evil　eye　of　paternal　rivalry；　Phellion　became　to　Minard　a　Roman　of
  incorruptible　integrity　and　a　man　whose　little　treatises　had　been
  adopted　by　the　University；in　other　words；　a　man　of　sound　and　tested
  intellect。
  So　that　when　it　became　the　duty　of　the　mayor　to　select　the　members　of
  the　dramatic　custom…house；　of　which　he　was　now　the　head；　he
  immediately　thought　of　Phellion。　As　for　the　great　citizen；　he　felt；　on
  the　day　when　a　post　was　offered　to　him　in　that　august　tribunal；　that　a
  crown　of　gold　had　been　placed　upon　his　brow。
  It　will　be　well　understood　that　it　was　not　lightly；　nor　without　having
  deeply　meditated；　that　a　man　of　Phellion's　solemnity　had　accepted　the
  high　and　sacred　mission　which　was　offered　to　him。　He　said　within
  himself　that　he　was　called　upon　to　exercise　the　functions　of　a
  magistracy；　a　priestly　office。
  〃To　judge　of　men；〃　he　replied　to　Minard；　who　was　much　surprised　at　his
  hesitation；　〃is　an　alarming　task；　but　to　judge　of　minds！who　can
  believe　himself　equal　to　such　a　mission？〃
  Once　more　the　familythat　rock　on　which　the　firmest　resolutions　split
  had　threatened　to　infringe　on　the　domain　of　his　conscience。　The
  thought　of　boxes　and　tickets　of　which　the　future　member　of　the
  committee　could　dispose　in　favor　of　his　own　kin　had　excited　in　the
  household　so　eager　a　ferment　that　his　freedom　of　decision　seemed　for　a
  moment　in　danger。　But；　happily；　Brutus　was　able　to　decide　himself　in
  the　same　direction　along　which　a　positive　uprising　of　the　whole
  Phellionian　tribe　intended　to　push　him。　From　the　observations　of
  Barniol；　his　son…in…law；　and　also　by　his　own　personal　inspiration；　he
  became　persuaded　that　by　his　vote；　always　given　to　works　of
  irreproachable　morality；　and　by　his　firm　determination　to　bar　the　way
  to　all　plays　that　mothers　of　families　could　not　take　their　daughters
  to　witness；　he　was　called　upon　to　render　the　most　signal　services　to
  morals　and　public　order。　Phellion；　to　use　his　own　expression；　had
  therefore　become　a　member　of　the　areopagus　presided　over　by　Minard；
  andstill　speaking　as　he　spokehe　was　issuing　from　the　exercise　of
  his　functions；　which　were　both　delicate　and　interesting；　when　the
  conversation　we　are　about　to　report　took　place。　A　knowledge　of　this
  conversation　is　necessary　to　an　understanding　of　the　ulterior　events
  of　this　history；　and　it　will　also　serve　to　put　into　relief　the　envious
  insight　which　is　one　of　the　most　marked　traits　of　the　bourgeois
  character。
  The　session　of　the　committee　had　been　extremely　stormy。　On　the　subject
  of　a　tragedy　entitled；　〃The　Death　of　Hercules；〃　the　classic　party　and
  the　romantic　party；　whom　the　mayor　had　carefully　balanced　in　the
  composition　of　his　committee；　had　nearly　approached　the　point　of
  tearing　each　other's　hair　out。　Twice　Phellion　had　risen　to　speak；　and
  his　hearers　were　astonished　at　the　quantity　of　metaphors　the　speech　of
  a　major　of　the　National　Guard　could　contain　when　his　literary
  convictions　were　imperilled。　As　the　result　of　a　vote；　victory　remained
  with　the　opinions　of　which　Phellion　was　the　eloquent　organ。　It　was
