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had come out to hear the band play）。 〃Why； the prefect and the
receiver…general； and the colonel and the superintendent of the powder
factory； and our mayor and deputy； and the headmaster of the school；
and the manager of the foundry at Ruelle； and the public prosecutor；
M。 Milaud； and all the authorities； have just gone in！〃
The bank struck up as they sat down to table with variations on the
air Vive le roy； vive la France； a melody which has never found
popular favor。 It was then five o'clock in the evening； it was eight
o'clock before dessert was served。 Conspicuous among the sixty…five
dishes appeared an Olympus in confectionery； surmounted by a figure of
France modeled in chocolate； to give the signal for toasts and
speeches。
〃Gentlemen；〃 called the prefect； rising to his feet； 〃the King！ the
rightful ruler of France！ To what do we owe the generation of poets
and thinkers who maintain the sceptre of letters in the hands of
France； if not to the peace which the Bourbons have restored〃
〃Long live the King！〃 cried the assembled guests （ministerialists
predominated）。
The venerable headmaster rose。
〃To the hero of the day；〃 he said； 〃to the young poet who combines the
gift of the prosateur with the charm and poetic faculty of Petrarch in
that sonnet…form which Boileau declares to be so difficult。〃
Cheers。
The colonel rose next。 〃Gentlemen； to the Royalist！ for the hero of
this evening had the courage to fight for sound principles！〃
〃Bravo！〃 cried the prefect； leading the applause。
Then Petit…Claud called upon all Lucien's schoolfellows there present。
〃To the pride of the grammar…school of Angouleme！ to the venerable
headmaster so dear to us all； to whom the acknowledgment for some part
of our triumph is due！〃
The old headmaster dried his eyes； he had not expected this toast。
Lucien rose to his feet； the whole room was suddenly silent； and the
poet's face grew white。 In that pause the old headmaster； who sat on
his left； crowned him with a laurel wreath。 A round of applause
followed； and when Lucien spoke it was with tears in his eyes and a
sob in his throat。
〃He is drunk；〃 remarked the attorney…general…designate to his
neighbor； Petit…Claud。
〃My dear fellow…countrymen； my dear comrades；〃 Lucien said at last； 〃I
could wish that all France might witness this scene； for thus men rise
to their full stature； and in such ways as these our land demands
great deeds and noble work of us。 And when I think of the little that
I have done； and of this great honor shown to me to…day； I can only
feel confused and impose upon the future the task of justifying your
reception of me。 The recollection of this moment will give me renewed
strength for efforts to come。 Permit me to indicate for your homage my
earliest muse and protectress； and to associate her name with that of
my birthplace； soto the Comtesse du Chatelet and the noble town of
Angouleme！〃
〃He came out of that pretty well！〃 said the public prosecutor； nodding
approval； 〃our speeches were all prepared； and his was improvised。〃
At ten o'clock the party began to break up； and little knots of guests
went home together。 David Sechard heard the unwonted music。
〃What is going on in L'Houmeau？〃 he asked of Basine。
〃They are giving a dinner to your brother…in…law； Lucien〃
〃I know that he would feel sorry to miss me there；〃 he said。
At midnight Petit…Claud walked home with Lucien。 As they reached the
Place du Murier； Lucien said； 〃Come life； come death； we are friends；
my dear fellow。〃
〃My marriage contract；〃 said the lawyer； 〃with Mlle。 Francoise de la
Haye will be signed to…morrow at Mme。 de Senonches' house； do me the
pleasure of coming。 Mme。 de Senonches implored me to bring you； and
you will meet Mme。 du Chatelet； they are sure to tell her of your
speech； and she will feel flattered by it。〃
〃I knew what I was about；〃 said Lucien。
〃Oh！ you will save David。〃
〃I am sure I shall；〃 the poet replied。
Just at that moment David appeared as if by magic in the Place du
Murier。 This was how it had come about。 He felt that he was in a
rather difficult position； his wife insisted that Lucien must neither
go to David nor know of his hiding…place； and Lucien all the while was
writing the most affectionate letters； saying that in a few days' time
all should be set right； and even as Basine Clerget explained the
reason why the band played； she put two letters into his hands。 The
first was from Eve。
〃DEAREST；〃 she wrote； 〃do as if Lucien were not here； do not
trouble yourself in the least； our whole security depends upon the
fact that your enemies cannot find you； get that idea firmly into
your head。 I have more confidence in Kolb and Marion and Basine
than in my own brother； such is my misfortune。 Alas！ poor Lucien
is not the ingenuous and tender…hearted poet whom we used to know；
and it is simply because he is trying to interfere on your behalf；
and because he imagines that he can discharge our debts （and this
from pride； my David）； that I am afraid of him。 Some fine clothes
have been sent from Paris for him； and five gold pieces in a
pretty purse。 He gave the money to me； and we are living on it。
〃We have one enemy the less。 Your father has gone； thanks to
Petit…Claud。 Petit…Claud unraveled his designs； and put an end to
them at once by telling him that you would do nothing without
consulting him； and that he （Petit…Claud） would not allow you to
concede a single point in the matter of the invention until you
had been promised an indemnity of thirty thousand francs； fifteen
thousand to free you from embarrassment； and fifteen thousand more
to be yours in any case； whether your invention succeeds or no。 I
cannot understand Petit…Claud。 I embrace you； dear； a wife's kiss
for her husband in trouble。 Our little Lucien is well。 How strange
it is to watch him grow rosy and strong； like a flower； in these
stormy days！ Mother prays God for you now； as always； and sends
love only less tender than mine。Your
〃EVE。〃
As a matter of fact； Petit…Claud and the Cointets had taken fright at
old Sechard's peasant shrewdness； and got rid of him so much the more
easily because it was now vintage time at Marsac。 Eve's letter
enclosed another from Lucien：
〃MY DEAR DAVID；Everything is going well。 I am armed cap…a…pie；
to…day I open the campaign； and in forty…eight hours I shall have
made great progress。 How glad I shall be to embrace you when you
are free again and my debts are all paid！ My mother and sister
persist in mistrusting me； their suspicion wounds me to the quick。
As if I did not know already that you are hiding with Basine； for
every time that Basine comes to the house I hear news of you and
receive answers to my letters； and besides； it is plain that my
sister could not find any one else to trust。 It hurts me cruelly
to think that I shall be so near you to…day； and yet that you will
not be present at this banquet in my honor。 I owe my little
triumph to the vainglory of Angouleme； in a few days it will be
quite forgotten