penguin island-第41部分

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m　of　the　banks　required　a　civilizing　expedition　to　Nigritia；　and　that　the　steel　trusts；　eager　in　the　defence　of　our　coasts　and　colonies；　were　crying　out　for　armoured　cruisers　and　still　more　armoured　cruisers。　Rumours　of　war　began　to　be　heard。　Such　rumours　sprang　up　every　year　as　regularly　as　the　trade　winds；　serious　people　paid　no　heed　to　them　and　the　government　usually　let　them　die　away　from　their　own　weakness　unless　they　grew　stronger　and　spread。　For　in　that　case　the　country　would　be　alarmed。　The　financiers　only　wanted　colonial　wars　and　the　people　did　not　want　any　wars　at　all。　It　loved　to　see　its　government　proud　and　even　insolent；　but　at　the　least　suspicion　that　a　European　war　was　brewing；　its　violent　emotion　would　quickly　have　reached　the　House。　Paul　Visire　was　not　uneasy。　The　European　situation　was　in　his　view　completely　reassuring。　He　was　only　irritated　by　the　maniacal　silence　of　his　Minister　of　Foreign　Affairs。　That　gnome　went　to　the　Cabinet　meetings　with　a　portfolio　bigger　than　himself　stuffed　full　of　papers；　said　nothing；　refused　to　answer　all　questions；　even　those　asked　him　by　the　respected　President　of　the　Republic；　and；　exhausted　by　his　obstinate　labours；　took　a　few　moments'　sleep　in　his　arm…chair　in　which　nothing　but　the　top　of　his　little　black　head　was　to　be　seen　above　the　green　tablecloth。

In　the　mean　time　Hippolyte　Ceres　became　a　strong　man　again。　In　company　with　his　colleague　Lapersonne　he　formed　numerous　intimacies　with　ladies　of　the　theatre。　They　were　both　to　be　seen　at　night　entering　fashionable　restaurants　in　the　company　of　ladies　whom　they　over…topped　by　their　lofty　stature　and　their　new　hats；　and　they　were　soon　reckoned　amongst　the　most　sympathetic　frequenters　of　the　boulevards。　Fortune　Lapersonne　had　his　own　wound　beneath　his　armour；　His　wife；　a　young　milliner　whom　he　carried　off　from　a　marquis；　had　gone　to　live　with　a　chauffeur。　He　loved　her　still；　and　could　not　console　himself　for　her　loss；　so　that　very　often　in　the　private　room　of　a　restaurant；　in　the　midst　of　a　group　of　girls　who　laughed　and　ate　crayfish；　the　two　ministers　exchanged　a　look　full　of　their　common　sorrow　and　wiped　away　an　unbidden　tear。　

Hippolyte　Ceres；　although　wounded　to　the　heart；　did　not　allow　himself　to　be　beaten。　He　swore　that　he　would　be　avenged。

Madame　Paul　Visire；　whose　deplorable　health　forced　her　to　live　with　her　relatives　in　a　distant　province；　received　an　anonymous　letter　specifying　that　M。　Paul　Visire；　who　had　not　a　half…penny　when　he　married　her；　was　spending　her　dowry　on　a　married　woman；　E　C；　that　he　gave　this　woman　thirty…thousand…franc　motor…cars；　and　pearl　necklaces　costing　twenty…five　thousand　francs；　and　that　he　was　going　straight　to　dishonour　and　ruin。　Madame　Paul　Visire　read　the　letter；　fell　into　hysterics；　and　handed　it　to　her　father。

〃I　am　going　to　box　your　husband's　ears；〃　said　M。　Blampignon；　〃he　is　a　blackguard　who　will　land　you　both　in　the　workhouse　unless　we　look　out。　He　may　be　Prime　Minister；　but　he　won't　frighten　me。〃

When　he　stepped　off　the　train　M。　Blampignon　presented　himself　at　the　Ministry　of　the　Interior；　and　was　immediately　received。　He　entered　the　Prime　Minister's　room　in　a　fury。

〃I　have　something　to　say　to　you；　sir！〃　And　he　waved　the　anonymous　letter。

Paul　Visire　welcomed　him　smiling。

〃You　are　welcome；　my　dear　father。　I　was　going　to　write　to　you。　。　。　。　Yes；　to　tell　you　of　your　nomination　to　the　rank　of　officer　of　the　Legion　of　Honour。　I　signed　the　patent　this　morning。〃

