evening；　and　only　got　home　about　midnight　to　go　to　bed。　He　contracted
  certain　habits　half　mechanically；　and　they　soon　became　rooted　in　him；
  he　got　his　boots　blacked　on　the　Pont　Neuf　for　the　two　sous　it　would
  have　cost　him　to　go　by　the　Pont　des　Arts　to　the　Palais…Royal；　where　he
  consumed　regularly　two　glasses　of　brandy　while　reading　the　newspapers；
  an　occupation　which　employed　him　till　midday；　after　that　he
  sauntered　along　the　rue　Vivienne　to　the　cafe　Minerve；　where　the
  Liberals　congregated；　and　where　he　played　at　billiards　with　a　number
  of　old　comrades。　While　winning　and　losing；　Philippe　swallowed　four　or
  five　more　glasses　of　divers　liquors；　and　smoked　ten　or　a　dozen　cigars
  in　going　and　coming；　and　idling　along　the　streets。　In　the　evening；
  after　consuming　a　few　pipes　at　the　Hollandais　smoking…rooms；　he　would
  go　to　some　gambling…place　towards　ten　o'clock　at　night。　The　waiter
  handed　him　a　card　and　a　pin；　he　always　inquired　of　certain　well…
  seasoned　players　about　the　chances　of　the　red　or　the　black；　and　staked
  ten　francs　when　the　lucky　moment　seemed　to　come；　never　playing　more
  than　three　times；　win　or　lose。　If　he　won；　which　usually　happened；　he
  drank　a　tumbler　of　punch　and　went　home　to　his　garret；　but　by　that　time
  he　talked　of　smashing　the　ultras　and　the　Bourbon　body…guard；　and
  trolled　out；　as　he　mounted　the　staircase；　〃We　watch　to　save　the
  Empire！〃　His　poor　mother；　hearing　him；　used　to　think　〃How　gay　Philippe
  is　to…night！〃　and　then　she　would　creep　up　and　kiss　him；　without
  complaining　of　the　fetid　odors　of　the　punch；　and　the　brandy；　and　the
  pipes。
  〃You　ought　to　be　satisfied　with　me；　my　dear　mother；〃　he　said；　towards
  the　end　of　January；　〃I　lead　the　most　regular　of　lives。〃
  The　colonel　had　dined　five　times　at　a　restaurant　with　some　of　his　army
  comrades。　These　old　soldiers　were　quite　frank　with　each　other　on　the
  state　of　their　own　affairs；　all　the　while　talking　of　certain　hopes
  which　they　based　on　the　building　of　a　submarine　vessel；　expected　to
  bring　about　the　deliverance　of　the　Emperor。　Among　these　former
  comrades；　Philippe　particularly　liked　an　old　captain　of　the　dragoons
  of　the　Guard；　named　Giroudeau；　in　whose　company　he　had　seen　his　first
  service。　This　friendship　with　the　late　dragoon　led　Philippe　into
  completing　what　Rabelais　called　〃the　devil's　equipage〃；　and　he　added
  to　his　drams；　and　his　tobacco；　and　his　play；　a　〃fourth　wheel。〃
  One　evening　at　the　beginning　of　February；　Giroudeau　took　Philippe
  after　dinner　to　the　Gaite；　occupying　a　free　box　sent　to　a　theatrical
  journal　belonging　to　his　nephew　Finot；　in　whose　office　Giroudeau　was
  cashier　and　secretary。　Both　were　dressed　after　the　fashion　of　the
  Bonapartist　officers　who　now　belonged　to　the　Constitutional
  Opposition；　they　wore　ample　overcoats　with　square　collars；　buttoned　to
  the　chin　and　coming　down　to　their　heels；　and　decorated　with　the
  rosette　of　the　Legion　of　honor；　and　they　carried　malacca　canes　with
  loaded　knobs；　which　they　held　by　strings　of　braided　leather。　The　late
