；aboveithekepthishaircroppedshort，likethatofthesoldier-king。Hisblueeyesseemedtosaythat“Lovehadpassedthatway，“somournfulwerethey；revealingmemoriesaboutwhichhekeptsuchuttersilencethathisoldfriendsneverdetectedevenanallusiontohispastlife，norasingleexclamationdrawnforthbysimilarityofcircumstances。Hehidthepainfulmysteryofhispastbeneathaphilosophicgayety，butwhenhethoughthimselfalonehismotions，stiffenedbyaslownesswhichwasmoreamatterofchoicethantheresultofoldage，betrayedtheconstantpresenceofdistressfulthoughts。TheAbbeChaperoncalledhimaChristianignorantofhisChristianity。Dressedalwaysinbluecloth，hisratherrigiddemeanorandhisclothesbespoketheoldhabitsofmilitarydiscipline。Hissweetandharmoniousvoicestirredthesoul。Hisbeautifulhandsandthegeneralcutofhisfigure，recallingthatoftheComted’Artois，showedhowcharminghemusthavebeeninhisyouth，andmadethemysteryofhislifestillmoremysterious。Anobserveraskedinvoluntarilywhatmisfortunehadblightedsuchbeauty，courage，grace，accomplishment，andallthepreciousqualitiesoftheheartonceunitedinhisperson。MonsieurdeJordyshudderedifRobespierre’snamewereutteredbeforehim。Hetookmuchsnuff，but，strangetosay，hegaveupthehabittopleaselittleUrsula，whoatfirstshowedadisliketohimonthataccount。Assoonashesawthelittlegirlthecaptainfastenedhiseyesuponherwithalookthatwasalmostpassionate。Helovedherplaysoextravagantlyandtooksuchinterestinallshedidthatthetiebetweenhimselfandthedoctorgrewclosereveryday，thoughthelatterneverdaredtosaytohim，“You，too，haveyoulostchildren？“Therearebeings，kindandpatientasoldJordy，whopassthroughlifewithabitterthoughtintheirheartandatenderbutsorrowfulsmileontheirlips，carryingwiththemtothegravethesecretoftheirlives；lettingnooneguessit，——throughpride，throughdisdain，possiblythroughrevenge；
confidinginnonebutGod，withoutotherconsolationthanhis。
MonsieurdeJordy，likethedoctor，hadcometodieinNemours，butheknewnooneexcepttheabbe，whowasalwaysatthebeckandcallofhisparishioners，andMadamedePortenduere，whowenttobedatnineo’clock。So，muchagainsthiswill，hetoohadtakentogoingtobedearly，inspiteofthethornsthatbesethispillow。Itwasthereforeagreatpieceofgoodfortuneforhim(aswellasforthedoctor)whenheencounteredamanwhohadknownthesameworldandspokenthesamelanguageashimself；withwhomhecouldexchangeideas，andwhowenttobedlate。AfterMonsieurdeJordy，theAbbeChaperon，andMinorethadpassedoneeveningtogethertheyfoundsomuchpleasureinitthatthepriestandsoldierreturnedeverynightregularlyatnineo’clock，thehouratwhich，littleUrsulahavinggonetobed，thedoctorwasfree。Allthreewouldthensituptillmidnightoroneo’clock。
Afteratimethistriobecameaquartette。Anothermantowhomlifewasknown，andwhoowedtohispracticaltrainingasalawyer，theindulgence，knowledge，observation，shrewdness，andtalentforconversationwhichthesoldier，doctor，andpriestowedtotheirpracticaldealingswiththesouls，diseases，andeducationofmen，wasaddedtothenumber。MonsieurBongrand，thejusticeofpeace，heardofthepleasureoftheseeveningsandsoughtadmittancetothedoctor’ssociety。BeforebecomingjusticeofpeaceatNemourshehadbeenfortenyearsasolicitoratMelun，whereheconductedhisowncases，accordingtothecustomofsmalltowns，wheretherearenobarristers。
Hebecameawidoweratforty-fiveyearsofage，butfelthimselfstilltooactivetoleadanidlelife；hethereforesoughtandobtainedthepositionofjusticeofpeaceatNemours，whichbecamevacantafewmonthsbeforethearrivalofDoctorMinoret。MonsieurBongrandlivedmodestlyonhissalaryoffifteenhundredfrancs，inorderthathemightdevotehisprivateincometohisson，whowasstudyinglawinParisunderthefamousDerville。Heboresomeresemblancetoaretiredchiefofacivilserviceoffice；hehadthepeculiarfaceofabureaucrat，lesssallowthanpallid，onwhichpublicbusiness，vexations，anddisgustleavetheirimprint，——afacelinedbythought，andalsobythecontinualrestraintsfamiliartothosewhoaretrainednottospeaktheirmindsfreely。Itwasoftenilluminedbysmilescharacteristicofmenwhoalternatelybelieveallandbelievenothing，whoareaccustomedtoseeandhearallwithoutbeingstartled，andtofathomtheabysseswhichself-interesthollowsinthedepthsofthehumanheart。