M。　Blampignon　thanked　his　son…in…law　warmly　and　threw　the　anonymous　letter　into　the　fire。

He　returned　to　his　provincial　house　and　found　his　daughter　fretting　and　agitated。

〃Well！　I　saw　your　husband。　He　is　a　delightful　fellow。　But　then；　you　don't　understand　how　to　deal　with　him。〃

About　this　time　Hippolyte　Ceres　learned　through　a　little　scandalous　newspaper　（it　is　always　through　the　newspapers　that　ministers　are　informed　of　the　affairs　of　State）　that　the　Prime　Minister　dined　every　evening　with　Mademoiselle　Lysiane　of　the　Folies　Dramatiques；　whose　charm　seemed　to　have　made　a　great　impression　on　him。　Thenceforth　Ceres　took　a　gloomy　joy　in　watching　his　wife。　She　came　in　every　evening　to　dine　or　dress　with　an　air　of　agreeable　fatigue　and　the　serenity　that　comes　from　enjoyment。

Thinking　that　she　knew　nothing；　he　sent　her　anonymous　communications。　She　read　them　at　the　table　before　him　and　remained　still　listless　and　smiling。

He　then　persuaded　himself　that　she　gave　no　heed　to　these　vague　reports；　and　that　in　order　to　disturb　her　it　would　be　necessary　to　enable　her　to　verify　her　lover's　infidelity　and　treason　for　herself。　There　were　at　the　Ministry　a　number　of　trustworthy　agents　charged　with　secret　inquiries　regarding　the　national　defence。　They　were　then　employed　in　watching　the　spies　of　a　neighbouring　and　hostile　Power　who　had　succeeded　in　entering　the　Postal　and　Telegraphic　service。　M。　Ceres　ordered　them　to　suspend　their　work　for　the　present　and　to　inquire　where；　when；　and　how；　the　Minister　of　the　Interior　saw　Mademoiselle　Lysiane。　The　agents　performed　their　missions　faithfully　and　told　the　minister　that　they　had　several　times　seen　the　Prime　Minister　with　a　woman；　but　that　she　was　not　Mademoiselle　Lysiane。　Hippolyte　Ceres　asked　them　nothing　further。　He　was　right；　the　loves　of　Paul　Visire　and　Lysiane　were　but　an　alibi　invented　by　Paul　Visire　himself；　with　Eveline's　approval；　for　his　fame　was　rather　inconvenient　to　her；　and　she　sighed　for　secrecy　and　mystery。

They　were　not　shadowed　by　the　agents　of　the　Ministry　of　Commerce　alone。　They　were　also　followed　by　those　of　the　Prefect　of　Police；　and　even　by　those　of　the　Minister　of　the　Interior；　who　disputed　with　each　other　the　honour　of　protecting　their　chief。　Then　there　were　the　emissaries　of　several　royalist；　imperialist；　and　clerical　organisations；　those　of　eight　or　ten　blackmailers；　several　amateur　detectives；　a　multitude　of　reporters；　and　a　crowd　of　photographers；　who　all　made　their　appearance　wherever　these　two　took　refuge　in　their　perambulating　love　affairs；　at　big　hotels；　small　hotels；　town　houses；　country　houses；　private　apartments；　villas；　museums；　palaces；　hovels。　They　kept　watch　in　the　streets；　from　neighbouring　houses；　trees；　walls；　stair…cases；　landings；　roofs；　adjoining　rooms；　and　even　chimneys。　The　Minister　and　his　friend　saw　with　alarm　all　round　their　bed　room；　gimlets　boring　through　doors　and　shutters；　and　drills　making　holes　in　the　walls。　A　photograph　of　Madame　Ceres　in　night　attire　buttoning　her　boots　was　the　utmost　that　had　been　obtained。

Paul　Visire　grew　impatient　and　irritable；　and　often　lost　his　good　humour　and　agreeableness。　He　came　to　the　cabinet　meetings　in　a　rage　and　he；　too；　poured　invectives　upon　General　Debonnairea　brave　man　under　fire　but　a　lax　disciplinarianand　launched　his　sarcasms　at　against　the　venerable　admiral　Vivier　des　Murenes　whose　ships　went　to　the　bottom　without　any　apparent　reason。

