〃To be sure； I forgot that the Minister of War had commissioned him to
erect a monument to one of our late customers。 Ah！ the house has
supplied many an uniform to General Montcornet； he soon blackened them
with the smoke of cannon。 A brave man； he was！ and he paid on the
nail。〃
A marshal of France may have saved the Emperor or his country； 〃He
paid on the nail〃 will always be the highest praise he can have from a
tradesman。
〃Very well。 And on Saturday； Monsieur Rivet； you shall have the flat
tassels。By the way； I am moving from the Rue du Doyenne； I am going
to live in the Rue Vanneau。〃
〃You are very right。 I could not bear to see you in that hole which；
in spite of my aversion to the Opposition； I must say is a disgrace； I
repeat it； yes！ is a disgrace to the Louvre and the Place du
Carrousel。 I am devoted to Louis…Philippe； he is my idol； he is the
august and exact representative of the class on whom he founded his
dynasty； and I can never forget what he did for the trimming…makers by
restoring the National Guard〃
〃When I hear you speak so； Monsieur Rivet； I cannot help wondering why
you are not made a deputy。〃
〃They are afraid of my attachment to the dynasty；〃 replied Rivet。 〃My
political enemies are the King's。 He has a noble character！ They are a
fine family； in short；〃 said he； returning to the charge； 〃he is our
ideal： morality； economy； everything。 But the completion of the Louvre
is one of the conditions on which we gave him the crown； and the civil
list； which； I admit； had no limits set to it； leaves the heart of
Paris in a most melancholy state。It is because I am so strongly in
favor of the middle course that I should like to see the middle of
Paris in a better condition。 Your part of the town is positively
terrifying。 You would have been murdered there one fine day。And so
your Monsieur Crevel has been made Major of his division！ He will come
to us； I hope； for his big epaulette。〃
〃I am dining with him to…night； and will send him to you。〃
Lisbeth believed that she had secured her Livonian to herself by
cutting him off from all communication with the outer world。 If he
could no longer work； the artist would be forgotten as completely as a
man buried in a cellar； where she alone would go to see him。 Thus she
had two happy days； for she hoped to deal a mortal blow at the
Baroness and her daughter。
To go to Crevel's house； in the Rue des Saussayes； she crossed the
Pont du Carrousel； went along the Quai Voltaire； the Quai d'Orsay； the
Rue Bellechasse； Rue de l'Universite； the Pont de la Concorde； and the
Avenue de Marigny。 This illogical route was traced by the logic of
passion； always the foe of the legs。
Cousin Betty； as long as she followed the line of the quays； kept
watch on the opposite shore of the Seine； walking very slowly。 She had
guessed rightly。 She had left Wenceslas dressing； she at once
understood that； as soon as he should be rid of her； the lover would
go off to the Baroness' by the shortest road。 And； in fact； as she
wandered along by the parapet of the Quai Voltaire； in fancy
suppressing the river and walking along the opposite bank； she
recognized the artist as he came out of the Tuileries to cross the
Pont Royal。 She there came up with the faithless one； and could follow
him unseen； for lovers rarely look behind them。 She escorted him as
far as Madame Hulot's house； where he went in like an accustomed
visitor。
This crowning proof； confirming Madame Marneffe's revelations； put
Lisbeth quite beside herself。
She arrived at the newly promoted Major's door in the state of mental
irritation which prompts men to commit murder； and found Monsieur
Crevel /senior/ in his drawing…room awaiting his children； Monsieur
and Madame Hulot /junior/。
But Celestin Crevel was so unconscious and so perfect a type of the
Parisian parvenu； that we can scarcely venture so unceremoniously into
the presence of Cesar Birotteau's successor。 Celestin Crevel was a
world in himself； and he； even more than Rivet； deserves the honors of
the palette by reason of his importance in this domestic drama。
Have you ever observed how in childhood； or at the early stages of
social life； we create a model for our own imitation； with our own
hands as it were； and often without knowing it？ The banker's clerk；
for instance； as he enters his master's drawing…room； dreams of
possessing such another。 If he makes a fortune； it will not be the
luxury of the day； twenty years later； that you will find in his
house； but the old…fashioned splendor that fascinated him of yore。 It
is impossible to tell how many absurdities are due to this
retrospective jealousy； and in the same way we know nothing of the
follies due to the covert rivalry that urges men to copy the type they
have set themselves； and exhaust their powers in shining with a
reflected light； like the moon。
Crevel was deputy mayor because his predecessor had been； he was Major
because he coveted Cesar Birotteau's epaulettes。 In the same way；
struck by the marvels wrought by Grindot the architect； at the time
