下载辰思小说免费APP
thewheelssplashedhismotherandbrotherashewavedthemapatronizinggreeting。
“He’sgoingit，thatfellow！“saidJosephtohismother。
“Nevertheless，hemightsendussomethingbetterthanmudinourfaces。“
“Hehassuchafineposition，insuchhighsociety，thatweoughtnottoblamehimforforgettingus，“saidMadameBridau。“Whenamanrisestosogreataheight，hehasmanyobligationstorepay，manysacrificestomake；itisnaturalheshouldnotcometoseeus，thoughhemaythinkofusallthesame。“
“Mydearfellow，“saidtheDucdeMaufrigneuseoneevening，tothenewComtedeBrambourg，“Iamsurethatyouraddresseswillbefavorablyreceived；butinordertomarryAmeliedeSoulanges，youmustbefreetodoso。Whathaveyoudonewithyourwife？“
“Mywife？“saidPhilippe，withagesture，look，andaccentwhichFrederickLemaitrewasinspiredtouseinoneofhismostterribleparts。“Alas！Ihavethemelancholycertaintyoflosingher。Shehasnotaweektolive。Mydearduke，youdon’tknowwhatitistomarrybeneathyou。Awomanwhowasacook，andhasthetastesofacook！whodishonorsme——ah！Iammuchtobepitied。IhavehadthehonortoexplainmypositiontoMadamelaDauphine。Atthetimeofthemarriage，itwasaquestionofsavingtothefamilyamillionoffrancswhichmyunclehadleftbywilltothatperson。Happily，mywifetooktodrinking；atherdeath，Icomeintopossessionofthatmillion，whichisnowinthehandsofMongenodandSons。Ihavethirtythousandfrancsayearinthefivepercents，andmylandedproperty，whichisentailed，bringsmeinfortythousandmore。If，asIamledtosuppose，MonsieurdeSoulangesgetsamarshal’sbaton，Iamonthehigh-roadwithmytitleofComtedeBrambourg，tobecominggeneralandpeerofFrance。Thatwillbetheproperendofanaide-de-campoftheDauphin。“
AftertheSalonof1823，oneoftheleadingpaintersoftheday，amostexcellentman，obtainedthemanagementofalottery-officeneartheMarkets，forthemotherofJosephBridau。Agathewasfortunatelyable，soonafter，toexchangeitonequaltermswiththeincumbentofanotheroffice，situatedintheruedeSeine，inahousewhereJosephwasabletohavehisatelier。Thewidownowhiredanagentherself，andwasnolongeranexpensetoherson。Andyet，aslateas1828，thoughshewasthedirectressofanexcellentofficewhichsheowedentirelytoJoseph’sfame，MadameBridaustillhadnobeliefinthatfame，whichwashotlycontested，asalltruegloryeverwillbe。Thegreatpainter，strugglingwithhisgenius，hadenormouswants；hedidnotearnenoughtopayfortheluxurieswhichhisrelationstosociety，andhisdistinguishedpositionintheyoungSchoolofArtdemanded。ThoughpowerfullysustainedbyhisfriendsoftheCenacleandbyMademoiselledesTouches，hedidnotpleasetheBourgeois。Thatbeing，fromwhomcomesthemoneyofthesedays，neveruntiesitspurse-stringsforgeniusthatiscalledinquestion；unfortunately，JosephhadtheclassicsandtheInstitute，andthecriticswhocryupthosetwopowers，againsthim。Thebraveartist，thoughbackedbyGrosandGerard，bywhoseinfluencehewasdecoratedaftertheSalonof1827，obtainedfeworders。IftheministryoftheinteriorandtheKing’shouseholdwerewithdifficultyinducedtobuysomeofhisgreatestpictures，theshopkeepersandtherichforeignersnoticedthemstillless。Moreover，Josephgavewayrathertoomuch，aswemustallacknowledge，toimaginativefancies，andthatproducedacertaininequalityinhisworkwhichhisenemiesmadeuseoftodenyhistalent。
“Highartisatalowebb，“saidhisfriendPierreGrassou，whomadedaubstosuitthetasteofthebourgeoisie，inwhoseappartementsfinepaintingswereatadisco
