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enemy。 A mob of savages broke my instruments； and talked of stringing
me up。 They were just going to do it； when the captain of a vessel
took me prisoner and thrust me into the citadel of Belver； where I
spent three years in the harshest captivity。 Since them； as you may
well believe； I loathe the whole celestial system； though I was；
without knowing it； the first to observe the famous comet of 1811； but
I should have taken care not to say a word about it if it had not been
for Monsieur Flauguergues； who announced it。 Like all my pupils；
Phellion knows my aversion to stars； and he knew very well the worst
trick he could play me would be to saddle one on my back； and that
deputation that came to play the farce of congratulating me was mighty
lucky not to find me at home； for if they had； I can assure those
gentlemen of the Academy； they would have had a hot reception。〃
Everybody present thought the old mathematician's monomania quite
delightful； except la Peyrade； who now； in perceiving Felix Phellion's
part in the affair； regretted deeply having caused the explanation。
〃And yet； Monsieur Picot；〃 said Minard； 〃if Felix Phellion is only
guilty of attributing his discovery to you； it seems to me that his
indiscreet behavior has resulted in a certain compensation to you： the
cross of the Legion of honor； a pension； and the glory attached to
your name are not to be despised。〃
〃The cross and the pension I take；〃 said the old man； emptying his
glass； which； to Brigitte's terror； he set down upon the table with a
force that threatened to smash it。 〃The government has owed them to me
these twenty years； not for the discovery of stars；things that I
have always despised；but for my famous 'Treatise on Differential
Logarithms' （Kepler thought proper to call them monologarithms）； which
is a sequel to the tables of Napier； also for my 'Postulatum' of
Euclid； of which I was the first to discover the solution； but above
all； for my 'Theory of Perpetual Motion；'four volumes in quarto with
plates； Paris； 1825。 You see； therefore； monsieur； that to give me
glory is bringing water to the Seine。 I had so little need of Monsieur
Felix Phellion to make me a position in the scientific world that I
turned him out of my house long ago。〃
〃Then it isn't the first star；〃 said Colleville； flippantly； 〃that he
dared to put upon you？〃
〃He did worse than that；〃 roared the old man； 〃he ruined my
reputation； he tarnished my name。 My 'Theory of Perpetual Motion；' the
printing of which cost me every penny I owned； though it ought to have
been printed gratis at the Royal Printing…office； was calculated to
make my fortune and render me immortal。 Well； that miserable Felix
prevented it。 From time to time； pretending to bring messages from my
editor； he would say； the young sycophant； 'Papa Picot； your book is
selling finely； here's five hundred francstwo hundred francsand
once it was two thousandwhich your publisher charged me to give
you。' This thing went on for years； and my publisher； who had the
baseness to enter into the plot； would say to me； when I went to the
shop： 'Yes； yes； it doesn't do badly； it BUBBLES； that book； we shall
soon be at the end of this edition。' I； who didn't suggest anything； I
pocketed my money； and thought to myself： 'My book is liked； little by
little its ideas are making their way； I may now expect； from day to
day； that some great capitalist will come to me and propose to apply
my system'〃
〃of 'Absorption of Liquids'？〃 asked Colleville； who had been
steadily filling the old fellow's glass。
〃No； monsieur； my 'Theory of Perpetual Motion；' 4 vols。 in quarto with
plates。 But no！ days； weeks went by and nobody came； so； thinking that
my publisher did not put all the energy he should into the matter； I
tried to sell the second edition to another man。 It was that；
monsieur； that enabled me to discover the whole plot； on which； as I
said before； I turned that serpent out of my house。 In six years only
nine copies had been sold！ Kept quiet in false security I had done
nothing for the propagation of my book； which had been left to take
care of itself； and thus it was that I； victim of black and wicked
jealousy； was shamefully despoiled of the value of my labors。〃
〃But；〃 said Minard； making himself the mouthpiece of the thoughts of
the company； 〃may we not see in that act a manner as ingenious as it
was delicate to〃
〃To give me alms！ is that what you mean？〃 interrupted the old man；
with a roar that made Mademoiselle Minard jump in her chair； 〃to