  while　descending　the　stairway　of　the　theatre　with　Minard　that　he
  remarked：
  〃We　have　done　a　good　work　this　day。　'The　Death　of　Hercules'　reminded
  me　of　'The　Death　of　Hector；'　by　the　late　Luce　de　Lancival；　the　work　we
  have　just　accepted　sparkles　with　sublime　verses。〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　Minard；　〃the　versification　has　taste；　there　are　some
  really　fine　lines　in　it；　and　I　admit　to　you　that　I　think　this　sort　of
  literature　rather　above　the　anagrams　of　Master　Colleville。〃
  〃Oh！〃　replied　Minard；　〃Colleville's　anagrams　are　mere　witticisms；
  which　have　nothing　in　common　with　the　sterner　accents　of　Melpomene。〃
  〃And　yet；〃　said　Minard；　〃I　can　assure　you　he　attaches　the　greatest
  importance　to　that　rubbish；　and　apropos　to　his　anagrams；　as；　indeed；
  about　many　other　things；　he　is　not　a　little　puffed　up。　Since　their
  emigration　to　the　Madeleine　quarter　it　seems　to　me　that　not　only　the
  Sieur　Colleville；　but　his　wife　and　daughter；　and　the　Thuilliers　and
  the　whole　coterie　have　assumed　an　air　of　importance　which　is　rather
  difficult　to　justify。〃
  〃No　wonder！〃　said　Phellion；　〃one　must　have　a　pretty　strong　head　to
  stand　the　fumes　of　opulence。　Our　friends　have　become　so　very　rich　by
  the　purchase　of　that　property　where　they　have　gone　to　live　that　we
  ought　to　forgive　them　for　a　little　intoxication；　and　I　must　say　the
  dinner　they　gave　us　yesterday　for　a　house…warming　was　really　as　well
  arranged　as　it　was　succulent。〃
  〃I　myself；〃　said　Minard；　〃have　given　a　few　remarkable　dinners　to　which
  men　in　high　government　positions　have　not　disdained　to　come；　yet　I　am
  not　puffed　up　with　pride　on　that　account；　such　as　my　friends　have
  always　known　me；　that　I　have　remained。〃
  〃You；　Monsieur　le　maire；　have　long　been　habituated　to　the　splendid
  existence　you　have　made　for　yourself　by　your　high　commercial　talents；
  our　friends；　on　the　contrary；　so　lately　embarked　on　the　smiling　ship
  of　Fortune；　have　not　yet　found；　as　the　vulgar　saying　is；　their　sea…
  legs。〃
  And　then　to　cut　short　a　conversation　in　which　Phellion　began　to　think
  the　mayor　rather　〃caustic；〃　he　made　as　if　he　intended　to　take　leave　of
  him。　In　order　to　reach　their　respective　homes　they　did　not　always　take
  the　same　way。
  〃Are　you　going　through　the　Luxembourg？〃　asked　Minard；　not　allowing
  Phellion　to　give　him　the　slip。
  〃I　shall　cross　it；　but　I　have　an　appointment　to　meet　Madame　Phellion
  and　the　little　Barniols　at　the　end　of　the　grand　alley。〃
  〃Then；〃　said　Minard；　〃I'll　go　with　you　and　have　the　pleasure　of　making
  my　bow　to　Madame　Phellion；　and　I　shall　get　the　fresh　air　at　the　same
  time；　for；　in　spite　of　hearing　fine　things；　one's　head　gets　tired　at
  the　business　we　have　just　been　about。〃
  Minard　had　felt　that　Phellion　gave　rather　reluctant　assent　to　his
  sharp　remarks　about　the　new　establishment　of　the　Thuilliers；　and　he
  did　not　attempt　to　renew　the　subject；　but　when　he　had　Madame　Phellion
  for　a　listener；　he　was　very　sure　that　his　spite　would　find　an　echo。
  〃Well；　fair　lady；〃　he　began；　〃what　did　you　think　of　yesterday's
  dinner？〃
  〃It　was　very　fine；〃　replied　Madame　Phellion；　〃as　I　tasted　that　soup　'a
