f!" said the countess. "Now, tell me, during that
evening, fifteen days ago, did nothing serious take place between your
son and Celeste?"

"Something did occur," replied Phellion,--"a very disagreeable
conversation on the subject of my son's religious opinions; it must be
owned that our good Celeste, who in all other respects has a charming
nature, is a trifle fanatic in the matter of piety."

"I agree to that," said the countess; "but she was brought up by the
mother whom you know; she was never shown the face of true piety; she
saw only the mimicry of it. Repentant Magdalens of the Madame Colleville
species always assume an air of wishing to retire to a desert with their
death's-head and crossed bones. They think they can't get salvation at
a cheaper rate. But after all, what did Celeste ask of Monsieur Felix?
Merely that he would read 'The Imitation of Christ.'"

"He has read it, madame," said Phellion, "and he thinks it a
book extremely well written; but his convictions--and that is a
misfortune--have not been affected by the perusal."

"And do you think he shows much cleverness in not assuring his mistress
of some little change in his inflexible convictions?"

"My son, madame, has never received from me the slightest lesson in
cleverness; loyalty, uprightness, those are the principles I have
endeavored to inculcate in him."

"It seems to me, monsieur, that there is no want of loyalty when, in
dealing with a troubled mind, we endeavor to avoid wounding it. But let
us agree that Monsieur Felix owed it to himself to be that iron door
against which poor Celeste's applications beat in vain; was that a
reason for keeping away from her and sulking in his tent for fifteen
whole days? Above all, ought he to have capped these sulks by a
proceeding which I can't forgive, and which--only just made known to
us--has struck the girl's heart with despair, and also with a feeling of
extreme irritation?"

"My son capable of any such act! it is quite impossible, madame!" cried
Phellion. "I know nothing of this proceeding; but I do not hesitate to
affirm that you have been ill-informed."

"And yet, nothing is more certain. Young Colleville, who came home
to-day for his half-holiday, has just told us that Monsieur Felix, who
had previously gone with the utmost punctuality to hear him recite has
ceased entirely to have anything to do with him. Unless your son is ill,
I do not hesitate to say that this neglect is the greatest o