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write himself； had made a good deal of money at one time by bringing
out an almanac in hieroglyph。 It was in book form； a single sheet
folded to make one hundred and twenty…eight pages。
Thoroughly satisfied with the success of the broad sheets； a piece of
business only undertaken by country printing offices； Mme。 Sechard
invested all the proceeds in the Shepherd's Calendar； and began it
upon a large scale。 Millions of copies of this work are sold annually
in France。 It is printed upon even coarser paper than the Almanac of
Liege； a ream （five hundred sheets） costing in the first instance
about four francs； while the printed sheets sell at the rate of a
halfpenny apiecetwenty…five francs per ream。
Mme。 Sechard determined to use one hundred reams for the first
impression； fifty thousand copies would bring in two thousand francs。
A man so deeply absorbed in his work as David in his researches is
seldom observant； yet David； taking a look round his workshop； was
astonished to hear the groaning of a press and to see Cerizet always
on his feet； setting up type under Mme。 Sechard's direction。 There was
a pretty triumph for Eve on the day when David came in to see what she
was doing； and praised the idea； and thought the calendar an excellent
stroke of business。 Furthermore； David promised to give advice in the
matter of colored inks； for an almanac meant to appeal to the eye； and
finally； he resolved to recast the ink…rollers himself in his
mysterious workshop； so as to help his wife as far as he could in her
important little enterprise。
But just as the work began with strenuous industry； there came letters
from Lucien in Paris； heart…sinking letters that told his mother and
sister and brother…in…law of his failure and distress； and when Eve；
Mme。 Chardon； and David each secretly sent money to their poet； it
must be plain to the reader that the three hundred francs they sent
were like their very blood。 The overwhelming news； the disheartening
sense that work as bravely as she might； she made so little； left Eve
looking forward with a certain dread to an event which fills the cup
of happiness to the full。 The time was coming very near now； and to
herself she said； 〃If my dear David has not reached the end of his
researches before my confinement； what will become of us？ And who will
look after our poor printing office and the business that is growing
up？〃
The Shepherd's Calendar ought by rights to have been ready before the
1st of January； but Cerizet was working unaccountably slowly； all the
work of composing fell to him； and Mme。 Sechard； knowing so little；
could not find fault； and was fain to content herself with watching
the young Parisian。
Cerizet came from the great Foundling Hospital in Paris。 He had been
apprenticed to the MM。 Didot； and between the ages of fourteen and
seventeen he was David Sechard's fanatical worshiper。 David put him
under one of the cleverest workmen； and took him for his copy…holder；
his page。 Cerizet's intelligence naturally interested David； he won
the lad's affection by procuring amusements now and again for him； and
comforts from which he was cut off by poverty。 Nature had endowed
Cerizet with an insignificant； rather pretty little countenance； red
hair； and a pair of dull blue eyes； he had come to Angouleme and
brought the manners of the Parisian street…boy with him。 He was
formidable by reason of a quick； sarcastic turn and a spiteful
disposition。 Perhaps David looked less strictly after him in
Angouleme； or； perhaps； as the lad grew older； his mentor put more
trust in him； or in the sobering influences of a country town； but be
that as it may； Cerizet （all unknown to his sponsor） was going
completely to the bad； and the printer's apprentice was acting the
part of a Don Juan among little work girls。 His morality； learned in
Paris drinking…saloons； laid down the law of self…interest as the sole
rule of guidance； he knew； moreover； that next year he would be 〃drawn
for a soldier；〃 to use the popular expression； saw that he had no
prospects； and ran into debt； thinking that soon he should be in the
army； and none of his creditors would run after him。 David still
possessed some ascendency over the young fellow； due not to his
position as master； nor yet to the interest that he had taken in his
pupil； but to the great intellectual power which the sometime street…
boy fully recognized。
Before long Cerizet began to fraternize with the Cointets' workpeople；
drawn to them by the mutual attraction of blouse and jacket； and the
class feeling； which is； perhaps； strongest of all in the lowest ranks
of society。 In their company Cerizet forgot the little good doctrine
which David had managed to instil into him； but； nevertheless； when
the others joked the boy about the presses in his workshop （〃old
sabots；〃 as the 〃bears〃 contemptuously called them）； and showed him
the magnificent machines； twelve in number； now at work in the
Cointets' great printing office； where the single wooden press was
only used for experiments； Cerizet would stand up for David and fling
out at the braggarts。
〃My gaffer will go farther with his 'sabots' than yours with their
cast…iron contrivances that turn out mass books all day long；〃 he
would boast。 〃He is trying to find out a secret that will lick all the
printing offices in France and Navarre。〃
〃And meantime you take your orders from a washer…woman； you snip of a
foreman； on two francs a day。〃
〃She is pretty though；〃 retorted Cerizet； 〃it is better to have her to
look at than the phizes of your gaffers。〃
〃And do you live by looking at his wife？〃
From the region of the wineshop； or from the door of the printing
office； where these bickerings took place； a dim light began to break
in upon the brothers Cointet as to the real state of things in the
Sechard establishment。 They came to hear of Eve's experiment； and held
it expedient to stop these flights at once； lest the business should
begin to prosper under the poor young wife's management。
〃Let us give her a rap over the knuckles； and disgust her with the
business；〃 said the brothers Cointet。
One of the pair； the practical printer； spoke to Cerizet； and asked
him to do the proof…reading for them by piecework； to relieve their
reader； who had more than he could manage。 So it came to pass that
Cerizet earned more by a few hours' work of an evening for the
brothers Cointet than by a whole day's work for David Sechard。 Other
transactions followed； the Cointets seeing no small aptitude in
Cerizet； he was told that it was a pity that he should be in a
position so little favorable to his interests。
〃You might be foreman some day in a big printing office； making six
francs a day；〃 said one of the Cointets one day； 〃and with your
intelligence you might come to have a share in the business。〃
〃Where is the use of my being a good foreman？〃 returned Cerizet。 〃I am
an orphan； I shall be drawn for the army next year； and if I get a bad
number who is there to pay some one else to take my place？〃
〃If you make yourself useful；〃 said the well…to…do printer； 〃why
should not somebody advance the money？〃
〃It won't be m