The dependence in which the situation of their dwelling placed the Moreaus, was thus adroitly concealed, and they seemed all the more like rich and independent persons taking care of the property of a friend, because neither the count nor the countess ever came to Presles to take down their pretensions.  Moreover, the perquisites granted by Monsieur de Serizy allowed them to live in the midst of that abundance which is the luxury of country life.  Milk, eggs, poultry, game, fruits, flowers, forage, vegetables, wood, the steward and his wife used in profusion, buying absolutely nothing but butcher’s-meat, wines, and the colonial supplies required by their life of luxury.  The poultry-maid baked their bread; and of late years Moreau had paid his butcher with pigs from the farm, after reserving those he needed for his own use.

On one occasion, the countess, always kind and good to her former maid, gave her, as a souvenir perhaps, a little travelling-carriage, the fashion of which was out of date.  Moreau had it repainted, and now drove his wife about the country with two good horses which belonged to the farm.  Besides these horses, Moreau had his own saddle-horse.  He did enough farming on the count’s property to keep the horses and maintain his servants.  He stacked three hundred tons of excellent hay, but accounted for only one hundred, making use of a vague permission once granted by the count.  He kept his poultry-yard, pigeon-cotes, and cattle at the cost of the estate, but the manure of the stables was used by the count’s gardeners.  All these little stealings had some ostensible excuse.

Madame Moreau had taken into her service a daughter of one of the gardeners, who was first her maid and afterwards her cook.  The poultry-game, also the dairy-maid, assisted in the work of the household; and the steward had hired a discharged soldier to groom the horses and do the heavy labor.

At Nerville, Chaumont, Maffliers, Nointel, and other places of the neighborhood, the handsome wife of the steward was received by persons who either did not know, or pretended not to know her previous condition.  Moreau did services to many persons.  He induced his master to agree to certain things which seem trifles in Paris, but are really of immense importance in the country.  After bringing about the appointment of a certain “juge de paix” at Beaumont and also at Isle-Adam, he had, in the same year, prevented the dismissal of a keeper-general of the Forests, and obtained the cross of the Legion of honor for the first cavalry-sergeant at Beaumont.  Consequently, no festivity was ever given among the bourgeoisie to which Monsieur and Madame Moreau were not invited.  The rector of Presles and the mayor of Presles came every evening to play cards with them.  It is difficult for a man not to be kind and hospitable after feathering his nest so comfortably.