l； and David as another Cuvier； a great man of the future； and a father； friend； and brother to him in the present。 He should feel himself unworthy of his Louise's love （his proudest distinction） if he did not ask her to do for David all that she had done for him。 He would give up everything rather than desert David Sechard； David must witness his success。 It was one of those wild letters in which a young man points a pistol at a refusal； letters full of boyish casuistry and the incoherent reasoning of an idealist； a delicious tissue of words embroidered here and there by the naive utterances that women love so wellunconscious revelations of the writer's heart。
Lucien left the letter with the housemaid； went to the office； and spent the day in reading proofs； superintending the execution of orders； and looking after the affairs of the printing…house。 He said not a word to David。 While youth bears a child's heart； it is capable of sublime reticence。 Perhaps； too； Lucien began to dread the Phocion's axe which David could wield when he chose； perhaps he was afraid to meet those clear…sighted eyes that read the depths of his soul。 But when he read Chenier's poems with David； his secret rose from his heart to his lips at the sting of a reproach that he felt as the patient feels the probing of a wound。
And now try to understand the thoughts that troubled Lucien's mind as he went down from Angouleme。 Was the great lady angry with him？ Would she receive David？ Had he； Lucien； in his ambition； flung himself headlong back into the depths of L'Houmeau？ Before he set that kiss on Louise's forehead； he had had time to measure the distance between a queen and her favorite； so far had he come in five months； and he did not tell himself that David could cross over the same ground in a moment。 Yet he did not know how completely the lower orders were excluded from this upper world； he did not so much as suspect that a second experiment of this kind meant ruin for Mme。 de Bargeton。 Once accused and fairly convicted of a liking for canaille； Louise would be driven from the place； her caste would shun her as men shunned a leper in the Middle Ages。 Nais might have broken the moral law； and her whole circle； the clergy and the flower of the aristocracy； would have defended her against the world through thick and then； but a breach of another law； the offence of admitting all sorts of people to her house this was sin without remission。 The sins of those in power are always overlookedonce let them abdicate； and they shall pay the penalty。 And what was it but abdication to receive David？
But if Lucien did not see these aspects of the question； his aristocratic instinct discerned plenty of difficulties of another kind； and he took alarm。 A fine manner is not the invariable outcome of noble feeling； and while no man at court had a nobler air than Racine； Corneille looked very much like a cattle…dealer； and Descartes might have been taken for an honest Dutch merchant； and visitors to La Brede； meeting Montesquieu in a cotton nightcap； carrying a rake over his shoulder； mistook him for a gardener。 A knowledge of the world； when it is not sucked in with mother's milk and part of the inheritance of descent； is only acquired by education； supplemented by certain gifts of chancea graceful figure； distinction of feature； a certain ring in the voice。 All these； so important trifles； David lacked； while Nature had bestowed them upon his friend。 Of gentle blood on the mother's side； Lucien was a Frank； even down to the high… arched instep。 David had inherited the physique of his father the pressman and the flat foot of the Gael。 Lucien could hear the shower of jokes at David's expense； he could see Mme。 de Bargeton's repressed smile； and at length； without being exactly ashamed of his brother； he made up his mind to disregard his first impulse and to think twice before yielding to it in future。
So； after the hour of poetry and self…sacrifice； after the reading of verse that opened out before the friends the fields of literature in the light of a newly…risen sun； the hour of worldly wisdom and of scheming struck for Lucien。
