reciated.

Hence the Baron, who accused himself of ruining his family, displayed
all his charm of wit and his most seductive graces for the benefit of
his wife, for his children, and his Cousin Lisbeth.

Then, when his son arrived with Celestine, Crevel's daughter, who was
nursing the infant Hulot, he was delightful to his daughter-in-law,
loading her with compliments--a treat to which Celestine's vanity was
little accustomed for no moneyed bride more commonplace or more utterly
insignificant was ever seen. The grandfather took the baby from her,
kissed it, declared it was a beauty and a darling; he spoke to it in
baby language, prophesied that it would grow to be taller than himself,
insinuated compliments for his son's benefit, and restored the child to
the Normandy nurse who had charge of it. Celestine, on her part, gave
the Baroness a look, as much as to say, "What a delightful man!" and she
naturally took her father-in-law's part against her father.

After thus playing the charming father-in-law and the indulgent
grandpapa, the Baron took his son into the garden, and laid before him
a variety of observations full of good sense as to the attitude to be
taken up by the Chamber on a certain ticklish question which had
that morning come under discussion. The young lawyer was struck with
admiration for the depth of his father's insight, touched by his
cordiality, and especially by the deferential tone which seemed to place
the two men on a footing of equality.

Monsieur Hulot _junior_ was in every respect the young Frenchman, as
he has been moulded by the Revolution of 1830; his mind infatuated with
politics, respectful of his own hopes, and concealing them under
an affectation of gravity, very envious of successful men, making
sententiousness do the duty of witty rejoinders--the gems of the French
language--with a high sense of importance, and mistaking arrogance for
dignity.

Such men are walking coffins, each containing a Frenchman of the past;
now and again the Frenchman wakes up and kicks against his English-made
casing; but ambition stifles him, and he submits to be smothered. The
coffin is always covered with black cloth.

"Ah, here is my brother!" said Baron Hulot, going to meet the Count at
the drawing-room door.

Having greeted the probable successor of the late Marshal Montcornet, he
led him forward by the arm with every show of affection and respect.

The older man, a member of the Chamber of Peers,