"'-- of the Bedchamber, the King rewarded not only the services rendered by the Provost, who knew how to harmonize the severity of his functions with the customary urbanity of the Bourbons, but the bravery of the Vendean hero, who never bent the knee to the imperial idol.

He leaves a son, who inherits his loyalty and his talents.'" Bixiou.

"Don't you think all that is a little too florid?
I should tone down the poetry.

'Imperial idol!' 'bent the knee!' damn it, my dear fellow, writing vaudevilles has ruined your style; you can't come down to pedestrial prose.

I should say, 'He belonged to the small number of those who.' Simplify, simplify! the man himself was a simpleton." Du Bruel.