Down once more in L'Houmeau he wished that he had not written that letter； he wished he could have it back again； for down the vista of the future he caught a glimpse of the inexorable laws of the world。 He guessed that nothing succeeds like success； and it cost him something to step down from the first rung of the scaling ladder by which he meant to reach and storm the heights above。 Pictures of his quiet and simple life rose before him； pictures fair with the brightest colors of blossoming love。 There was David； what a genius David hadDavid who had helped him so generously； and would die for him at need； he thought of his mother； of how great a lady she was in her lowly lot； and how she thought that he was as good as he was clever； then of his sister so gracious in submission to her fate； of his own innocent childhood and conscience as yet unstained； of budding hopes undespoiled by rough winds； and at these thoughts the past broke into flowers once more for his memory。
Then he told himself that it was a far finer thing to hew his own way through serried hostile mobs of aristocrats or philistines by repeated successful strokes； than to reach the goal through a woman's favor。 Sooner or later his genius should shine out； it had been so with the others； his predecessors； they had tamed society。 Women would love him when that day came！ The example of Napoleon； which； unluckily for this nineteenth century of ours； has filled a great many ordinary persons with aspirations after extraordinary destinies；the example of Napoleon occurred to Lucien's mind。 He flung his schemes to the winds and blamed himself for thinking of them。 For Lucien was so made that he went from evil to good； or from good to evil； with the same facility。
Lucien had none of the scholar's love for his retreat； for the past month indeed he had felt something like shame at the sight of the shop front； where you could read
POSTEL （LATE CHARDON）； PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMIST；
in yellow letters on a green ground。 It was an offence to him that his father's name should be thus posted up in a place where every carriage passed。
Every evening； when he closed the ugly iron gate and went up to Beaulieu to give his arm to Mme。 de Bargeton among the dandies of the upper town； he chafed beyond all reason at the disparity between his lodging and his fortune。
〃I love Mme。 de Bargeton； perhaps in a few days she will be mine； yet here I live in this rat…hole！〃 he said to himself this evening； as he went down the narrow passage into the little yard behind the shop。 This evening bundles of boiled herbs were spread out along the wall； the apprentice was scouring a caldron； and M。 Postel himself； girded about with his laboratory apron； was standing with a retort in his hand； inspecting some chemical product while keeping an eye upon the shop door； or if the eye happened to be engaged； he had at any rate an ear for the bell。
A strong scent of camomile and peppermint pervaded the yard and the poor little dwelling at the side； which you reached by a short ladder； with a rope on either side by way of hand…rail。 Lucien's room was an attic just under the roof。
〃Good…day； sonny；〃 said M。 Postel； that typical； provincial tradesman。 〃Are you pretty middling？ I have just been experimenting on treacle； but it would take a man like your father to find what I am looking for。 Ah！ he was a famous chemist； he was！ If I had only known his gout specific； you and I should be rolling along in our carriage this day。〃
The little druggist； whose head was as thick as his heart was kind； never let a week pass without some allusion to Chardon senior's unlucky secretiveness as to that discovery； words that Lucien felt like a stab。
〃It is a great pity；〃 Lucien answered curtly。 He was beginning to think his father's apprentice prodigiously vulgar； though he had blessed the man for his kindness； for honest Postel had helped his master's widow and children more than once。
〃Why； what is the matter with you？〃 M。 Postel inquired； putting down his test tube on the laboratory table。
〃Is there a letter for me？〃
〃Yes； a letter that smells like balm！ it is lying on the corner near my desk。〃
Mme。 de Bargeton's letter lying among the physic bottles in a druggist's shop！ Lucien sprang in to rescue it。
〃Be quick； Lucien！ your dinner has been waiting an hour for you； it will be cold！〃 a sweet voice called gently through a half…opened window； but Lucien did not hear。
〃That brother of yours has gone crazy； mademoiselle；〃 said Postel； lifting his face。
The old bachelor looked rather like a miniature brandy cask； embellished by a painter's fancy； with a fat； ruddy countenance much pitted with the smallpox； at the sight of Eve his face took a ceremonious and amiable expression； which said plainly that he had thoughts of espousing the daughter of his predecessor； but could not put an end to the strife between love and interest in his heart。 He often said to Lucien； with a smile； 〃Your sister is uncommonly pretty； and you are not so bad looking neither！ Your father did everything well。〃
Eve was tall