s； and from which it will send no clouds of poisonous dust into human lungs。 We ought not to allow slower vehicles or mere animals to go upon those roads； and we should establish garages upon them and foot…bridges over them； and so create order and harmony among the means of communication of the future。 That is the wish of every good citizen。〃
Madame Clarence led the conversation back to the improvements in M。 Ceres' constituency。 M。 Ceres showed his enthusiasm for demolitions； tunnelings； constructions； reconstructions； and all other fruitful operations。
〃We build to…day in an admirable style；〃 said he； 〃everywhere majestic avenues are being reared。 Was ever anything as fine as our arcaded bridges and our domed hotels！〃
〃You are forgetting that big palace surmounted an immense melon…shaped dome；〃 grumbled by M。 Daniset； an old art amateur； in a voice of restrained rage。 〃I am amazed at the degree of ugliness which a modern city can attain。 Alca is becoming Americanised。 Everywhere we are destroying all that is free； unexpected； measured； restrained； human； or traditional among the things that are left us。 Everywhere we are destroying that charming object； a piece of an old wall that bears up the branches of a tree。 Everywhere we are suppressing some fragment of light and air； some fragment of nature； some fragment of the associations that still remain with us； some fragment of our fathers； some fragment of ourselves。 And we are putting up frightful； enormous； infamous houses； surmounted in Viennese style by ridiculous domes； or fashioned after the models of the 'new art' without mouldings； or having profiles with sinister corbels and burlesque pinnacles； and such monsters as these shamelessly peer over the surrounding buildings。 We see bulbous protuberances stuck on the fronts of buildings and we are told they are 'new art' motives。 I have seen the 'new art' in other countries； but it is not so ugly as with us； it has fancy and it has simplicity。 It is only in our own country that by a sad privilege we may behold the newest and most diverse styles of architectural ugliness。 Not an enviable privilege！〃
〃Are you not afraid；〃 asked M。 Ceres severely； 〃are you not afraid that these bitter criticisms tend to keep out of our capital the foreigners who flow into it from all arts of the world and who leave millions behind them？〃
〃You may set your mind at rest about that；〃 answered M。 Daniset。 〃Foreigners do not come to admire our buildings； they come to see our courtesans； our dressmakers； and our dancing saloons。〃
〃We have one bad habit；〃 sighed M。 Ceres； 〃it is that we calumniate ourselves。〃
Madame Clarence as an accomplished hostess thought it was time to return to the subject of love and asked M。 Jumel his opinion of M。 Leon Blum's recent book in which the author complained。 。 。 。
〃。 。 。 That an irrational custom；〃 went on Professor Haddock； 〃prevents respectable young ladies from making love； a thing they would enjoy doing； whilst mercenary girls do it too much and without getting any enjoyment out of it。 It is indeed deplorable。 But M。 Leon Blum need not fret too much。 If the evil exists； as he says it does； in our middle…class society； I can assure him that everywhere else he would see a consoling spectacle。 Among the people； the mass of the people through town and country； girls do not deny themselves that pleasure。〃
〃It is depravity！〃 said Madame Cremeur。
And she praised the innocence of young girls in terms full of modesty and grace。 It was charming to hear her。
Professor Haddock's views on the same subject were； on the contrary； painful to listen to。
〃Respectable young girls；〃 said he； 〃are guarded and watched over。 Besides； men do not； as a rule； pursue them much； either through probity； or from a fear of grave responsibilities； or because the seduction of a young girl would not be to their credit。 Even then we do not know what really takes place； for the reason that what is hidden is not seen。 This is a condition necessary to the existence of all society。 The scruples of respectable young girls could be more easily overcome than those of married women if the same pressure were brought to bear on them； and for this there are two reasons： they have more illusions； and their curiosity has not been satisfied。 Women； for the most part； have been so disappointed by their husbands that they have not courage enough to begin again with somebody else。 I myself have been met by this obstacle several times in my attempts at seduction。〃
At the moment when Professor Haddock ended his unpleasant remarks； Mademoiselle Eveline Clarence entered the drawing…room and listlessly handed about tea with that expression of boredom which gave an oriental charm to her beauty。
〃For my part；〃 said Hippolyte Ceres； looking at her； 〃I declare myself the young ladies' champion。〃
〃He must be a fool；〃 thought the girl。
