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rooms was a thousand francs a year。 Within two years of the time of
her purchase； Mademoiselle Thuillier was receiving seven thousand two
hundred francs in rentals； for a house which the late proprietor had
supplied with outside blinds； renovated within； and adorned with
mirrors； without being able to sell or let it。 Moreover； the
Thuilliers themselves； nobly lodged； as we shall see； enjoyed also a
fine garden；one of the finest in that quarter；the trees of which
shaded the lonely little street named the rue Neuve…Saint…Catherine。
Standing between the courtyard and the garden； the main building；
which they inhabited； seems to have been the caprice of some enriched
bourgeois in the reign of Louis XIV。； the dwelling； perhaps； of a
president of the parliament； or that of a tranquil savant。 Its noble
free…stone blocks； damaged by time； have a certain air of Louis…the…
Fourteenth grandeur； the courses of the facade define the storeys；
panels of red brick recall the appearance of the stables at
Versailles； the windows have masks carved as ornaments in the centre
of their arches and below their sills。 The door； of small panels in
the upper half and plain below； through which； when open； the garden
can be seen； is of that honest； unassuming style which was often
employed in former days for the porter's lodges of the royal chateaux。
This building； with five windows to each course； rises two storeys
above the ground…floor； and is particularly noticeable for a roof of
four sides ending in a weather…vane； and broken here and there by
tall； handsome chimneys； and oval windows。 Perhaps this structure is
the remains of some great mansion； but after examining all the
existing old maps of Paris； we find nothing which bears out this
conjecture。 Moreover； the title…deeds of property under Louis XIV。 was
Petitot； the celebrated painter in miniature； who obtained it
originally from President Lecamus。 We may therefore believe that
Lecamus lived in this building while he was erecting his more famous
mansion in the rue de Thorigny。
So Art and the legal robe have passed this way in turn。 How many
instigations of needs and pleasures have led to the interior
arrangement of the dwelling！ To right； as we enter a square hall
forming a closed vestibule； rises a stone staircase with two windows
looking on the garden。 Beneath the staircase opens a door to the
cellar。 From this vestibule we enter the dining…room； lighted from the
courtyard； and the dining…room communicates at its side with the
kitchen； which forms a continuation of the wing in which are the
warerooms of Metivier and Barbet。 Behind the staircase extends； on the
garden side； a fine study or office with two large windows。 The first
and second floor form two complete apartments； and the servants'
quarters are shown by the oval windows in the four…sided roof。
A large porcelain stove heats the square vestibule； the two glass
doors of which； placed opposite to each other； light it。 This room；
paved in black and white marble； is especially noticeable for a
ceiling of beams formerly painted and gilt； but which had since
received； probably under the Empire； a coat of plain white paint。 The
three doors of the study； salon and dining…room； surmounted by oval
panels； are awaiting a restoration that is more than needed。 The wood…
work is heavy； but the ornamentation is not without merit。 The salon；
panelled throughout； recalls the great century by its tall mantelpiece
of Languedoc marble； its ceiling decorated at the corners； and by the
style of its windows； which still retain their little panes。 The
dining…room； communicating with the salon by a double door； is floored
with stone； the wood…work is oak； unpainted； and an atrocious modern
wall…paper has been substituted for the tapestries of the olden time。
The ceiling is of chestnut； and the study； modernized by Thuillier；
adds its quota to these discordances。
The white and gold mouldings of the salon are so effaced that nothing
remains of the gilding but reddish lines； while the white enamelling
is yellow； cracked； and peeling off。 Never did the Latin saying 〃Otium
cum dignitate〃 have a greater commentary to the mind of a poet than in
this noble building。 The iron…work of the staircase baluster is worthy
of the artist and the magistrate； but to find other traces of their
taste to…day in this majestic relic； the eyes of an artistic observer
are needed。
The Thuilliers and their predecessors have frequently degraded this
jewel of the upper bourgeoisie by the habits and inventions of the
