amazement。 〃Come； now。 You will make a whole family happya
grandfather who runs all the errands； a mother who is being worn out
with work； and two sistersone of them very plainwho make thirty…
two sous a day while putting their eyes out。 It will make up for the
misery you have caused at home； and you will expiate your sin while
you are having as much fun as a minx at Mabille。〃
Hulot； to put an end to this temptation； moved his fingers as if he
were counting out money。
〃Oh！ be quite easy as to ways and means；〃 replied Josepha。 〃My Duke
will lend you ten thousand francs； seven thousand to start an
embroidery shop in Bijou's name； and three thousand for furnishing；
and every three months you will find a cheque here for six hundred and
fifty francs。 When you get your pension paid you； you can repay the
seventeen thousand francs。 Meanwhile you will be as happy as a cow in
clover； and hidden in a hole where the police will never find you。 You
must wear a loose serge coat； and you will look like a comfortable
householder。 Call yourself Thoul； if that is your fancy。 I will tell
Bijou that you are an uncle of mine come from Germany； having failed
in business； and you will be cosseted like a divinity。There now；
Daddy！And who knows！ you may have no regrets。 In case you should be
bored； keep one Sunday rig…out； and you can come and ask me for a
dinner and spend the evening here。〃
〃I！and I meant to settle down and behave myself！Look here； borrow
twenty thousand francs for me； and I will set out to make my fortune
in America； like my friend d'Aiglemont when Nucingen cleaned him out。〃
〃You！〃 cried Josepha。 〃Nay； leave morals to work…a…day folks； to raw
recruits； to the /worrrthy/ citizens who have nothing to boast of but
their virtue。 You！ You were born to be something better than a
nincompoop； you are as a man what I am as a womana spendthrift of
genius。〃
〃We will sleep on it and discuss it all to…morrow morning。〃
〃You will dine with the Duke。 My d'Herouville will receive you as
civilly as if you were the saviour of the State； and to…morrow you can
decide。 Come； be jolly； old boy！ Life is a garment； when it is dirty；
we must brush it； when it is ragged； it must be patched； but we keep
it on as long as we can。〃
This philosophy of life； and her high spirits； postponed Hulot's
keenest pangs。
At noon next day； after a capital breakfast； Hulot saw the arrival of
one of those living masterpieces which Paris alone of all the cities
in the world can produce； by means of the constant concubinage of
luxury and poverty； of vice and decent honesty； of suppressed desire
and renewed temptation； which makes the French capital the daughter of
Ninevah； of Babylon； and of Imperial Rome。
Mademoiselle Olympe Bijou； a child of sixteen； had the exquisite face
which Raphael drew for his Virgins； eyes of pathetic innocence； weary
with overworkblack eyes； with long lashes； their moisture parched
with the heat of laborious nights； and darkened with fatigue； a
complexion like porcelain； almost too delicate； a mouth like a partly
opened pomegranate； a heaving bosom； a full figure； pretty hands； the
whitest teeth； and a mass of black hair； and the whole meagrely set
off by a cotton frock at seventy…five centimes the metre； leather
shoes without heels； and the cheapest gloves。 The girl； all
unconscious of her charms； had put on her best frock to wait on the
fine lady。
The Baron； gripped again by the clutch of profligacy； felt all his
life concentrated in his eyes。 He forgot everything on beholding this
delightful creature。 He was like a sportsman in sight of the game； if
an emperor were present； he must take aim！
〃And warranted sound；〃 said Josepha in his ear。 〃An honest child； and
wanting bread。 This is ParisI have been there！〃
〃It is a bargain；〃 replied the old man； getting up and rubbing his
hands。
When Olympe Bijou was gone； Josepha looked mischievously at the Baron。
〃If you want things to keep straight； Daddy；〃 said she； 〃be as firm as
the Public Prosecutor on the bench。 Keep a tight hand on her； be a
Bartholo！ Ware Auguste； Hippolyte； Nestor； Victor/or/； that is gold；
in every form。 When once the child is fed and dressed； if she gets the
upper hand； she will drive you like a serf。I will see to settling
you comfortably。 The Duke does the handsome； he will lendthat is；
giveyou ten thousand francs； and he deposits eight thousand with his
notary； who will pay you six hundred francs every quarter； for I
cannot trust you。Now； am I nice？〃
〃Adorable。〃
Ten days after deserting his family； when they were gathered round
