wearing　the　tall　hat　that　never　left　him　since　he　had　become　a　Minister。　And　both　of　them；　forgetting　the　fish；；　complained　of　the　inconstancy　of　women　and　mingled　their　griefs。

Hippolyte　still　loved　Eveline　and　he　still　suffered。　However；　hope　had　slipped　into　his　heart。　She　was　now　separated　from　her　＇over；　and；　thinking　to　win　her　back；　he　directed　all　his　efforts　to　that　end。　He　put　forth　all　his　skill；　showed　himself　sincere；　adaptable；　affectionate；　devoted；　even　discreet；　his　heart　taught　him　the　delicacies　of　feeling。　He　said　charming　and　touching　things　to　the　faithless　one；　and；　to　soften　her；　he　told　her　all　that　he　had　suffered。

Crossing　the　band　of　his　trousers　upon　his　stomach。

〃See；〃　said　he；　〃how　thin　I　have　got。〃

He　promised　her　everything　he　thought　could　gratify　a　woman；　country　parties；　hats；　jewels。

Sometimes　he　thought　she　would　take　pity　on　him。

She　no　longer　displayed　an　insolently　happy　countenance。　Being　separated　from　Paul；　her　sadness　had　an　air　of　gentleness。　But　the　moment　he　made　a　gesture　to　recover　her　she　turned　away　fiercely　and　gloomily；　girt　with　her　fault　as　if　with　a　golden　girdle。

He　did　not　give　up；　making　himself　humble；　suppliant；　lamentable。

One　day　he　went　to　Lapersonne　and　said　to　him　with　tears　in　his　eyes：

〃Will　you　speak　to　her？〃

Lapersonne　excused　himself；　thinking　that　his　intervention　would　be　useless；　but　he　gave　some　advice　to　his　friend。

〃Make　her　think　that　you　don't　care　about　her；　that　you　love　another；　and　she　will　come　back　to　you。〃

Hippolyte；　adopting　this　method；　inserted　in　the　newspapers　that　he　was　always　to　be　found　in　the　company　of　Mademoiselle　Guinaud　of　the　Opera。　He　came　home　late　or　did　not　come　home　at　all；　assumed　in　Eveline's　presence　an　appearance　of　inward　joy　impossible　to　restrain；　took　out　of　his　pocket；　at　dinner；　a　letter　on　scented　paper　which　he　pretended　to　read　with　delight；　and　his　lips　seemed　as　in　a　dream　to　kiss　invisible　lips。　Nothing　happened。　Eveline　did　not　even　notice　the　change。　Insensible　to　all　around　her；　she　only　came　out　of　her　lethargy　to　ask　for　some　louis　from　her　husband；　and　if　he　did　not　give　them　she　threw　him　a　look　of　contempt；　ready　to　upbraid　him　with　the　shame　which　she　poured　upon　him　in　the　sight　of　the　whole　world。　Since　she　had　loved　she　spent　a　great　deal　on　dress。　She　needed　money；　and　she　had　only　her　husband　to　secure　it　for　her；　she　was　so　far　faithful　to　him。

He　lost　patience；　became　furious；　and　threatened　her　with　his　revolver。　He　said　one　day　before　her　to　Madame　Clarence：

〃I　congratulate　you；　Madame；　you　have　brought　up　your　daughter　to　be　a　wanton　hussy。〃

〃Take　me　away；　Mamma；〃　exclaimed　Eveline。　〃I　will　get　a　divorce！〃

He　loved　her　more　ardently　than　ever。　In　his　jealous　rage；　suspecting　her；　not　without　probability；　of　sending　and　receiving　letters；　he　swore　that　he　would　intercept　them；　re…established　a　censorship　over　the　post；　threw　private　correspondence　into　confusion；　delayed　stock…exchange　quotations；　prevented　assignations；　brought　about　bankruptcies；　thwarted　passions；　and　caused　suicides。　The　independent　press　gave　utterance　to　the　complaints　of　the　public　and　indignantly　supported　them。　To　justify　these　arbitrary　measures；　the　ministerial　journals　spoke　darkly　of　plots　and　public　dangers；　and　promoted　a　belief　in　a　monarchical　conspiracy。　The　less　well…informed　sheets　gave　more　precise　information；　told　of　the　seizure　of　fifty　thousand　guns；　and　the　landing　of　Prince　Crucho。　Feeling　grew　throughout　the　country；　and　the　republican　organs　called　for　the　immediate　meeting　of　Parliament。　Paul　Visire　returned　to　Paris；　summoned　his　colleagues；　held　an　important　Cabinet　Council；　and　proclaimed　through　his　agencies　that　a　plot　had　been　actually　formed　against　the　national　representation；　but　that　the　Prime　Minister　held　the　threads　of　it　in　his　hand；　and　that　a　judicial　inquiry　was　about　to　be　opened。