humiliate me； dishonor meme； his old professor！ Am I in need of
charity？ Has Picot （Nepomucene）； to whom his wife brought a dowry of
one hundred thousand francs； ever stretched out his palm to any one？
But in these days nothing is respected。 Old fellows； as they call us；
our religion and our good faith is taken advantage of so that these
youths may say to the public： 'Old drivellers； don't you see now they
are good for nothing？ It needs US； the young generation； US； the
moderns； US； Young France； to bring them up on a bottle。' Young
greenhorn！ let me see YOU try to feed ME！ Old drivellers know more in
their little finger than you in your whole brain； and you'll never be
worth us； paltry little intriguer that you are！ However； I know my day
of vengeance will come； that young Phellion can't help ending badly；
what he did to…day； reading a statement to the Academy； under my name；
was forgery； forgery！ and the law will send him to the galleys for
that。〃
〃True；〃 said Colleville； 〃forgery of a public star。〃
Brigitte； who quaked for her glasses； and whose nerves were
exacerbated by the monstrous consumption of cakes and wine； now gave
the signal to return to the salon。 Besides； she had heard the door…
bell ring several times； announcing the arrival of guests for the
evening。 The question then was how to transplant the professor； and
Colleville politely offered him his arm。
〃No； monsieur；〃 he said； 〃you must allow me to stay where I am。 I am
not dressed for a party； and besides； a strong light hurts my eyes。
Moreover； I don't choose to give myself as a spectacle； it will be
best that my interview with Felix Phellion should take place between
'four…eyes；' as they say。〃
〃Well； let him alone； then；〃 said Brigitte to Colleville。
No one insisted；the old man having； unconsciously； pretty nigh
discrowned himself in the opinion of the company。 But before leaving；
the careful housewife removed everything that was at all fragile from
his reach； then； by way of a slight attention； she said：
〃Shall I send you some coffee？〃
〃I'll take it； madame；〃 responded pere Picot； 〃and some cognac with
it。〃
〃Oh！ parbleu！ he takes everything；〃 said Brigitte to the male
domestic； and she told the latter to keep an eye on the old madman。
When Brigitte returned to the salon she found that the Abbe Gondrin
had become the centre of a great circle formed by nearly the whole
company； and as she approached； she heard him say：
〃I thank Heaven for bestowing upon me such a pleasure。 I have never
felt an emotion like that aroused by the scene we have just witnessed；
even the rather burlesque form of this confidence； which was certainly
very artless； for it was quite involuntary； only adds to the honor of
the surprising generosity it revealed。 Placed as I am by my ministry
in the way of knowing of many charities； and often either the witness
or intermediary of good actions； I think I never in my life have met
with a more touching or a more ingenious devotion。 To keep the left
hand ignorant of what the right hand does is a great step in
Christianity； but to go so far as to rob one's self of one's own fame
to benefit another under such conditions is the gospel applied in its
highest precepts； it is being more than a Sister of Charity； it is
doing the work of an apostle of beneficence。 How I should like to know
that noble young man； and shake him by the hand。〃
With her arm slipped through that of her godmother； Celeste was
standing very near the priest； her ears intent upon his words； her arm
pressing tighter and tighter that of Madame Thuillier； as the abbe
analyzed the generous action of Felix Phellion； until at last she
whispered under her breath：
〃You hear； godmother； you hear！〃
To destroy the inevitable effect which this hearty praise would surely
have on Celeste； Thuillier hastened to say：
〃Unfortunately； Monsieur l'abbe； the young man of whom you speak so
warmly is not altogether unknown to you。 I have had occasion to tell
you about him； and to regret that it was not possible to follow out
certain plans which we once entertained for him； I allude to the very
compromising independence he affects in his religious opinions。〃
〃Ah！ is that the young man？〃 said the abbe； 〃you surprise me much； I
must say such an idea would never have crossed my mind。〃
〃You will see him presently； Monsieur l'abbe；〃 said la Peyrade；
joining in the conversation； 〃and if you question him on certain
grounds you will have no difficulty in discovering the ravages that a
love of science can commit in the most gifted souls。〃
〃I am afraid I shall not see him；〃 said the abbe； 〃as my black gown
would