Adeline； who seemed to be dying； as she said again and again； in a
weak voice； 〃Where is he？〃 Hector； under the name of Thoul； was
established in the Rue Saint…Maur； at the head of a business as
embroiderer； under the name of Thoul and Bijou。
Victorin Hulot； under the overwhelming disasters of his family； had
received the finishing touch which makes or mars the man。 He was
perfection。 In the great storms of life we act like the captain of a
ship who； under the stress of a hurricane； lightens the ship of its
heaviest cargo。 The young lawyer lost his self…conscious pride； his
too evident assertiveness； his arrogance as an orator and his
political pretensions。 He was as a man what his wife was as a woman。
He made up his mind to make the best of his Celestinewho certainly
did not realize his dreamsand was wise enough to estimate life at
its true value by contenting himself in all things with the second
best。 He vowed to fulfil his duties； so much had he been shocked by
his father's example。
These feelings were confirmed as he stood by his mother's bed on the
day when she was out of danger。 Nor did this happiness come single。
Claude Vignon； who called every day from the Prince de Wissembourg to
inquire as to Madame Hulot's progress； desired the re…elected deputy
to go with him to see the Minister。
〃His Excellency；〃 said he； 〃wants to talk over your family affairs
with you。〃
The Prince had long known Victorin Hulot； and received him with a
friendliness that promised well。
〃My dear fellow；〃 said the old soldier； 〃I promised your uncle； in
this room； that I would take care of your mother。 That saintly woman；
I am told； is getting well again； now is the time to pour oil into
your wounds。 I have for you here two hundred thousand francs； I will
give them to you〃
The lawyer's gesture was worthy of his uncle the Marshal。
〃Be quite easy；〃 said the Prince； smiling； 〃it is money in trust。 My
days are numbered； I shall not always be here； so take this sum； and
fill my place towards your family。 You may use this money to pay off
the mortgage on your house。 These two hundred thousand francs are the
property of your mother and your sister。 If I gave the money to Madame
Hulot； I fear that； in her devotion to her husband； she would be
tempted to waste it。 And the intention of those who restore it to you
is； that it should produce bread for Madame Hulot and her daughter；
the Countess Steinbock。 You are a steady man； the worthy son of your
noble mother； the true nephew of my friend the Marshal； you are
appreciated here； you seeand elsewhere。 So be the guardian angel of
your family； and take this as a legacy from your uncle and me。〃
〃Monseigneur；〃 said Hulot； taking the Minister's hand and pressing it；
〃such men as you know that thanks in words mean nothing； gratitude
must be proven。〃
〃Prove yours〃 said the old man。
〃In what way？〃
〃By accepting what I have to offer you；〃 said the Minister。 〃We
propose to appoint you to be attorney to the War Office； which just
now is involved in litigations in consequence of the plan for
fortifying Paris； consulting clerk also to the Prefecture of Police；
and a member of the Board of the Civil List。 These three appointments
will secure you salaries amounting to eighteen thousand francs； and
will leave you politically free。 You can vote in the Chamber in
obedience to your opinions and your conscience。 Act in perfect freedom
on that score。 It would be a bad thing for us if there were no
national opposition！
〃Also； a few lines from your uncle； written a day or two before he
breathed his last； suggested what I could do for your mother； whom he
loved very truly。Mesdames Popinot； de Rastignac； de Navarreins；
d'Espard； de Grandlieu； de Carigliano； de Lenoncourt； and de la Batie
have made a place for your mother as a Lady Superintendent of their
charities。 These ladies； presidents of various branches of benevolent
work； cannot do everything themselves； they need a lady of character
who can act for them by going to see the objects of their beneficence；
ascertaining that charity is not imposed upon； and whether the help
given really reaches those who applied for it； finding out that the
poor who are ashamed to beg； and so forth。 Your mother will fulfil an
angelic function； she will be thrown in with none but priests and
these charitable ladies； she will be paid six thousand francs and the
cost of her hackney coaches。
〃You see； young man； that a pure and nobly virtuous man can still
assist his family； even from the grave。 Such a name as your uncle's
is； and ought to