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〃I am afraid I shall not see him；〃 said the abbe； 〃as my black gown
would be out of place in the midst of the more earthly gaiety that
will soon fill this salon。 But I know； Monsieur de la Peyrade； that
you are a man of sincerely pious convictions； and as； without any
doubt； you feel as much interest in the young man's welfare as I do
myself； I shall say to you in parting： Do not be uneasy about him；
sooner or later； such choice souls come back to us； and if the return
of these prodigals should be long delayed I should not fear； on seeing
them go to God； that His infinite mercy would fail them。〃
So saying； the abbe looked about to find his hat； and proceeded to
slip quietly away。
Suddenly a fearful uproar was heard。 Rushing into the dining…room；
whence came a sound of furniture overturned and glasses breaking；
Brigitte found Colleville occupied in adjusting his cravat and looking
himself over to be sure that his coat； cruelly pulled awry； bore no
signs of being actually torn。
〃What is the matter？〃 cried Brigitte。
〃It is that old idiot；〃 replied Colleville； 〃who is in a fury。 I came
to take my coffee with him； just to keep him company； and he took a
joke amiss； and collared me； and knocked over two chairs and a tray of
glasses because Josephine didn't get out of his way in time。〃
〃It is all because you've been teasing him；〃 said Brigitte； crossly；
〃why couldn't you stay in the salon instead of coming here to play
your jokes； as you call them？ You think you are still in the orchestra
of the Opera…Comique。〃
This sharp rebuke delivered； Brigitte； like the resolute woman that
she was； saw that she absolutely must get rid of the ferocious old man
who threatened her household with flames and blood。 Accordingly； she
approached pere Picot； who was tranquilly engaged in burning brandy in
his saucer。
〃Monsieur；〃 she said； at the top of her lungs； as if she were speaking
to a deaf person （evidently thinking that a blind one ought to be
treated in the same manner）； 〃I have come to tell you something that
may annoy you。 Monsieur and Madame Phellion have just arrived； and
they inform me that their son； Monsieur Felix； is not coming。 He has a
cold and a sore…throat。〃
〃Then he got it this afternoon reading that lecture；〃 cried the
professor； joyfully。 〃That's justice！Madame； where do you get your
brandy？〃
〃Why； at my grocer's；〃 replied Brigitte； taken aback by the question。
〃Well； madame； I ought to tell you that in a house where one can drink
such excellent champagne； which reminds me of that we used to quaff at
the table of Monsieur de Fontanes； grand…master of the University； it
is shameful to keep such brandy。 I tell you； with the frankness I put
into everything； that it is good only to wash your horses' feet； and
if I had not the resource of burning it〃
〃He is the devil in person；〃 thought Brigitte； 〃not a word of excuse
about all that glass； but he must needs fall foul of my brandy too！
Monsieur；〃 she resumed； in the same raised diapason； 〃as Monsieur
Felix is not coming； don't you think your family will be uneasy at
your absence？〃
〃Family？ I haven't any； madame； owing to the fact that they want to
make me out a lunatic。 But I have a housekeeper； Madame Lambert； and I
dare say she will be surprised not to see me home by this time。 I
think I had better go now； if I stay later； the scene might be more
violent。 But I must own that in this strange quarter I am not sure if
I can find my way。〃
〃Then take a carriage。〃
〃Carriage here； carriage there； indeed！ my spiteful relations wouldn't
lose the chance of calling me a spendthrift。〃
〃I have an important message to send into your quarter；〃 said
Brigitte； seeing she must resolve to make the sacrifice； 〃and I have
just told my porter to take a cab and attend to it。 If you would like
to take advantage of that convenience〃
〃I accept it； madame；〃 said the old professor； rising； 〃and； if it
comes to the worst； I hope you will testify before the judge that I
was niggardly about a cab。〃
〃Henri；〃 said Brigitte to the man…servant； 〃take monsieur down to the
porter and tell him to do the errand I told him about just now； and to
take monsieur to his own door； and be very careful of him。〃
〃Careful of him！〃 echoed the old man。 〃Do you take me for a trunk；
madame； or a bit of cracked china？〃
Seeing that she had got her man fairly to the door； Brigitte allowed
herself to turn upon him。
〃What I say； monsieur； is for your good。 You must allow me to observe
that you have not an agreeable nature。〃