Belowthehair，whichwaslesswhitethandiscolored，andwornflattenedtothehead，wasafine，sagaciousforehead，theyellowtonesofwhichharmonizedwellwiththescantytuftsofthinhair。Hisface，withthefeaturessetclosetogether，boresomelikenesstothatofafox，allthemorebecausehisnosewasshortandpointed。Inspeaking，hesplutteredatthemouth，whichwasbroadlikethatofmostgreattalkers，——ahabitwhichledGoupiltosay，ill-naturedly，“Anumbrellawouldbeusefulwhenlisteningtohim，“or，“Thejusticerainsverdicts。“Hiseyeslookedkeenbehindhisspectacles，butifhetooktheglassesoffhisdulledglanceseemedalmostvacant。Thoughhewasnaturallygay，evenjovial，hewasapttogivehimselftooimportantandpompousanair。Heusuallykepthishandsinthepocketsofhistrousers，andonlytookthemouttosettlehiseye-glassesonhisnose，withamovementthatwashalfcomic，andwhichannouncedthecomingofakeenobservationorsomevictoriousargument。Hisgestures，hisloquacity，hisinnocentself-assertion，proclaimedtheprovinciallawyer。Theseslightdefectswere，however，superficial；heredeemedthembyanexquisitekind-heartednesswhicharigidmoralistmightcalltheindulgencenaturaltosuperiority。Helookedalittlelikeafox，andhewasthoughttobeverywily，butneverfalseordishonest。Hiswilinesswasperspicacity；andconsistedinforeseeingresultsandprotectinghimselfandothersfromthetrapssetforthem。
Helovedwhist，agameknowntothecaptainandthedoctor，andwhichtheabbelearnedtoplayinaveryshorttime。
ThislittlecircleoffriendsmadeforitselfanoasisinMironet’ssalon。ThedoctorofNemours，whowasnotwithouteducationandknowledgeoftheworld，andwhogreatlyrespectedMinoretasanhonortotheprofession，cametheresometimes；buthisdutiesandalsohisfatigue(whichobligedhimtogotobedearlyandtobeupearly)
preventedhisbeingasassiduouslypresentasthethreeotherfriends。
Thisintercourseoffivesuperiormen，theonlyonesinNemourswhohadsufficientlywideknowledgetounderstandeachother，explainsoldMinoret’saversiontohisrelatives；ifhewerecompelledtoleavethemhismoney，atleastheneednotadmitthemtohissociety。
Whetherthepostmaster，thesheriff，andthecollectorunderstoodthisdistinction，orwhethertheywerereassuredbytheevidentloyaltyandbenefactionsoftheiruncle，certainitisthattheyceased，tohisgreatsatisfaction，toseemuchofhim。So，abouteightmonthsafterthearrivalofthedoctorthesefourplayersofwhistandbackgammonmadeasolidandexclusivelittleworldwhichwastoeachafraternalaftermath，anunlookedforfineseason，thegentlepleasuresofwhichwerethemoreenjoyed。ThislittlecircleofchoicespiritsclosedroundUrsula，achildwhomeachadoptedaccordingtohisindividualtendencies；theabbethoughtofhersoul，thejudgeimaginedhimselfherguardian，thesoldierintendedtobeherteacher，andasforMinoret，hewasfather，mother，andphysician，allinone。
AfterhebecameacclimatedoldMinoretsettledintocertainhabitsoflife，underfixedrules，afterthemanneroftheprovinces。OnUrsula’saccounthereceivednovisitorsinthemorning，andnevergavedinners，buthisfriendswereatlibertytocometohishouseatsixo’clockandstaytillmidnight。Thefirst-comersfoundthenewspapersonthetableandreadthemwhileawaitingtherest；ortheysometimessalliedforthtomeetthedoctorifhewereoutforawalk。
Thistranquillifewasnotamerenecessityofoldage，itwasthewiseandcarefulschemeofamanoftheworldtokeephishappinessuntroubledbythecuriosityofhisheirsandthegossipofalittletown。Heyieldednothingtothatcapriciousgoddess，publicopinion，whosetyranny(oneofthepresentgreatevilsofFrance)wasjustbeginningtoestablishitspowerandtomakethewholenationamereprovince。So，assoonasthechildwasweanedandcouldwalkalone，thedoctorsentawaythehousekeeperwhomhisniece，MadameMinoret-
Levraulthadchosenforhim，havingdiscoveredthatshetoldherpatronesseverythingthathappenedinhishousehold。
