按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
patron soon finds out the inconveniences of patronage； and then turns
from fire to ice。 Louise will do more now for Petit…Claud than she
would do for her husband in three months' time。〃
〃Madame la Comtesse is thinking of all that our poet's triumph
entails？〃 continued Petit…Claud。 〃She should receive Lucien before
there is an end of the nine…days' wonder。〃
The Countess terminated the audience with a bow； and rose to speak
with Mme。 de Pimentel； who came to the boudoir。 The news of old
Negrepelisse's elevation to a marquisate had greatly impressed the
Marquise； she judged it expedient to be amiable to a woman so clever
as to rise the higher for an apparent fall。
〃Do tell me； dear； why you took the trouble to put your father in the
House of Peers？〃 said the Marquise； in the course of a little
confidential conversation； in which she bent the knee before the
superiority of 〃her dear Louise。〃
〃They were all the more ready to grant the favor because my father has
no son to succeed him； dear； and his vote will always be at the
disposal of the Crown； but if we should have sons； I quite expect that
my oldest will succeed to his grandfather's name； title； and peerage。〃
Mme。 de Pimentel saw； to her annoyance； that it was idle to expect a
mother ambitious for children not yet in existence to further her own
private designs of raising M。 de Pimentel to a peerage。
〃I have the Countess；〃 Petit…Claud told Cointet when they came away。
〃I can promise you your partnership。 I shall be deputy prosecutor
before the month is out； and Sechard will be in your power。 Try to
find a buyer for my connection； it has come to be the first in
Angouleme in my hands during the last five months〃
〃Once put YOU on the horse； and there is no need to do more；〃 said
Cointet； half jealous of his own work。
The causes of Lucien's triumphant reception in his native town must
now be plain to everybody。 Louise du Chatelet followed the example of
that King of France who left the Duke of Orleans unavenged； she chose
to forget the insults received in Paris by Mme。 de Bargeton。 She would
patronize Lucien； and overwhelming him with her patronage； would
completely crush him and get rid of him by fair means。 Petit…Claud
knew the whole tale of the cabals in Paris through town gossip； and
shrewdly guessed how a woman must hate the man who would not love when
she was fain of his love。
The ovation justified the past of Louise de Negrepelisse。 The next day
Petit…Claud appeared at Mme。 Sechard's house； heading a deputation of
six young men of the town； all of them Lucien's schoolfellows。 He
meant to finish his work； to intoxicate Lucien completely； and to have
him in his power。 Lucien's old schoolfellows at the Angouleme grammar…
school wished to invite the author of the Marguerites and The Archer
of Charles IX。 to a banquet given in honor of the great man arisen
from their ranks。
〃Come； this is your doing； Petit…Claud！〃 exclaimed Lucien。
〃Your return has stirred our conceit；〃 said Petit…Claud； 〃we made it a
point of honor to get up a subscription； and we will have a tremendous
affair for you。 The masters and the headmaster will be there； and； at
the present rate； we shall； no doubt； have the authorities too。〃
〃For what day？〃 asked Lucien。
〃Sunday next。〃
〃That is quite out of the question；〃 said Lucien。 〃I cannot accept an
invitation for the next ten days； but then I will gladly〃
〃Very well；〃 said Petit…Claud； 〃so be it then； in ten days' time。〃
Lucien behaved charmingly to his old schoolfellows； and they regarded
him with almost respectful admiration。 He talked away very wittily for
half an hour； he had been set upon a pedestal； and wished to justify
the opinion of his fellow…townsmen； so he stood with his hands thrust
into his pockets； and held forth from the height to which he had been
raised。 He was modest and good…natured； as befitted genius in
dressing…gown and slippers； he was the athlete； wearied by a wrestling
bout with Paris； and disenchanted above all things； he congratulated
the comrades who had never left the dear old province； and so forth；
and so forth。 They were delighted with him。 He took Petit…Claud aside；
and asked him for the real truth about David's affairs； reproaching
him for allowing his brother…in…law to go into hiding； and tried to
match his wits against the little lawyer。 Petit…Claud made an effort
over himself； and gave his acquaintance to understand that he （Petit…
Claud） was only an insignificant little country attorney； with no sort
of craft nor subtlety。
The whole machinery of modern society is so infinitely more complex
than in ancient times； that the subdivision of human faculty is the
result。 The great men of the days of old were perforce universal
geniuses； appearing at rare intervals like lighted torches in an
antique world。 In the course of ages the intellect began to work on
special lines； but the great man still could 〃take all knowledge for
his province。〃 A man 〃full cautelous；〃 as was said of Louis XI。； for
instance； could apply that special faculty in every direction； but
to…day the single quality is subdivided； and every profession has its
special craft。 A peasant or a pettifogging solicitor might very easily
overreach an astute diplomate over a bargain in some remote country
village； and the wiliest journalist may prove the veriest simpleton in
a piece of business。 Lucien could but be a puppet in the hands of
Petit…Claud。
That guileful practitioner； as might have been expected； had written
the article himself； Angouleme and L'Houmeau； thus put on their
mettle； thought it incumbent upon them to pay honor to Lucien。 His
fellow…citizens； assembled in the Place du Murier； were Cointets'
workpeople from the papermills and printing…house； with a sprinkling
of Lucien's old schoolfellows and the clerks in the employ of
Messieurs Petit…Claud and Cachan。 As for the attorney himself； he was
once more Lucien's chum of old days； and he thought； not without
reason； that before very long he should learn David's whereabouts in
some unguarded moment。 And if David came to grief through Lucien's
fault； the poet would find Angouleme too hot to hold him。 Petit…Claud
meant to secure his hold； he posed； therefore； as Lucien's inferior。
〃What better could I have done？〃 he said accordingly。 〃My old chum's
sister was involved； it is true； but there are some positions that
simply cannot be maintained in a court of law。 David asked me on the
first of June to ensure him a quiet life for three months； he had a
quiet life until September； and even so I have kept his property out
of his creditors' power； for I shall gain my case in the Court…Royal；
I contend that the wife is a privileged creditor； and her claim is
absolute； unless there is evidence of intent to defraud。 As for you；
you have come back in misfortune； but you are a genius。〃（Lucien
turned about as if the incense were burned too close to his face。）
〃Yes； my dear fellow； a GENIUS。 I have read your Archer of Charles
IX。； it is more than a romance； it is literature。 Only two living men
could have written the prefaceChateaubriand and Lucien。〃
Lucien accepted that d'Arthe