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ll be reclothed with a new beauty； less vivid but more touching than the first； and you will find your husband admiring your grey tresses as much as he did that black curl which you gave him when about to be married； and which he preserves in a locket as a thing sacred。。。。 These boulevards are broad and very quiet。 We can talk at our ease as we walk along。 I will tell you； to begin with； how I first made the acquaintance of Clementine's father。 But you must not expect anything extraordinary； or anything even remarkable； you would be greatly deceived。
〃Monsieur de Lessay used to live in the second storey of an old house in the Avenue de l'Observatoire； having a stuccoed front； ornamented with antique busts； and a large unkept garden attached to it。 That facade and that garden were the first images my child…eyes perceived； and they will be the last； no doubt； which I still see through my closed eyelids when the Inevitable Day comes。 For it was in that house that I was born； it was in that garden I first learned； while playing； to feel and know some particles of this old universe。 Magical hours！sacred hours！when the soul； all fresh from the making； first discoveries the world； which for its sake seems to assume such caressing brightness； such mysterious charm！ And that； Madame； is indeed because the universe itself is only the reflection of our soul。
〃My mother was being very happily constituted。 She rose with the sun； like the birds； and she herself resembled the birds by her domestic industry； by her maternal instinct； by her perpetual desire to sing； and by a sort of brusque grace； which I could feel the of very well even as a child。 She was the soul of the house； which she filled with her systematic and joyous activity。 My father was just as slow as she was brisk。 I can recall very well that placid face of his； over which at times an ironical smile used to flit。 He was fatigued with active life； and he loved his fatigue。 Seated beside the fire in his big arm…chair； he used to read from morning till night； and it is from him that I inherit my love of books。 I have in my library a Mably and a Raynal； which he annotated with his own hand from beginning to end。 But it was utterly useless attempting to interest him in anything practical whatever。 When my mother would try； by all kinds of gracious little ruses； to lure him out of his retirement； he would simply shake his head with that inexorable gentleness which is the force of weak characters。 He used in this way greatly to worry the poor woman； who could not enter at all into his own sphere of meditative wisdom； and could understand nothing of life except its daily duties and the merry labour of each hour。 She thought him sick； and feared he was going to become still more so。 But his apathy had a different cause。
〃My father； entering the Naval office under Monsieur Decres； in 1801； gave early proof of high administrative talent。 There was a great deal of activity in the marine department in those times； and in 1805 my father was appointed chief of the Second Administrative Division。 That same year； the Emperor； whose attention had been called to him by the Minister； ordered him to make a report upon the organisation of the English navy。 This work； which reflected a profoundly liberal and philosophic spirit； of which the editor himself was unconscious； was only finished in 1807about eighteen months after the defeat of Admiral Villeneuve at Trafalgar。 Napoleon； who； from that disastrous day； never wanted to hear the word ship mentioned in his presence； angrily glanced over a few pages of the memoir； and then threw it in the fire； vociferating； 'Words！words！ I said once before that I hated ideologists。' My father was told afterwards that the Emperor's anger was so intense at the moment that he stamped the manuscript down into the fire with his boot… heels。 At all events； it was his habit； when very much irritated； to poke down the fire with his boot…soles。 My father never fully recovered from this disgrace； and the fruitlessness of all his efforts towards reform was certainly the cause of the apathy which came upon him at a later day。 Nevertheless； Napoleon； after his return from Elba； sent for him； and ordered him to prepare some liberal and patriotic bulletins and proclamations for the fleet。 After Waterloo； my father； whom the event had rather saddened than surprised； retired into private life； and was not interfered with except that it was generally averred of him that he was a Jacobin； a buveur…de…sangone of those men with whom no one could afford to be on intimate terms。 My mother's eldest brother； Victor Maldent； and infantry captainretired on half…pay in 1814； and disbanded in 1815aggravated by his bad attitude the situation in which the fall of the Empire had placed my father。 Captain Victor used to shout in the cafes and the public balls that the Bourbons had sold France to the Cossacks。 He used to show everybody a tricoloured cockade hidden in the lining of his hat； and carried with much ostentation a walking…stick； the handle of which had been so carved that the shadow thrown by it made the silhouette of the Emperor。
〃Unless you have seen certain lithographs by Charlet； Madame； you could form no idea of the physiognomy of my Uncle Victor； when he used to stride about the garden of the Tuileries with a fiercely elegant manner of his ownbuttoned up in his frogged coat； with his cross…of…honour upon his breast； and a bouquet of violets in his button…hole。
〃Idleness and intemperance greatly intensified the vulgar recklessness of his political passions。 He used to insult people whom he happened to see reading the 'Quotidienne；' or the 'Drapeau Blanc；' and compel them to fight with him。 In this way he had the pain and the shame of wounding a boy of sixteen in a duel。 In short； my Uncle Victor was the very reverse of a well…behaved person； and as he came to lunch and dine at our house every blessed day in the year； his bad reputation became attached to our family。 My poor father suffered cruelly from some of his guest's pranks； but being very good…natured； he never made any remarks； and continued to give the freedom of his house to the captain； who only despised him for it。
〃All this which I have told you； Madame； was explained to me afterwards。 But at the time in question； my uncle the captain filled me with the very enthusiasm of admiration； and I promised myself to try to become some day as like him as possible。 So one fine morning； in order to begin the likeness； I put my arms akimbo； and swore like a trooper。 My excellent mother at once gave me such a box on the ear that I remained half stupefied for some little while before I could even burst out crying。 I can still see the old arm…chair； covered with yellow Utrecht velvet； behind which I wept innumerable tears that day。
〃I was a very little fellow then。 One morning my father； lifting me upon his knees； as he was in the habit of doing； smiled at me with that slightly ironical smile which gave a certain piquancy to his perpetual gentleness of manner。 As I sat on his knee； playing with his long white hair； he told me something which I did not understand very well； but which interested me very much； for the simple reason that it was mysterious to me。 I think but am not quite sure； that he related to me that morning the story of the little King of Yvetot； according to the song。 All of a sudden we heard a great report； and the windows rattled。 My father slipped me down gently on the floor at his feet； he threw up his trembling arms； with a strange gesture； his face became all inert and white； and his eyes seemed enormous。 He tried to speak； but his teeth were chattering。 At last he murmured； 'They have shot him！' I did not know what he meant； and felt only a vague terror。 I knew afterwards； however； that hew was speaking of Marshal Ney； who fell on the 7th of December； 1815； under the wall enclosing some waste ground beside our house。
〃About that time I used often to meet on the stairway an old man （or； perhaps； not exactly an old man） with little black eyes which flashed with extraordinary vivacity； and an impassive； swarthy face。 He did not seem to me aliveor at