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service。　And　what　do　they　give　you；　these　pets　of　Monsieur　le　marechal

and　Monsieur　le　duc？　'Thank　you；　my　dear　Antoine；　thank　you；'　with　a

gracious　nod！　Pack　of　sluggards！　go　to　work；　or　you'll　bring　another

revolution　about　your　ears。　Didn't　see　such　goings…on　under　Monsieur

Robert　Lindet。　I　know；　for　I　served　my　apprenticeship　under　Robert

Lindet。　The　clerks　had　to　work　in　his　day！　You　ought　to　have　seen　how

they　scratched　paper　here　till　midnight；　why；　the　stoves　went　out　and

nobody　noticed　it。　It　was　all　because　the　guillotine　was　there！　now…a…

days　they　only　mark　'em　when　they　come　in　late！〃



〃Uncle　Antoine；〃　said　Gabriel；　〃as　you　are　so　talkative　this　morning；

just　tell　us　what　you　think　a　clerk　really　ought　to　be。〃



〃A　government　clerk；〃　replied　Antoine；　gravely；　〃is　a　man　who　sits　in

a　government　office　and　writes。　But　there；　there；　what　am　I　talking

about？　Without　the　clerks；　where　should　we　be；　I'd　like　to　know？　Go

along　and　look　after　your　stoves　and　mind　you　never　say　harm　of　a

government　clerk；　you　fellows。　Gabriel；　the　stove　in　the　large　office

draws　like　the　devil；　you　must　turn　the　damper。〃



Antoine　stationed　himself　at　a　corner　of　the　landing　whence　he　could

see　all　the　officials　as　they　entered　the　porte…cochere；　he　knew　every

one　at　the　ministry；　and　watched　their　behavior；　observing　narrowly

the　contrasts　in　their　dress　and　appearance。



The　first　to　arrive　after　Sebastien　was　a　clerk　of　deeds　in

Rabourdin's　office　named　Phellion；　a　respectable　family…man。　To　the

influence　of　his　chief　he　owed　a　half…scholarship　for　each　of　his　two

sons　in　the　College　Henri　IV。；　while　his　daughter　was　being　educated

gratis　at　a　boarding　school　where　his　wife　gave　music　lessons　and　he

himself　a　course　of　history　and　one　of　geography　in　the　evenings。　He

was　about　forty…five　years　of　age；　sergeant…major　of　his　company　in

the　National　Guard；　very　compassionate　in　feeling　and　words；　but

wholly　unable　to　give　away　a　penny。　Proud　of　his　post；　however；　and

satisfied　with　his　lot；　he　applied　himself　faithfully　to　serve　the

government；　believed　he　was　useful　to　his　country；　and　boasted　of　his

indifference　to　politics；　knowing　none　but　those　of　the　men　in　power。

Monsieur　Rabourdin　pleased　him　highly　whenever　he　asked　him　to　stay

half　an　hour　longer　to　finish　a　piece　of　work。　On　such　occasions　he

would　say；　when　he　reached　home；　〃Public　affairs　detained　me；　when　a

man　belongs　to　the　government　he　is　no　longer　master　of　himself。〃　He

compiled　books　of　questions　and　answers　on　various　studies　for　the　use

of　young　ladies　in　boarding…schools。　These　little　〃solid　treatises；〃

as　he　called　them；　were　sold　at　the　University　library　under　the　name

of　〃Historical　and　Geographic　Catechisms。〃　Feeling　himself　in　duty

bound　to　offer　a　copy　of　each　volume；　bound　in　red　morocco；　to

Monsieur　Rabourdin；　he　always　came　in　full　dress　to　present　them；

breeches　and　silk　stockings；　and　shoes　with　gold　buckles。　Monsieur

Phellion　received　his　friends　on　Thursday　evenings；　on　which　occasions

the　company　played　bouillote；　at　five　sous　a　game；　and　were　regaled

with　cakes　and　beer。　He　had　never　yet　dared　to　invite　Monsieur

Rabourdin　to　honor　him　with　his　presence；　though　he　would　have

regarded　such　an　event　as　the　most　distinguished　of　his　life。　He　said

if　he　could　leave　one　of　his　sons　following　in　the　steps　of　Monsieur

Rabourdin　he　should　die　the　happiest　father　in　the　world。



One　of　his　greatest　pleasures　was　to　explore　the　environs　of　Paris；

which　he　did　with　a　map。　He　knew　every　inch　of　Arcueil；　Bievre；

Fontenay…aux…Roses；　and　Aulnay；　so　famous　as　the　resort　of　great

writers；　and　hoped　in　time　to　know　the　whole　western　side　of　the

country　around　Paris。　He　intended　to　put　his　eldest　son　into　a

government　office　and　his　second　into　the　Ecole　Polytechnique。　He

often　said　to　the　elder；　〃When　you　have　the　honor　to　be　a　government

clerk〃；　though　he　suspected　him　of　a　preference　for　the　exact　sciences

and　did　his　best　to　repress　it；　mentally　resolved　to　abandon　the　lad

to　his　own　devices　if　he　persisted。　When　Rabourdin　sent　for　him　to

come　down　and　receive　instructions　about　some　particular　piece　of

work；　Phellion　gave　all　his　mind　to　it；listening　to　every　word　the

chief　said；　as　a　dilettante　listens　to　an　air　at　the　Opera。　Silent　in

the　office；　with　his　feet　in　the　air　resting　on　a　wooden　desk；　and

never　moving　them；　he　studied　his　task　conscientiously。　His　official