Fortune　Lapersonne　listened　open…eyed；　and　grumbled　scoffingly　between　his　teeth：

〃He　is　not　satisfied　with　robbing　Hippolyte　Ceres　of　his　wife；　but　he　must　go　and　rob　him　of　his　catchwords　too。〃

These　storms　were　made　known　by　the　indiscretion　of　some　ministers　and　by　the　complaints　of　the　two　old　warriors；　who　declared　their　intention　of　flinging　their　portfolios　at　the　beggar's　head；　but　who　did　nothing　of　the　sort。　These　outbursts；　far　from　injuring　the　lucky　Prime　Minister；　had　an　excellent　effect　on　Parliament　and　public　opinion；　who　looked　on　them　as　signs　of　a　keen　solicitude　for　the　welfare　of　the　national　army　and　navy。　The　Prime　Minister　was　the　recipient　of　general　approbation。

To　the　congratulations　of　the　various　groups　and　of　notable　personages；　he　replied　with　simple　firmness：　〃Those　are　my　principles！〃　and　he　had　seven　or　eight　Socialists　put　in　prison。

The　session　ended；　and　Paul　Visire；　very　exhausted；　went　to　take　the　waters。　Hippolyte　Ceres　refused　to　leave　his　Ministry；　where　the　trade　union　of　telephone　girls　was　in　tumultuous　agitation。　He　opposed　it　with　an　unheard　of　violence；　for　he　had　now　become　a　woman…hater。　On　Sundays　he　went　into　the　suburbs　to　fish　along　with　his　colleague　Lapersonne；　wearing　the　tall　hat　that　never　left　him　since　he　had　become　a　Minister。　And　both　of　them；　forgetting　the　fish；；　complained　of　the　inconstancy　of　women　and　mingled　their　griefs。

Hippolyte　still　loved　Eveline　and　he　still　suffered。　However；　hope　had　slipped　into　his　heart。　She　was　now　separated　from　her　＇over；　and；　thinking　to　win　her　back；　he　directed　all　his　efforts　to　that　end。　He　put　forth　all　his　skill；　showed　himself　sincere；　adaptable；　affectionate；　devoted；　even　discreet；　his　heart　taught　him　the　delicacies　of　feeling。　He　said　charming　and　touching　things　to　the　faithless　one；　and；　to　soften　her；　he　told　her　all　that　he　had　suffered。

Crossing　the　band　of　his　trousers　upon　his　stomach。

〃See；〃　said　he；　〃how　thin　I　have　got。〃

He　promised　her　everything　he　thought　could　gratify　a　woman；　country　parties；　hats；　jewels。

Sometimes　he　thought　she　would　take　pity　on　him。

She　no　longer　displayed　an　insolently　happy　countenance。　Being　separated　from　Paul；　her　sadness　had　an　air　of　gentleness。　But　the　moment　he　made　a　gesture　to　recover　her　she　turned　away　fiercely　and　gloomily；　girt　with　her　fault　as　if　with　a　golden　girdle。

He　did　not　give　up；　making　himself　humble；　suppliant；　lamentable。

One　day　he　went　to　Lapersonne　and　said　to　him　with　tears　in　his　eyes：

〃Will　you　speak　to　her？〃

Lapersonne　excused　himself；　thinking　that　his　intervention　would　be　useless；　but　he　gave　some　advice　to　his　friend。

〃Make　her　think　that　you　don't　care　about　her；　that　you　love　another；　and　she　will　come　back　to　you。〃

Hippolyte；　adopting　this　method；　inserted　in　the　newspapers　that　he　was　always　to　be　found　in　the　company　of　Mademoiselle　Guinaud　of　the　Opera。　He　came　home　late　or　did　not　come　home　at　all；　assumed　in　Eveline's　presence　an　appearance　of　inward　joy　impossible　to　restrain；　took　out　of　his　pocket；　at　dinner；　a　letter　on　scented　paper　which　he　pretended　to　read　with　delight；　and　his　lips　seemed　as　in　a　dream　to　kiss　invisible　lips。　Nothing　happened。　Eveline　did　not　even　notice　the　change。　Insensible　to　all　around　her；　she　only　came　out　of　her　lethargy　to　ask　for　some　louis　from　her　husband；　and　if