ssumed this appearance, Maurice, because, having henceforth to
move among mankind, I have to make myself like them. The celestial
spirits possess the power of assuming a form which renders them apparent
to the eye and to the touch. This shape is real, because it is apparent,
and all the realities in the world are but appearances."

Gilberte, pacified at length, was arranging her hair on her forehead.

The Angel pursued:

"The celestial spirits adopt, according to their fancy, one sex or the
other, or both at once. But they cannot disguise themselves at any
moment, according to their caprice or fantasy. Their metamorphoses are
subject to constant laws, which you would not understand. Thus I have
neither desire nor power to transform myself under your eyes, for your
amusement or my own, into a lion, a tiger, a fly, or into a
sycamore-shaving like the young Egyptian whose story was found in a
tomb. I cannot change myself into an ass as did Lucius with the pomade
of the youthful Photis. For in my wisdom I had fixed beforehand the
hour of my apparition to mankind, nothing could hasten or delay it."

Impatient for enlightenment, Maurice asked for the second time:

"Still, what are you up to here?"

Joining her voice to his, Madame des Aubels asked: "Yes, indeed, what
are you doing here?"

The Angel replied:

"Man, lend your ear. Woman, hear my voice. I am about to reveal to you a
secret on which hangs the fate of the Universe. In rebellion against Him
whom you hold to be the Creator of all things visible and invisible, I
am preparing the Revolt of the Angels."

"Do not jest," said Maurice, who had faith and did not allow holy things
to be played with.

But the Angel answered reproachfully: "What makes you think, Maurice,
that I am frivolous and given to vain words?"

"Come, come," said Maurice, shrugging his shoulders. "You are not going
to revolt against----"

He pointed to the ceiling--not daring to finish.

But the Angel continued:

"Do you not know that the sons of God have already revolted and that a
great battle took place in the heavens?"

"That was a long time ago," said Maurice, putting on his socks.

Then the Angel replied:

"It was before the creation of the world. But nothing has changed since
then in the heavens. The nature of the Angels is no different now from
what it was originally. What they did then they could do again now."

"No! It is not possible. It is contrary to faith. If you were