；aboveithekepthishaircroppedshort，likethatofthesoldier-king。Hisblueeyesseemedtosaythat“Lovehadpassedthatway，“somournfulwerethey；revealingmemoriesaboutwhichhekeptsuchuttersilencethathisoldfriendsneverdetectedevenanallusiontohispastlife，norasingleexclamationdrawnforthbysimilarityofcircumstances。Hehidthepainfulmysteryofhispastbeneathaphilosophicgayety，butwhenhethoughthimselfalonehismotions，stiffenedbyaslownesswhichwasmoreamatterofchoicethantheresultofoldage，betrayedtheconstantpresenceofdistressfulthoughts。TheAbbeChaperoncalledhimaChristianignorantofhisChristianity。Dressedalwaysinbluecloth，hisratherrigiddemeanorandhisclothesbespoketheoldhabitsofmilitarydiscipline。Hissweetandharmoniousvoicestirredthesoul。Hisbeautifulhandsandthegeneralcutofhisfigure，recallingthatoftheComted’Artois，showedhowcharminghemusthavebeeninhisyouth，andmadethemysteryofhislifestillmoremysterious。Anobserveraskedinvoluntarilywhatmisfortunehadblightedsuchbeauty，courage，grace，accomplishment，andallthepreciousqualitiesoftheheartonceunitedinhisperson。MonsieurdeJordyshudderedifRobespierre’snamewereutteredbeforehim。Hetookmuchsnuff，but，strangetosay，hegaveupthehabittopleaselittleUrsula，whoatfirstshowedadisliketohimonthataccount。Assoonashesawthelittlegirlthecaptainfastenedhiseyesuponherwithalookthatwasalmostpassionate。Helovedherplaysoextravagantlyandtooksuchinterestinallshedidthatthetiebetweenhimselfandthedoctorgrewclosereveryday，thoughthelatterneverdaredtosaytohim，“You，too，haveyoulostchildren？“Therearebeings，kindandpatientasoldJordy，whopassthroughlifewithabitterthoughtintheirheartandatenderbutsorrowfulsmileontheirlips，carryingwiththemtothegravethesecretoftheirlives；lettingnooneguessit，——throughpride，throughdisdain，possiblythroughrevenge；
confidinginnonebutGod，withoutotherconsolationthanhis。
MonsieurdeJordy，likethedoctor，hadcometodieinNemours，butheknewnooneexcepttheabbe，whowasalwaysatthebeckandcallofhisparishioners，andMadamedePortenduere，whowenttobedatnineo’clock。So，muchagainsthiswill，hetoohadtakentogoingtobedearly，inspiteofthethornsthatbesethispillow。Itwasthereforeagreatpieceofgoodfortuneforhimaswellasforthedoctorwhenheencounteredamanwhohadknownthesameworldandspokenthesamelanguageashimself；withwhomhecouldexchangeideas，andwhowenttobedlate。AfterMonsieurdeJordy，theAbbeChaperon，andMinorethadpassedoneeveningtogethertheyfoundsomuchpleasureinitthatthepriestandsoldierreturnedeverynightregularlyatnineo’clock，thehouratwhich，littleUrsulahavinggonetobed，thedoctorwasfree。Allthreewouldthensituptillmidnightoroneo’clock。
Afteratimethistriobecameaquartette。Anothermantowhomlifewasknown，andwhoowedtohispracticaltrainingasalawyer，theindulgence，knowledge，observation，shrewdness，andtalentforconversationwhichthesoldier，doctor，andpriestowedtotheirpracticaldealingswiththesouls，diseases，andeducationofmen，wasaddedtothenumber。MonsieurBongrand，thejusticeofpeace，heardofthepleasureoftheseeveningsandsoughtadmittancetothedoctor’ssociety。BeforebecomingjusticeofpeaceatNemourshehadbeenfortenyearsasolicitoratMelun，whereheconductedhisowncases，accordingtothecustomofsmalltowns，wheretherearenobarristers。
Hebecameawidoweratforty-fiveyearsofage，butfelthimselfstilltooactivetoleadanidlelife；hethereforesoughtandobtainedthepositionofjusticeofpeaceatNemours，whichbecamevacantafewmonthsbeforethearrivalofDoctorMinoret。MonsieurBongrandlivedmodestlyonhissalaryoffifteenhundredfrancs，inorderthathemightdevotehisprivateincometohisson，whowasstudyinglawinParisunderthefamousDerville。Heboresomeresemblancetoaretiredchiefofacivilserviceoffice；hehadthepeculiarfaceofabureaucrat，lesssallowthanpallid，onwhichpublicbusiness，vexations，anddisgustleavetheirimprint，——afacelinedbythought，andalsobythecontinualrestraintsfamiliartothosewhoaretrainednottospeaktheirmindsfreely。Itwasoftenilluminedbysmilescharacteristicofmenwhoalternatelybelieveallandbelievenothing，whoareaccustomedtoseeandhearallwithoutbeingstartled，andtofathomtheabysseswhichself-interesthollowsinthedepthsofthehumanheart。