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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
Angoumois to this pitch of enthusiasm。
〃If you could contrive to slip a few lines as to my reception in
among the news items； I should be several inches taller for it
here； and besides； I should make Mme。 la Prefete feel that； if I
have not friends； I have some credit； at any rate； with the
Parisian press。 I give up none of my hopes； and I will return the
compliment。 If you want a good； solid； substantial article for
some magazine or other； I have time enough now to think something
out。 I only say the word； my dear friend； I count upon you as you
may count upon me； and I am yours sincerely。
〃LUCIEN DE R。
〃P。 S。Send the things to the coach office to wait until called
for。〃
Lucien held up his head again。 In this mood he wrote the letter； and
as he wrote his thoughts went back to Paris。 He had spent six days in
the provinces； and the uneventful quietness of provincial life had
already entered into his soul； his mind returned to those dear old
miserable days with a vague sense of regret。 The Comtesse du Chatelet
filled his thoughts for a whole week； and at last he came to attach so
much importance to his reappearance； that he hurried down to the coach
office in L'Houmeau after nightfall in a perfect agony of suspense；
like a woman who has set her last hopes upon a new dress； and waits in
despair until it arrives。
〃Ah！ Lousteau； all your treasons are forgiven；〃 he said to himself； as
he eyed the packages； and knew from the shape of them that everything
had been sent。 Inside the hatbox he found a note from Lousteau：
FLORINE'S DRAWING…ROOM。
〃MY DEAR BOY；The tailor behaved very well； but as thy profound
retrospective glance led thee to forbode； the cravats； the hats；
and the silk hosen perplexed our souls； for there was nothing in
our purse to be perplexed thereby。 As said Blondet； so say we；
there is a fortune awaiting the establishment which will supply
young men with inexpensive articles on credit； for when we do not
pay in the beginning； we pay dear in the end。 And by the by； did
not the great Napoleon； who missed a voyage to the Indies for want
of boots； say that； 'If a thing is easy； it is never done？' So
everything went wellexcept the boots。 I beheld a vision of thee；
fully dressed； but without a hat！ appareled in waistcoats； yet
shoeless！ and bethought me of sending a pair of moccasins given to
Florine as a curiosity by an American。 Florine offered the huge
sum of forty francs； that we might try our luck at play for you。
Nathan； Blondet； and I had such luck （as we were not playing for
ourselves） that we were rich enough to ask La Torpille； des
Lupeaulx's sometime 'rat；' to supper。 Frascati certainly owed us
that much。 Florine undertook the shopping； and added three fine
shirts to the purchases。 Nathan sends you a cane。 Blondet； who won
three hundred francs； is sending you a gold chain； and the gold
watch； the size of a forty…franc piece； is from La Torpille； some
idiot gave the thing to her； and it will not go。 'Trumpery
rubbish；' she says； 'like the man that owned it。' Bixiou； who came
to find us up at the Rocher de Cancale； wished to enclose a bottle
of Portugal water in the package。 Said our first comic man； 'If
this can make him happy； let him have it！' growling it out in a
deep bass voice with the bourgeois pomposity that he can act to
the life。 Which things； my dear boy； ought to prove to you how
much we care for our friends in adversity。 Florine； whom I have
had the weakness to forgive； begs you to send us an article on
Nathan's hat。 Fare thee well； my son。 I can only commiserate you
on finding yourself back in the same box from which you emerged
when you discovered your old comrade。
〃ETIENNE L。〃
〃Poor fellows！ They have been gambling for me；〃 said Lucien； he was
quite touched by the letter。 A waft of the breeze from an unhealthy
country； from the land where one has suffered most； may seem to bring
the odors of Paradise； and in a dull life there is an indefinable
sweetness in memories of past pain。
Eve was struck dumb with amazement when her brother came down in his
new clothes。 She did not recognize him。
〃Now I can walk out in Beaulieu；〃 he cried； 〃they shall not say it of
me that I came back in rags。 Look； here is a watch which I shall
return to you； for it is mine； and； like its owner； it is erratic in
its ways。〃
〃What a child he is！〃 exclaimed Eve。 〃It is impossible to bear you any
grudge。〃
〃Then do you imagine； my dear girl； that I sent for all this with the
silly idea of shining in Angouleme？ I don't care THAT for Angouleme〃
（twirling his cane with the engraved gold knob）。 〃I intend to repair
the wrong I have done； and this is my battle array。〃
Lucien's success in this kind was his one real triumph； but the
triumph； be it said； was immense。 If admiration freezes some people's
tongues； envy loosens at least as many more； and if women lost their
heads over Lucien； men slandered him。 He might have cried； in the
words of the songwriter； 〃I thank thee； my coat！〃 He left two cards at
the prefecture； and another upon Petit…Claud。 The next day； the day of
the banquet； the following paragraph appeared under the heading
〃Angouleme〃 in the Paris newspapers：
〃ANGOULEME。
〃The return of the author of The Archer of Charles IX。 has been
the signal for an ovation which does equal honor to the town and
to M。 Lucien de Rubempre； the young poet who has made so brilliant
a beginning； the writer of the one French historical novel not
written in the style of Scott； and of a preface which may be
called a literary event。 The town hastened to offer him a
patriotic banquet on his return。 The name of the recently…
appointed prefect is associated with the public demonstration in
honor of the author of the Marquerites； whose talent received such
warm encouragement from Mme。 du Chatelet at the outset of his
career。〃
In France； when once the impulse is given； nobody can stop。 The
colonel of the regiment offered to put his band at the disposal of the
committee。 The landlord of the Bell （renowned for truffled turkeys；
despatched in the most wonderful porcelain jars to the uttermost parts
of the earth）； the famous innkeeper of L'Houmeau； would supply the
repast。 At five o'clock some forty persons； all in state and festival
array； were assembled in his largest ball； decorated with hangings；
crowns of laurel； and bouquets。 The effect was superb。 A crowd of
onlookers； some hundred persons； attracted for the most part by the
military band in the yard； represented the citizens of Angouleme。
Petit…Claud went to the window。 〃All Angouleme is here；〃 he said；
looking out。
〃I can make nothing of this；〃 remarked little Postel to his wife （they
had come out to hear the band play）。 〃Why； the prefe