In Which We Meet the Bonheurs
Paris - 1740
Monsieur Bonheur is now an old man. For the past 40 years he has lived in and operated a lodging house named La Maison de Beaumont, or the House of the Beautiful Hill. The House does not really lie on beautiful hill, and is a rather ordinary street. M. Bonheur, however, believes the name gives the place a flair, and attributes his moderate success to this appealing title. It resides on the outskirts of Paris, in what we call the Latin Quarter, on the Rue de Patay. It has served him well, and here he lives with his family - a wife, two daughters, and a son.
The son, the oldest, is named Jean Bonheur, after his father and the daughters are named Valerie and Louisine, with Louisine being the oldest of the two. His wife, named Ursule, is a woman of steely determination and a maternal conviction and it is she who is responsible for the natural good nature of her children and her husband. Valerie and Louisine are both kind girls, and each helps their mother with the job of keeping up the lodging house while they attend school during the day. Education, in Ursule's opinion (her opinions being as strong as her faith in god) is of paramount importance. Jean at age 18, meanwhile, is a rebel to his parents yet a patriot to his country, and eagerly wishes to join the army. Infact, this is where we meet the Bonheur family, and it is at this hour that Jean approaches both his parents in their kitchen - his mother preparing a meal and his father balancing the checks.
"Father, I wish to join the Army."
His father, being the man that he is, was pleased.
"Sure son, the army is a noble place for a young man such as you. Join and be happy and I shall support you."
His mother did not look up from her stew but said simply, and calmly -
"There will be no such talk in this house. The army is not a fine place for a young man and you are wrong to think so. What if you are killed? A poor old lady such as me cannot stand that burden. And what of your sisters? No, there will be no mention of the Army in this house."
This, however, simply infuriated Jean to the point that he declared that he would enlist no matter what, and stormed out of La Maison de Beaumont with a pained expression on his face.
M. Bonheur merely shrugged, seeing nothing wrong with the Army and voicing his opinions thusly.
Mme Bonheur still did not look up from her stew, said simply "There will be no talk of the army in this house.", and would not talk to her husband for a week. Valerie and Louisine, meanwhile, continued their life as usual.