man belongs to the government he is no longer master of himself." He
compiled books of questions and answers on various studies for the use
of young ladies in boarding-schools. These little "solid treatises,"
as he called them, were sold at the University library under the name
of "Historical and Geographic Catechisms." Feeling himself in duty
bound to offer a copy of each volume, bound in red morocco, to
Monsieur Rabourdin, he always came in full dress to present them,
--breeches and silk stockings, and shoes with gold buckles. Monsieur
Phellion received his friends on Thursday evenings, on which occasions
the company played bouillote, at five sous a game, and were regaled
with cakes and beer. He had never yet dared to invite Monsieur
Rabourdin to honor him with his presence, though he would have
regarded such an event as the most distinguished of his life. He said
if he could leave one of his sons following in the steps of Monsieur
Rabourdin he should die the happiest father in the world.

One of his greatest pleasures was to explore the environs of Paris,
which he did with a map. He knew every inch of Arcueil, Bievre,
Fontenay-aux-Roses, and Aulnay, so famous as the resort of great
writers, and hoped in time to know the whole western side of the
country around Paris. He intended to put his eldest son into a
government office and his second into the Ecole Polytechnique. He
often said to the elder, "When you have the honor to be a government
clerk"; though he suspected him of a preference for the exact sciences
and did his best to repress it, mentally resolved to abandon the lad
to his own devices if he persisted. When Rabourdin sent for him to
come down and receive instructions about some particular piece of
work, Phellion gave all his mind to it,--listening to every word the
chief said, as a dilettante listens to an air at the Opera. Silent in
the office, with his feet in the air resting on a wooden desk, and