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stood well at court。
In January； 1827； Philippe； who was now promoted to the Royal Guard as
lieutenant…colonel in a regiment then commanded by the Duc de
Maufrigneuse； solicited the honor of being ennobled。 Under the
Restoration； nobility became a sort of perquisite to the 〃roturiers〃
who served in the Guard。 Colonel Bridau had lately bought the estate
of Brambourg； and he now asked to be allowed to entail it under the
title of count。 This favor was accorded through the influence of his
many intimacies in the highest rank of society； where he now appeared
in all the luxury of horses； carriages； and liveries； in short； with
the surroundings of a great lord。 As soon as he saw himself gazetted
in the Almanack under the title of Comte de Brambourg； he began to
frequent the house of a lieutenant…general of artillery； the Comte de
Soulanges。
Insatiable in his wants； and backed by the mistresses of influential
men； Philippe now solicited the honor of being one of the Dauphin's
aides…de…camp。 He had the audacity to say to the Dauphin that 〃an old
soldier； wounded on many a battle…field and who knew real warfare；
might； on occasion； be serviceable to Monseigneur。〃 Philippe； who
could take the tone of all varieties of sycophancy； became in the
regions of the highest social life exactly what the position required
him to be； just as at Issoudun； he had copied the respectability of
Mignonnet。 He had； moreover； a fine establishment and gave fetes and
dinners； admitting none of his old friends to his house if he thought
their position in life likely to compromise his future。 He was
pitiless to the companions of his former debauches； and curtly refused
Bixiou when that lively satirist asked him to say a word in favor of
Giroudeau； who wanted to re…enter the army after the desertion of
Florentine。
〃The man has neither manners nor morals；〃 said Philippe。
〃Ha！ did he say that of me？〃 cried Giroudeau； 〃of me； who helped him
to get rid of his uncle！〃
〃We'll pay him off yet；〃 said Bixiou。
Philippe intended to marry Mademoiselle Amelie de Soulanges； and
become a general； in command of a regiment of the Royal Guard。 He
asked so many favors that； to keep him quiet； they made him a
Commander of the Legion of honor； and also Commander of the order of
Saint Louis。 One rainy evening； as Agathe and Joseph were returning
home along the muddy streets； they met Philippe in full uniform；
bedizened with orders； leaning back in a corner of a handsome coupe
lined with yellow silk； whose armorial bearings were surmounted with a
count's coronet。 He was on his way to a fete at the Elysee…Bourbon；
the wheels splashed his mother and brother as he waved them a
patronizing greeting。
〃He's going it； that fellow！〃 said Joseph to his mother。
〃Nevertheless； he might send us something better than mud in our
faces。〃
〃He has such a fine position； in such high society； that we ought not
to blame him for forgetting us；〃 said Madame Bridau。 〃When a man rises
to so great a height； he has many obligations to repay； many
sacrifices to make； it is natural he should not come to see us； though
he may think of us all the same。〃
〃My dear fellow；〃 said the Duc de Maufrigneuse one evening； to the new
Comte de Brambourg； 〃I am sure that your addresses will be favorably
received； but in order to marry Amelie de Soulanges； you must be free
to do so。 What have you done with your wife？〃
〃My wife？〃 said Philippe； with a gesture； look； and accent which
Frederick Lemaitre was inspired to use in one of his most terrible
parts。 〃Alas！ I have the melancholy certainty of losing her。 She has
not a week to live。 My dear duke； you don't know what it is to marry
beneath you。 A woman who was a cook； and has the tastes of a cook！ who
dishonors meah！ I am much to be pitied。 I have had the honor to
explain my position to Madame la Dauphine。 At the time of the
marriage； it was a question of saving to the family a million of
francs which my uncle had left by will to that person。 Happily； my
wife took to drinking； at her death； I come into possession of that
million； which is now in the hands of Mongenod and Sons。 I have thirty
thousand francs a year in the five per cents； and my landed property；
which is entailed； brings me in forty thousand more。 If； as I am led
to suppose； Monsieur de Soulanges gets a marshal's baton； I am on the
high…road with my title of Comte de Brambourg； to becoming general and
peer of France。 That will be the proper end of an aide…de…camp of the
Dauphin。〃
After the Salon of 1823； one of the leading painters of the day； a
most excellent man； obtained the management of a lottery…office near
the Markets； for the mother of Joseph Bridau。 Agathe was fortunately
able； soon after； to exchange it on equal terms with the incumbent of
another office； situated in the rue de Seine； in a house where Joseph
was able to have his atelier。 The widow now hired an agent herself；
and was no longer an expense to her son。 And yet； as late as 1828；
though she was the directress of an excellent office which she owed
entirely to Joseph's fame； Madame Bridau still had no belief in that
fame； which was hotly contested； as all true glory ever will be。 The
great painter； struggling with his genius； had enormous wants； he did
not earn enough to pay for the luxuries which his relations to
society； and his distinguished position in the young School of Art
demanded。 Though powerfully sustained by his friends of the Cenacle
and by Mademoiselle des Touches； he did not please the Bourgeois。 That
being； from whom comes the money of these days； never unties its
purse…strings for genius that is called in question； unfortunately；
Joseph had the classics and the Institute； and the critics who cry up
those two powers； against him。 The brave artist； though backed by Gros
and Gerard； by whose influence he was decorated after the Salon of
1827； obtained few orders。 If the ministry of the interior and the
King's household were with difficulty induced to buy some of his
greatest pictures； the shopkeepers and the rich foreigners noticed
them still less。 Moreover； Joseph gave way rather too much； as we must
all acknowledge； to imaginative fancies； and that produced a certain
inequality in his work which his enemies made use of to deny his
talent。
〃High art is at a low ebb；〃 said his friend Pierre Grassou； who made
daubs to suit the taste of the bourgeoisie； in whose appartements fine
paintings were at a discount。
〃You ought to have a whole cathedral to decorate； that's what you
want；〃 declared Schinner； 〃then you would silence criticism with a
master…stroke。〃
Such speeches； which alarmed the good Agathe； only corroborated the
judgment she had long since formed upon Philippe and Joseph。 Facts
sustained that judgment in the mind of a woman who had never ceased to
be a provincial。 Philippe； her favorite child； was he not the great
man of the family at last？ in