rom his friend
on the subject of the wrapper.

Melie arranged it with cords, in the fashion of a gown. They took turns
about in receiving visits.

They had visits from Girbal, Foureau, and Captain Heurtaux, and then
from inferior persons--Langlois, Beljambe, their husbandmen, and even
the servant-girls of their neighbours; and, on each occasion, they went
over the same explanations, showed the place where the chest would be,
affected a tone of modesty, and claimed indulgence for the obstruction.

Pecuchet on these days wore the Zouave's cap which he had formerly in
Paris, considering it more in harmony with an artistic environment. At
a particular moment, he would put the helmet on his head, and incline
it over the back of his neck, in order to have his face free. Bouvard
did not forget the movement with the halberd; finally, with one glance,
they would ask each other whether the visitor was worthy of having "the
monk of the Middle Ages" represented.

What a thrill they felt when M. de Faverges' carriage drew up before the
garden gate! He had only a word to say to them. This was the occasion of
his visit:

Hurel, his man of business, had informed him that, while searching
everywhere for documents, they had bought up old papers at the farm of
Aubrye.

That was perfectly true.

Had they not discovered some letters of Baron de Gonneval, a former
aide-de-camp of the Duke of Angouleme, who had stayed at Aubrye? He
wished to have this correspondence for family reasons.

They had not got it in the house, but they had in their possession
something that would interest him if he would be good enough to follow
them into their library.

Never before had such well-polished boots creaked in the corridor. They
knocked against the sarcophagus. He even went near smashing several
tiles, moved an armchair about, descended two steps; and, when they
reached the second chamber, they showed him under the canopy, in front
of the St. Peter, the butter-pot made at Noron.

Bouvard and Pecuchet thought that the date might some time be of use.
Through politeness, the nobleman inspected their museum. He kept
repeating, "Charming! very nice!" all the time giving his mouth little
taps with the handle of his switch; and said that, for his part, he
thanked them for having rescued those remains of the Middle Ages, an
epoch of religious faith and chivalrous devotion. He loved progress, and
would have given himself up like them to these intere