native land of the little traveller that was born to them. They had probably never heard of Aristides the Just and Brutus the Tyrannicide. Gatien Phlipon, a chaser and worker in enamel, carried on a pretty thriving business; for this was the time when elaborately engraved watches, snuff-boxes, and shoe-buckles were so much sought after, the designs often being works of art in their way. M. Phlipon employed several apprentices, and was successful as long as he applied himself steadily to his calling. A restless wish to make money and rise in the world was, however, attended with the opposite results. Constantly engaged in speculation, such as buying diamonds to resell at a profit, he neglected his business only to lose money in that as also in his other ventures. He was tall and good-looking, proud of his personal advantages, and in every way a gay, vain, quick-witted and pleasure-loving Parisian.
Marguerite Bimont, his wife, in most respects his exact opposite, was a woman of the highest rectitude, and of an almost saintly purity of life. Firm yet gentle, of reserved and dignified manners, her retiring habits formed a strong contrast to those of her neighbours. She rarely received visitors, and never stirred from home except to visit her aged mother or her husband's relatives, or to go to church. No doubt that her example exercised a powerful influence on her daughter's character.
Marie-Jeanne, or Manon, as she was familiarly called, was the second of seven children, of whom all but herself died in infancy. According to French custom she was put out to nurse, and the first two years of her life were passed in the neighbourhood of Arpajon, in the care of a buxom, kindly young country-woman,
