clothed in serge； and her fingers roughened by the coarse thread with
which she sewed her bags； would give him a few louis。 In Brigitte's
eyes Jerome was the handsomest and most charming man in the whole
French Empire。 To keep house for this cherished brother； to be
initiated into the secrets of Lindor and Don Juan； to be his
handmaiden； his spaniel； was Brigitte's dream。 She immolated herself
lovingly to an idol whose selfishness； always great； was enormously
increased by her self…sacrifice。 She sold her business to her fore…
woman for fifteen thousand francs and came to live with Thuillier in
the rue d'Argenteuil； where she made herself the mother； protectress；
and servant of this spoiled child of women。 Brigitte； with the natural
caution of a girl who owed everything to her own discretion and her
own labor； concealed the amount of her savings from Jerome；fearing；
no doubt； the extravagance of a man of gallantry。 She merely paid a
quota of six hundred francs a year to the expenses of the household；
and this； with her brother's eighteen hundred； enabled her to make
both ends meet at the end of the year。
From the first days of their coming together； Thuillier listened to
his sister as to an oracle； he consulted her in his trifling affairs；
kept none of his secrets from her； and thus made her taste the fruit
of despotism which was； in truth； the one little sin of her nature。
But the sister had sacrificed everything to the brother； she had
staked her all upon his heart； she lived by him only。 Brigitte's
ascendancy over Jerome was singularly proved by the marriage which she
procured for him about the year 1814。
Seeing the tendency to enforced reduction which the new…comers to
power under the Restoration were beginning to bring about in the
government offices； and particularly since the return of the old
society which sought to ride over the bourgeoisie； Brigitte
understood； far better than her brother could explain it to her； the
social crisis which presently extinguished their common hopes。 No more
successes for that handsome Thuillier in the salons of the nobles who
now succeeded the plebeians of the Empire！
Thuillier was not enough of a person to take up a politic opinion and
choose a party； he felt； as his sister did for him； the necessity of
profiting by the remains of his youth to make a settlement。 In such a
situation； a sister as jealous of her power as Brigitte naturally
would； and ought； to marry her brother； to suit herself as well as to
suit him； for she alone could make him really happy； Madame Thuillier
being only an indispensable accessory to the obtaining of two or three
children。 If Brigitte did not have an intellect quite the equal of her
will； at least she had the instinct of her despotism； without； it is
true； education； she marched straight before her； with the headstrong
determination of a nature accustomed to succeed。 She had the genius of
housekeeping； a faculty for economy； a thorough understanding of how
to live； and a love for work。 She saw plainly that she could never
succeed in marrying Jerome into a sphere above their own； where
parents might inquire into their domestic life and feel uneasy at
finding a mistress already reigning in the home。 She therefore sought
in a lower grade for persons to dazzle； and found； almost beside her；
a suitable match。
The oldest usher at the Bank； a man named Lemprun； had an only
daughter； called Celeste。 Mademoiselle Celeste Lemprun would inherit
the fortune of her mother； the only daughter of a rich farmer。 This
fortune consisted of some acres of land in the environs of Paris；
which the old father still worked； besides this； she would have the
property of Lemprun himself； a man who had left the firms of Thelusson
and of Keller to enter the service of the Bank of France。 Lemprun； now
the head of that service； enjoyed the respect and consideration of the
governors and auditors。
The Bank council； on hearing of the probable marriage of Celeste to an
honorable employee at the ministry of finance； promised a wedding
present of six thousand francs。 This gift； added to twelve thousand
given by Pere Lemprun； and twelve thousand more from the maternal
grandfather； Sieur Galard； market…gardener at Auteuil； brought up the
dowry to thirty thousand francs。 Old Galard and Monsieur and Madame
Lemprun were delighted with the marriage。 Lemprun himself knew
Mademoiselle Thuillier； and considered her one of the worthiest and
most conscientious women in Paris。 Brigitte then； for the first time；
allowed her investments on the Grand…Livre to shine forth； assuring
Lemprun that she should never marry； consequently； neither he nor his
wife； persons devoted to the main chance； would ever allow themselves
to find fault with Brigitte。 Above all； they were greatly struck by
the splendid prospects of the handsome Thuillier； and the marriage
took place； as the conventional saying is； to the general
satisfaction。
The governor of the Bank and the secretary were the bride's witnesses；
Monsieur de la Billardiere； director of Thuillier's department； and