Ursula’snurse，thewidowofapoorworkman(whopossessednonamebutabaptismalone，andwhocamefromBougival)hadlostherlastchild，agedsixmonths，justasthedoctor，whoknewhertobeagoodandhonestcreature，engagedheraswetnurseforUrsula。AntoinettePatris(hermaidenname)，widowofPierre，calledLeBougival，attachedherselfnaturallytoUrsula，aswetmaidsdototheirnurslings。Thisblindmaternalaffectionwasaccompaniedinthisinstancebyhouseholddevotion。Toldofthedoctor’sintentiontosendawayhishousekeeper，LaBougivalsecretlylearnedtocook，becameneatandhandy，anddiscoveredtheoldman’sways。Shetooktheutmostcareofthehouseandfurniture；inshortshewasindefatigable。Notonlydidthedoctorwishtokeephisprivatelifewithinfourwalls，asthesayingis，buthealsohadcertainreasonsforhidingaknowledgeofhisbusinessaffairsfromhisrelatives。AttheendofthesecondyearafterhisarrivalLaBougivalwastheonlyservantinthehouse；onherdiscretionheknewhecouldcount，andhedisguisedhisrealpurposesbytheall-powerfulopenreasonofanecessaryeconomy。Tothegreatsatisfactionofhisheirshebecameamiser。Withoutfawningorwheedling，solelybytheinfluenceofherdevotionandsolicitude，LaBougival，whowasforty-threeyearsoldatthetimethistalebegins，wasthehousekeeperofthedoctorandhisprotegee，thepivotonwhichthewholehouseturned，inshort，theconfidentialservant。ShewascalledLaBougivalfromtheadmittedimpossibilityofapplyingtoherpersonthenamethatactuallybelongedtoher，Antoinette——fornamesandformsdoobeythelawsofharmony。
Thedoctor’smiserlinesswasnotmeretalk；itwasreal，andithadanobject。Fromtheyear1817hecutofftwoofhisnewspapersandceasedsubscribingtoperiodicals。Hisannualexpenses，whichallNemourscouldestimate，didnotexceedeighteenhundredfrancsayear。Likemostoldmenhiswantsinlinen，boots，andclothing，wereveryfew。
EverysixmonthshewenttoParis，nodoubttodrawandreinvesthisincome。Infifteenyearsheneversaidasinglewordtoanyoneinrelationtohisaffairs。HisconfidenceinBongrandwasofslowgrowth；itwasnotuntilaftertherevolutionof1830thathetoldhimofhisprojects。Nothingfurtherwasknownofthedoctor’slifeeitherbythebourgeoisieatlargeorbyhisheirs。Asforhispoliticalopinions，hedidnotmeddleinpublicmattersseeingthathepaidlessthanahundredfrancsayearintaxes，andrefused，impartially，tosubscribetoeitherroyalistorliberaldemands。Hisknownhorrorforthepriesthood，andhisdeismweresolittleobtrusivethatheturnedoutofhishouseacommercialrunnersentbyhisgreat-nephewDesiretoaskasubscriptiontothe“CureMeslier“andthe“DiscoursduGeneralFoy。“SuchtoleranceseemedinexplicabletotheliberalsofNemours。
Thedoctor’sthreecollateralheirs，Minoret-Levraultandhiswife，MonsieurandMadameMassin-Levrault，junior，MonsieurandMadameCremiere-Cremiere——whomweshallinfuturecallsimplyCremiere，Massin，andMinoret，becausethesedistinctionsamonghomonymsisquiteunnecessaryoutoftheGatinais——mettogetheraspeopledoinlittletowns。Thepostmastergaveagranddinneronhisson’sbirthday，aballduringthecarnival，anotherontheanniversaryofhismarriage，toallofwhichheinvitedthewholebourgeoisieofNemours。Thecollectorreceivedhisrelationsandfriendstwiceayear。Theclerkofthecourt，toopoor，hesaid，toflinghimselfintosuchextravagance，livedinasmallwayinahousestandinghalf-waydowntheGrand’Rue，theground-floorofwhichwaslettohissister，theletter-postmistressofNemours，asituationsheowedtothedoctor’skindoffices。Nevertheless，inthecourseoftheyearthesethreefamiliesdidmeettogetherfrequently，inthehousesoffriends，inthepublicpromenades，atthemarket，ontheirdoorsteps，or，ofaSundayinthesquare，asonthisoccasion；sothatonewayandanothertheymetnearlyeveryday。Forthelastthreeyearsthedoctor’sage，hiseconomies，andhisprobablewealthhadledtoallusions，orfrankremarks，amongthetownspeopleastothedispositionofhisproperty，atopicwhichmadethedoctorandhisheirsofdeepinteresttothelittletown。Forthelastsixmonthsnotadaypassedthatfriendsandneighboursdidnotspeaktotheheirs，withsecretenvy，ofthedaythegoodman’seyeswouldshutandthecoffersopen。
