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only daughter in a remote country town； was in love with the handsome
son of Lupin； the Soulanges notary。 At the first signs of this
romance； old Lupin； who intended to marry his son to Mademoiselle
Elise Gaubertin； lost no time in sending young Amaury Lupin to Paris；
to the care of his friend and correspondent Crottat； the notary；
where； under pretext of drawing deeds and contracts； Amaury committed
a variety of foolish acts； and made debts； being led thereto by a
certain Georges Marest； a clerk in the same office； but a rich young
man； who revealed to him the mysteries of Parisian life。 By the time
Lupin the elder went to Paris to bring back his son； Adeline Sarcus
had become Madame Sibilet。 In fact； when the adoring Adolphe offered
himself； her father； the old magistrate； prompted by young Lupin's
father； hastened the marriage； to which Adeline yielded in sheer
despair。
The situation of clerk in a government registration office is not a
career。 It is； like other such places which admit of no rise； one of
the many holes of the government sieve。 Those who start in life in
these holes （the topographical； the professorial； the highway…and…
canal departments） are apt to discover； invariably too late； that
cleverer men then they； seated beside them； are fed； as the Opposition
writers say； on the sweat of the people； every time the sieve dips
down into the taxation…pot by means of a machine called the budget。
Adolphe； working early and late and earning little； soon found out the
barren depths of his hole； and his thoughts busied themselves； as he
trotted from township to township； spending his salary in shoe…leather
and costs of travelling； with how to find a permanent and more
profitable place。
No one can imagine； unless he happens to squint and to have two
legitimate children； what ambitions three years of misery and love had
developed in this young man； who squinted both in mind and vision； and
whose happiness halted； as it were； on one leg。 The chief cause of
secret evil deeds and hidden meanness is； perhaps； an incompleted
happiness。 Man can better bear a state of hopeless misery than those
terrible alternations of love and sunshine with continual rain。 If the
body contracts disease； the mind contracts the leprosy of envy。 In
petty minds that leprosy becomes a base and brutal cupidity； both
insolent and shrinking； in cultivated minds it fosters anti…social
doctrines； which serve a man as footholds by which to rise above his
superiors。 May we not dignify with the title of proverb the pregnant
saying； 〃Tell me what thou hast； and I will tell thee of what thou art
thinking〃？
Though Adolphe loved his wife； his hourly thought was： 〃I have made a
mistake； I have three balls and chains； but I have only two legs。 I
ought to have made my fortune before I married。 I could have found an
Adeline any day； but Adeline stands in the way of my getting a fortune
now。〃
Adolphe had been to see his relation Gaubertin three times in three
years。 A few words exchanged between them let Gaubertin see the muck
of a soul ready to ferment under the hot temptations of legal robbery。
He warily sounded a nature that could be warped to the exigencies of
any plan； provided it was profitable。 At each of the three visits
Sibilet grumbled at his fate。
〃Employ me； cousin；〃 he said； 〃take me as a clerk and make me your
successor。 You shall see how I work。 I am capable of overthrowing
mountains to give my Adeline； I won't say luxury； but a modest
competence。 You made Monsieur Leclercq's fortune； why won't you put me
in a bank in Paris？〃
〃Some day； later on； I'll find you a place；〃 Gaubertin would say；
〃meantime make friends and acquaintance； such things help。〃
Under these circumstances the letter which Madame Soudry hastily
dispatched brought Sibilet to Soulanges through a region of castles in
the air。 His father…in…law； Sarcus； whom the Soudrys advised to take
steps in the interest of his daughter； had gone in the morning to see
the general and to propose Adolphe for the vacant post。 By advice of
Madame Soudry； who was the oracle of the little town； the worthy man
had taken his daughter with him； and the sight of her had had a
favorable effect upon the Comte de Montcornet。
〃I shall not decide；〃 he answered； 〃without thoroughly informing
myself about all applicants； but I will not look elsewhere until I
have examined whether or not your son…in…law possesses the
requirements for the place。〃 Then； turning to Madame Sibilet he added；
〃The satisfaction of settling so charming a person at Les Aigues〃
〃The mother of two children； general；〃 said Adeline； adroitly； to
evade the gallantry of the old cuirassier。
All the general's inquiries were cleverly anticipated by the Soudrys；
Gaubertin； and Lupin； who quietly obtained for their candidate the
influence of the leading lawyers in the capital of the department；
where a royal court held sessions；such as Counsellor Gendrin； a
distant relative of the judge at Ville…aux…Fayes； Baron Bourlac；
attorney…general； and another counsellor named Sarcus； a cousin thrice
removed of the candidate。 The verdict of every one to whom the general
applies was favorable to the poor clerk；〃so interesting；〃 as they
called him。 His marriage had made Sibilet as irreproachable as a novel
of Miss Edgeworth's； and presented him； moreover； in the light of a
disinterested man。
The time which the dismissed steward remained at Les Aigues until his
successor could be appointed was employed in creating troubles and
annoyances for his late master； one of the little scenes which he thus
played off will give an idea of several others。
The morning of his final departure he contrived to meet； as it were
accidentally； Courtecuisse； the only keeper then employed at Les
Aigues； the great extent of which really needed at least three。
〃Well； Monsieur Gaubertin；〃 said Courtecuisse； 〃so you have had
trouble with the count？〃
〃Who told you that？〃 answered Gaubertin。 〃Well； yes； the general
expected to order us about as he did his cavalry； he didn't know
Burgundians。 The count is not satisfied with my services； and as I am
not satisfied with his ways； we have dismissed each other； almost with
fisticuffs； for he raged like a whirlwind。 Take care of yourself；
Courtecuisse！ Ah！ my dear fellow； I expected to give you a better
master。〃
〃I know that；〃 said the keeper； 〃and I'd have served you well。 Hang
it； when friends have known each other for twenty years； you know！ You
put me here in the days of the poor dear sainted Madame。 Ah； what a
good woman she was！ none like her now！ The place has lost a mother。〃
〃Look here； Courtecuisse； if you are willing； you might help us to a
fine stroke。〃
〃Then you are going to stay here？ I heard you were off to Paris。〃
〃No； I shall wait to see how things turn out； meantime I shall do
business at Ville…aux…Fayes。 The general doesn't know what he is
deal