Probably he could enter the ministry as an auxiliary.  One hundred francs a month, and the gratuities, would not be bad for a beginner!  M. Violette recalled his endless years in the office, and all the trouble he had taken to guess a famous rebus that was celebrated for never having been solved.  Was Amedee to spend his youth deciphering enigmas?  M. Violette hoped for a more independent career for his son, if it were possible.  Commerce, for example!  Yes! there was a future in commerce.  As a proof of it there was the grocer opposite him, a simpleton who probably did not put the screws on enough and had just hanged himself rather than go into bankruptcy.  M. Violette would gladly see his son in business.  If he could begin with M. Gaufre?  Why not?  The young man might become in the end his uncle’s partner and make his fortune.  M. Violette spoke of it to Amedee.

“Shall we go to see your uncle Sunday morning?”

The idea of selling chasubles and Stations of the Cross did not greatly please Amedee, who had concealed in his drawer a little book full of sonnets, and had in his mind the plan of a romantic drama wherein one would say “Good heavens!” and “My lord!” But first of all, he must please his father.  He was glad to observe that for some time M. Violette had interested himself more in him, and had resisted his baneful habit somewhat.  The young man offered no resistance.  The next day at noon he presented himself at the Rue Servandoni, accompanied by his father.

The “dealer in pious goods” received them with great good-humor.  He had just come from high mass and was about to sit down at the table.  He even invited them to follow his example and taste of his stewed kidneys, one of Berenice’s triumphs, who served the dinner with her hands loaded with rings.  The Violettes had dined, and the father made known his desire.

“Yes,” said Uncle Isidore, “Amedee might enter the house.  Only you know, Violette, it will be another education to be learned over again.  He must begin at the very beginning and follow the regular course.  Oh! the boy will not be badly treated!  He may take his meals with us, is not that so, Berenice?  At first he would be obliged to run about a little, as I did when I came from the province to work in the shop and tie up parcels.”

M. Violette looked at his son and saw that he was blushing with shame.  The poor man understood his mistake.  What good to have dazzled M. Patin before the whole University by reciting, without hesitation, three verses of Aristophanes, only to become a drudge and a packer?  Well! so Amedee would yawn over green boxes and guess at enigmas in the Illustration.  It had to be so.

They took leave of Uncle Isidore.

“We will reflect over it, Monsieur Gaufre, and will come to see you again.”

But Berenice had hardly shut the door upon them when M. Violette said to his son: 

“Nothing is to be expected of that old egotist.  Tomorrow we will go to see the chief of my department, I have spoken of you to him, at all events.”