  troopers　had　just　（to　use　one　of　their　own　expressions）　〃made　a　bout
  of　it；〃　and　were　mutually　unbosoming　their　hearts　as　they　entered　the
  box。　Through　the　fumes　of　a　certain　number　of　bottles　and　various
  glasses　of　various　liquors；　Giroudeau　pointed　out　to　Philippe　a　plump
  and　agile　little　ballet…girl　whom　he　called　Florentine；　whose　good
  graces　and　affection；　together　with　the　box；　belonged　to　him　as　the
  representative　of　an　all…powerful　journal。
  〃But；〃　said　Philippe；　〃I　should　like　to　know　how　far　her　good　graces
  go　for　such　an　iron…gray　old　trooper　as　you。〃
  〃Thank　God；〃　replied　Giroudeau；　〃I've　stuck　to　the　traditions　of　our
  glorious　uniform。　I　have　never　wasted　a　farthing　upon　a　woman　in　my
  life。〃
  〃What's　that？〃　said　Philippe；　putting　a　finger　on　his　left　eye。
  〃That　is　so；〃　answered　Giroudeau。　〃But；　between　ourselves；　the
  newspaper　counts　for　a　good　deal。　To…morrow；　in　a　couple　of　lines；　we
  shall　advise　the　managers　to　let　Mademoiselle　Florentine　dance　a
  particular　step；　and　so　forth。　Faith；　my　dear　boy；　I'm　uncommonly
  lucky！〃
  〃Well！〃　thought　Philippe；　〃if　this　worthy　Giroudeau；　with　a　skull　as
  polished　as　my　knee；　forty…eight　years；　a　big　stomach；　a　face　like　a
  ploughman；　and　a　nose　like　a　potato；　can　get　a　ballet…girl；　I　ought　to
  be　the　lover　of　the　first　actress　in　Paris。　Where　does　one　find　such
  luck？〃　he　said　aloud。
  〃I'll　show　you　Florentine's　place　to…night。　My　Dulcinea　only　earns
  fifty　francs　a　month　at　the　theatre；〃　added　Giroudeau；　〃but　she　is
  very　prettily　set　up；　thanks　to　an　old　silk　dealer　named　Cardot；　who
  gives　her　five　hundred　francs　a　month。〃
  〃Well；　but？〃　exclaimed　the　jealous　Philippe。
  〃Bah！〃　said　Giroudeau；　〃true　love　is　blind。〃
  When　the　play　was　over　Giroudeau　took　Philippe　to　Mademoiselle
  Florentine's　appartement；　which　was　close　to　the　theatre；　in　the　rue
  de　Crussol。
  〃We　must　behave　ourselves；〃　said　Giroudeau。　〃Florentine's　mother　is
  here。　You　see；　I　haven't　the　means　to　pay　for　one；　so　the　worthy　woman
  is　really　her　own　mother。　She　used　to　be　a　concierge；　but　she's　not
  without　intelligence。　Call　her　Madame；　she　makes　a　point　of　it。〃
  Florentine　happened　that　night　to　have　a　friend　with　her；a　certain
  Marie　Godeschal；　beautiful　as　an　angel；　cold　as　a　danseuse；　and　a
  pupil　of　Vestris；　who　foretold　for　her　a　great　choregraphic　destiny。
  Mademoiselle　Godeschal；　anxious　to　make　her　first　appearance　at　the
  Panorama…Dramatique　under　the　name　of　Mariette；　based　her　hopes　on　the
  protection　and　influence　of　a　first　gentleman　of　the　bedchamber；　to
  whom　Vestris　had　promised　to　introduce　her。　Vestris；　still　green
  himself　at　this　period；　did　not　think　his　pupil　sufficiently　trained
  to　risk　the　introduction。　The　ambitious　girl　did；　in　the　end；　make　her
  pseudonym　of　Mariette　famous；　and　the　motive　of　her　ambition；　it　must
  be　said；　was　praiseworthy。　She　had　a　brother；　a　clerk　in　Derville's
  law　office。　Left　orphans　and　very　poor；　and　devoted　to　each　other；　the
