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hands the bill passes； is at liberty to proceed for the whole amount
against any one of the various endorsers who appears to him to be most
likely to make prompt payment。 M。 Metivier； using this discretion；
served a summons upon Lucien。 Behold the successive stages of the
proceedings； all of them perfectly futile。 Metivier； with the Cointets
behind him； knew that Lucien was not in a position to pay； but
insolvency in fact is not insolvency in law until it has been formally
proved。
Formal proof of Lucien's inability to pay was obtained in the
following manner：
On the 5th of May； Metivier's process…server gave Lucien notice of the
protest and an account of the expense thereof； and summoned him to
appear before the Tribunal of Commerce； or County Court； of Paris； to
hear a vast number of things： this； among others； that he was liable
to imprisonment as a merchant。 By the time that Lucien； hard pressed
and hunted down on all sides； read this jargon； he received notice of
judgment against him by default。 Coralie； his mistress； ignorant of
the whole matter； imagined that Lucien had obliged his brother…in…law；
and handed him all the documents togethertoo late。 An actress sees
so much of bailiffs； duns； and writs； upon the stage； that she looks
on all stamped paper as a farce。
Tears filled Lucien's eyes； he was unhappy on Sechard's account； he
was ashamed of the forgery； he wished to pay； he desired to gain time。
Naturally he took counsel of his friends。 But by the time Lousteau；
Blondet； Bixiou； and Nathan had told the poet to snap his fingers at a
court only established for tradesmen； Lucien was already in the
clutches of the law。 He beheld upon his door the little yellow placard
which leaves its reflection on the porter's countenance； and exercises
a most astringent influence upon credit； striking terror into the
heart of the smallest tradesman； and freezing the blood in the veins
of a poet susceptible enough to care about the bits of wood； silken
rags； dyed woolen stuffs； and multifarious gimcracks entitled
furniture。
When the broker's men came for Coralie's furniture； the author of the
Marguerites fled to a friend of Bixiou's； one Desroches； a barrister；
who burst out laughing at the sight of Lucien in such a state about
nothing at all。
〃That is nothing； my dear fellow。 Do you want to gain time？〃
〃Yes； as much possible。〃
〃Very well； apply for stay of execution。 Go and look up Masson； he is
a solicitor in the Commercial Court； and a friend of mine。 Take your
documents to him。 He will make a second application for you； and give
notice of objection to the jurisdiction of the court。 There is not the
least difficulty； you are a journalist； your name is well known
enough。 If they summons you before a civil court； come to me about it；
that will be my affair； I engage to send anybody who offers to annoy
the fair Coralie about his business。〃
On the 28th of May； Lucien's case came on in the civil court； and
judgment was given before Desroches expected it。 Lucien's creditor was
pushing on the proceedings against him。 A second execution was put in；
and again Coralie's pilasters were gilded with placards。 Desroches
felt rather foolish； a colleague had 〃caught him napping；〃 to use his
own expression。 He demurred； not without reason； that the furniture
belonged to Mlle。 Coralie； with whom Lucien was living； and demanded
an order for inquiry。 Thereupon the judge referred the matter to the
registrar for inquiry； the furniture was proved to belong to the
actress； and judgment was entered accordingly。 Metivier appealed； and
judgment was confirmed on appeal on the 30th of June。
On the 7th of August； Maitre Cachan received by the coach a bulky
package endorsed； 〃Metivier versus Sechard and Lucien Chardon。〃
The first document was a neat little bill； of which a copy （accuracy
guaranteed） is here given for the reader's benefit：
To Bill due the last day of April； drawn by
SECHARD； JUNIOR； to order of LUCIEN DE
RUBEMPRE； together with expenses of fr。 c。
protest and return。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 1037 45
May 5thServing notice of protest and
summons to appear before the
Tribunal of Commerce in
Paris； May 7th 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 8 75
〃 7thJudgment by default and
warrant of arrest。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 35
〃 10thNotification of judgment 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 8 50
〃 12thWarrant of execution 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 5 50
〃 14thInventory and appraisement
previous to execution。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 16
〃 18thExpenses of affixing placards。 。 。 。 。 。 。 15 25
〃 19thRegistration 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 4
〃 24thVerification of inventory； and
application for stay of execution
on the part of the said
Lucien de Rubempre； objecting
to the jurisdiction of the Court。 。 。 。 。 。 12
〃 27thOrder of the Court upon application
duly repeated； and transfer of
of case to the Civil Court。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 35
____ ____
Carried forward。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 1177 45
fr。 c。
Brought forward 1177 45
May 28thNotice of summary proceedings in
the Civil Court at the instance
of Metivier； represented by
counsel 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 6 50
June 2ndJudgment； after hearing both
parties； condemning Lucien for
expenses of protest and return；
the plaintiff to bear costs
of proceedings in the
Commercial Court。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 150
〃 6thNotification of judgment。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 10
〃 15thWarrant of execution。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 5 50
〃 19thInventory and appraisement preparatory
to execution； interpleader summons by
the Demoiselle Coralie； claiming goods
and chattels taken in execution； demand
for immediate special inquiry before
further proceedings be taken 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 20
〃 〃 Judge's order referring matter to
registrar for immediate special inquiry。 。 40
〃 〃 Judgment in favor of the said
Mademoiselle Coralie 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 250
〃 20thAppeal by Metivier 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 17
〃 30thConfirmation of judgment 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 250
____ ____
Total 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 1926 45
__________
Bill matured May 31st； with expenses of fr。 c。
protest and return。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 1037 45
Serving notice of protest。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 8 75
____ ____
Total 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。