the lesser bourgeoisie-第112部分

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chamber；　and　a　mute　intimation　from　his　wife；　Thuillier；　and　la
Peyrade　to　BEHAVE　HIMSELF　put　a　stopper　on　his　liveliness　and
turbulent　expansion。　It　was　somewhat　remarkable　that　the　gravest
member　of　the　party；　aided　by　Rabourdin；　was　the　person　who　finally
warmed　up　the　atmosphere。　The　Abbe　Gondrin；　a　man　of　a　most　refined
and　cultivated　mind；　had；　like　every　pure　and　well…ordered　soul；　a
fund　of　gentle　gaiety　which　he　was　well　able　to　communicate；　and
liveliness　was　beginning　to　dawn　upon　the　party　when　Minard　entered
the　room。

After　making　his　excuses　on　the　ground　of　important　duties；　the　mayor
of　the　eleventh　arrondissement；　who　was　in　the　habit　of　taking　the
lead　in　the　conversation　wherever　he　went；　said；　having　swallowed　a
few　hasty　mouthfuls：

〃Messieurs　and　mesdames；　have　you　heard　the　great　news？〃

〃No；　what　is　it？〃　cried　several　voices　at　once。

〃The　Academy　of　Sciences　received；　to…day；　at　its　afternoon　session；
the　announcement　of　a　vast　discovery：　the　heavens　possess　a　new　star！〃

〃Tiens！〃　said　Colleville；　〃that　will　help　to　replace　the　one　that
Beranger　thought　was　lost　when　he　grieved　（to　that　air　of　'Octavie'）
over　Chateaubriand's　departure：　'Chateaubriand；　why　fly　thy　land？'〃

This　quotation；　which　he　sang；　exasperated　Flavie；　and　if　the　custom
had　been　for　wives　to　sit　next　to　their　husbands；　the　former　clarionet
of　the　Opera…Comique　would　not　have　escaped　with　a　mere　〃Colleville！〃
imperiously　calling　him　to　order。

〃The　point　which　gives　this　great　astronomical　event　a　special
interest　on　this　occasion；〃　continued　Minard；　〃is　that　the　author　of
the　discovery　is　a　denizen　of　the　twelfth　arrondissement；　which　many
of　you　still　inhabit；　or　have　inhabited。　But　other　points　are　striking
in　this　great　scientific　fact。　The　Academy；　on　the　reading　of　the
communication　which　announced　it；　was　so　convinced　of　the　existence　of
this　star　that　a　deputation　was　appointed　to　visit　the　domicile　of　the
modern　Galileo　and　compliment　him　in　the　name　of　the　whole　body。　And
yet　this　star　is　not　visible　to　either　the　eye　or　the　telescope！　It　is
only　by　the　power　of　calculation　and　induction　that　its　existence　and
the　place　it　occupies　in　the　heavens　have　been　proved　in　the　most
irrefutable　manner：　'There　MUST　be　THERE　a　hitherto　unknown　star；　I
cannot　see　it；　but　I　am　sure　of　it；'that　is　what　this　man　of　science
said　to　the　Academy；　whom　he　instantly　convinced　by　his　deductions。
And　do　you　know；　messieurs；　who　is　this　Christopher　Columbus　of　a　new
celestial　world？　An　old　man；　two…thirds　blind；　who　has　scarcely　eyes
enough　to　walk　in　the　street。〃

〃Wonderful！　Marvellous！　Admirable！〃　came　from　all　sides。

〃What　is　the　name　of　this　learned　man？〃　asked　several　voices。

〃Monsieur　Picot；　or；　if　you　prefer　it；　pere　Picot；　for　that　is　how
they　call　him　in　the　rue　du　Val…de…Grace；　where　he　lives。　He　is　simply
an　old　professor　of　mathematics；　who　has　turned　out　several　very　fine
pupils；by　the　bye；　Felix　Phellion；　whom　we　all　know；　studied　under
him；　and　it　was　he　who　read；　on　behalf　of　his　blind　old　master；　the
communication　to　the　Academy　this　afternoon。〃

Hearing　that　name；　and　remembering　the　promise　Felix　had　made　her　to
lift　her　to　the　skies；　which；　as　he　said　it；　she　had　fancied　a　sign　of
madness；　Celeste　looked　at　Madame　Thuillier；　whose　face　had　taken　a
sudden　glow　of　animation；　and　seemed　to　say　to　her；　〃Courage；　my
child！　all　is　not　lost。〃

