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for the son of a man who cooked the breakfasts of the clerks at a
ministry and wore the livery of Louis XVI。； he resembles an imperial
diplomatist or a sub…prefect。 Now； not only did Mademoiselle Thuillier
very innocently work upon her brother's weak spot by encouraging in
him an excessive care of his person； which； in her； was simply a
continuation of her worship； but she also provided him with family
joys； by transplanting to their midst a household which had hitherto
been quasi…collateral to them。
It was that of Monsieur Colleville； an intimate friend of Thuillier。
But before we proceed to describe Pylades let us finish with Orestes；
and explain why Thuillierthat handsome Thuillierwas left without a
family of his ownfor the family； be it said； is non…existent without
children。 Herein appears one of those deep mysteries which lie buried
in the arena of private life； a few shreds of which rise to the
surface at moments when the pain of a concealed situation grows
poignant。 This concerns the life of Madame and Mademoiselle Thuillier；
so far； we have seen only the life （and we may call it the public
life） of Jerome Thuillier。
Marie…Jeanne…Brigitte Thuillier； four years older than her brother；
had been utterly sacrificed to him； it was easier to give a career to
one than a 〃dot〃 to the other。 Misfortune to some natures is a pharos；
which illumines to their eyes the dark low corners of social
existence。 Superior to her brother both in mind and energy； Brigitte
had one of those natures which； under the hammer of persecution；
gather themselves together； become compact and powerfully resistant；
not to say inflexible。 Jealous of her independence； she kept aloof
from the life of the household； choosing to make herself the sole
arbiter of her own fate。 At fourteen years of age； she went to live
alone in a garret； not far from the ministry of finance； which was
then in the rue Vivienne； and also not far from the Bank of France；
then； and now； in the rue de la Vrilliere。 There she bravely gave
herself up to a form of industry little known and the perquisite of a
few persons； which she obtained； thanks to the patrons of her father。
It consisted in making bags to hold coin for the Bank； the Treasury；
and the great financial houses。 At the end of three years she employed
two workwomen。 By investing her savings on the Grand…Livre； she found
herself； in 1814； the mistress of three thousand six hundred francs a
year； earned in fifteen years。 As she spent little； and dined with her
father as long as he lived； and； as government securities were very
low during the last convulsions of the Empire； this result； which
seems at first sight exaggerated； explains itself。
On the death of their father； Brigitte and Jerome； the former being
twenty…seven； the latter twenty…three； united their existence。 Brother
and sister were bound together by an extreme affection。 If Jerome；
then at the height of his success； was pinched for money； his sister；
clothed in serge； and her fingers roughened by the coarse thread with
which she sewed her bags； would give him a few louis。 In Brigitte's
eyes Jerome was the handsomest and most charming man in the whole
French Empire。 To keep house for this cherished brother； to be
initiated into the secrets of Lindor and Don Juan； to be his
handmaiden； his spaniel； was Brigitte's dream。 She immolated herself
lovingly to an idol whose selfishness； always great； was enormously
increased by her self…sacrifice。 She sold her business to her fore…
woman for fifteen thousand francs and came to live with Thuillier in
the rue d'Argenteuil； where she made herself the mother； protectress；
and servant of this spoiled child of women。 Brigitte； with the natural
caution of a girl who owed everything to her own discretion and her
own labor； concealed the amount of her savings from Jerome；fearing；
no doubt； the extravagance of a man of gallantry。 She merely paid a
quota of six hundred francs a year to the expenses of the household；
and this； with her brother's eighteen hundred； enabled her to make
both ends meet at the end of the year。
From the first days of their coming together； Thuillier listened to
his sister as to an oracle； he consulted her in his trifling affairs；
kept none of his secrets from her； and thus made her taste the fruit
of despotism which was； in truth； the one little sin of her nature。
But the sister had sacrificed everything to the brother； she had
staked her all upon his heart； she lived by him only。 Brigitte's
ascendancy over Jerome was singularly proved by the marriage which she
