But I digress. To get back to Isidore. Flowers were strewn all along the route of the procession, just as on the day of the Fête Dieu.11 The National Guard was in attendance under its commander-in-chief, Major Desbarres, a stalwart old veteran of the grande armée.12 Next to the framed Cross of Honour given to him by the emperor himself, he used to proudly display the beard of a cossack sliced from its owner’s chin in one fell swoop of Desbarres’ sword during the retreat from Russia. The corps under his command were some of the crack troops of the entire province. The famous Gisors Grenadiers were called in on every important occasion within a radius of at least fifteen to twenty miles. It’s said that King Louis-Philippe, as he was reviewing the troops of the Eure, stopped in amazement when he came to the Gisors company and cried, “Oh, who are these fine grenadiers?” “They are from Gisors”, the general replied, at which the king is alleged to have commented, “I might have known it!”

So there was Desbarres leading his men behind a military band to escort Isidore from his mother’s shop. After a little fanfare had been played under his windows, the Rose King himself appeared on the threshold. He was dressed from head to toe in white drill and wore a straw hat, on the brim of which lay a little circlet of orange-blossom. The question of costume had been a source of great worry to Madame Husson. She was torn between the sober black jacket of First Communion and a whole suit of pure white. It was Françoise, her adviser, who made her plump for the white suit, saying it would make the Rose King look as graceful as a swan.

From behind him his guardian angel and godmother, Madame Husson, appeared in triumph. She took his arm to proceed forward and the Mayor positioned himself on the Rose King’s other side. The band played a drum-roll, Major Desbarres shouted, “Present arms!” and the procession moved off towards the church amidst a vast crowd of people who had come from outlying communes for miles around. After a brief Mass was said and a touching address given by the abbé Malou, they proceeded again, this time towards the Coronation Gardens where a banquet was to be served in a marquee. Before taking his seat the Mayor made a speech. I have learned it by heart, it’s so beautiful.

Young man [he said], a worthy lady of charity, beloved of the poor and respected by the rich, Madame Husson, to whom I offer thanks on behalf of the entire community, has conceived the idea – the happy and munificent idea – of founding in this town a prize for virtue intended to act as a precious encouragement to the inhabitants of our beautiful region.