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of Orleans leather； and his brown face was scarred and seamed as if he
had fallen into the fire in infancy。 The traveler； so obviously
clerical in his dress； was walking slowly and smoking a cigar。 He
turned as Lucien jumped down from the vineyard into the road。 The deep
melancholy on the handsome young face； the poet's symbolical flowers；
and his elegant dress seemed to strike the stranger。 He looked at
Lucien with something of the expression of a hunter that has found his
quarry at last after long and fruitless search。 He allowed Lucien to
come alongside in nautical phrase； then he slackened his pace； and
appeared to look along the road up the hill； Lucien； following the
direction of his eyes； saw a light traveling carriage with two horses；
and a post…boy standing beside it。
〃You have allowed the coach to pass you； monsieur； you will lose your
place unless you care to take a seat in my caleche and overtake the
mail； for it is rather quicker traveling post than by the public
conveyance。〃 The traveler spoke with extreme politeness and a very
marked Spanish accent。
Without waiting for an answer； he drew a cigar…case from his pocket；
opened it； and held it out to Lucien。
〃I am not on a journey；〃 said Lucien； 〃and I am too near the end of my
stage to indulge in the pleasure of smoking〃
〃You are very severe with yourself；〃 returned the Spaniard。 〃Though I
am a canon of the cathedral of Toledo； I occasionally smoke a
cigarette。 God gave us tobacco to allay our passions and our pains。
You seem to be downcast； or at any rate； you carry the symbolical
flower of sorrow in your hand； like the rueful god Hymen。 Come！ all
your troubles will vanish away with the smoke；〃 and again the
ecclesiastic held out his little straw case； there was something
fascinating in his manner； and kindliness towards Lucien lighted up
his eyes。
〃Forgive me； father〃 Lucien answered stiffly； 〃there is no cigar that
can scatter my troubles。〃 Tears came to his eyes at the words。
〃It must surely be Divine Providence that prompted me to take a little
exercise to shake off a traveler's morning drowsiness；〃 said the
churchman。 〃A divine prompting to fulfil my mission here on earth by
consoling you。What great trouble can you have at your age？〃
〃Your consolations； father； can do nothing for me。 You are a Spaniard；
I am a Frenchman； you believe in the commandments of the Church； I am
an atheist。〃
〃Santa Virgen del Pilar！ you are an atheist！〃 cried the other； laying
a hand on Lucien's arm with maternal solicitude。 〃Ah！ here is one of
the curious things I promised myself to see in Paris。 We； in Spain； do
not believe in atheists。 There is no country but France where one can
have such opinions at nineteen years。〃
〃Oh！ I am an atheist in the fullest sense of the word。 I have no
belief in God； in society； in happiness。 Take a good look at me；
father； for in a few hours' time life will be over for me。 My last sun
has risen；〃 said Lucien； with a sort of rhetorical effect he waved his
hand towards the sky。
〃How so； what have you done that you must die？ Who has condemned you
to die？〃
〃A tribunal from which there is no appealI myself。〃
〃You； child！〃 cried the priest。 〃Have you killed a man？ Is the
scaffold waiting for you？ Let us reason together a little。 If you are
resolved； as you say； to return to nothingness； everything on earth is
indifferent to you； is it not？〃
Lucien bowed assent。
〃Very well； then； can you not tell me about your troubles？ Some little
affair of the heart has taken a bad turn； no doubt？〃
Lucien shrugged his shoulders very significantly。
〃Are you resolved to kill yourself to escape dishonor； or do you
despair of life？ Very good。 You can kill yourself at Poitiers quite as
easily as at Angouleme； and at Tours it will be no harder than at
Poitiers。 The quicksands of the Loire never give up their prey〃
〃No； father；〃 said Lucien； 〃I have settled it all。 Not three weeks ago
I chanced upon the most charming raft that can ferry a man sick and
tired of this life into the other world〃
〃The other world？ You are not an atheist。〃
〃Oh！ by another world I mean my next transformation； animal or plant。〃
〃Have you some incurable disease？〃
〃Yes； father。〃
〃Ah！ now we come to the point。 What is it？〃
〃Poverty。〃
The priest looked at Lucien。 〃The diamond does not know its own
value；〃 he said； and there was an inexpressible charm； and a touch of
something like irony in his smile。
〃None but a priest could flatter a poor man about to die；〃 exclaimed
Lucien。
〃You are not going to die；〃 the Spaniard returned authoritatively。
〃I have heard many times of men that were robbed on the highroad； but
I have never yet heard of one that found a fortune there；〃 said
Lucien。
〃You will hear of one now；〃 said the priest； glancing towards the
carriage to measure the time still left for their walk together。
〃Listen to me；〃 he continued； with his cigar between his teeth； 〃if
you are poor； that is no reason why you should die。 I need a
secretary； for mine has just died at Barcelona。 I am in the same
position as the famous Baron Goertz； minister of Charles XII。 He was
traveling toward Sweden （just as I am going to Paris）； and in some
little town or other he chanced upon the son of a goldsmith； a young
man of remarkable good looks； though they could scarcely equal yours。
。 。 。 Baron Goertz discerned intelligence in the young man （just as I
see poetry on your brow）； he took him into his traveling carriage； as
I shall take you very shortly； and of a boy condemned to spend his
days in burnishing spoons and forks and making trinkets in some little
town like Angouleme； he made a favorite； as you shall be mine。
〃Arrived at Stockholm； he installed his secretary and overwhelmed him
with work。 The young man spent his nights in writing； and； like all
great workers； he contracted a bad habit； a trickhe took to chewing
paper。 The late M。 de Malesherbes use to rap people over the knuckles；
and he did this once； by the by； to somebody or other whose suit
depended upon him。 The handsome young secretary began by chewing blank
paper； found it insipid for a while； and acquired a taste for
manuscript as having more flavor。 People did not smoke as yet in those
days。 At last； from flavor to flavor； he began to chew parchment and
swallow it。 Now； at that time a treaty was being negotiated between
Russia and Sweden。 The States…General insisted that Charles XII。
should make peace （much as they tried in France to make Napoleon treat
for peace in 1814） and the basis of these negotiations was the treaty
between the two powers with regard to Finland。 Goertz gave the
original into his secretary's keeping； but when the time came for
laying the draft before the States…General； a trifling difficulty
arose； the treaty was not to be found。 The States…General believed
that the Minister； pandering to the King's wishes； had taken it into
his head to get rid of the document。 Baron Goertz was； in fact；
accused of this； and the secretary owned that he had eaten the treaty。
He was tried and convicted and condemned to death。But you have not
come to that yet； so take a cigar and smo