garden。
  〃My　dear　Felix；〃　said　the　old　man；　pointing　to　la　Peyrade；　who　was
  bowing　to　Madame　Phellion；　〃be　very　grateful　to　that　admirable　young
  man；　he　will　prove　most　useful　to　you。〃
  The　lawyer　walked　for　about　five　minutes　with　Madame　Barniol　and
  Madame　Phellion　beneath　the　leafless　lindens；　and　gave　them　（in
  consequence　of　the　embarrassing　circumstances　created　by　Phellion's
  political　obstinacy）　a　piece　of　advice；　the　effects　of　which　were　to
  bear　fruit　that　evening；　while　its　first　result　was　to　make　both
  ladies　admire　his　talents；　his　frankness；　and　his　inappreciable　good
  qualities。　When　the　lawyer　departed　the　whole　family　conducted　him　to
  the　street　gate；　and　all　eyes　followed　him　until　he　had　turned　the
  corner　of　the　rue　du　Faubourg…Saint…Jacques。　Madame　Phellion　then　took
  the　arm　of　her　husband　to　return　to　the　salon；　saying：
  〃Hey！　my　friend！　what　does　this　mean？　You；　such　a　good　father；　how　can
  you；　from　excessive　delicacy；　stand　in　the　way　of　such　a　fine　marriage
  for　our　Felix？〃
  〃My　dear；〃　replied　Phellion；　〃the　great　men　of　antiquity；　Brutus　and
  others；　were　never　fathers　when　called　upon　to　be　citizens。　The
  bourgeoisie　has；　even　more　than　the　aristocracy　whose　place　it　has
  been　called　upon　to　take；　the　obligations　of　the　highest　virtues。
  Monsieur　de　Saint…Hilaire　did　not　think　of　his　lost　arm　in　presence　of
  the　dead　Turenne。　We　must　give　proof　of　our　worthiness；　let　us　give　it
  at　every　state　of　the　social　hierarchy。　Shall　I　instruct　my　family　in
  the　highest　civic　principles　only　to　ignore　them　myself　at　the　moment
  for　applying　them？　No；　my　dear；　weep；　if　you　must；　to…day；　but
  to…morrow　you　will　respect　me；〃　he　added；　seeing　tears　in　the　eyes　of
  his　starched　better　half。
  These　noble　words　were　said　on　the　sill　of　the　door；　above　which　was
  written；　〃Aurea　mediocritas。〃
  〃I　ought　to　have　put；　'et　digna；'〃　added　Phellion；　pointing　to　the
  tablet；　〃but　those　two　words　would　imply　self…praise。〃
  〃Father；〃　said　Marie…Theodore　Phellion；　the　future　engineer　of　〃ponts
  et　chaussees；〃　when　the　family　were　once　more　seated　in　the　salon；　〃it
  seems　to　me　that　there　is　nothing　dishonorable　in　changing　one's
  determination　about　a　choice　which　is　of　no　real　consequence　to　public
  welfare。〃
  〃No　consequence；　my　son！〃　cried　Phellion。　〃Between　ourselves　I　will
  say；　and　Felix　shares　my　opinion；　Monsieur　Thuillier　is　absolutely
  without　capacity；　he　knows　nothing。　Monsieur　Horace　Bianchon　is　an
  able　man；　he　will　obtain　a　thousand　things　for　our　arrondissement；　and
  Thuillier　will　obtain　none！　Remember　this；　my　son；　to　change　a　good
  determination　for　a　bad　one　from　motives　of　self…interest　is　one　of
  those　infamous　actions　which　escape　the　control　of　men　but　are
  punished　by　God。　I　am；　or　I　think　I　am；　void　of　all　blame　before　my
  conscience；　and　I　owe　it　to　you；　my　children；　to　leave　my　memory
  unstained　among　you。　Nothing；　therefore；　can　make　me　change　my
  determination。〃
  〃Oh；　my　good　father！〃　cried　the　little　Barniol　woman；　flinging　herself
  on　a　cushion　at　Phellion's　knees；　〃don't　ride　your　high　horse！　There