He　immediately　ordered　the　arrest　of　thirty　Socialists；　and　whilst　the　entire　country　was　acclaiming　him　as　its　saviour；　baffling　the　watchfulness　of　his　six　hundred　detectives；　he　secretly　took　Eveline　to　a　little　house　near　the　Northern　railway　station；　where　they　remained　until　night。　After　their　departure；　the　maid　of　their　hotel；　as　she　was　putting　their　room　in　order；　saw　seven　little　crosses　traced　by　a　hairpin　on　the　wall　at　the　head　of　the　bed。

That　is　all　that　Hippolyte　Ceres　obtained　as　a　reward　of　his　efforts。



IX。　THE　FINAL　CONSEQUENCES

Jealousy　is　a　virtue　of　democracies　which　preserves　them　from　tyrants。　Deputies　began　to　envy　the　Prime　Minister　his　golden　key。　For　a　year　his　domination　over　the　beauteous　Madame　Ceres　had　been　known　to　the　whole　universe。　The　provinces；　whither　news　and　fashions　only　arrive　after　a　complete　revolution　of　the　earth　round　the　sun；　were　at　last　informed　of　the　illegitimate　loves　of　the　Cabinet。　The　provinces　preserve　an　austere　morality；　women　are　more　virtuous　there　than　they　are　in　the　capital。

Various　reasons　have　been　alleged　for　this：　Education；　example；　simplicity　of　life。　Professor　Haddock　asserts　that　this　virtue　of　provincial　ladies　is　solely　due　to　the　fact　that　the　heels　of　their　shoes　are　low。　〃A　woman；〃　said　he；　in　a　learned　article　in　the　〃Anthropological　Review〃；　〃a　woman　attracts　a　civilized　man　in　proportion　as　her　feet　make　an　angle　with　the　ground。　If　this　angle　is　as　much　as　thirty…five　degrees；　the　attraction　becomes　acute。　For　the　position　of　the　feet　upon　the　ground　determines　the　whole　carriage　of　the　body；　and　it　results　that　provincial　women；　since　they　wear　low　heels；　are　not　very　attractive；　and　preserve　their　virtue　with　ease。〃　These　conclusions　were　not　generally　accepted。　It　was　objected　that　under　the　influence　of　English　and　American　fashions；　low　heels　had　been　introduced　generally　without　producing　the　results　attributed　to　them　by　the　learned　Professor；　moreover；　it　was　said　that　the　difference　he　pretended　to　establish　between　the　morals　of　the　metropolis　and　those　of　the　provinces　is　perhaps　illusory；　and　that　if　it　exists；　it　is　apparently　due　to　the　fact　that　great　cities　offer　more　advantages　and　facilities　for　love　than　small　towns　provide。　However　that　may　be；　the　provinces　began　to　murmur　against　the　Prime　Minister；　and　to　raise　a　scandal。　This　was　not　yet　a　danger；　but　there　was　a　possibility　that　it　might　become　one。

