Ferdinand intervened.

‘There is a much easier way to explain all of this to my dear brother: any proletarian worker with a true job will never be used as a replacement. It’s only ever an issue for a labourer who has no work and who, by definition, constitutes a menace. There’s no need to delve any further into the whys or wherefores: it’s a simple matter of rounding up the riff-raff and confining them to the garrisons in order to stave off chaos! Isn’t that right . . . Auguste . . .’

And conscious of his son’s despondency, Casimir finished on a gentle note, as if conversing with an invalid:

‘Tell yourself it’s time we’re buying, not a man . . .’

‘Time to refine your grand leftist theories, which one day are sure to benefit society,’ came Ferdinand’s merciless mockery, prompting mad laughter from brother-in-law Jules, who, desperately struggling to contain himself, narrowly avoided spitting his soup onto the tablecloth.

‘In the barracks, they’ll begrudge Auguste his education and scorn him for his qualities!’ said his father, losing his temper.

‘His qualities? What qualities?’ said his brother, pretending to call for a response from around the table.

And then suddenly, as if struck by lightning, Casimir started:

‘But of course!’ he cried. ‘How did I not think of it sooner? Why not ask the young Perret lad to replace you? It may well be that he drew a favourable number. And to think we’re preparing to send people off on a hunt to the other side of the country when the solution may well be here, right under our very noses! Adèle . . . Adèle . . .’

He beat the floor with his walking stick as he shouted for the maid:

‘Adèle! Adèle, in the name of God!’

‘Yes, Monsieur . . .’

‘Adèle, where’s the gardener?’

Auguste, who until then had remained silent, suddenly struck the table with his fist, causing everyone present to jump.

‘That’s enough. It’s abominable! Perret’s boy will not be sent in my place! I will never agree to it! His poor family will not pay that bloody impost when we have the means to buy ourselves out of it for the cost of an annual subscription to a box at the Opera.’

‘Aaaaaaaah, here we go!’ groaned his brother.

And calling the other two as his witnesses, he said:

‘The moment has finally arrived when he gets to lecture us on the topic of human misery!’

Then, grabbing the ladle to fill Auguste’s plate to overflowing, Ferdinand said: