yesterday；　in　this　house；　an　ecclesiastic；　as　admirable　for　his
  talents　as　for　his　virtues；　after　making　a　magnificent　eulogy　of　my
  son；　expressed　the　desire　to　know　him。〃
  〃Parbleu！　yes；　to　convert　him；〃　said　Brigitte。　〃But　as　for　this
  marriage；　I　am　sorry　to　tell　you　that　the　mustard　is　made　too　late　for
  the　dinner；　Thuillier　will　never　renounce　his　la　Peyrade。〃
  〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　Phellion；　rising；　〃I　feel　no　humiliation　for　the
  useless　step　I　have　this　day　taken；　I　do　not　even　ask　you　to　keep　it
  secret；　for　I　shall　myself　mention　it　to　our　friends　and
  acquaintances。〃
  〃Tell　it　to　whom　you　like；　my　good　man；〃　replied　Brigitte；
  acrimoniously。　〃Because　your　son　has　discovered　a　star；if；　indeed；
  he　did　discover　it；　and　not　that　old　fool　the　government　decorateddo
  you　expect　him　to　marry　a　daughter　of　the　King　of　the　French？〃
  〃Enough；〃　said　Phellion；　〃we　will　say　no　more。　I　might　answer　that；
  without　depreciating　the　Thuilliers；　the　Orleans　family　seems　to　me
  more　distinguished；　but　I　do　not　like　to　introduce　acerbity　into　the
  conversation；　and　therefore；　begging　you　to　receive　the　assurance　of
  my　humble　respects；　I　retire。〃
  So　saying；　he　made　his　exit　majestically；　and　left　Brigitte　with　the
  arrow　of　his　comparison；　discharged　after　the　manner　of　the　Parthian
  〃in　extremis；〃　sticking　in　her　mind；　and　she　herself　in　a　temper　all
  the　more　savage　because　already；　the　evening　before；　Madame　Thuillier；
  after　the　guests　were　gone；　had　the　incredible　audacity　to　say
  something　in　favor　of　Felix。　Needless　to　relate　that　the　poor　helot
  was　roughly　put　down　and　told　to　mind　her　own　business。　But　this
  attempt　at　a　will　of　her　own　in　her　sister…in…law　had　already　put　the
  old　maid　in　a　vile　humor；　and　Phellion；　coming　to　reopen　the　subject；
  exasperated　her。　Josephine；　the　cook；　and　the　〃male　domestic；〃
  received　the　after…clap　of　the　scene　which　had　just　taken　place。
  Brigitte　found　that　in　her　absence　everything　had　been　done　wrong；　and
  putting　her　own　hand　to　the　work；　she　hoisted　herself　on　a　chair；　at
  the　risk　of　her　neck；　to　reach　the　upper　shelves　of　the　closet；　where
  her　choicest　china；　for　gala　days；　was　carefully　kept　under　lock　and
  key。
  This　day；　which　for　Brigitte　began　so　ill；　was；　beyond　all　gainsaying；
  one　of　the　stormiest　and　most　portentous　of　this　narrative。
  CHAPTER　XIV
  A　STORMY　DAY
  As　an　exact　historian；　we　must　go　back　and　begin　the　day　at　six　in　the
  morning；　when　we　can　see　Madame　Thuillier　going　to　the　Madeleine　to
  hear　the　mass　that　the　Abbe　Gondrin　was　in　the　habit　of　saying　at　that
  hour；　and　afterwards　approaching　the　holy　table；a　viaticum　which
  pious　souls　never　fail　to　give　themselves　when　it　is　in　their　minds　to
  accomplish　some　great　resolution。
  About　mid…day　the　abbe　received　a　visit　in　his　own　home　from　Madame
  Thuillier　and　Celeste。　The　poor　child　wanted　a　little　development　of
  the　words　by　which　the　priest　had　given　security；　the　evening　before；
  in　Brigitte's　salon；　for　the　eternal　welfare　of　Felix　Phellion。　It
  seemed　strange　to　the　mind　of　this　girl…theologian　that；　without
  practising　religion；　a　soul　could　be　received　into　grace　by　the　divine
  justice；　for　surely　the　anathema　is　clear：　Out　of　the　Church　there　is
  no　salvation。
  〃My　dear　child；〃　said　the　Abbe　Gondrin；　〃learn　to　understand　that
  saying　which　seems　to　you　so　inexplicable。　It　is　more　a　saying　of
  thanksgiving　for　those　who　have　the　happiness　to　live　within　the　pale
  of　our　holy　mother　the　Church　than　a　malediction　upon　those　who　have
  the　misfortune　to　live　apart　from　her。　God　sees　to　the　depths　of　all
  hearts；　He　knows　His　elect；　and　so　great　is　the　treasure　of　His
  goodness　that　to　none　is　it　given　to　limit　its　riches　and　its
  munificence。　Who　shall　dare　to　say　to　God：　Thou　wilt　be　generous　and
  munificent　so　far　and　no　farther。　Jesus　Christ　forgave　the　woman　in
  adultery；　and　on　the　cross　He　promised　heaven　to　a　thief；　in　order　to
  prove　to　us　that　He　deals　with　men；　not　according　to　human　sentiments；
  but　according　to　HIS　wisdom　and　HIS　mercy。　He　who　thinks　himself　a
  Christian　may　be　in　the　eyes　of　God　an　idolator；　and　another　who　is
  thought　a　pagan　may；　by　his　feelings　and　his　actions　be；　without　his
  own　knowledge；　a　Christian。　Our　holy　religion　has　this　that　is　divine
  about　it；　all　grandeur；　all　heroism　are　but　the　practice　of　its
  precepts。　I　was　saying　yesterday　to　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade　that　pure
  souls　must　be；　in　course　of　time；　its　inevitable　conquest。　It　is　all…
  important　to　give　them　their　just　credit；　that　is　a　confidence　which
  returns　great　dividends；　and；　besides；　charity　commands　it。〃
  〃Ah！　my　God！〃　cried　Celeste；　〃to　learn　that　too　late！　I；　who　could
  have　chosen　between　Felix　and　Monsieur　de　la　Peyrade；　and　did　not　dare
  to　follow　the　ideas　of　my　heart！　Oh！　Monsieur　l'abbe；　couldn't　you
  speak　to　my　mother？　Your　advice　is　always　listened　to。〃
  〃Impossible；　my　dear　child；〃　replied　the　vicar。　〃If　I　had　the
  direction　of　Madame　Colleville's　conscience　I　might　perhaps　say　a
  word；　but　we　are　so　often　accused　of　meddling　imprudently　in　family
  matters！　Be　sure　that　my　intervention　here；　without　authority　or
  right；　would　do　you　more　harm　than　good。　It　is　for　you　and　for　those
  who　love　you；〃　he　added；　giving　a　look　to　Madame　Thuillier；　〃to　see　if
  these　arrangements；　already　so　far　advanced；　could　be　changed　in　the
  direction　of　your　wishes。〃
  It　was　written　that　the　poor　child　was　to　drink　to　the　dregs　the　cup
  she　had　herself　prepared　by　her　intolerance。　As　the　abbe　finished
  speaking；　his　housekeeper　came　in　to　ask　if　he　would　receive　Monsieur
  Felix　Phellion。　Thus；　like　the　Charter　of　1830；　Madame　de　Godollo's
  officious　falsehood　was　turned　into　truth。
  〃Go　this　way；〃　he　said　hastily；　showing　his　two　penitents　out　by　a
  private　corridor。
  Life　has　such　strange　encounters　that　it　does　sometimes　happen　that
  the　same　form　of　proceeding　must　be　used　by　courtesans　and　by　the　men
  of　God。
  〃Monsieur　l'abbe；〃　said　Felix　to　the　young　vicar　as　soon　as　they　met；
  〃I　have　heard　of　the　kind　manner　in　which　you　were　so　very　good　as　to
  speak　of　me　in　Monsieur　Thuillier's　salon　last　night；　and　I　should
