were to pass their lives. Julien wanted to
present his wife to the Brisevilles, the Couteliers and the Fourvilles,
but they could not pay these visits yet because they had not been able
to get the painter to change the coat-of-arms on the carriage; for
nothing in the world would have persuaded Julien to go to the
neighboring chateau in the old family carriage, which the baron had
given up to him, until the arms of the De Lamares had been quartered on
it with those of the Leperthius des Vauds. Now there was only one man in
the whole province who made a speciality of coats-of-arms, a painter
from Bolbec, named Bataille, who was naturally in great request among
all the Normandy aristocracy; so Julien had to wait for some time before
he could secure his services.

At last, one December morning just as they were finishing lunch at Les
Peuples, they saw a man, with a box on his back, open the gate and come
up the path; it was Bataille. He was shown into the dining-room, and
lunch was served to him just as if he had been a gentleman, for his
constant intercourse with the provincial aristocracy, his knowledge of
the coats-of-arms, their mottoes and signification, made him a sort of
herald with whom no gentleman need be ashamed to shake hands.

Pencils and paper were brought, and while Bataille ate his lunch, the
baron and Julien made sketches of their escutcheons with all the
quarters. The baroness, always delighted when anything of this sort was
discussed, gave her advice, and even Jeanne took part in the
conversation, as if it aroused some interest in her. Bataille, without
interrupting his lunch, occasionally gave an opinion, took the pencil to
make a sketch of his idea, quoted examples, described all the
aristocratic carriages in Normandy, and seemed to scatter an atmosphere
of nobility all around him. He was a little man with thin gray hair and
paint-daubed hands which smelt of oil. It was said that he had once
committed a grave offense against public morality, but the esteem in
which he was held by all the titled families had long ago effaced this
stain on his character.

As soon as the painter had finished his coffee, he was taken to the
coach-house and the carriage was uncovered. Bataille looked at it, gave
an idea of the size he thought the shield ought to be, and then, after
the others had again given their opinions, he began his work. In spite
of the cold the baroness ordered a chair and a foot-warmer to be brought