The former was sorry to see the man in his house, but he was never willing to oppose his wife's wishes.

At this particular moment, while he talked confidentially with a supernumerary of his office who was destined, later, to play an unconscious part in a political intrigue resulting from the death of La Billardiere, he watched, though half-abstractedly, his wife and des Lupeaulx.
Here we must explain, as much for foreigners as for our own grandchildren, what a supernumerary in a government office in Paris means.
The supernumerary is to the administration what a choir-boy is to a church, what the company's child is to the regiment, what the figurante is to a theatre; something artless, naive, innocent, a being blinded by illusions.

Without illusions what would become of any of us?
They give strength to bear the res angusta domi of arts and the beginnings of all science by inspiring us with faith.

Illusion is illimitable faith.

Now the supernumerary has faith in the administration; he never thinks it cold, cruel, and hard, as it really is.