she displays the sly, dishonest cleverness of her kind.  Sometimes she is employed by hatred, pride, or self-interest, and then she flatters these little devils, dressing them up as Idealism, Love, Faith, Liberty, and social generosity; for when a man does not love his neighbour, he says he loves God, his Country, or even Humanity.  Sometimes the poor master is himself a slave to the State.  Under threat of punishment, the social machine forces him to acts which are repugnant, but the complaisant intelligence persuades him that these are fine and glorious, and performed by him of his own free will.  In either case the intelligence knows what she is about, and is always at our disposition if we really want her to tell us the truth; but we take good care to avoid it, and never to be left alone with her.  We manage so as to meet her only in public when we can put leading questions as we please....  When all is said, the earth goes round none the less, e pur se muove;—­the laws of the world are obeyed, and the free mind beholds them.  All the rest is vanity; the passions, faith, sincere or insincere, are only the painted face of that necessity which rules the world, without caring for our idols:  family, race, country, religion, society, progress....  Progress indeed!  The great illusion!  Humanity is like water that must find its level, and when the cistern brims over a valve opens and it is empty again....  A catastrophic rhythm, the heights of civilisation, and then downfall.  We rise, and are cast down ...”

Thus Perrotin calmly unveiled his Thought.  She was not much accustomed to going naked; but she forgot that she had a witness, and undressed as if she were alone.  She was extremely bold, as is often the thought of a man of letters not obliged to suit the action to the word, but who much prefers, on the contrary, not to do so.  The alarmed Clerambault listened with his mouth open; certain words revolted him, others pierced him to the heart; his head swam, but he overcame his weakness, for he was determined to lose nothing of these profundities.  He pressed Perrotin with questions:  and he, on his part, flattered and smiling, complaisantly unrolled his pyrrhonian visions, as peaceable as they were destructive.

The vapours of the pit were rising all about them; and Clerambault was admiring the ease of this free spirit perched on the edge of the abyss and enjoying it, when the door opened, and the servant came in with a card which he gave to Perrotin.

At once the terrible phantoms of the brain vanished; a trap-door shut out the emptiness, and an official drawing-room rug covered it.  Perrotin roused himself and said eagerly:  “Certainly, show him in at once.”  Turning to Clerambault he added: 

“Pardon me, my dear friend, it is the Honourable Under-Secretary of State for Public Instruction.”