〃My　dear　Theodose；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃Felix　is　coming　here　to…night；
you　must　take　him　aside　and　get　him　to　give　you　a　copy　of　that
communication；　it　would　be　a　fine　stroke　of　fortune　for　the　'Echo'　to
be　the　first　to　publish　it。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Minard；　assuming　the　answer；　〃that　would　do　good　service
to　the　public；　for　the　affair　is　going　to　make　a　great　noise。　The
committee；　not　finding　Monsieur　Picot　at　home；　went　straight　to　the
Minister　of　Public　Instruction；　and　the　minister　flew　to　the　Tuileries
and　saw　the　King；　and　the　'Messager'　came　out　this　eveningstrange　to
say；　so　early　that　I　could　read　it　in　my　carriage　as　I　drove　along
with　an　announcement　that　Monsieur　Picot　is　named　Chevalier　of　the
Legion　of　honor；　with　a　pension　of　eighteen　hundred　francs　from　the
fund　devoted　to　the　encouragement　of　science　and　letters。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃there's　one　cross　at　least　well　bestowed。〃

〃But　eighteen　hundred　francs　for　the　pension　seems　to　me　rather
paltry；〃　said　Dutocq。

〃So　it　does；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃and　all　the　more　because　that　money
comes　from　the　tax…payers；　and；　when　one　sees　the　taxes；　as　we　do；
frittered　away　on　court　favorites〃

〃Eighteen　hundred　francs　a　year；〃　interrupted　Minard；　〃is　certainly
something；　especially　for　savants；　a　class　of　people　who　are
accustomed　to　live　on　very　little。〃

〃I　think　I　have　heard；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃that　this　very　Monsieur
Picot　leads　a　strange　life；　and　that　his　family；　who　at　first　wanted
to　shut　him　up　as　a　lunatic；　are　now　trying　to　have　guardians
appointed　over　him。　They　say　he　allows　a　servant…woman　who　keeps　his
house　to　rob　him　of　all　he　has。　Parbleu！　Thuillier；　you　know　her；　it
is　that　woman　who　came　to　the　office　the　other　day　about　some　money　in
Dupuis's　hands。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　true；〃　said　Thuillier；　significantly；　〃you　are　right；　I　do
know　her。〃

〃It　is　queer；〃　said　Brigitte；　seeing　a　chance　to　enforce　the　argument
she　had　used　to　Celeste；　〃that　all　these　learned　men　are　good　for
nothing　outside　of　their　science；　in　their　homes　they　have　to　be
treated　like　children。〃

〃That　proves；〃　said　the　Abbe　Gondrin；　〃the　great　absorption　which
their　studies　give　to　their　minds；　and；　at　the　same　time；　a　simplicity
of　nature　which　is　very　touching。〃

〃When　they　are　not　as　obstinate　as　mules；〃　said　Brigitte；　hastily。
〃For　myself；　monsieur　l'abbe；　I　must　say　that　if　I　had　had　any　idea　of
marriage；　a　savant　wouldn't　have　suited　me　at　all。　What　do　they　do；
these　savants；　anyhow？　Useless　things　most　of　the　time。　You　are　all
admiring　one　who　has　discovered　a　star；　but　as　long　as　we　are　in　this
world　what　good　is　that　to　us？　For　all　the　use　we　make　of　stars　it
seems　to　me　we　have　got　enough　of　them　as　it　is。〃

〃Bravo；　Brigitte！〃　said　Colleville；　getting　loose　again；　〃you　are
right；　my　girl；　and　I　think；　as　you　do；　that　the　man　who　discovers　a
new　dish　deserves　better　of　humanity。〃

〃Colleville；〃　said　Flavie；　〃I　must　say　that　your　style　of　behavior　is
in　the　worst　taste。〃

〃My　dear　lady；〃　said　the　Abbe　Gondrin；　addressing　Brigitte；　〃you　might
be　right　if　we　were　formed　of　matter　only；　and　if；　bound　to　our　body；
there　were　not　a　soul　with　instincts　and　appetites　that　must　be
satisfied。　Well；　I　think　that　this　sense　of　the　infinite　which　is
within　us；　and　which　we　all　try　to　satisfy　each　in　our　own　way；　is
marvellously　well　helped　by　the　labors　of　astronomy；　that　reveal　to　us
from　time　to　time　new　worlds　which　the　hand　of　the　Creator　has　put
into　space。　The　infinite　in　you　has　taken　another　course；　this　passion
for　the　comfort　of　those　about　you；　this　warm；　devoted；　ardent
affection　which　you　feel　for　your　brother；　are　equally　the
manifestation　of　aspirations　which　have　nothing　material　about　them；
and　which；　in　seeking　th