of the staircase as to the mistress of the house。
〃All resigned themselves to endure the songster〃 （chardonneret） 〃of the sacred grove；〃 said Alexandre de Brebian； which was witticism number two。 Finally； the president of the agricultural society put an end to the sedition by remarking judicially that 〃before the Revolution the greatest nobles admitted men like Dulcos and Grimm and Crebillon to their societymen who were nobodies； like this little poet of L'Houmeau； but one thing they never did； they never received tax…collectors； and； after all； Chatelet is only a tax…collector。〃
Du Chatelet suffered for Chardon。 Every one turned the cold shoulder upon him； and Chatelet was conscious that he was attacked。 When Mme。 de Bargeton called him 〃M。 Chatelet；〃 he swore to himself that he would possess her； and now he entered into the views of the mistress of the house； came to the support of the young poet； and declared himself Lucien's friend。 The great diplomatist； overlooked by the shortsighted Emperor； made much of Lucien； and declared himself his friend！ To launch the poet into society； he gave a dinner； and asked all the authorities to meet himthe prefect； the receiver…general； the colonel in command of the garrison； the head of the Naval School； the president of the Court； and so forth。 The poet； poor fellow； was feted so magnificently； and so belauded； that anybody but a young man of two…and…twenty would have shrewdly suspected a hoax。 After dinner； Chatelet drew his rival on to recite The Dying Sardanapalus； the masterpiece of the hour； and the headmaster of the school； a man of a phlegmatic temperament； applauded with both hands； and vowed that Jean…Baptiste Rousseau had done nothing finer。 Sixte； Baron du Chatelet； thought in his heart that this slip of a rhymster would wither incontinently in a hothouse of adulation； perhaps he hoped that when the poet's head was turned with brilliant dreams； he would indulge in some impertinence that would promptly consign him to the obscurity from which he had emerged。 Pending the decease of genius； Chatelet appeared to offer up his hopes as a sacrifice at Mme。 de Bargeton's feet； but with the ingenuity of a rake； he kept his own plan in abeyance； watching the lovers' movements with keenly critical eyes； and waiting for the opportunity of ruining Lucien。
From this time forward； vague rumors reported the existence of a great man in Angoumois。 Mme。 de Bargeton was praised on all sides for the interest which she took in this young eagle。 No sooner was her conduct approved than she tried to win a general sanction。 She announced a soiree； with ices； tea； and cakes； a great innovation in a city where tea； as yet； was sold only by druggists as a remedy for indigestion。 The flower of Angoumoisin aristocracy was summoned to hear Lucien read his great work。 Louise had hidden all the difficulties from her friend； but she let fall a few words touching the social cabal formed against him； she would not have him ignorant of the perils besetting his career as a man of genius； nor of the obstacles insurmountable to weaklings。 She drew a lesson from the recent victory。 Her white hands pointed him to glory that lay beyond a prolonged martyrdom； she spoke of stakes and flaming pyres； she spread the adjectives thickly on her finest tartines； and decorated them with a variety of her most pompous epithets。 It was an infringement of the copyright of the passages of declamation that disfigure Corinne； but Louise grew so much the greater in her own eyes as she talked； that she loved the Benjamin who inspired her eloquence the more for it。 She counseled him to take a bold step and renounce his patronymic for the noble name of Rubempre； he need not mind the little tittle…tattle over a change which the King； for that matter； would authorize。 Mme。 de Bargeton undertook to procure this favor； she was related to the Marquise d'Espard； who was a Blamont…Chauvry before her marriage； and a persona grata at Court。 The words 〃King；〃 〃Marquise d'Espard；〃 and 〃the Court〃 dazzled Lucien like a blaze of fireworks； and the necessity of the baptism was plain to him。
〃Dear child；〃 said Louise； with tender mockery in her tones； 〃the sooner it is done； the sooner it will be sanctioned。〃