  brother　and　sister　had　seen　life　such　as　it　is　in　Paris。　The　one
  wished　to　be　a　lawyer　that　he　might　support　his　sister；　and　he　lived
  on　ten　sous　a　day；　the　other　had　coldly　resolved　to　be　a　dancer；　and
  to　profit　by　her　beauty　as　much　as　by　her　legs　that　she　might　buy　a
  practice　for　her　brother。　Outside　of　their　feeling　for　each　other；　and
  of　their　mutual　life　and　interests；　everything　was　to　them；　as　it　once
  was　to　the　Romans　and　the　Hebrews；　barbaric；　outlandish；　and　hostile。
  This　generous　affection；　which　nothing　ever　lessened；　explained
  Mariette　to　those　who　knew　her　intimately。
  The　brother　and　sister　were　living　at　this　time　on　the　eighth　floor　of
  a　house　in　the　Vieille　rue　du　Temple。　Mariette　had　begun　her　studies
  when　she　was　ten　years　old；　she　was　now　just　sixteen。　Alas！　for　want
  of　becoming　clothes；　her　beauty；　hidden　under　a　coarse　shawl；　dressed
  in　calico；　and　ill…kept；　could　only　be　guessed　by　those　Parisians　who
  devote　themselves　to　hunting　grisettes　and　the　quest　of　beauty　in
  misfortune；　as　she　trotted　past　them　with　mincing　step；　mounted　on
  iron　pattens。　Philippe　fell　in　love　with　Mariette。　To　Mariette；
  Philippe　was　commander　of　the　dragoons　of　the　Guard；　a　staff…officer
  of　the　Emperor；　a　young　man　of　twenty…seven；　and　above　all；　the　means
  of　proving　herself　superior　to　Florentine　by　the　evident　superiority
  of　Philippe　over　Giroudeau。　Florentine　and　Giroudeau；　the　one　to
  promote　his　comrade's　happiness；　the　other　to　get　a　protector　for　her
  friend；　pushed　Philippe　and　Mariette　into　a　〃mariage　en　detrempe；〃a
  Parisian　term　which　is　equivalent　to　〃morganatic　marriage；〃　as　applied
  to　royal　personages。　Philippe　when　they　left　the　house　revealed　his
  poverty　to　Giroudeau；　but　the　old　roue　reassured　him。
  〃I'll　speak　to　my　nephew　Finot；〃　he　said。　〃You　see；　Philippe；　the
  reign　of　phrases　and　quill…drivers　is　upon　us；　we　may　as　well　submit。
  To…day；　scribblers　are　paramount。　Ink　has　ousted　gunpowder；　and　talk
  takes　the　place　of　shot。　After　all；　these　little　toads　of　editors　are
  pretty　good　fellows；　and　very　clever。　Come　and　see　me　to…morrow　at　the
  newspaper　office；　by　that　time　I　shall　have　said　a　word　for　you　to　my
  nephew。　Before　long　you'll　have　a　place　on　some　journal　or　other。
  Mariette；　who　is　taking　you　at　this　moment　（don't　deceive　yourself）
  because　she　literally　has　nothing；　no　engagement；　no　chance　of
  appearing　on　the　stage；　and　I　have　told　her　that　you　are　going　on　a
  newspaper　like　myself；Mariette　will　try　to　make　you　believe　she　is
  loving　you　for　yourself；　and　you　will　believe　her！　Do　as　I　do；keep
  her　as　long　as　you　can。　I　was　so　much　in　love　with　Florentine　that　I
  begged　Finot　to　write　her　up　and　help　her　to　a　debut；　but　my　nephew
  replied；　'You　say　she　has　talent；　well；　the　day　after　her　first
  appearance　she　will　turn　her　back　on　you。'　Oh；　that's　Finot　all　over！
  You'll　find　him　a　knowing　one。〃
  The　next　day；　about　four　o'clock；　Philippe　went　to　the　rue　de　Sentier；
  where　he　fou