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the main circumstances which govern all dramas。
CHAPTER III
PRELIMINARIES
Jean Francois Bernard Dumay； born at Vannes； started as a soldier for
the army of Italy in 1799。 His father； president of the revolutionary
tribunal of that town； had displayed so much energy in his office that
the place had become too hot to hold the son when the parent； a
pettifogging lawyer； perished on the scaffold after the ninth
Thermidor。 On the death of his mother； who died of the grief this
catastrophe occasioned； Jean sold all that he possessed and rushed to
Italy at the age of twenty…two； at the very moment when our armies
were beginning to yield。 On the way he met a young man in the
department of Var； who for reasons analogous to his own was in search
of glory； believing a battle…field less perilous than his own
Provence。 Charles Mignon； the last scion of an ancient family； which
gave its name to a street in Paris and to a mansion built by Cardinal
Mignon； had a shrewd and calculating father； whose one idea was to
save his feudal estate of La Bastie in the Comtat from the claws of
the Revolution。 Like all timid folk of that day； the Comte de La
Bastie； now citizen Mignon； found it more wholesome to cut off other
people's heads than to let his own be cut off。 The sham terrorist
disappeared after the 9th Thermidor； and was then inscribed on the
list of emigres。 The estate of La Bastie was sold； the towers and
bastions of the old castle were pulled down； and citizen Mignon was
soon after discovered at Orleans and put to death with his wife and
all his children except Charles； whom he had sent to find a refuge for
the family in the Upper Alps。
Horrorstruck at the news； Charles waited for better times in a valley
of Mont Genevra； and there he remained till 1799； subsisting on a few
louis which his father had put into his hand at starting。 Finally；
when twenty…three years of age； and without other fortune than his
fine presence and that southern beauty which； when it reaches
perfection； may be called sublime （of which Antinous； the favorite of
Adrian； is the type）； Charles resolved to wager his Provencal audacity
taking it； like many another youth； for a vocationon the red cloth
of war。 On his way to the base of the army at Nice he met the Breton。
The pair became intimate； partly from the contrasts in their
characters； they drank from the same cup at the wayside torrents；
broke the same biscuit； and were both made sergeants at the peace
which followed the battle of Marengo。
When the war recommenced； Charles Mignon was promoted into the cavalry
and lost sight of his comrade。 In 1812 the last of the Mignon de La
Bastie was an officer of the Legion of honor and major of a regiment
of cavalry。 Taken prisoner by the Russians he was sent； like so many
others； to Siberia。 He made the journey in company with another
prisoner； a poor lieutenant； in whom he recognized his old friend Jean
Dumay； brave； neglected； undecorated； unhappy； like a million of other
woollen epaulets； rank and filethat canvas of men on which Napoleon
painted the picture of the Empire。 While in Siberia； the lieutenant…
colonel； to kill time； taught writing and arithmetic to the Breton；
whose early education had seemed a useless waste of time to Pere
Scevola。 Charles found in the old comrade of his marching days one of
those rare hearts into which a man can pour his griefs while telling
his joys。
The young Provencal had met the fate which attends all handsome
bachelors。 In 1804； at Frankfort on the Main； he was adored by Bettina
Wallenrod； only daughter of a banker； and he married her with all the
more enthusiasm because she was rich and a noted beauty； while he was
only a lieutenant with no prospects but the extremely problematical
future of a soldier of fortune of that day。 Old Wallenrod； a decayed
German baron （there is always a baron in a German bank） delighted to
know that the handsome lieutenant was the sole representative of the
Mignon de La Bastie； approved the love of the blonde Bettina； whose
beauty an artist （at that time there really was one in Frankfort） had
lately painted as an ideal head of Germany。 Wallenrod invested enough
money in the French funds to give his daughter thirty thousand francs
a year； and settled it on his anticipated grandsons； naming them
counts of La Bastie…Wallenrod。 This 〃dot〃 made only a small hole in
his cash…box； the value of money being then very low。 But the Empire；
pursuing a policy often attempted by other debtors； rarely paid its
dividends； and Charles was rather alarmed at this investment； having
less faith than his father…in…law in the imperial eagle。 The
phenomenon of belief； or of admiration which is ephemeral belief； is
not so easily maintained when in close quarters with the idol。 The
mechanic distrusts the machine which the traveller admires； and the
officers of the army might be called the stokers of the Napoleonic
engine；if； indeed； they were not its fuel。
However； the Baron Wallenrod…Tustall…Bartenstild promised to come if
necessary to the help of the household。 Charles loved Bettina
Wallenrod as much as she loved him； and that is saying a good deal；
but when a Provencal is moved to enthusiasm all his feelings and
attachments are genuine and natural。 And how could he fail to adore
that blonde beauty； escaping； as it were； from the canvas of Durer；
gifted with an angelic nature and endowed with Frankfort wealth？ The
pair had four children； of whom only two daughters survived at the
time when he poured his griefs into the Breton's heart。 Dumay loved
these little ones without having seen them； solely through the
sympathy so well described by Charlet； which makes a soldier the
father of every child。 The eldest； named Bettina Caroline； was born in
1805； the other； Marie Modeste； in 1808。 The unfortunate lieutenant…
colonel； long without tidings of these cherished darlings； was sent；
at the peace of 1814； across Russia and Prussia on foot； accompanied
by the lieutenant。 No difference of epaulets could count between the
two friends； who reached Frankfort just as Napoleon was disembarking
at Cannes。
Charles found his wife in Frankfort； in mourning for her father； who
had always idolized her and tried to keep a smile upon her lips； even
by his dying bed。 Old Wallenrod was unable to survive the disasters of
the Empire。 At seventy years of age he speculated in cottons； relying
on the genius of Napoleon without comprehending that genius is quite
as often beyond as at the bottom of current events。 The old man had
purchased nearly as many bales of cotton as the Emperor had lost men
during his magnificent campaign in France。 〃I tie in goddon；〃 said the
father to the daughter； a father of the Goriot type； striving to quiet
a grief which distressed him。 〃I owe no mann anything〃 and he died；
still trying to speak to his daughter in the language that she loved。
Thankful to have saved his wife and d