  are　many　fools　and　idiots　in　the　municipal　council；　and　France　gets
  along　all　the　same。　That　old　Thuillier　will　adopt　the　opinions　of
  those　about　him。　Do　reflect　that　Celeste　will　probably　have　five
  hundred　thousand　francs。〃
  〃She　might　have　millions；〃　said　Phellion；　〃and　I　might　see　them　there
  at　my　feet　before　I　would　propose　Thuillier；　when　I　owe　to　the　memory
  of　the　best　of　men　to　nominate；　if　possible；　Horace　Bianchon；　his
  nephew。　From　the　heaven　above　us　Popinot　is　contemplating　and
  applauding　me！〃　cried　Phellion；　with　exaltation。　〃It　is　by　such
  considerations　as　you　suggest　that　France　is　being　lowered；　and　the
  bourgeoisie　are　bringing　themselves　into　contempt。〃
  〃My　father　is　right；〃　said　Felix；　coming　out　of　a　deep　reverie。　〃He
  deserves　our　respect　and　love；　as　he　has　throughout　the　whole　course
  of　his　modest　and　honored　life。　I　would　not　owe　my　happiness　either　to
  remorse　in　his　noble　soul；　or　to　a　low　political　bargain。　I　love
  Celeste　as　I　love　my　own　family；　but；　above　all　that；　I　place　my
  father's　honor；　and　since　this　question　is　a　matter　of　conscience　with
  him　it　must　not　be　spoken　of　again。〃
  Phellion；　with　his　eyes　full　of　tears；　went　up　to　his　eldest　son　and
  took　him　in　his　arms；　saying；　〃My　son！　my　son！〃　in　a　choking　voice。
  〃All　that　is　nonsense；〃　whispered　Madame　Phellion　in　Madame　Barniol's
  ear。　〃Come　and　dress　me；　I　shall　make　an　end　of　this；　I　know　your
  father；　he　has　put　his　foot　down　now。　To　carry　out　the　plan　that　pious
  young　man；　Theodose；　suggested；　I　want　your　help；　hold　yourself　ready
  to　give　it；　my　daughter。〃
  At　this　moment；　Genevieve　came　in　and　gave　a　letter　to　Monsieur
  Phellion。
  〃An　invitation　for　dinner　to…day；　for　Madame　Phellion　and　Felix　and
  myself；　at　the　Thuilliers'；〃　he　said。
  The　magnificent　and　surprising　idea　of　Thuillier's　municipal
  advancement；　put　forth　by　the　〃advocate　of　the　poor〃　was　not　less
  upsetting　in　the　Thuillier　household　than　it　was　in　the　Phellion
  salon。　Jerome　Thuillier；　without　actually　confiding　anything　to　his
  sister；　for　he　made　it　a　point　of　honor　to　obey　his　Mephistopheles；
  had　rushed　to　her　in　great　excitement　to　say：
  〃My　dearest　girl〃　（he　always　touched　her　heart　with　those　caressing
  words）；　〃we　shall　have　some　big…wigs　at　dinner　to…day。　I'm　going　to
  ask　the　Minards；　therefore　take　pains　about　your　dinner。　I　have
  written　to　Monsieur　and　Madame　Phellion；　it　is　rather　late；　but
  there's　no　need　of　ceremony　with　them。　As　for　the　Minards；　I　must
  throw　a　little　dust　in　their　eyes；　I　have　a　particular　need　of　them。〃
  〃Four　Minards；　three　Phellions；　four　Collevilles；　and　ourselves；　that
  makes　thirteen〃
  〃La　Peyrade；　fourteen；　and　it　is　worth　while　to　invite　Dutocq；　he　may
  be　useful　to　us。　I'll　go　up　and　see　him。〃
  〃What　are　you　scheming？〃　cried　his　sister。　〃Fifteen　to　dinner！　There's
  forty　francs；　at　the　very　least；　waltzing　off。〃
  〃You　won't　regret　them；　my　dearest。　I　want　you　to　be　particularly
  agreeable　to　our　young　friend；　la　Peyrade。　There's　a　friend；　indeed！
  you'll　soon　have　proofs　of　that！　If　you　love　me；　cosset　him　well。〃
  So　saying；　he　departed；　leaving　Brigitte　bewildered。
