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often heard Colleville； her brother's intimate friend； a government
employee like himself； say； jesting on this climacteric of
bureaucrats； 〃We shall all come to it； ourselves；〃 not to appreciate
the danger her brother was running。 The change from activity to
leisure is； in truth； the critical period for government employees of
all kinds。
Those of them who know not how to substitute； or perhaps cannot
substitute other occupations for the work to which they have been
accustomed； change in a singular manner； some die outright； others
take to fishing； the vacancy of that amusement resembling that of
their late employment under government； others； who are smarter men；
dabble in stocks； lose their savings； and are thankful to obtain a
place in some enterprise that is likely to succeed； after a first
disaster and liquidation； in the hands of an abler management。 The
late clerk then rubs his hands； now empty； and says to himself； 〃I
always did foresee the success of the business。〃 But nearly all these
retired bureaucrats have to fight against their former habits。
〃Some；〃 Colleville used to say； 〃are victims to a sort of 'spleen'
peculiar to the government clerk； they die of a checked circulation； a
red…tapeworm is in their vitals。 That little Poiret couldn't see the
well…known white carton without changing color at the beloved sight；
he used to turn from green to yellow。〃
Mademoiselle Thuillier was considered the moving spirit of her
brother's household； she was not without decision and force of
character； as the following history will show。 This superiority over
those who immediately surrounded her enabled her to judge her brother；
although she adored him。 After witnessing the failure of the hopes she
had set upon her idol； she had too much real maternity in her feeling
for him to let herself be mistaken as to his social value。
Thuillier and his sister were children of the head porter at the
ministry of finance。 Jerome had escaped； thanks to his near…
sightedness； all drafts and conscriptions。 The father's ambition was
to make his son a government clerk。 At the beginning of this century
the army presented too many posts not to leave various vacancies in
the government offices。 A deficiency of minor officials enabled old
Pere Thuillier to hoist his son upon the lowest step of the
bureaucratic hierarchy。 The old man died in 1814； leaving Jerome on
the point of becoming sub…director； but with no other fortune than
that prospect。 The worthy Thuillier and his wife （who died in 1810）
had retired from active service in 1806； with a pension as their only
means of support； having spent what property they had in giving Jerome
the education required in these days； and in supporting both him and
his sister。
The influence of the Restoration on the bureaucracy is well known。
From the forty and one suppressed departments a crowd of honorable
employees returned to Paris with nothing to do； and clamorous for
places inferior to those they had lately occupied。 To these acquired
rights were added those of exiled families ruined by the Revolution。
Pressed between the two floods； Jerome thought himself lucky not to
have been dismissed under some frivolous pretext。 He trembled until
the day when； becoming by mere chance sub…director； he saw himself
secure of a retiring pension。 This cursory view of matters will serve
to explain Monsieur Thuillier's very limited scope and knowledge。 He
had learned the Latin； mathematics； history； and geography that are
taught in schools； but he never got beyond what is called the second
class； his father having preferred to take advantage of a sudden
opportunity to place him at the ministry。 So； while the young
Thuillier was making his first records on the Grand…Livre； he ought to
have been studying his rhetoric and philosophy。
While grinding the ministerial machine； he had no leisure to cultivate
letters； still less the arts； but he acquired a routine knowledge of
his business； and when he had an opportunity to rise； under the
Empire； to the sphere of superior employees； he assumed a superficial
air of competence which concealed the son of a porter； though none of
it rubbed into his mind。 His ignorance； however； taught him to keep
silence； and silence served him well。 He accustomed himself to
practise； under the imperial regime； a passive obedience which pleased
his superiors； and it was to this quality that he owed at a later
period his promotion to the rank of sub…director。 His routine habits
then became great experience； his manners and his silence concealed
his lack of education； and his absolute nullity was a recommendation；
for a cipher was needed。 The government was afraid of displeasing both
parties in the Chamber by selecting a man from either side； it
therefore got out of the difficulty by resorting to the rule of
seniority。 That is how Thuillier became sub…director。 Mademoiselle
Thuillier； knowing that her brother abhorred reading； and could
substitute no business for the bustle of a public office； had wisely
resolved to plunge him into the cares of property； into the culture of
a garden； in short； into all the infinitely petty concerns and
neighborhood intrigues which make up the life of the bourgeoisie。
The transplanting of the Thuillier household from the rue d'Argenteuil
to the rue Saint…Dominique d'Enfer； the business of making the
purchase； of finding a suitable porter； and then of obtaining tenants
occupied Thuillier from 1831 to 1832。 When the phenomenon of the
change was accomplished； and the sister saw that Jerome had borne it
fairly well； she found him other cares and occupations （about which we
shall hear later）； all based upon the character of the man himself； as
to which it will now be useful to give information。
Though the son of a ministerial porter； Thuillier was what is called a
fine man； slender in figure； above middle height； and possessing a
face that was rather agreeable if wearing his spectacles； but
frightful without them； which is frequently the case with near…sighted
persons； for the habit of looking through glasses has covered the
pupils of his eyes with a sort of film。
Between the ages of eighteen and thirty； young Thuillier had much
success among women； in a sphere which began with the lesser bourgeois
and ended in that of the heads of departments。 Under the Empire； war
left Parisian society rather denuded of men of energy； who were mostly
on the battlefield； and perhaps； as a great physician has suggested；
this may account for the flabbiness of the generation which occupies
the middle of the nineteenth century。
Thuillier； forced to make himself noticeable by other charms than
those of mind； learned to dance and to waltz in a way to be cited； he
was called 〃that handsome Thuillier〃； he played billiards to
perfection； he knew how to cut out likenesses in black paper； and his
friend Colleville coached him so well that he was able to sing all the
ballads of the day。 These various small accomplishments resulted in
that appearance of success which deceives youth and befogs it about
the future。 Mademoiselle Thuillier； from 1806 to 1814； believed in her
brother as Mademoiselle d'Orleans believed in Louis…Philippe。 She was
proud of Jerome； she expected to see him the director…general of his
department of the ministry； thanks to his successes in certain salons；
where； undoubtedly； he would never have been admitted but for the
circumstances which made society under the Empire a medley。
But the successes of 〃that handsome Thuillier〃 were usually of short
duration； women did not care to keep his devotion any more than he
desired to make his devotion eternal。 He was really an unwilling Don
Juan； the career of a 〃beau〃 wearied him to the point of aging him；
his face； covered with lines like that of an old coquette； looked a
dozen years older than the registers made him。 There remained to him
of all his successes in gallantry； a habit of looking at himself in
mirrors； of buttoning his coat to define his waist； and of posing in
various dancing attitudes； all of which prolonged； beyond the period
of enjoying his advantages； the sort of lease that he held on his
cognomen； 〃that handsome Thuillier。〃
The truth of 1806 has； however； become a fable； in 1826。 He retains a
few vestiges of the former costume of the beaux of the Empire； which
are not unbecoming to the dignity of a former sub…director。 He still
wears the white cravat with innumerable folds； wherein his chin is
buried； and the coquettish bow； formerly tied by the hands of beauty；
the two ends of which threaten danger to the passers to right and
left。 He follows the fashions of former days； adapting them to his
present needs； he tips his hat on the back of his head； and wears
shoes and thread stockings in summer； his long…tailed coats remind one
of the well…known 〃surtouts〃 of the Empire； he has not yet abandoned
his frilled shirts and his white waistcoats； he still plays with his
Empire switch； and holds himself so erect that his back bends in。 No
one； seeing Thuillier promenading on the boulevards； would take him
for the son of a man who cooked the breakfasts of the clerks at a
ministry and wor