For　the　moment　the　peril　was　nowhere　and　yet　everywhere。　The　majority　remained　solid；　but　the　leaders　became　stiff　and　exacting。　Perhaps　Hippolyte　Ceres　would　never　have　intentionally　sacrificed　his　interests　to　his　vengeance。　But　thinking　that　he　could　henceforth；　without　compromising　his　own　fortune；　secretly　damage　that　of　Paul　Visire；　he　devoted　himself　to　the　skilful　and　careful　preparation　of　difficulties　and　perils　for　the　Head　of　the　Government。　Though　far　from　equalling　his　rival　in　talent；　knowledge；　and　authority；　he　greatly　surpassed　him　in　his　skill　as　a　lobbyist。　The　most　acute　parliamentarians　attributed　the　recent　misfortunes　of　the　majority　to　his　refusal　to　vote。　At　committees；　by　a　calculated　imprudence；　he　favoured　motions　which　he　knew　the　Prime　Minister　could　not　accept。　One　day　his　intentional　awkwardness　provoked　a　sudden　and　violent　conflict　between　the　Minister　of　the　Interior；　and　his　departmental　Treasurer。　Then　Ceres　became　frightened　and　went　no　further。　It　would　have　been　dangerous　for　him　to　overthrow　the　ministry　too　soon。　His　ingenious　hatred　found　an　issue　by　circuitous　paths。　Paul　Visire　had　a　poor　cousin　of　easy　morals　who　bore　his　name。　Ceres；　remembering　this　lady；　Celine　Visire；　brought　her　into　prominence；　arranged　that　she　should　become　intimate　with　several　foreigners；　and　procured　her　engagements　in　the　music…halls。　One　summer　night；　on　a　stage　in　the　Champs　Elysees　before　a　tumultuous　crowd；　she　performed　risky　dances　to　the　sounds　of　wild　music　which　was　audible　in　the　gardens　where　the　President　of　the　Republic　was　entertaining　Royalty。　The　name　of　Visire；　associated　with　these　scandals；　covered　the　walls　of　the　town；　filled　the　newspapers；　was　repeated　in　the　cafes　and　at　balls；　and　blazed　forth　in　letters　of　fire　upon　the　boulevards。

Nobody　regarded　the　Prime　Minister　as　responsible　for　the　scandal　of　his　relatives；　but　a　bad　idea　of　his　family　came　into　existence；　and　the　influence　of　the　statesman　was　diminished。

Almost　immediately　he　was　made　to　feel　this　in　a　pretty　sharp　fashion。　One　day　in　the　House；　on　a　simple　question；　Labillette；　the　Minister　of　Religion　and　Public　Worship；　who　was　suffering　from　an　attack　of　liver；　and　beginning　to　be　exasperated　by　the　intentions　and　intrigues　of　the　clergy；　threatened　to　close　the　Chapel　of　St。　Orberosia；　and　spoke　without　respect　of　the　National　Virgin。　The　entire　Right　rose　up　in　indignation；　the　Left　appeared　to　give　but　a　half…hearted　support　to　the　rash　Minister。　The　leaders　of　the　majority　did　not　care　to　attack　a　popular　cult　which　brought　thirty　millions　a　year　into　the　country。　The　most　moderate　of　the　supporters　of　the　Right；　M。　Bigourd；　made　the　question　the　subject　of　a　resolution　and　endangered　the　Cabinet。　Luckily；　Fortune　Lapersonne；　the　Minister　of　Public　Works；　always　conscious　of　the　obligations　of　power；　was　able　in　the　Prime　Minister's　absence　to　repair　the　awkwardness　and　indecorum　of　his　colleague；　the　Minister　of　Public　Worship。　He　ascended　the　tribune　and　bore　witness　to　the　respect　in　which　the　Government　held　the　heavenly　Patron　of　the　country；　the　consoler　of　so　many　ills　which　science　admitted　its　powerlessness　to　relieve。

When　Paul　Visire；　snatched　at　last　from　Eveline's　arms；　appeared　in　the　House；　the　administration　was　saved；　but　the　Prime　Minister　saw　himself　compelled　to　grant　important　concessions　to　the　upper　classes。　He　proposed　in　Parliament　that　six　armoured　cruisers　should　be　laid　down；　and　thus　won　the　sympathies　of　the　Steel　Trust；　he　gave　new　assurances　that　the　income　tax　would　not　be　imposed；　and　he　had　eighteen　Socialists　arrested。

He　was　soon　to　find　himself　opposed　by　more　formidable　obstacles。　The　Chancellor　of　the　neighbouring　Empire　in　an　ingenious　and　profound　speech　upon　the　foreign　relations　of　his　sovereign；　made　a　sly　allusion　to　the　intrigues　that　inspired