lesser bourgeoisie。 Look at those walnut chairs covered with horse…
hair； that mahogany table with its oilcloth cover； that sideboard；
also of mahogany； that carpet； bought at a bargain； beneath the table；
those metal lamps； that wretched paper with its red border； those
execrable engravings； and the calico curtains with red fringes； in a
dining…room； where the friends of Petitot once feasted！ Do you notice
the effect produced in the salon by those portraits of Monsieur and
Madame and Mademoiselle Thuillier by Pierre Grassou； the artist par
excellence of the modern bourgeoisie。 Have you remarked the card…
tables and the consoles of the Empire； the tea…table supported by a
lyre； and that species of sofa； of gnarled mahogany； covered in
painted velvet of a chocolate tone？ On the chimney…piece； with the
clock （representing the Bellona of the Empire）； are candelabra with
fluted columns。 Curtains of woollen damask； with under…curtains of
embroidered muslin held back by stamped brass holders； drape the
windows。 On the floor a cheap carpet。 The handsome vestibule has
wooden benches； covered with velvet； and the panelled walls with their
fine carvings are mostly hidden by wardrobes； brought there from time
to time from the bedrooms occupied by the Thuilliers。 Fear； that
hideous divinity； has caused the family to add sheet…iron doors on the
garden side and on the courtyard side； which are folded back against
the walls in the daytime； and are closed at night。
It is easy to explain the deplorable profanation practised on this
monument of the private life of the bourgeoisie of the seventeenth
century； by the private life of the bourgeoisie of the nineteenth。 At
the beginning of the Consulate； let us say； some master…mason having
bought the ancient building； took the idea of turning to account the
ground which lay between it and the street。 He probably pulled down
the fine porte…cochere or entrance gate； flanked by little lodges
which guarded the charming 〃sejour〃 （to use a word of the olden time）；
and proceeded； with the industry of a Parisian proprietor； to impress
his withering mark on the elegance of the old building。 What a curious
study might be made of the successive title…deeds of property in
Paris！ A private lunatic asylum performs its functions in the rue des
Batailles in the former dwelling of the Chevalier Pierre Bayard du
Terrail； once without fear and without reproach； a street has now been
built by the present bourgeois administration through the site of the
hotel Necker。 Old Paris is departing； following its kings who
abandoned it。 For one masterpiece of architecture saved from
destruction by a Polish princess （the hotel Lambert； Ile Saint…Louis；
bought and occupied by the Princess Czartoriska） how many little
palaces have fallen； like this dwelling of Petitot； into the hands of
such as Thuillier。
Here follows the causes which made Mademoiselle Thuillier the owner of
the house。
CHAPTER II
THE HISTORY OF A TYRANNY
At the fall of the Villele ministry； Monsieur Louis…Jerome Thuillier；
who had then seen twenty…six years' service as a clerk in the ministry
of finance； became sub…director of a department thereof； but scarcely
had he enjoyed the subaltern authority of a position formerly his
lowest hope； when the events of July； 1830； forced him to resign it。
He calculated； shrewdly enough； that his pension would be honorably
and readily given by the new…comers； glad to have another office at
their disposal。 He was right； for a pension of seventeen hundred
francs was paid to him immediately。
When the prudent sub…director first talked of resigning； his sister；
who was far more the companion of his life than his wife； trembled for
his future。
〃What will become of Thuillier？〃 was a question which Madame and
Mademoiselle Thuillier put to each other with mutual terror in their
little lodging on a third floor of the rue d'Argenteuil。
〃Securing his pension will occupy him for a time；〃 Mademoiselle
Thuillier said one day； 〃but I am thinking of investing my savings in
a way that will cut out work for him。 Yes； it will be something like
administrating the finances to manage a piece of property。〃
〃Oh； sister！ you will save his life；〃 cried Madame Thuillier。
〃I have always looked for a crisis of this kind in Jerome's life；〃
replied the old maid； with a protecting air。
Mademoiselle Thuillier had too often heard her brother remark： 〃Such a
one is dead； he only survived his retirement two years〃； she had too
often heard Colleville； her brother's intimate friend； a government
employee like himself； say； jesting on this climacteric of