〃Careful of him！ careful of him！〃 repeated the old man。 〃Don't you
know； madame； that by the use of such words you may get people put
into lunatic asylums？ However； I will not reply rudely to the polite
hospitality I have received；all the more because； I think； I have
put Monsieur Felix； who missed me intentionally； in his right place。〃
〃Go； go； go； you old brute！〃 cried Brigitte； slamming the door behind
him。
Before returning to the salon she was obliged to drink a whole
glassful of water； the restraint she had been forced to put upon
herself in order to get rid of this troublesome guest having； to use
her own expression； 〃put her all about。〃
CHAPTER XIII
THE MAN WHO THINKS THE STAR TOO BRIGHT
The next morning Minard paid a visit to Phellion in his study。 The
great citizen and his son Felix were at that moment engaged in a
conversation which seemed to have some unusual interest for them。
〃My dear Felix；〃 cried the mayor of the eleventh arrondissement；
offering his hand warmly to the young professor； 〃it is you who bring
me here this morning； I have come to offer you my congratulations。〃
〃What has occurred？〃 asked Phellion。 〃Have the Thuilliers〃
〃It has nothing to do with the Thuilliers；〃 interrupted the mayor。
〃But；〃 he added； looking hard at Felix； 〃can that sly fellow have
concealed the thing even from you？〃
〃I do not think；〃 said Phellion； 〃that ever； in his life； has my son
concealed a thing from me。〃
〃Then you know about the sublime astronomical discovery which he
communicated to the Academy of Sciences yesterday？〃
〃Your kindness for me； Monsieur le maire；〃 said Felix； hastily； 〃has
led you astray； I was only the reader of the communication。〃
〃Oh！ let me alone！〃 said Minard； 〃reader； indeed！ I know all about
it。〃
〃But see；〃 said Felix； offering Minard the 〃Constitutionnel；〃 〃here's
the paper； not only does it announce that Monsieur Picot is the maker
of the discovery； but it mentions the rewards which； without losing a
moment； the government has bestowed upon him。〃
〃Felix is right；〃 said Phellion； 〃that journal is to be trusted。 On
this occasion I think the government has acted very properly。〃
〃But； my dear commander； I repeat to you that the truth of the affair
has got wind； and your son is shown to be a most admirable fellow。 To
put his own discovery to the credit of his old professor so as to
obtain for him the recognition and favor of the authoritiesupon my
word； in all antiquity I don't know a finer trait！〃
〃Felix！〃 said Phellion； beginning to show some emotion； 〃these immense
labors to which you have devoted so much time of late； these continual
visits to the Observatory〃
〃But； father；〃 interrupted Felix； 〃Monsieur Minard has been
misinformed。〃
〃Misinformed！〃 cried Minard； 〃when I know the whole affair from
Monsieur Picot himself！〃
At this argument； stated in a way to leave no possible doubt； the
truth began to dawn upon Phellion。
〃Felix； my son！〃 he said； rising to embrace him。
But he was obliged to sit down again； his legs refused to bear his
weight； he turned pale； and that nature； ordinarily so impassible；
seemed about to give way under the shock of this happiness。
〃My God！〃 said Felix； terrified； 〃he is ill； ring the bell； I entreat
you； Monsieur Minard。〃
And he ran to the old man； loosened his cravat and unfastened the
collar of his shirt； striking him in the palms of his hands。 But the
sudden faintness was but momentary； almost immediately himself again；
Phellion gathered his son to his heart； and holding him long in his
embrace； he said； in a voice broken by the tears that came to put an
end to this shock of joy：
〃Felix； my noble son！ so great in heart； so great in mind！〃
The bell had been rung by Minard with magisterial force； and with such
an accent that the whole household was alarmed； and came running in。
〃It is nothing； it is nothing；〃 said Phellion to the servants； sending
them away。 But almost at the same moment； seeing his wife； who now
entered the room； he resumed his habitual solemnity。
〃Madame Phellion；〃 he said； pointing to Felix； 〃how many years is it
since you brought that young man into the world？〃
Madame Phellion； bewildered by the question； hesitated a moment； and
then said：
〃Twenty…five years next January。〃
〃Have you not thought； until now； that God had amply granted your
maternal desires by making this child of your womb an honest man； a
pious son； and by gifting him for mathematics； that Science of
sciences； with an aptitude sufficiently remarkable？〃
〃I have；〃 said Madame Phellion； understanding less and less what her
husband was comi