ay,--he turned either to the right
or to the left. He therefore changed the conversation, resolving to talk
over Cesarine with his wife.

"I told all your fears and fancies about Roguin to your uncle, and he
laughed," he said to Constance.

"You should never tell what we say to each other!" cried Constance.
"That poor Roguin may be the best man in the world; he is fifty-eight
years old, and perhaps he thinks no longer of--"

She stopped short, seeing that Cesarine was listening attentively, and
made a sign to Cesar.

"Then I have done right to agree to the affair," said Birotteau.

"You are the master," she answered.

Cesar took his wife by the hands and kissed her brow; that answer always
conveyed her tacit assent to her husband's projects.

"Now, then," cried the perfumer, to his clerks, when he went back to
them, "the shop will be closed at ten o'clock. Gentlemen, lend a hand!
a great feat! We must move, during the night, all the furniture from the
first floor to the second floor. We shall have, as they say, to put the
little pots in the big pots, for my architect must have his elbows
free to-morrow morning--Popinot has gone out without my permission," he
cried, looking round and not seeing his cashier. "Ah, true, he does not
sleep here any more, I forget that. He is gone," thought Cesar, "either
to write down Monsieur Vauquelin's ideas, or else to hire the shop."

"We all know the cause of this household change," said Celestin,
speaking in behalf of the two other clerks and Raguet, grouped behind
him. "Is it allowable to congratulate monsieur upon an honor which
reflects its light upon the whole establishment? Popinot has told us
that monsieur--"

"Hey, hey! my children, it is all true. I have been decorated. I am
about to assemble my friends, not only to celebrate the emancipation
of our territory, but to commemorate my promotion to the order of the
Legion of honor. I may, possibly, have shown myself worthy of that
signal and royal favor by my services on the Bench of commerce, and by
fighting for the royal cause; which I defended--at your age--upon the
steps of Saint-Roch on the 13th Vendemiaire, and I give you my word that
Napoleon, called emperor, wounded me himself! wounded me in the thigh;
and Madame Ragon nursed me. Take courage! recompense comes to every man.
Behold, my sons! misfortunes are never wasted."

"They will never fight in the streets again," said Celestin.

"Let us hope so," said Cesa