Marius exclaimed:⁠—

“I am mortified, sir⁠—”

“First of all,” interposed Laigle, “I demand permission to embalm Blondeau in a few phrases of deeply felt eulogium. I will assume that he is dead. There will be no great change required in his gauntness, in his pallor, in his coldness, and in his smell. And I say: ‘ Erudimini qui judicatis terram . Here lies Blondeau, Blondeau the Nose, Blondeau Nasica, the ox of discipline, bos disciplinae , the bloodhound of the password, the angel of the roll-call, who was upright, square, exact, rigid, honest, and hideous. God crossed him off as he crossed me off.’ ”

Marius resumed:⁠—

“I am very sorry⁠—”

“Young man,” said Laigle de Meaux, “let this serve you as a lesson. In future, be exact.”