Monsieur Rabourdin； head of the office； being those of the groom。 Six
days after the marriage old Lemprun was the victim of a daring robbery
which made a great noise in the newspapers of the day； though it was
quickly forgotten during the events of 1815。 The guilty parties having
escaped detection； Lemprun wished to make up the loss； but the Bank
agreed to carry the deficit to its profit and loss account；
nevertheless； the poor old man actually died of the grief this affair
had caused him。 He regarded it as an attack upon his aged honor。
Madame Lemprun then resigned all her property to her daughter； Madame
Thuillier； and went to live with her father at Auteuil until he died
from an accident in 1817。 Alarmed at the prospect of having to manage
or lease the market…garden and the farm of her father； Madame Lemprun
entreated Brigitte； whose honesty and capacity astonished her； to wind
up old Galard's affairs； and to settle the property in such a way that
her daughter should take possession of everything； securing to her
mother fifteen hundred francs a year and the house at Auteuil。 The
landed property of the old farmer was sold in lots； and brought in
thirty thousand francs。 Lemprun's estate had given as much more； so
that Madame Thuillier's fortune； including her 〃dot；〃 amounted in 1818
to ninety thousand francs。 Joining the revenue of this property to
that of the brother and sister； the Thuillier household had an income；
in 1818； amounting to eleven thousand francs； managed by Brigitte
alone on her sole responsibility。 It is necessary to begin by stating
this financial position； not only to prevent objections but to rid the
drama of difficulties。
Brigitte began； from the first； by allowing her brother five hundred
francs a month； and by sailing the household boat at the rate of five
thousand francs a year。 She granted to her sister…in…law fifty francs
a month； explaining to her carefully that she herself was satisfied
with forty。 To strengthen her despotism by the power of money；
Brigitte laid by the surplus of her own funds。 She made； so it was
said in business offices； usurious loans by means of her brother； who
appeared as a money…lender。 If； between the years 1813 and 1830；
Brigitte had capitalized sixty thousand francs； that sum can be
explained by the rise in the Funds； and there is no need to have
recourse to accusations more or less well founded； which have nothing
to do with our present history。
From the first days of the marriage； Brigitte subdued the unfortunate
Madame Thuillier with a touch of the spur and a jerk of the bit； both
of which she made her feel severely。 A further display of tyranny was
useless； the victim resigned herself at once。 Celeste； thoroughly
understood by Brigitte； a girl without mind or education； accustomed
to a sedentary life and a tranquil atmosphere； was extremely gentle by
nature； she was pious in the fullest acceptation of the word； she
would willingly have expiated by the hardest punishments the
involuntary wrong of giving pain to her neighbor。 She was utterly
ignorant of life； accustomed to be waited on by her mother； who did
the whole service of the house； for Celeste was unable to make much
exertion； owing to a lymphatic constitution which the least toil
wearied。 She was truly a daughter of the people of Paris； where
children； seldom handsome； and of no vigor； the product of poverty and
toil； of homes without fresh air； without freedom of action； without
any of the conveniences of life； meet us at every turn。
At the time of the marriage； Celeste was seen to be a little woman；
fair and faded almost to sickliness； fat； slow； and silly in the
countenance。 Her forehead； much too large and too prominent； suggested
water on the brain； and beneath that waxen cupola her face； noticeably
too small and ending in a point like the nose of a mouse； made some
people fear she would become； sooner or later； imbecile。 Her eyes；
which were light blue； and her lips； always fixed in a smile； did not
contradict that idea。 On the solemn occasion of her marriage she had
the manner； air； and attitude of a person condemned to death； whose
only desire is that it might all be over speedily。
〃She is rather round；〃 said Colleville to Thuillier。
Brigitte was just the knife to cut into such a nature； to which her
own formed the strongest contrast。 Mademoiselle Thuillier was
remarkable for her regular and correct beauty； but a beauty injured by
toil which； from her very childhood； had bent her down to painful；
thankless tasks； and by the secret privations she imposed upon herself
in order to amass her little property。 Her complexion； early
discolored； had something the tint of steel。 Her brown eyes were
framed in brown； on the upper lip was a brown floss like a sort of
smoke。 Her lips were thin； and her imperious forehead was surmounted
by hair once black； now turning to chinchilla。 She held herself as
straight as the fairest beauty； but all things else about her showed
the hardiness of her life； the deadening of her natural fire； the cost
of what she was！
To Brigitte； Celeste was s