  have　hastened　to　express　my　gratitude　if　another　interest　had　not
  drawn　me　to　you。〃
  The　Abbe　Gondrin　passed　hastily　over　the　compliments；　eager　to　know　in
  what　way　he　could　be　useful　to　his　fellow…man。
  〃With　an　intention　that　I　wish　to　think　kindly；〃　replied　Felix；　〃you
  were　spoken　to　yesterday　about　the　state　of　my　soul。　Those　who　read　it
  so　fluently　know　more　than　I　do　about　my　inner　being；　for；　during　the
  last　few　days　I　have　felt　strange；　inexplicable　feelings　within　me。
  Never　have　I　doubted　God；　but；　in　contact　with　that　infinitude　where
  he　has　permitted　my　thought　to　follow　the　traces　of　his　work　I　seem　to
  have　gathered　a　sense　of　him　less　vague；　more　immediate；　and　this　has
  led　me　to　ask　myself　whether　an　honest　and　upright　life　is　the　only
  homage　which　his　omnipotence　expects　of　me。　Nevertheless；　there　are
  numberless　objections　rising　in　my　mind　against　the　worship　of　which
  you　are　the　minister；　while　sensible　of　the　beauty　of　its　external
  form　in　many　of　its　precepts　and　practices；　I　find　myself　deterred　by
  my　reason。　I　shall　have　paid　dearly；　perhaps　by　the　happiness　of　my
  whole　life；　for　the　slowness　and　want　of　vigor　which　I　have　shown　in
  seeking　the　solution　of　my　doubts。　I　have　now　decided　to　search　to　the
  bottom　of　them。　No　one　so　well　as　you；　Monsieur　l'abbe；　can　help　me　to
  solve　them。　I　have　come　with　confidence　to　lay　them　before　you；　to　ask
  you　to　listen　to　me；　to　answer　me；　and　to　tell　me　by　what　studies　I
  can　pursue　the　search　for　light。　It　is　a　cruelly　afflicted　soul　that
  appeals　to　you。　Is　not　that　a　good　ground　for　the　seed　of　your　word？〃
  The　Abbe　Gondrin　eagerly　protested　the　joy　with　which；　notwithstanding
  his　own　insufficiency；　he　would　undertake　to　reply　to　the　scruples　of
  conscience　in　the　young　savant。　After　asking　him　for　a　place　in　his
  friendship；　and　telling　him　to　come　at　certain　hours　for　conversation；
  he　asked　him　to　read；　as　a　first　step；　the　〃Thoughts〃　of　Pascal。　A
  natural　affinity；　on　the　side　of　science；　would；　he　believed；　be
  established　between　the　spirit　of　Pascal　and　that　of　the　young
  mathematician。
  While　this　scene　was　passing；　a　scene　to　which　the　greatness　of　the
  interests　in　question　and　the　moral　and　intellectual　elevation　of　the
  personages　concerned　in　it　gave　a　character　of　grandeur　which；　like
  all　reposeful；　tranquil　aspects；　is　easier　far　to　comprehend　than　to
  reproduce；　another　scene；　of　sharp　and　bitter　discord；　that　chronic
  malady　of　bourgeois　households；　where　the　pettiness　of　minds　and
  passions　gives　open　way　to　it；　was　taking　place　in　the　Thuillier　home。
  Mounted　upon　her　chair；　her　hair　in　disorder　and　her　face　and　fingers
  dirty；　Brigitte；　duster　in　hand；　was　cleaning　the　shelves　of　the
  closet；　where　she　was　replacing　her　library　of　plates；　dishes；　and
  sauce…boats；　when　Flavie　came　in　and　accosted　her。
  〃Brigitte；〃　she　said；　〃when　you　have　finished　what　you　are　about　you
  had　better　come　down　to　our　apartment；　or　else　I'll　send　Celeste　to
  you；　she　seems　to　me　to　be　inclined　to　make　trouble。〃
  〃In　what　way？〃　asked　Brigitte；　continuing　to　dust。
  〃I　t