  la　bisque'　I　knew　that　some　caterer；　like　Chevet；　had　supplanted　the
  cook。　But　the　whole　affair　was　dull；　it　hadn't　the　gaiety　of　our　old
  meetings　in　the　Latin　quarter。　And　then；　didn't　it　strike　you；　as　it
  did　me；　that　Madame　and　Mademoiselle　Thuillier　no　longer　seemed
  mistresses　of　their　own　house？　I　really　felt　as　if　I　were　the　guest　of
  Madamewhat　IS　her　name？　I　never　can　remember　it。〃
  〃Torna；　Comtesse　de　Godollo；〃　said　Phellion；　intervening。　〃The　name　is
  euphonious　enough　to　remember。〃
  〃Euphonious　if　you　like；　my　dear；　but　to　me　it　never　seems　a　name　at
  all。〃
  〃It　is　a　Magyar；　or　to　speak　more　commonly；　a　Hungarian　name。　Our　own
  name；　if　we　wanted　to　discuss　it；　might　be　said　to　be　a　loan　from　the
  Greek　language。〃
  〃Very　likely；　at　any　rate　we　have　the　advantage　of　being　known；　not
  only　in　our　own　quarter；　but　throughout　the　tuition　world；　where　we
  have　earned　an　honorable　position；　while　this　Hungarian　countess；　who
  makes；　as　they　say；　the　good　and　the　bad　weather　in　the　Thuilliers'
  home；　where　does　she　come　from；　I'd　like　to　know？　How　did　such　a　fine
  lady；for　she　has　good　manners　and　a　very　distinguished　air；　no　one
  denies　her　that；how　came　she　to　fall　in　love　with　Brigitte；　who；
  between　ourselves；　keeps　a　sickening　odor　of　the　porter's　lodge　about
  her。　For　my　part；　I　think　this　devoted　friend　is　an　intriguing
  creature；　who　scents　money；　and　is　scheming　for　some　future　gain。〃
  〃Ah　ca！〃　said　Minard；　〃then　you　don't　know　the　original　cause　of　the
  intimacy　between　Madame　la　Comtesse　de　Godollo　and　the　Thuilliers？〃
  〃She　is　a　tenant　in　their　house；　she　occupies　the　entresol　beneath
  their　apartment。〃
  〃True；　but　there's　something　more　than　that　in　it。　Zelie；　my　wife；
  heard　it　from　Josephine；　who　wanted；　lately；　to　enter　our　service；　the
  matter　came　to　nothing；　for　Francoise；　our　woman；　who　thought　of
  marrying；　changed　her　mind。　You　must　know；　fair　lady；　that　it　was
  solely　Madame　de　Godollo　who　brought　about　the　emigration　of　the
  Thuilliers；　whose　upholsterer；　as　one　might　say；　she　is。〃
  〃What！　their　upholsterer？〃　cried　Phellion；〃that　distinguished　woman；
  of　whom　one　may　truly　say；　'Incessu　patuit　dea'；　which　in　French　we
  very　inadequately　render　by　the　expression；　'bearing　of　a　queen'？〃
  〃Excuse　me；〃　said　Minard。　〃I　did　not　mean　that　Madame　de　Godollo　is
  actually　in　the　furniture　business；　but；　at　the　time　when　Mademoiselle
  Thuillier　decided；　by　la　Peyrade's　advice；　to　manage　the　new　house
  herself；　that　little　fellow；　who　hasn't　all　the　ascendancy　over　her
  mind　he　thinks　he　has；　couldn't　persuade　her　to　move　the　family　into
  the　splendid　apartment　where　they　received　us　yesterday。　Mademoiselle
  Brigitte　objected　that　she　should　have　to　change　her　habits；　and　that
  her　friends　and　relations　wouldn't　follow　her　to　such　a　distant
  quarter〃
  〃It　is　quite　certain；〃　interrupted　Madame　Phellion；　〃that　to　make　up
  one's　mind　to　hire　a　carriage　every　Sunday；　one　wants　a　prospect　of
  greater　pleasure　than　can　be　found　in　that　salon。　When　one　thinks
  that；　except　on　the　day　of　the　famous　dance　of　the　candid