As he was a professed5 anti-clerical and free-thinker, she thought it a good plan to affect an appearance of piety6 in his presence and to be seen with huge prayer-books bound in red morocco, such as Queen Marie Leczinska’s or the Dauphiness Marie Josephine’s “The Last Two Weeks of Lent.” She lost no opportunity either, of showing him the subscriptions7 that she collected for the endowment of the national cult8 of St. Orberosia. Eveline did not act in this way because she wished to tease him. Nor did it spring from a young girl’s archness, or a spirit of constraint9, or even from snobbishness10, though there was more than a suspicion of this latter in her behaviour. It was but her way of asserting herself, of stamping herself with a definite character, of increasing her value. To rouse the Deputy’s courage she wrapped herself up in religion, just as Brunhild surrounded herself with flames so as to attract Sigard. Her audacity11 was successful. He thought her still more beautiful thus. Clericalism was in his eyes a sign of good form.
Ceres was re-elected by an enormous majority and returned to a House which showed itself more inclined to the Left, more advanced, and, as it seemed, more eager for reform than its predecessor12. Perceiving at once that so much zeal13 was but intended to hide a fear of change, and a sincere desire to do nothing, he determined14 to adopt a policy that would satisfy these aspirations15. At the beginning of the session he made a great speech, cleverly thought out and well arranged, dealing16 with the idea that all reform ought to be put off for a long time. He showed himself heated, even fervid17; holding the principle that an orator18 should recommend moderation with extreme vehemence19. He was applauded by the entire assembly. The Clarences listened to him from the President’s box and Eveline trembled in spite of herself at the solemn sound of the applause. On the same bench the fair Madame Pensee shivered at the intonations20 of his virile21 voice.
As soon as he descended22 from the tribune, Ceres, even while the audience were still clapping, went without a moment’s delay to salute23 the Clarences in their box. Eveline saw in him the beauty of success, and as he leaned towards the ladies, wiping his neck with his handkerchief and receiving their congratulations with an air of modesty24 though not without a tinge25 of self-conceit, the young girl glanced towards Madame Pensee and saw her, palpitating and breathless, drinking in the hero’s applause with her head thrown backwards26. It seemed as if she were on the point of fainting. Eveline immediately smiled tenderly on M. Ceres.
The Alcan deputy’s speech had a great vogue27. In political “spheres” it was regarded as extremely able. “We have at last heard an honest pronouncement,” said the chief Moderate journal. “It is a regular programme!” they said in the House. It was agreed that he was a man of immense talent.
Hippolyte Ceres had now established himself as leader of the radicals28, socialists29, and anti-clericals, and they appointed him President of their group, which was then the most considerable in the House. He thus found himself marked out for office in the next ministerial combination.
After a long hesitation30 Eveline Clarence accepted the idea of marrying M. Hippolyte Ceres. The great man was a little common for her taste. Nothing had yet proved that he would one day reach the point where politics bring in large sums of money. But she was entering her twenty-seventh year and knew enough of life to see that she must not be too fastidious or show herself too difficult to please.
Hippolyte Ceres was celebrated31; Hippolyte Ceres was happy. He was no longer recognisable; the elegance32 of his clothes and deportment had increased tremendously. He wore an undue33 number of white gloves. Now that he was too much of a society man, Eveline began to doubt if it was not worse than being too little of one. Madame Clarence regarded the engagement with favour. She was reassured34 concerning her daughter’s future and pleased to have flowers given her every Thursday for her drawing-room.
The celebration of the marriage raised some difficulties. Eveline was pious35 and wished to receive the benediction36 of the Church. Hippolyte Ceres, tolerant but a free-thinker, wanted only a civil marriage. There were many discussions and even some violent scenes upon the subject. The last took place in the young girl’s room at the moment when the invitations were being written. Eveline declared that if she did not go to church she would not believe herself married. She spoke37 of breaking off the engagement, and of going abroad with her mother, or of retiring into a convent. Then she became tender, weak, suppliant38. She sighed, and everything in her virginal chamber39 sighed in chorus, the holy-water font, the palm-branch above her white bed, the books of devotion on their little shelves, and the blue and white statuette of St. Orberosia chaining the dragon of Cappadocia, that stood upon the marble mantelpiece. Hippolyte Ceres was moved, softened40, melted.
Beautiful in her grief, her eyes shining with tears, her wrists girt by a rosary of lapis lazuli and, so to speak, chained by her faith, she suddenly flung herself at Hippolyte’s feet, and dishevelled, almost dying, she embraced his knees.
He nearly yielded.
“A religious marriage,” he muttered, “a marriage in church, I could make my constituents41 stand that, but my committee would not swallow the matter so easily. . . . Still I’ll explain it to them . . . toleration, social necessities. . . . They all send their daughters to Sunday school. . . . But as for office, my dear I am afraid we are going to drown all hope of that in your holy water.”
At these words she stood up grave, generous, resigned, conquered also in her turn.
“My dear, I insist no longer.”
“Then we won’t have a religious marriage. It will be better, much better not.”
“Very well, but be guided by me. I am going to try and arrange everything both to your satisfaction and mine.”
She sought the Reverend Father Douillard and explained the situation. He showed himself even more accommodating and yielding than she had hoped.
“Your husband is an intelligent man, a man of order and reason; he will come over to us. You will sanctify him. It is not in vain that God has granted him the blessing42 of a Christian43 wife. The Church needs no pomp and ceremonial display for her benedictions44. Now that she is persecuted45, the shadow of the crypts and the recesses46 of the catacombs are in better accord with her festivals. Mademoiselle, when you have performed the civil formalities come here to my private chapel47 in walking costume with M. Ceres. I will marry you, and I will observe the most absolute discretion48. I will obtain the necessary dispensations from the Archbishop as well as all facilities regarding the banns, confession-tickets, etc.”
Hippolyte, although he thought the combination a little dangerous, agreed to it, a good deal flattered at bottom.
“I will go in a short coat,” he said.
He went in a frock coat with white gloves and varnished49 shoes, and he genuflected50.
“Politeness demands . . . ”
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1
solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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piety
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| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
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subscriptions
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| n.（报刊等的）订阅费( subscription的名词复数 )；捐款；（俱乐部的）会员费；捐助 | |
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cult
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| n.异教，邪教；时尚，狂热的崇拜 | |
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constraint
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| n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物 | |
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snobbishness
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| 势利； 势利眼 | |
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audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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predecessor
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| n.前辈，前任 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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aspirations
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| 强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音 | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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fervid
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| adj.热情的；炽热的 | |
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orator
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| n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家 | |
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vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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intonations
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| n.语调，说话的抑扬顿挫( intonation的名词复数 )；（演奏或唱歌中的）音准 | |
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virile
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| adj.男性的；有男性生殖力的；有男子气概的；强有力的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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24
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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tinge
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| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
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backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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Vogue
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| n.时髦，时尚；adj.流行的 | |
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radicals
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| n.激进分子( radical的名词复数 )；根基；基本原理；[数学]根数 | |
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29
socialists
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| 社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 ) | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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33
undue
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| adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的 | |
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34
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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35
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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37
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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suppliant
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| adj.哀恳的；n.恳求者，哀求者 | |
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39
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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40
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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constituents
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| n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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43
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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44
benedictions
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| n.祝福( benediction的名词复数 )；（礼拜结束时的）赐福祈祷；恩赐；（大写）（罗马天主教）祈求上帝赐福的仪式 | |
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45
persecuted
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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46
recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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47
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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48
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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49
varnished
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| 浸渍过的，涂漆的 | |
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50
genuflected
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| v.屈膝（尤指宗教礼节中）( genuflect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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