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could have written the prefaceChateaubriand and Lucien。〃
Lucien accepted that d'Arthez had written the preface。 Ninety…nine
writers out of a hundred would have done the same。
〃Well； nobody here seemed to have heard of you！〃 Petit…Claud
continued； with apparent indignation。 〃When I saw the general
indifference； I made up my mind to change all that。 I wrote that
article in the paper〃
〃What？ did you write it？〃 exclaimed Lucien。
〃I myself。 Angouleme and L'Houmeau were stirred to rivalry； I arranged
for a meeting of your old schoolfellows； and got up yesterday's
serenade； and when once the enthusiasm began to grow； we started a
committee for the dinner。 'If David is in hiding；' said I to myself；
'Lucien shall be crowned at any rate。' And I have done even better
than that；〃 continued Petit…Claud； 〃I have seen the Comtesse du
Chatelet and made her understand that she owes it to herself to
extricate David from his position； she can do it； and she ought to do
it。 If David had really discovered the secret of which he spoke to me；
the Government ought to lend him a hand； it would not ruin the
Government； and think what a fine thing for a prefect to have half the
credit of the great invention for the well…timed help。 It would set
people talking about him as an enlightened administrator。Your sister
has taken fright at our musketry practice； she was scared of the
smoke。 A battle in the law…courts costs quite as much as a battle on
the field； but David has held his ground； he has his secret。 They
cannot stop him； and they will not pull him up now。〃
〃Thanks； my dear fellow； I see that I can take you into my confidence；
you shall help me to carry out my plan。〃
Petit…Claud looked at Lucien； and his gimlet face was a point of
interrogation。
〃I intend to rescue Sechard；〃 Lucien said； with a certain importance。
〃I brought his misfortunes upon him； I mean to make full
reparation。 。 。 。 I have more influence over Louise〃
〃Who is Louise？〃
〃The Comtesse du Chatelet！〃
Petit…Claud started。
〃I have more influence over her than she herself suspects；〃 said
Lucien； 〃only； my dear fellow； if I can do something with your
authorities here； I have no decent clothes。〃Petit…Claud made as
though he would offer his purse。
〃Thank you；〃 said Lucien； grasping Petit…Claud's hand。 〃In ten days'
time I will pay a visit to the Countess and return your call。〃
The shook hands like old comrades； and separated。
〃He ought to be a poet〃 said Petit…Claud to himself； 〃he is quite
mad。〃
〃There are no friends like one's school friends； it is a true saying；〃
Lucien thought at he went to find his sister。
〃What can Petit…Claud have promised to do that you should be so
friendly with him； my Lucien？〃 asked Eve。 〃Be on your guard with him。〃
〃With HIM？〃 cried Lucien。 〃Listen； Eve；〃 he continued； seeming to
bethink himself； 〃you have no faith in me now； you do not trust me； so
it is not likely you will trust Petit…Claud； but in ten or twelve days
you will change your mind；〃 he added； with a touch of fatuity。 And he
went to his room； and indited the following epistle to Lousteau：
Lucien to Lousteau。
〃MY FRIEND；Of the pair of us； I alone can remember that bill for
a thousand francs that I once lent you； and I know how things will
be with you when you open this letter too well； alas！ not to add
immediately that I do not expect to be repaid in current coin of
the realm； no； I will take it in credit from you； just as one
would ask Florine for pleasure。 We have the same tailor；
therefore； you can order a complete outfit for me on the shortest
possible notice。 I am not precisely wearing Adam's costume； but I
cannot show myself here。 To my astonishment； the honors paid by
the departments to a Parisian celebrity awaited me。 I am the hero
of a banquet； for all the world as if I were a Deputy of the Left。
Now； after that； do you understand that I must have a black coat？
Promise to pay； have it put down to your account； try the
advertisement dodge； rehearse an unpublished scene between Don
Juan and M。 Dimanche； for I must have a gala suit at all costs。 I
have nothing； nothing but rags： start with that； it is August； the
weather is magnificent； ergo see that I receive by the end of the
week a charming morning suit； dark bronze…green jacket； and three
waistcoats； one a brimstone yellow； one a plaid； and the third
must be white； furthermore； let there be three pairs of trousers
of the most fetching kindone pair of white English stuff； one
pair of nankeen； and a third of thin black kerseymere； lastly；
send a black dress…coat and a black satin waistcoat。 If you have
picked up another Florine somewhere； I beg her good offices for
two cravats。 So far this is nothing； I count upon you and your
skill in these matters； I am not much afraid of the tailor。 But
the ingenuity of poverty； assuredly the most active of all poisons
at work in the system of man （id est the Parisian）； an ingenuity
that would catch Satan himself napping； has failed so far to
discover a way to obtain a hat on credit！How many a time； my
dear friend； have we deplored this！ When one of us shall bring a
hat that costs one thousand francs into fashion； then； and not
till then； can we afford to wear them； until that day comes we are
bound to have cash enough in our pockets to pay for a hat。 Ah！
what an ill turn the Comedie…Francaise did us with； 'Lafleur； you
will put gold in my pockets！'
〃I write with a profound sense of all the difficulties involved by
the demand。 Enclose with the above a pair of boots； a pair of
pumps； a hat； half a dozen pairs of gloves。 'Tis asking the
impossible； I know it。 But what is a literary life but a
periodical recurrence of the impossible？ Work the miracle； write a
long article； or play some small scurvy trick； and I will hold
your debt as fully dischargedthis is all I say to you。 It is a
debt of honor after all； my dear fellow； and due these twelve
months； you ought to blush for yourself if you have any blushes
left。
〃Joking apart； my dear Lousteau； I am in serious difficulties； as
you may judge for yourself when I tell you that Mme。 de Bargeton
has married Chatelet； and Chatelet is prefect of Angouleme。 The
precious pair can do a good deal for my brother…in…law； he is in
hiding at this moment on account of that letter of exchange； and
the horrid business is all my doing。 So it is a question of
appearing before Mme。 la Prefete and regaining my influence at all
costs。 It is shocking； is it not； that David Sechard's fate should
hang upon a neat pair of shoes； a pair of open…worked gray silk
stockings （mind you； remember them）； and a new hat？ I shall give
out that I am sick and ill； and take to my bed； like Duvicquet； to
save the trouble of replying to the pressing invitations of my
fellow…townsmen。 My fellow…townsmen； dear boy； have treated me to
a fine serenade。 MY FELLOW…TOWNSMEN； forsooth！ I begin to wonder
how many fools go to make up that word； since I learned that two
or three of my old schoolfellows worked up the capital of the
Ango