MademoiselleGodeschal，anxioustomakeherfirstappearanceatthePanorama-DramatiqueunderthenameofMariette，basedherhopesontheprotectionandinfluenceofafirstgentlemanofthebedchamber，towhomVestrishadpromisedtointroduceher。Vestris，stillgreenhimselfatthisperiod，didnotthinkhispupilsufficientlytrainedtorisktheintroduction。Theambitiousgirldid，intheend，makeherpseudonymofMariettefamous；andthemotiveofherambition，itmustbesaid，waspraiseworthy。Shehadabrother，aclerkinDerville’slawoffice。Leftorphansandverypoor，anddevotedtoeachother，thebrotherandsisterhadseenlifesuchasitisinParis。Theonewishedtobealawyerthathemightsupporthissister，andhelivedontensousaday；theotherhadcoldlyresolvedtobeadancer，andtoprofitbyherbeautyasmuchasbyherlegsthatshemightbuyapracticeforherbrother。Outsideoftheirfeelingforeachother，andoftheirmutuallifeandinterests，everythingwastothem，asitoncewastotheRomansandtheHebrews，barbaric，outlandish，andhostile。
Thisgenerousaffection，whichnothingeverlessened，explainedMariettetothosewhoknewherintimately。
ThebrotherandsisterwerelivingatthistimeontheeighthfloorofahouseintheVieillerueduTemple。Mariettehadbegunherstudieswhenshewastenyearsold；shewasnowjustsixteen。Alas！forwantofbecomingclothes，herbeauty，hiddenunderacoarseshawl，dressedincalico，andill-kept，couldonlybeguessedbythoseParisianswhodevotethemselvestohuntinggrisettesandthequestofbeautyinmisfortune，asshetrottedpastthemwithmincingstep，mountedonironpattens。PhilippefellinlovewithMariette。ToMariette，PhilippewascommanderofthedragoonsoftheGuard，astaff-officeroftheEmperor，ayoungmanoftwenty-seven，andaboveall，themeansofprovingherselfsuperiortoFlorentinebytheevidentsuperiorityofPhilippeoverGiroudeau。FlorentineandGiroudeau，theonetopromotehiscomrade’shappiness，theothertogetaprotectorforherfriend，pushedPhilippeandMarietteintoa“mariageendetrempe，“——aParisiantermwhichisequivalentto“morganaticmarriage，“asappliedtoroyalpersonages。PhilippewhentheyleftthehouserevealedhispovertytoGiroudeau，buttheoldrouereassuredhim。
“I’llspeaktomynephewFinot，“hesaid。“Yousee，Philippe，thereignofphrasesandquill-driversisuponus；wemayaswellsubmit。
To-day，scribblersareparamount。Inkhasoustedgunpowder，andtalktakestheplaceofshot。Afterall，theselittletoadsofeditorsareprettygoodfellows，andveryclever。Comeandseemeto-morrowatthenewspaperoffice；bythattimeIshallhavesaidawordforyoutomynephew。Beforelongyou’llhaveaplaceonsomejournalorother。