device to prevent the Rougons from committing any act of imprudence, for which Felicite felt deeply grateful.  She read certain passages of the letters twice over, notably those in which Eugene spoke, in vague terms, of “a final catastrophe.”  This catastrophe, the nature or bearings of which she could not well conceive became a sort of end of the world for her.  God would range the chosen ones on His right hand and the damned on His left, and she placed herself among the former.

When she succeeded in replacing the key in her husband’s waistcoat pocket on the following night, she made up her mind to employ the same expedient for reading every fresh letter that arrived.  She resolved, likewise, to profess complete ignorance.  This plan was an excellent one.  Henceforward, she gave her husband the more assistance as she appeared to render it unconsciously.  When Pierre thought he was working alone it was she who brought the conversation round to the desired topic, recruiting partisans for the decisive moment.  She felt hurt at Eugene’s distrust of her.  She wanted to be able to say to him, after the triumph:  “I knew all, and so far from spoiling anything, I have secured the victory.”  Never did an accomplice make less noise or work harder.  The marquis, whom she had taken into her confidence, was astounded at it.

The fate of her dear Aristide, however, continued to make her uneasy.  Now that she shared the faith of her eldest son, the rabid articles of the “Independant” alarmed her all the more.  She longed to convert the unfortunate republican to Napoleonist ideas; but she did not know how to accomplish this in a discreet manner.  She recalled the emphasis with which Eugene had told them to be on their guard against Aristide.  At last she submitted the matter to Monsieur de Carnavant, who was entirely of the same opinion.

“Little one,” he said to her, “in politics one must know how to look after one’s self.  If you were to convert your son, and the ‘Independant’ were to start writing in defence of Bonapartism, it would deal the party a rude blow.  The ‘Independant’ has already been condemned, its title alone suffices to enrage the middle classes of Plassans.  Let dear Aristide flounder about; this only moulds young people.  He does not appear to me to be cut out for carrying on the role of a martyr for any length of time.”

However, in her eagerness to point out the right way to her family, now that she believed herself in possession of the truth, Felicite even sought to convert her son Pascal.  The doctor, with the egotism of a scientist immersed in his researches, gave little heed to politics.  Empires might fall while he was making an experiment, yet he would not have deigned to turn his head.  He at last yielded, however, to certain importunities of his mother, who accused him more than ever of living like an unsociable churl.

“If you were to go into society,” she said to him, “you would get some well-to-do patients.  Come, at least, and spend some evenings in our drawing-room.  You will make the acquaintance of Messieurs Roudier, Granoux, and Sicardot, all gentlemen in good circumstances, who will pay you four or five francs a visit.  The poor people will never enrich you.”