letters　were　written　with　the　utmost　gravity；　and　transmitted　the

commands　of　the　minister　in　solemn　phrases。　Monsieur　Phellion's　face

was　that　of　a　pensive　ram；　with　little　color　and　pitted　by　the　small…

pox；　the　lips　were　thick　and　the　lower　one　pendent；　the　eyes　light…

blue；　and　his　figure　above　the　common　height。　Neat　and　clean　as　a

master　of　history　and　geography　in　a　young　ladies'　school　ought　to　be；

he　wore　fine　linen；　a　pleated　shirt…frill；　a　black　cashmere　waistcoat；

left　open　and　showing　a　pair　of　braces　embroidered　by　his　daughter；　a

diamond　in　the　bosom　of　his　shirt；　a　black　coat；　and　blue　trousers。　In

winter　he　added　a　nut…colored　box…coat　with　three　capes；　and　carried　a

loaded　stick；　necessitated；　he　said；　by　the　profound　solitude　of　the

quarter　in　which　he　lived。　He　had　given　up　taking　snuff；　and　referred

to　this　reform　as　a　striking　example　of　the　empire　a　man　could

exercise　over　himself。　Monsieur　Phellion　came　slowly　up　the　stairs；

for　he　was　afraid　of　asthma；　having　what　he　called　an　〃adipose　chest。〃

He　saluted　Antoine　with　dignity。



The　next　to　follow　was　a　copying…clerk；　who　presented　a　strange

contrast　to　the　virtuous　Phellion。　Vimeux　was　a　young　man　of　twenty…

five；　with　a　salary　of　fifteen　hundred　francs；　well…made　and　graceful；

with　a　romantic　face；　and　eyes；　hair；　beard；　and　eyebrows　as　black　as

jet；　fine　teeth；　charming　hands；　and　wearing　a　moustache　so　carefully

trimmed　that　he　seemed　to　have　made　it　the　business　and　occupation　of

his　life。　Vimeux　had　such　aptitude　for　work　that　he　despatched　it　much

quicker　than　any　of　the　other　clerks。　〃He　has　a　gift；　that　young　man！〃

Phellion　said　of　him　when　he　saw　him　cross　his　legs　and　have　nothing

to　do　for　the　rest　of　the　day；　having　got　through　his　appointed　task；

〃and　see　what　a　little　dandy　he　is！〃　Vimeux　breakfasted　on　a　roll　and

a　glass　of　water；　dined　for　twenty　sous　at　Katcomb's；　and　lodged　in　a

furnished　room；　for　which　he　paid　twelve　francs　a　month。　His

happiness；　his　sole　pleasure　in　life；　was　dress。　He　ruined　himself　in

miraculous　waistcoats；　in　trousers　that　were　tight；　half…tight；

pleated；　or　embroidered；　in　superfine　boots；　well…made　coats　which

outlined　his　elegant　figure；　in　bewitching　collars；　spotless　gloves；

and　immaculate　hats。　A　ring　with　a　coat　of　arms　adorned　his　hand；

outside　his　glove；　from　which　dangled　a　handsome　cane；　with　these

accessories　he　endeavoured　to　assume　the　air　and　manner　of　a　wealthy

young　man。　After　the　office　closed　he　appeared　in　the　great　walk　of

the　Tuileries；　with　a　tooth…pick　in　his　mouth；　as　though　he　were　a

millionaire　who　had　just　dined。　Always　on　the　lookout　for　a　woman；an

Englishwoman；　a　foreigner　of　some　kind；　or　a　widow；who　might　fall　in

love　with　him；　he　practised　the　art　of　twirling　his　cane　and　of

flinging　the　sort　of　glance　which　Bixiou　told　him　was　American。　He

smiled　to　show　his　fine　teeth；　he　wore　no　socks　under　his　boots；　but

he　had　his　hair　curled　every　day。　Vimeux　was　prepared；　in　accordance

with　fixed　principles；　to　marry　a　hunch…back　with　six　thousand　a　year；

or　a　woman　of　forty…five　at　eight　thousand；　or　an　Englishwoman　for

half　that　sum。　Phellion；　who　delighted　in　his　neat　hand…writing；　and

was　full　of　compassion　for　the　fellow；　read　him　lectures　on　the　duty

of　giving　lessons　in　penmanship；an　honorable　career；　he　said；　which

would　ameliorate　existence　and　even　render　it　agreeable；　he　promised

him　a　situation　in　a　young　ladies'　boarding…school。　But　Vimeux's　head

was　so　full　of　his　own　idea　that　no　human　being　could　prevent　him　from

having　faith　in　his　star。　He　continued　to　lay　himself　out；　like　a

salmon　at　a　fishmonger's；　in　spite　of　his　empty　stomach　and　the　fact

that　he　had　fruitlessly　exhibited　his　enormous　moustache　and　his　fine

clothes　for　over　three　years。　As　he　owed　Antoine　more　than　thirty

francs　for　his　breakfasts；　he　lowered　his　eyes　every　time　he　passed

him；　and　yet　he　never　failed　at　midday　to　ask　the　man　to　buy　him　a

roll。



After　trying　to　get　a　few　reasonable　ideas　into　this　foolish　head；

Rabourdin　had　finally　given　up　the　attempt　as　hopeless。　Adolphe　（his

family　name　was　Adolphe）　had　lately　economized　on　dinners　and　lived

entirely　on　bread　and　water；　to　buy　a　pair　of　spurs　and　a　riding…whip。

Jokes　at　the　expense　of　this　starving　Amadis　were　made　only　in　the

spirit　of　mischievous　fun　which　creates　vaudevilles；　for　he　was　really

a　kind…hearted　fellow　and　a　good　comrade；　who　harmed　no　one　but

himself。　A　standing　joke　in　the　two　bureaus　was　the　question　whethe