white-haired old gentlemen standing together in the middle of
the pavement, interfering with the traffic, he used to say to himself:
"They are officers of the Legion of Honor," and he felt inclined to take
off his hat to them.

He had often remarked that the officers had a different bearing to the
mere knights. They carried their head differently, and one felt that
they enjoyed a higher official consideration, and a more widely-extended
importance.

Sometimes again the worthy man would be seized with a furious hatred for
everyone who was decorated; he felt like a Socialist towards them.

Then, when he got home, excited at meeting so many Crosses--just like a
poor hungry wretch is on passing some dainty provision shop--he used to
ask in a loud voice:

"When shall we get rid of this wretched Government?" And his wife would
be surprised, and ask:

"What is the matter with you to-day?"

"I am indignant," he replied, "at the injustice I see going on around
us. Oh! the Communards were certainly right!"

After dinner he would go out again and look at the shops where all the
decorations were sold, and he examined all the emblems of various shapes
and colors. He would have liked to possess them all, and to have walked
gravely at the head of a procession with his crush-hat under his arm and
his breast covered with decorations, radiant as a star, amid a buzz of
admiring whispers and a hum of respect.

But, alas! he had no right to wear any decoration whatever.

He used to say to himself: "It is really too difficult for any man to
obtain the Legion of Honor unless he is some public functionary. Suppose
I try to get appointed an officer of the Academy!"

But he did not know how to set about it, and spoke to his wife on the
subject, who was stupefied.

"Officer of the Academy! What have you done to deserve it?"

He got angry. "I know what I am talking about; I only want to know how
to set about it. You are quite stupid at times."

She smiled. "You are quite right; I don't understand anything about it."

An idea struck him: "Suppose you were to speak to M. Rosselin, the
Deputy, he might be able to advise me. You understand I cannot broach
the subject to him directly. It is rather difficult and delicate, but
coming from you it might seem quite natural."

Mme. Caillard did what he asked her, and M. Rosselin promised to speak
to the Minister about it, and then Caillard began to worry him, till the
Deputy told him he mu