when Fortune had carried his master to the top of the wheel； Crevel
had 〃never looked at both sides of a crown…piece；〃 to use his own
language； when he wanted to 〃do up〃 his rooms； he had gone with his
purse open and his eyes shut to Grindot； who by this time was quite
forgotten。 It is impossible to guess how long an extinct reputation
may survive； supported by such stale admiration。
So Grindot； for the thousandth time had displayed his white…and…gold
drawing…room paneled with crimson damask。 The furniture； of rosewood；
clumsily carved； as such work is done for the trade； had in the
country been the source of just pride in Paris workmanship on the
occasion of an industrial exhibition。 The candelabra； the fire…dogs；
the fender； the chandelier； the clock； were all in the most unmeaning
style of scroll…work； the round table； a fixture in the middle of the
room； was a mosaic of fragments of Italian and antique marbles；
brought from Rome； where these dissected maps are made of
mineralogical specimensfor all the world like tailors' patternsan
object of perennial admiration to Crevel's citizen friends。 The
portraits of the late lamented Madame Crevel； of Crevel himself； of
his daughter and his son…in…law； hung on the walls； two and two； they
were the work of Pierre Grassou； the favored painter of the
bourgeoisie； to whom Crevel owed his ridiculous Byronic attitude。 The
frames； costing a thousand francs each； were quite in harmony with
this coffee…house magnificence； which would have made any true artist
shrug his shoulders。
Money never yet missed the smallest opportunity of being stupid。 We
should have in Paris ten Venices if our retired merchants had had the
instinct for fine things characteristic of the Italians。 Even in our
own day a Milanese merchant could leave five hundred thousand francs
to the Duomo； to regild the colossal statue of the Virgin that crowns
the edifice。 Canova； in his will； desired his brother to build a
church costing four million francs； and that brother adds something on
his own account。 Would a citizen of Parisand they all； like Rivet；
love their Paris in their heartever dream of building the spires
that are lacking to the towers of Notre…Dame？ And only think of the
sums that revert to the State in property for which no heirs are
found。
All the improvements of Paris might have been completed with the money
spent on stucco castings； gilt mouldings； and sham sculpture during
the last fifteen years by individuals of the Crevel stamp。
Beyond this drawing…room was a splendid boudoir furnished with tables
and cabinets in imitation of Boulle。
The bedroom； smart with chintz； also opened out of the drawing…room。
Mahogany in all its glory infested the dining…room； and Swiss views；
gorgeously framed； graced the panels。 Crevel； who hoped to travel in
Switzerland； had set his heart on possessing the scenery in painting
till the time should come when he might see it in reality。
So； as will have been seen； Crevel； the Mayor's deputy； of the Legion
of Honor and of the National Guard； had faithfully reproduced all the
magnificence； even as to furniture； of his luckless predecessor。 Under
the Restoration； where one had sunk； this other； quite overlooked； had
come to the topnot by any strange stroke of fortune； but by the
force of circumstance。 In revolutions； as in storms at sea； solid
treasure goes to the bottom； and light trifles are floated to the
surface。 Cesar Birotteau； a Royalist； in favor and envied； had been
made the mark of bourgeois hostility； while bourgeoisie triumphant
found its incarnation in Crevel。
This apartment； at a rent of a thousand crowns； crammed with all the
vulgar magnificence that money can buy； occupied the first floor of a
fine old house between a courtyard and a garden。 Everything was as
spick…and…span as the beetles in an entomological case； for Crevel
lived very little at home。
This gorgeous residence was the ambitious citizen's legal domicile。
His establishment consisted of a woman…cook and a valet； he hired two
extra men； and had a dinner sent in by Chevet； whenever he gave a
banquet to his political friends； to men he wanted to dazzle or to a
family party。
The seat of Crevel's real domesticity； formerly in the Rue Notre…Dame
de Lorette； with Mademoiselle Heloise Brisetout； had lately been
transferred； as we have seen； to the Rue Chauchat。 Every morning the
retired merchantevery ex…tradesman is a retired merchantspent two
hours in the Rue des Saussayes to attend to business； and gave the
rest of his time to Mademoiselle Zaire； which annoyed Zaire very much。
Orosmanes…Crevel had a fixed bargain with Mademoiselle Heloise； she
owed him five hundred francs worth of enjoyment every month； and no
〃bills delivered。〃 He paid separately for his dinner and all extras。
This agreement； with certain bonuses； for he made her a good many
presents； seemed cheap to the ex…attache of the great singer； and he
would say to widowers who were fond of their daughters； that it paid
better to job your horses than to have a stable of your own。 At the
same time； if the reader remembers the