Hippolyte Ceres； who had never set foot outside of his political world of electors and elected； thought Madame Clarence's drawing…room most select； its mistress exquisite； and her daughter amazingly beautiful。 His visits became frequent and he paid court to both of them。 Madame Clarence； who now liked attention； thought him agreeable。 Eveline showed no friendliness towards him； and treated him with a hauteur and disdain that he took for aristocratic behaviour and fashionable manners； and he thought all the more of her on that account。 This busy man taxed his ingenuity to please them； and he sometimes succeeded。 He got them cards for fashionable functions and boxes at the Opera。 He furnished Mademoiselle Clarence with several opportunities of appearing to great advantage and in particular at a garden party which； although given by a Minister； was regarded as really fashionable； and gained its first success in society circles for the Republic。
At that party Eveline had been much noticed and had attracted the special attention of a young diplomat called Roger Lambilly who； imagining that she belonged to a rather fast set； invited her to his bachelor's flat。 She thought him handsome and believed him rich； and she accepted。 A little moved； almost disquieted； she very nearly became the victim of her daring； and only avoided defeat by an offensive measure audaciously carried out。 This was the most foolish escapade in her unmarried life。
Being now on friendly terms with Ministers and with the President； Eveline continued to wear her aristocratic and pious affectations； and these won for her the sympathy of the chief personages in the anti…clerical and democratic Republic。 M。 Hippolyte Ceres； seeing that she was succeeding and doing him credit； liked her still more。 He even went so far as to fall madly in love with her。
Henceforth； in spite of everything； she began to observe him with interest； being curious to see if his passion would increase。 He appeared to her without elegance or grace； and not well bred； but active； clear…sighted； full of resource； and not too great a bore。 She still made fun of him； but he had now won her interest。
One day she wished to test him。 It was during the elections； when members of Parliament were； as the phrase runs； requesting a renewal of their mandates。 He had an opponent； who； though not dangerous at first and not much of an orator； was rich and was reported to be gaining votes every day。 Hippolyte Ceres； banishing both dull security and foolish alarm from his mind； redoubled his care。 His chief method of action was by public meetings at which he spoke vehemently against the rival candidate。 His committee held huge meetings on Saturday evenings and at three o'clock on Sunday afternoons。 One Sunday； as he called on the Clarences； he found Eveline alone in the drawing…room。 He had been chatting for about twenty or twenty…five minutes； when； taking out his watch； he saw that it was a quarter to three。 The young girl showed herself amiable； engaging； attractive； and full of promises。 Ceres was fascinated； but he stood up to go。
〃Stay a little longer；〃 said she in a pressing and agreeable voice which made him promptly sit down again。
She was full of interest； of abandon； curiosity； and weakness。 He blushed； turned pale； and again got up。
Then； in order to keep him still longer； she looked at him out of two grey and melting eyes； and though her bosom was heaving； she did not say another word。 He fell at her feet in distraction；； but once more looking at his watch； he jumped up with a terrible oath。
〃D！ a quarter to four！ I must be off。〃
And immediately he rushed down the stairs。
From that time onwards she had a certain amount of esteem for him。
IV。 A POLITICIAN'S MARRIAGE
She was not quite in love with him； but she wished him to be in love with her。 She was； moreover； very reserved with him； and that not solely from any want of inclination to be otherwise； since in affairs of love some things are due to indifference； to inattention； to woman's instinct； to traditional custom and feeling； to a desire to try one's power； and to satisfaction at seeing its results。 The reason of her prudence was that she knew him to be very much infatuated and capable of taking advantage of any familiarities she allowed as well as of reproaching her coarsely afterwards if she discontinued them。
As he was a professed anti…clerical and free…thinker； she thought it a good plan to affect an appearance of piety in his presence and to be seen with 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 subscriptions that she collected for the endowment of the national cult 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 constraint； or even from snobbishness； 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 Sigurd。 Her audacity was successful。 He thought her still more beautiful thus。 Cl