penguin island-第49章
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was always ill； and whose feeble health compelled her to stay with her mother in the depths of a remote province。 The other Ministers' wives were not born to charm the sight； and people smiled when they read that Madame Labillette had appeared at the Presidency Ball wearing a headdress of birds of paradise。 Madame Vivier des Murenes； a woman of good family； was stout rather than tall； had a face like a beef…steak and the voice of a newspaper…seller。 Madame Debonnaire； tall； dry； and florid； was devoted to young officers。 She ruined herself by her escapades and crimes and only regained consideration by dint of ugliness and insolence。
Madame Ceres was the charm of the Ministry and its tide to consideration。 Young； beautiful； and irreproachable； she charmed alike society and the masses by her combination of elegant costumes and pleasant smiles。
Her receptions were thronged by the great Jewish financiers。 She gave the most fashionable garden parties in the Republic。 The newspapers described her dresses and the milliners did not ask her to pay for them。 She went to Mass； she protected the chapel of St。 Orberosia from the ill…will of the people； and she aroused in aristocratic hearts the hope of a fresh Concordat。
With her golden hair； grey eyes； and supple and slight though rounded figure； she was indeed pretty。 She enjoyed an excellent reputation and she was so adroit； and calm； so much mistress of herself； that she would have preserved it intact even if she had been discovered in the very act of ruining it。
The session ended with a victory for the cabinet which； amid the almost unanimous applause of the House； defeated a proposal for an inquisitorial tax； and with a triumph for Madame Ceres who gave parties in honour of three kings who were at the moment passing through Alca。
VI。 THE SOFA OF THE FAVOURITE
The Prime Minister invited Monsieur and Madame Ceres to spend a couple of weeks of the holidays in a little villa that he had taken in the mountains； and in which he lived alone。 The deplorable health of Madame Paul Visire did not allow her to accompany her husband； and she remained with her relatives in one of the southern provinces。
The villa had belonged to the mistress of one of the last Kings of Alca： the drawing…room retained its old furniture； and in it was still to be found the Sofa of the Favourite。 The country was charming； a pretty blue stream； the Aiselle； flowed at the foot of the hill that dominated the villa。 Hippolyte Ceres loved fishing； when engaged at this monotonous occupation he often formed his best Parliamentary combinations； and his happiest oratorical inspirations。 Trout swarmed in the Aiselle； he fished it from morning till evening in a boat that the Prime Minister readily placed at is disposal。
In the mean time； Eveline and Paul Visire sometimes took a turn together in the garden； or had a little chat in the drawing…room。 Eveline； although she recognised the attraction that Visire had for women； had hitherto displayed towards him only an intermittent and superficial coquetry； without any deep intentions or settled design。 He was a connoisseur and saw that she was pretty。 The House and the Opera had deprived him of all leisure； but； in a little villa； the grey eyes and rounded figure of Eveline took on a value in his eyes。 One day as Hippolyte Ceres was fishing in the Aiselle； he made her sit beside him on the Sofa of the Favourite。 Long rays of gold struck Eveline like arrows from a hidden Cupid through the chinks of the curtains which protected her from the heat and glare of a brilliant day。 Beneath her white muslin dress her rounded yet slender form was outlined in its grace and youth。 Her skin was cool and fresh； and had the fragrance of freshly mown hay。 Paul Visire behaved as the occasion warranted； and for her part； she was opposed neither to the games of chance or of society。 She believed it would be nothing or a trifle； she was mistaken。
〃There was；〃 says the famous German ballad； 〃on the sunny side of the town square； beside a wall whereon the creeper grew； a pretty little letter…box； as blue as the corn…flowers； smiling and tranquil。
〃All day long there came to it； in their heavy shoes； small shop…keepers； rich farmers； citizens； the tax…collector and the policeman； and they put into it their business letters； their invoices； their summonses their notices to pay taxes； the judges' returns； and orders for the recruits to assemble。 It remained smiling and tranquil。
〃With joy； or in anxiety； there advanced towards it workmen and farm servants； maids and nursemaids； accountants； clerks； and women carrying their little children in their arms； they put into it notifications of births。 marriages； and deaths； letters between engaged couples； between husbands and wives； from mothers to their sons； and from sons to their mothers。 It remained smiling and tranquil。
〃At twilight； young lads and young girls slipped furtively to it； and put in love…letters； some moistened with tears that blotted the ink； others with a little circle to show the place to kiss； all of them very long。 It remained smiling and tranquil。
〃Rich merchants came themselves through excess of carefulness at the hour of daybreak； and put into it registered letters； and letters with five red seals； full of bank notes or cheques on the great financial establishments of the Empire。 It remained smiling and tranquil。
〃But one day； Gaspar； whom it had never seen； and whom it did not know from Adam； came to put in a letter； of which nothing is known but that it was folded like a little hat。 Immediately the pretty letter…box fell into a swoon。 Henceforth it remains no longer in its place； it runs through streets； fields； and woods； girdled with ivy； and crowned with roses。 It keeps running up hill and down dale； the country policeman surprises it sometimes； amidst the corn； in Gaspar's arms kissing him upon the mouth。〃
Paul Visire had recovered all his customary nonchalance。 Eveline remained stretched on the Divan of the Favourite in an attitude of delicious astonishment。
The Reverend Father Douillard； an excellent moral theologian； and a man who in the decadence of the Church has preserved his principles； was very right to teach； in conformity with the doctrine of the Fathers； that while a woman commits a great sin by giving herself for money； she commits a much greater one by giving herself for nothing。 For； in the first case she acts to support her life； and that is sometimes not merely excusable but pardonable； and even worthy of the Divine Grace； for God forbids suicide； and is unwilling that his creatures should destroy themselves。 Besides； in giving herself in order to live； she remains humble； and derives no pleasure from it a thing which diminishes the sin。 But a woman who gives herself for nothing sins with pleasure and exults in her fault。 The pride and delight with which she burdens her crime increase its load of moral guilt。
Madame Hippolyte Ceres' example shows the profundity of these moral truths。 She perceived that she had senses。 A second was enough to bring about this discovery； to change her soul； to alter her whole life。 To have learned to know herself was at first a delight。 The ｛greek here｝ of the ancient philosophy is not a precept the moral fulfilment of which procures any pleasure； since one enjoys little satisfaction from knowing one's soul。 It is not the same with the flesh； for in it sources of pleasure may be revealed to us。 Eveline immediately felt an obligation to her revealer equal to the benefit she had received； and she imagined that he who had discovered these heavenly depths was the sole possessor of the key to them。 Was this an error； and might she not be able to find others who also had the golden key？ It is difficult to decide； and Professor Haddock； when the facts were divulged （which happened without much delay as we shall see）； treated the matter from an experimental point of view； in a scientific review； and concluded that the chances Madame C would have of finding the exact equivalent of M。 V were in the proportion of 305 to 975008。 This is as much as to say that she would never find it。 Doubtless her instinct told her the same； for she attached herself di
