Chapter 14
Some folks pretend that, with the progress of morals, sinecures will disappear. We are willing to believe them. But, in any case, at the time of which we are writing one still existed, at least.
This sinecure was the property of Widow Thibaut, whose late husband was a butcher, and who officiated as charwoman in the home of Monsieur Zephyrin Xirdal.
Widow Thibaut’s duties consisted in doing the room of this crazy savant. Now, as the furniture of the room was reduced to its simplest expression, the labour of keeping it tidy could hardly be compared to a thirteenth labour of Hercules. As for the rest of the flat, for the most part it was outside of her control. In the second room, indeed, she was absolutely forbidden, whatever the pretext, to touch any of the papers lying around
