--Poof,
poof," and she imitated the old man.
"Virtue and morality require that the Church, representing God, and
the Mayor, representing the law, should consecrate your marriage,"
Madame Hulot went on. "Look at madame; she is legally married--"
"Will it make it more amusing?" asked the girl.
"You will be happier," said the Baroness, "for no one could then blame
you. You would satisfy God! Ask her if she was married without the
sacrament of marriage!"
Atala looked at the Italian.
"How is she any better than I am?" she asked. "I am prettier than she
is."
"Yes, but I am an honest woman," said the wife, "and you may be called
by a bad name."
"How can you expect God to protect you if you trample every law, human
and divine, under foot?" said the Baroness. "Don't you know that God
has Paradise in store for those who obey the injunctions of His
Church?"
"What is there in Paradise? Are there playhouses?"
"Paradise!" said Adeline, "is every joy you can conceive of. It is
full of angels with white wings. You see God in all His glory, you
share His power, you are happy for every minute of eternity!"
Atala listened to the lady as she might have listened to music; but
Adeline, seeing that she was incapable of understanding her, thought
she had better take another line of action and speak to the old man.
"Go home, then, my child, and I will go to see Monsieur Vyder. Is he a
Frenchman?"
"He is an Alsatian, madame.
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