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do your best to make others believe that you are on the brink of ruin
as soon as you are sure of winning the game。 In short； you dissemble；
do you not？ You lie to win four or five louis d'or。 What would you
think of a player so generous as to proclaim that he held a hand full
of trumps？ Very well； the ambitious man who carries virtue's precepts
into the arena when his antagonists have left them behind is behaving
like a child。 Old men of the world might say to him； as card…players
would say to the man who declines to take advantage of his trumps；
'Monsieur； you ought not to play at bouillotte。'
〃Did you make the rules of the game of ambition？ Why did I tell you to
be a match for society？Because； in these days； society by degrees
has usurped so many rights over the individual； that the individual is
compelled to act in self…defence。 There is no question of laws now；
their place has been taken by custom； which is to say grimacings； and
forms must always be observed。〃
Lucien started with surprise。
〃Ah； my child！〃 said the priest； afraid that he had shocked Lucien's
innocence； 〃did you expect to find the Angel Gabriel in an Abbe loaded
with all the iniquities of the diplomacy and counter…diplomacy of two
kings？ I am an agent between Ferdinand VII。 and Louis XVIII。； two
kings who owe their crowns to profoundercombinations； let us say。
I believe in God； but I have a still greater belief in our Order； and
our Order has no belief save in temporal power。 In order to strengthen
and consolidate the temporal power； our Order upholds the Catholic
Apostolic and Roman Church； which is to say； the doctrines which
dispose the world at large to obedience。 We are the Templars of modern
times； we have a doctrine of our own。 Like the Templars； we have been
dispersed； and for the same reasons； we are almost a match for the
world。 If you will enlist as a soldier； I will be your captain。 Obey
me as a wife obeys her husband； as a child obeys his mother； and I
will guarantee that you shall be Marquis de Rubempre in less than six
months； you shall marry into one of the proudest houses in the
Faubourg Saint…Germain； and some day you shall sit on a bench with
peers of France。 What would you have been at this moment if I had not
amused you by my conversation？An undiscovered corpse in a deep bed
of mud。 Well and good； now for an effort of imagination〃
Lucien looked curiously at his protector。
〃Here； in this caleche beside the Abbe Carlos Herrera； canon of
Toledo； secret envoy from His Majesty Ferdinand VII。 to his Majesty
the King of France； bearer of a despatch thus worded it may be'When
you have delivered me； hang all those whom I favor at this moment；
more especially the bearer of this despatch； for then he can tell no
tales'well； beside this envoy sits a young man who has nothing in
common with that poet recently deceased。 I have fished you out of the
water； I have brought you to life again； you belong to me as the
creature belongs to the creator； as the efrits of fairytales belong to
the genii； as the janissary to the Sultan； as the soul to the body。 I
will sustain you in the way to power with a strong hand； and at the
same time I promise that your life shall be a continual course of
pleasure； honors； and enjoyment。 You shall never want for money。 You
shall shine； you shall go bravely in the eyes of the world； while I；
crouching in the mud； will lay a firm foundation for the brilliant
edifice of your fortunes。 For I love power for its own sake。 I shall
always rejoice in your enjoyment； forbidden to me。 In short； my self
shall become your self！ Well； if a day should come when this pact
between man and the tempter； this agreement between the child and the
diplomatist should no longer suit your ideas； you can still look about
for some quiet spot； like that pool of which you were speaking； and
drown yourself； you will only be as you are now； or a little more or a
little less wretched and dishonored。〃
〃This is not like the Archbishop of Granada's homily；〃 said Lucien as
they stopped to change horses。
〃Call this concentrated education by what name you will； my son； for
you are my son； I adopt you henceforth； and shall make you my heir； it
is the Code of ambition。 God's elect are few and far between。 There is
no choice； you must bury yourself in the cloister （and there you very
often find the world again in miniature） or accept the Code。〃
〃Perhaps it would be better not to be so wise；〃 said Lucien； trying to
fathom this terrible priest。
〃What！〃 rejoined the canon。 〃You begin to play before you know the
rules of the game； and now you throw it up just as your chances are
best； and you have a substantial godfather to back you！ And you do not
even care to play a return match？ You do not mean to say that you have
no mind to be even with those who drove you from Paris？〃
Lucien quivered； the sounds that rang through every nerve seemed to
come from some bronze instrument； some Chinese gong。
〃I am only a poor priest；〃 returned his mentor； and a grim expression；
dreadful to behold； appeared for a moment on a face burned to a
copper…red by the sun of Spain； 〃I am only a poor priest； but if I had
been humiliated； vexed； tormented； betrayed； and sold as you have been
by the scoundrels of whom you have told me； I should do like an Arab
of the desertI would devote myself body and soul to vengeance。 I
might end by dangling from a gibbet； garroted； impaled； guillotined in
your French fashion； I should not care a rap； but they should not have
my head until I had crushed my enemies under my heel。〃
Lucien was silent； he had no wish to draw the priest out any further。
〃Some are descended from Cain and some from Abel；〃 the canon
concluded； 〃I myself am of mixed bloodCain for my enemies； Abel for
my friends。 Woe to him that shall awaken Cain！ After all； you are a
Frenchman； I am a Spaniard； and； what is more； a canon。〃
〃What a Tartar！〃 thought Lucien； scanning the protector thus sent to
him by Heaven。
There was no sign of the Jesuit； nor even of the ecclesiastic； about
the Abbe Carlos Herrera。 His hands were large； he was thick…set and
broad…chested； evidently he possessed the strength of a Hercules； his
terrific expression was softened by benignity assumed at will； but a
complexion of impenetrable bronze inspired feelings of repulsion
rather than attachment for the man。
The strange diplomatist looked somewhat like a bishop； for he wore
powder on his long； thick hair； after the fashion of the Prince de
Talleyrand； a gold cross； hanging from a strip of blue ribbon with a
white border； indicated an ecclesiastical dignitary。 The outlines
beneath the black silk stockings would not have disgraced an athlete。
The exquisite neatness of his clothes and person revealed an amount of
care which a simple priest； and； above all； a Spanish priest； does not
always take with his appearance。 A three…cornered hat lay on the front
seat of the carriage； which bore the arms of Spain。
In spite of the sense of repulsion； the effect made by the man's
appearance was weakened by his manner； fierce and yet winning as it
was； he evidently laid himself out to please Lucien；