  〃Proofs；　indeed！　yes；　I'll　look　out　for　proofs；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　not　to
  be　caught　with　fine　words；　not　I！　He　is　an　amiable　fellow；　but　before
  I　take　him　into　my　heart　I　shall　study　him　a　little　closer。〃
  After　inviting　Dutocq；　Thuillier；　having　bedizened　himself；　went　to
  the　hotel　Minard；　rue　des　Macons…Sorbonne；　to　capture　the　stout　Zelie；
  and　gloss　over　the　shortness　of　the　invitation。
  Minard　had　purchased　one　of　those　large　and　sumptuous　habitations
  which　the　old　religious　orders　built　about　the　Sorbonne；　and　as
  Thuillier　mounted　the　broad　stone　steps　with　an　iron　balustrade；　that
  proved　how　arts　of　the　second　class　flourished　under　Louis　XIII。；　he
  envied　both　the　mansion　and　its　occupant；the　mayor。
  This　vast　building；　standing　between　a　courtyard　and　garden；　is
  noticeable　as　a　specimen　of　the　style；　both　noble　and　elegant；　of　the
  reign　of　Louis　XIII。；　coming　singularly；　as　it　did；　between　the　bad
  taste　of　the　expiring　renaissance　and　the　heavy　grandeur　of　Louis
  XIV。；　at　its　dawn。　This　transition　period　is　shown　in　many　public
  buildings。　The　massive　scroll…work　of　several　facadesthat　of　the
  Sorbonne；　for　instance；and　columns　rectified　according　to　the　rules
  of　Grecian　art；　were　beginning　to　appear　in　this　architecture。
  A　grocer；　a　lucky　adulterator；　now　took　the　place　of　the　former
  ecclesiastical　governor　of　an　institution　called　in　former　times
  L'Economat；　an　establishment　connected　with　the　general　agency　of　the
  old　French　clergy；　and　founded　by　the　long…sighted　genius　of
  Richelieu。　Thuillier's　name　opened　for　him　the　doors　of　the　salon；
  where　sat　enthroned　in　velvet　and　gold；　amid　the　most　magnificent
  〃Chineseries；〃　the　poor　woman　who　weighed　with　all　her　avoirdupois　on
  the　hearts　and　minds　of　princes　and　princesses　at　the　〃popular　balls〃
  of　the　palace。
  〃Isn't　she　a　good　subject　for　'La　Caricature'？〃　said　a　so…called　lady
  of　the　bedchamber　to　a　duchess；　who　could　hardly　help　laughing　at　the
  aspect　of　Zelie；　glittering　with　diamonds；　red　as　a　poppy；　squeezed
  into　a　gold　brocade；　and　rolling　along　like　the　casts　of　her　former
  shop。
  〃Will　you　pardon　me；　fair　lady；〃　began　Thuillier；　twisting　his　body；
  and　pausing　in　pose　number　two　of　his　imperial　repertory；　〃for　having
  allowed　this　invitation　to　remain　in　my　desk；　thinking；　all　the　while；
  that　it　was　sent？　It　is　for　to…day；　but　perhaps　I　am　too　late？〃
  Zelie　examined　her　husband's　face　as　he　approached　them　to　receive
  Thuillier；　then　she　said：
  〃We　intended　to　drive　into　the　country　and　dine　at　some　chance
  restaurant；　but　we'll　give　up　that　idea　and　all　the　more　readily
  because；　in　my　opinion；　it　is　getting　devilishly　vulgar　to　drive　out
  of　Paris　on　Sundays。〃
  〃We　will　have　a　little　dance　to　the　piano　for　the　young　people；　if
  enough　come；　as　I　hope　they　will。　I　have　sent　a　line　to　Phellion；
  whose　wife　is　intimate　with　Madame　Pron；　the　successor〃
  〃SuccessorESS；〃　interrupted　Madame　Minard。
  〃No；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃it　ought　to　be　success'ress；　just　as　we　say
  may'ress；　d