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waking dream。
At last the unhappy man's thoughts turned to his own affairs。 The
stimulating influence of a prison upon conscience and self…scrutiny is
immense。 David asked himself whether he had done his duty as the head
of a family。 What despairing grief his wife must feel at this moment！
Why had he not done as Marion had said； and earned money enough to
pursue his investigations at leisure？
〃How can I stay in Angouleme after such a disgrace？ And when I come
out of prison； what will become of us？ Where shall we go？〃
Doubts as to his process began to occur to him； and he passed through
an agony which none save inventors can understand。 Going from doubt to
doubt； David began to see his real position more clearly； and to
himself he said； as the Cointets had said to old Sechard； as Petit…
Claud had just said to Eve； 〃Suppose that all should go well； what
does it amount to in practice？ The first thing to be done is to take
out a patent； and money is needed for thatand experiments must be
tried on a large scale in a paper…mill； which means that the discovery
must pass into other hands。 Oh！ Petit…Claud was right！〃
A very vivid light sometimes dawns in the darkest prison。
〃Pshaw！〃 said David； 〃I shall see Petit…Claud to…morrow no doubt；〃 and
he turned and slept on the filthy mattress covered with coarse brown
sacking。
So when Eve unconsciously played into the hands of the enemy that
morning； she found her husband more than ready to listen to proposals。
She put her arms about him and kissed him； and sat down on the edge of
the bed （for there was but one chair of the poorest and commonest kind
in the cell）。 Her eyes fell on the unsightly pail in a corner； and
over the walls covered with inscriptions left by David's predecessors；
and tears filled the eyes that were red with weeping。 She had sobbed
long and very bitterly； but the sight of her husband in a felon's cell
drew fresh tears。
〃And the desire of fame may lead one to this！〃 she cried。 〃Oh！ my
angel； give up your career。 Let us walk together along the beaten
track； we will not try to make haste to be rich； David。 。 。 。 I need
very little to be very happy； especially now； after all that we have
been through。 。 。 。 And if you only knewthe disgrace of arrest is
not the worst。 。 。 。 Look。〃
She held out Lucien's letter； and when David had read it； she tried to
comfort him by repeating Petit…Claud's bitter comment。
〃If Lucien has taken his life； the thing is done by now；〃 said David；
〃if he has not made away with himself by this time； he will not kill
himself。 As he himself says； 'his courage cannot last longer than a
morning' 〃
〃But the suspense！〃 cried Eve； forgiving almost everything at the
thought of death。 Then she told her husband of the proposals which
Petit…Claud professed to have received from the Cointets。 David
accepted them at once with manifest pleasure。
〃We shall have enough to live upon in a village near L'Houmeau； where
the Cointets' paper…mill stands。 I want nothing now but a quiet life；〃
said David。 〃If Lucien has punished himself by death； we can wait so
long as father lives； and if Lucien is still living； poor fellow； he
will learn to adapt himself to our narrow ways。 The Cointets certainly
will make money by my discovery； but； after all； what am I compared
with our country？ One man in it； that is all； and if the whole country
is benefited； I shall be content。 There！ dear Eve； neither you nor I
were meant to be successful in business。 We do not care enough about
making a profit； we have not the dogged objection to parting with our
money； even when it is legally owing； which is a kind of virtue of the
counting…house； for these two sorts of avarice are called prudence and
a faculty of business。〃
Eve felt overjoyed； she and her husband held the same views； and this
is one of the sweetest flowers of love； for two human beings who love
each other may not be of the same mind； nor take the same view of
their interests。 She wrote to Petit…Claud telling him that they both
consented to the general scheme； and asked him to release David。 Then
she begged the jailer to deliver the message。
Ten minutes later Petit…Claud entered the dismal place。 〃Go home；
madame；〃 he said； addressing Eve； 〃we will follow you。Well； my dear
friend〃 （turning to David）； 〃so you allowed them to catch you！ Why did
you come out？ How came you to make such a mistake？〃
〃Eh！ how could I do otherwise？ Look at this letter that Lucien wrote。〃
David held out a sheet of paper。 It was Cerizet's forged letter。
Petit…Claud read it； looked at it； fingered the paper as he talked；
and still taking； presently； as if through absence of mind； folded it
up and put it in his pocket。 Then he linked his arm in David's； and
they went out together； the order for release having come during the
conversation。
It was like heaven to David to be at home again。 He cried like a child
when he took little Lucien in his arms and looked round his room after
three weeks of imprisonment； and the disgrace； according to provincial
notions； of the last few hours。 Kolb and Marion had come back。 Marion
had heard in L'Houmeau that Lucien had been seen walking along on the
Paris road； somewhere beyond Marsac。 Some country folk； coming in to
market； had noticed his fine clothes。 Kolb； therefore； had set out on
horseback along the highroad； and heard at last at Mansle that Lucien
was traveling post in a calecheM。 Marron had recognized him as he
passed。
〃What did I tell you？〃 said Petit…Claud。 〃That fellow is not a poet；
he is a romance in heaven knows how many chapters。〃
〃Traveling post！〃 repeated Eve。 〃Where can he be going this time？〃
〃Now go to see the Cointets； they are expecting you；〃 said Petit…
Claud； turning to David。
〃Ah； monsieur！〃 cried the beautiful Eve； 〃pray do your best for our
interests； our whole future lies in your hands。〃
〃If you prefer it； madame； the conference can be held here。 I will
leave David with you。 The Cointets will come this evening； and you
shall see if I can defend your interests。〃
〃Ah！ monsieur； I should be very glad；〃 said Eve。
〃Very well；〃 said Petit…Claud； 〃this evening； at seven o'clock。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Eve； and from her tone and glance Petit…Claud knew
that he had made great progress in his fair client's confidence。
〃You have nothing to fear； you see I was right；〃 he added。 〃Your
brother is a hundred miles away from suicide； and when all comes to
all； perhaps you will have a little fortune this evening。 A bona…fide
purchaser for the business has turned up。〃
〃If that is the case；〃 said Eve； 〃why should we not wait awhile before
binding ourselves to the Cointets？〃
Petit…Claud saw the danger。 〃You are forgetting； madame；〃 he said；
〃that you cannot sell your business until you have paid M。 Metivier；
for a distress warrant has been issued。〃
As soon as Petit…Claud reached home he sent for Cerizet； and when the
printer's foreman appeared； drew him into the embrasure of the window。
〃To…morrow evening；〃 he said； 〃you will be the proprietor of the
Sechards' printing…office； and then there are those behind you who
have influence enough to transfer the l