第9章
MademoiselleGodeschal，anxioustomakeherfirstappearanceatthePanorama-DramatiqueunderthenameofMariette，basedherhopesontheprotectionandinfluenceofafirstgentlemanofthebedchamber，towhomVestrishadpromisedtointroduceher。Vestris，stillgreenhimselfatthisperiod，didnotthinkhispupilsufficientlytrainedtorisktheintroduction。Theambitiousgirldid，intheend，makeherpseudonymofMariettefamous；andthemotiveofherambition，itmustbesaid，waspraiseworthy。Shehadabrother，aclerkinDerville’slawoffice。Leftorphansandverypoor，anddevotedtoeachother，thebrotherandsisterhadseenlifesuchasitisinParis。Theonewishedtobealawyerthathemightsupporthissister，andhelivedontensousaday；theotherhadcoldlyresolvedtobeadancer，andtoprofitbyherbeautyasmuchasbyherlegsthatshemightbuyapracticeforherbrother。Outsideoftheirfeelingforeachother，andoftheirmutuallifeandinterests，everythingwastothem，asitoncewastotheRomansandtheHebrews，barbaric，outlandish，andhostile。
Thisgenerousaffection，whichnothingeverlessened，explainedMariettetothosewhoknewherintimately。
ThebrotherandsisterwerelivingatthistimeontheeighthfloorofahouseintheVieillerueduTemple。Mariettehadbegunherstudieswhenshewastenyearsold；shewasnowjustsixteen。Alas！forwantofbecomingclothes，herbeauty，hiddenunderacoarseshawl，dressedincalico，andill-kept，couldonlybeguessedbythoseParisianswhodevotethemselvestohuntinggrisettesandthequestofbeautyinmisfortune，asshetrottedpastthemwithmincingstep，mountedonironpattens。PhilippefellinlovewithMariette。ToMariette，PhilippewascommanderofthedragoonsoftheGuard，astaff-officeroftheEmperor，ayoungmanoftwenty-seven，andaboveall，themeansofprovingherselfsuperiortoFlorentinebytheevidentsuperiorityofPhilippeoverGiroudeau。FlorentineandGiroudeau，theonetopromotehiscomrade’shappiness，theothertogetaprotectorforherfriend，pushedPhilippeandMarietteintoa“mariageendetrempe，“——aParisiantermwhichisequivalentto“morganaticmarriage，“asappliedtoroyalpersonages。PhilippewhentheyleftthehouserevealedhispovertytoGiroudeau，buttheoldrouereassuredhim。
“I’llspeaktomynephewFinot，“hesaid。“Yousee，Philippe，thereignofphrasesandquill-driversisuponus；wemayaswellsubmit。
To-day，scribblersareparamount。Inkhasoustedgunpowder，andtalktakestheplaceofshot。Afterall，theselittletoadsofeditorsareprettygoodfellows，andveryclever。Comeandseemeto-morrowatthenewspaperoffice；bythattimeIshallhavesaidawordforyoutomynephew。Beforelongyou’llhaveaplaceonsomejournalorother。
Mariette，whoistakingyouatthismoment(don’tdeceiveyourself)
becausesheliterallyhasnothing，noengagement，nochanceofappearingonthestage，andIhavetoldherthatyouaregoingonanewspaperlikemyself，——Mariettewilltrytomakeyoubelievesheislovingyouforyourself；andyouwillbelieveher！DoasIdo，——keepheraslongasyoucan。IwassomuchinlovewithFlorentinethatI
beggedFinottowriteherupandhelphertoadebut；butmynephewreplied，’Yousayshehastalent；well，thedayafterherfirstappearanceshewillturnherbackonyou。’Oh，that’sFinotallover！
You’llfindhimaknowingone。“
Thenextday，aboutfouro’clock，PhilippewenttotheruedeSentier，wherehefoundGiroudeauintheentresol，——cagedlikeawildbeastinasortofhen-coopwithaslidingpanel；inwhichwasalittlestove，alittletable，twolittlechairs，andsomelittlelogsofwood。Thisestablishmentborethemagicwords，SUBSCRIPTIONOFFICE，paintedonthedoorinblackletters，andtheword“Cashier，“writtenbyhandandfastenedtothegratingofthecage。Alongthewallthatlayoppositetothecage，wasabench，where，atthismoment，aone-armedmanwasbreakfasting，whowascalledColoquintebyGiroudeau，doubtlessfromtheEgyptiancolorsofhisskin。
“Aprettyhole！“exclaimedPhilippe，lookingroundtheroom。“Inthenameofthunder！whatareyoudoinghere，youwhochargedwithpoorColonelChabertatEylau？You——agallantofficer！“
“Well，yes！broum！broum！——agallantofficerkeepingtheaccountsofalittlenewspaper，“saidGiroudeau，settlinghisblacksilkskull-cap。
“Moreover，I’mtheworkingeditorofallthatrubbish，“headded，pointingtothenewspaperitself。
“AndI，whowenttoEgypt，I’mobligedtostampit，“saidtheone-
armedman。
“Holdyourtongue，Coloquinte，“saidGiroudeau。“YouareinpresenceofaherowhocarriedtheEmperor’sordersatthebattleofMontereau。“
Coloquintesaluted。“That’swereIlostmymissingarm！“hesaid。
“Coloquinte，lookaftertheden。I’mgoinguptoseemynephew。“