procured for him about the year 1814。
Seeing the tendency to enforced reduction which the new…comers to
power under the Restoration were beginning to bring about in the
government offices； and particularly since the return of the old
society which sought to ride over the bourgeoisie； Brigitte
understood； far better than her brother could explain it to her； the
social crisis which presently extinguished their common hopes。 No more
successes for that handsome Thuillier in the salons of the nobles who
now succeeded the plebeians of the Empire！
Thuillier was not enough of a person to take up a politic opinion and
choose a party； he felt； as his sister did for him； the necessity of
profiting by the remains of his youth to make a settlement。 In such a
situation； a sister as jealous of her power as Brigitte naturally
would； and ought； to marry her brother； to suit herself as well as to
suit him； for she alone could make him really happy； Madame Thuillier
being only an indispensable accessory to the obtaining of two or three
children。 If Brigitte did not have an intellect quite the equal of her
will； at least she had the instinct of her despotism； without； it is
true； education； she marched straight before her； with the headstrong
determination of a nature accustomed to succeed。 She had the genius of
housekeeping； a faculty for economy； a thorough understanding of how
to live； and a love for work。 She saw plainly that she could never
succeed in marrying Jerome into a sphere above their own； where
parents might inquire into their domestic life and feel uneasy at
finding a mistress already reigning in the home。 She therefore sought
in a lower grade for persons to dazzle； and found； almost beside her；
a suitable match。
The oldest usher at the Bank； a man named Lemprun； had an only
daughter； called Celeste。 Mademoiselle Celeste Lemprun would inherit
the fortune of her mother； the only daughter of a rich farmer。 This
fortune consisted of some acres of land in the environs of Paris；
which the old father still worked； besides this； she would have the
property of Lemprun himself； a man who had left the firms of Thelusson
and of Keller to enter the service of the Bank of France。 Lemprun； now
the head of that service； enjoyed the respect and consideration of the
governors and auditors。
The Bank council； on hearing of the probable marriage of Celeste to an
honorable employee at the ministry of finance； promised a wedding
present of six thousand francs。 This gift； added to twelve thousand
given by Pere Lemprun； and twelve thousand more from the maternal
grandfather； Sieur Galard； market…gardener at Auteuil； brought up the
dowry to thirty thousand francs。 Old Galard and Monsieur and Madame
Lemprun were delighted with the marriage。 Lemprun himself knew
Mademoiselle Thuillier； and considered her one of the worthiest and
most conscientious women in Paris。 Brigitte then； for the first time；
allowed her investments on the Grand…Livre to shine forth； assuring
Lemprun that she should never marry； consequently； neither he nor his
wife； persons devoted to the main chance； would ever allow themselves
to find fault with Brigitte。 Above all； they were greatly struck by
the splendid prospects of the handsome Thuillier； and the marriage
took place； as the conventional saying is； to the general
satisfaction。
The governor of the Bank and the secretary were the bride's witnesses；
Monsieur de la Billardiere； director of Thuillier's department； and
Monsieur Rabourdin； head of the office； being those of the groom。 Six
days after the marriage old Lemprun was the victim of a daring robbery
which made a great noise in the newspapers of the day； though it was
quickly forgotten during the events of 1815。 The guilty parties having
escaped detection； Lemprun wished to make up the loss； but the Bank
agreed to carry the deficit to its profit and loss account；
nevertheless； the poor old man actually died of the grief this affair
had caused him。 He regarded it as an attack upon his aged honor。
Madame Lemprun then resigned all her property to her daughter； Madame
Thuillier； and went to live with her father at Auteuil until he died
from an accident in 1817。 Alarmed at the prospect of having to manage
or lease the market…garden and the farm of her father； Madame Lemprun
entreated Brigitte； whose honesty and capacity astonished her； to wind
up old Galard's affairs； and to settle the property in such a way that
her daughter should take possession of everything； securing to her
mother fifteen hundred francs a year and the house at Auteuil。 The
landed property o