She went through social strata and showed the poet that this step would raise him many rungs higher in the ladder。 Seizing the moment； she persuaded Lucien to forswear the chimerical notions of '89 as to equality； she roused a thirst for social distinction allayed by David's cool commonsense； she pointed out fashionable society as the goal and the only stage for such a talent as his。 The rabid Liberal became a Monarchist in petto； Lucien set his teeth in the apple of desire of rank； luxury； and fame。 He swore to win a crown to lay at his lady's feet； even if there should be blood…stains on the bays。 He would conquer at any cost； quibuscumque viis。 To prove his courage； he told her of his present way of life； Louise had known nothing of its hardships； for there is an indefinable pudency inseparable from strong feeling in youth； a delicacy which shrinks from a display of great qualities； and a young man loves to have the real quality of his nature discerned through the incognito。 He described that life； the shackles of poverty borne with pride； his days of work for David； his nights of study。 His young ardor recalled memories of the colonel of six…and…twenty； Mme。 de Bargeton's eyes grew soft； and Lucien； seeing this weakness in his awe…inspiring mistress； seized a hand that she had abandoned to him； and kissed it with the frenzy of a lover and a poet in his youth。 Louise even allowed him to set his eager； quivering lips upon her forehead。
〃Oh； child！ child！ if any one should see us； I should look very ridiculous；〃 she said； shaking off the ecstatic torpor。
In the course of that evening； Mme。 de Bargeton's wit made havoc of Lucien's prejudices； as she styled them。 Men of genius； according to her doctrine； had neither brothers nor sisters nor father nor mother； the great tasks laid upon them required that they should sacrifice everything that they might grow to their full stature。 Perhaps their families might suffer at first from the all…absorbing exactions of a giant brain； but at a later day they were repaid a hundredfold for self…denial of every kind during the early struggles of the kingly intellect with adverse fate； they shared the spoils of victory。 Genius was answerable to no man。 Genius alone could judge of the means used to an end which no one else could know。 It was the duty of a man of genius； therefore； to set himself above law； it was his mission to reconstruct law； the man who is master of his age may take all that he needs； run any risks； for all is his。 She quoted instances。 Bernard Palissy； Louis XI。； Fox； Napoleon； Christopher Columbus； and Julius Caesar；all these world…famous gamblers had begun life hampered with debt； or as poor men； all of them had been misunderstood； taken for madmen； reviled for bad sons； bad brothers； bad fathers； and yet in after life each one had come to be the pride of his family； of his country； of the civilized world。
Her arguments fell upon fertile soil in the worst of Lucien's nature； and spread corruption in his heart； for him； when his desires were hot； all means were admissible。 Butfailure is high treason against society； and when the fallen conqueror has run amuck through bourgeois virtues； and pulled down the pillars of society； small wonder that society； finding Marius seated among the ruins； should drive him forth in abhorrence。 All unconsciously Lucien stood with the palm of genius on the one hand and a shameful ending in the hulks upon the other； and； on high upon the Sinai of the prophets； beheld no Dead Sea covering the cities of the plainthe hideous winding…sheet of Gomorrah。
So well did Louise loosen the swaddling…bands of provincial life that confined the heart and brain of her poet that the said poet determined to try an experiment upon her。 He wished to feel certain that this proud conquest was his without laying himself open to the mortification of a rebuff。 The forthcoming soiree gave him his opportunity。 Ambition blended with his love。 He loved； and he meant to rise； a double desire not unnatural in young men with a heart to satisfy and the battle of life to fight。 Society； summoning all her children to one banquet； arouses ambition in the very morning of life。 Youth is robbed of its charm； and generous thoughts are corrupted by mercenary scheming。 The idealist would fain have it otherwise； but intrusive fact too often gives the lie to the fiction which we should like to believe； making it impossible to paint the young man of the nineteenth century other than he is。 Lucien imagined that his scheming was entirely prompted by good feeling； and persuaded himself that it was done solely for his friend David's sake。
He wrote a long letter to his Louise； he felt bolder； pen in hand； than face to face。 In a dozen sheets； copied out three several times； he told her of his father's genius and blighted hopes and of his grinding poverty。 He described his beloved sister as an angel； and David as another Cuvier； a great man of the future； and a father； friend； and brother to him