Thetwosoldiersmountedtothefourthfloor，where，inanatticroomattheendofapassage，theyfoundayoungmanwithacoldlighteye，lyingonadirtysofa。Therepresentativeofthepressdidnotstir，thoughheofferedcigarstohisuncleandhisuncle’sfriend。
“Mygoodfellow，“saidGiroudeauinasoothingandhumbletone，“thisisthegallantcavalryofficeroftheImperialGuardofwhomIspoketoyou。“
“Eh！well？“saidFinot，eyeingPhilippe，who，likeGiroudeau，lostallhisassurancebeforethediplomatistofthepress。
“Mydearboy，“saidGiroudeau，tryingtoposeasanuncle，“thecolonelhasjustreturnedfromTexas。“
“Ah！youweretakeninbythataffairoftheChampd’Asile，wereyou？
SeemstomeyouwereratheryoungtoturnintoaSoldier-laborer。“
Thebitternessofthisjestwillonlybeunderstoodbythosewhorememberthedelugeofengravings，screens，clocks，bronzes，andplaster-castsproducedbytheideaoftheSoldier-laborer，asplendidimageofNapoleonandhisheroes，whichafterwardsmadeitsappearanceonthestageinvaudevilles。Thatidea，however，obtainedanationalsubscription；andwestillfind，inthedepthsoftheprovinces，oldwall-paperswhichbeartheeffigyoftheSoldier-laborer。IfthisyoungmanhadnotbeenGiroudeau’snephew，Philippewouldhaveboxedhisears。
“Yes，Iwastakeninbyit；Ilostmytime，andtwelvethousandfrancstoboot，“answeredPhilippe，tryingtoforceagrin。
“YouarestillfondoftheEmperor？“askedFinot。
“Heismygod，“answeredPhilippeBridau。
“YouareaLiberal？“
“IshallalwaysbelongtotheConstitutionalOpposition。OhFoy！ohManuel！ohLaffitte！whatmentheyare！They’llridusoftheseothers，——thesewretches，whocamebacktoFranceattheheelsoftheenemy。“
“Well，“saidFinotcoldly，“yououghttomakesomethingoutofyourmisfortunes；foryouarethevictimoftheLiberals，mygoodfellow。
StayaLiberal，ifyoureallyvalueyouropinions，butthreatenthepartywiththefolliesinTexaswhichyouarereadytoshowup。Younevergotafarthingofthenationalsubscription，didyou？Well，thenyouholdafineposition:demandanaccountofthatsubscription。I’lltellyouhowyoucandoit。AnewOppositionjournalisjuststarting，undertheauspicesofthedeputiesoftheLeft；youshallbethecashier，withasalaryofthreethousandfrancs。Apermanentplace。
Allyouwantissomeonetogosecurityforyouintwentythousandfrancs；findthat，andyoushallbeinstalledwithinaweek。I’lladvisetheLiberalstosilenceyoubygivingyoutheplace。Meantime，talk，threaten，——threatenloudly。“
GiroudeauletPhilippe，whowasprofuseinhisthanks，godownafewstepsbeforehim，andthenheturnedbacktosaytohisnephew，“Well，youareaqueerfellow！youkeepmehereontwelvehundredfrancs——“
“Thatjournalwon’tliveayear，“saidFinot。“I’vegotsomethingbetterforyou。“
“Thunder！“criedPhilippetoGiroudeau。“He’snofool，thatnephewofyours。Ineveroncethoughtofmakingsomething，ashecallsit，outofmyposition。“
ThatnightatthecafeLemblinandthecafeMinerveColonelPhilippefulminatedagainsttheLiberalparty，whichhadraisedsubscriptions，sentheroestoTexas，talkedhypocriticallyofSoldier-laborers，andleftthemtostarve，aftertakingthemoneytheyhadputintoit，andkeepingtheminexilefortwoyears。
“IamgoingtodemandanaccountofthemoneyscollectedbythesubscriptionfortheChampd’Asile，“hesaidtooneofthefrequentersofthecafe，whorepeatedittothejournalistsoftheLeft。
PhilippedidnotgobacktotherueMazarin；hewenttoMarietteandtoldherofhisforthcomingappointmentonanewspaperwithtenthousandsubscribers，inwhichherchoregraphicclaimsshouldbewarmlyadvanced。
AgatheandMadameDescoingswaitedupforPhilippeinfearandtrembling，fortheDucdeBerryhadjustbeenassassinated。Thecolonelcamehomeafewminutesafterbreakfast；andwhenhismothershowedheruneasinessathisabsence，hegrewangryandaskedifhewerenotofage。
“Inthenameofthunder，what’sallthis！herehaveIbroughtyousomegoodnews，andyoubothlookliketombstones。TheDucdeBerryisdead，ishe？——well，somuchthebetter！that’sonetheless，atanyrate。Asforme，Iamtobecashierofanewspaper，withasalaryofthreethousandfrancs，andthereyouare，outofallyouranxietiesonmyaccount。“
“Isitpossible？“criedAgathe。
“Yes；providedyoucangosecurityformeintwentythousandfrancs；
youneedonlydeposityoursharesintheFunds，youwilldrawtheinterestallthesame。“
Thetwowidows，whofornearlytwomonthshadbeendesperatelyanxioustofindoutwhatPhilippewasabout，andhowhecouldbeprovidedfor，weresooverjoyedatthisprospectthattheygavenothoughttotheirothercatastrophes。Thatevening，theGreciansages，oldDuBruel，Claparon，whosehealthwasfailing，andtheinflexibleDesrocheswereunanimous；theyalladvisedMadameBridautogosecurityforherson。