over　seriously。　My　own　life　is　cut　out　for　me；　Lucien。　I　am　David　Sechard；　printer　to　His　Majesty　in　Angouleme；　with　my　name　at　the　bottom　of　the　bills　posted　on　every　wall。　For　people　of　that　class；　I　am　an　artisan；　or　I　am　in　business；　if　you　like　it　better；　but　I　am　a　craftsman　who　lives　over　a　shop　in　the　Rue　de　Beaulieu　at　the　corner　of　the　Place　du　Murier。　I　have　not　the　wealth　of　a　Keller　just　yet；　nor　the　name　of　a　Desplein；　two　sorts　of　power　that　the　nobles　still　try　to　ignore；　and　I　am　so　far　agreed　with　themthis　power　is　nothing　without　a　knowledge　of　the　world　and　the　manners　of　a　gentleman。　How　am　I　to　prove　my　claim　to　this　sudden　elevation？　I　should　only　make　myself　a　laughing…stock　for　nobles　and　bourgeoisie　to　boot。　As　for　you；　your　position　is　different。　A　foreman　is　not　committed　to　anything。　You　are　busy　gaining　knowledge　that　will　be　indispensable　by　and　by；　you　can　explain　your　present　work　by　your　future。　And；　in　any　case；　you　can　leave　your　place　to…morrow　and　begin　something　else；　you　might　study　law　or　diplomacy；　or　go　into　civil　service。　Nobody　had　docketed　and　pigeon…holed　YOU；　in　fact。　Take　advantage　of　your　social　maiden　fame　to　walk　alone　and　grasp　honors。　Enjoy　all　pleasures　gladly；　even　frivolous　pleasures。　I　wish　you　luck；　Lucien；　I　shall　enjoy　your　success；　you　will　be　like　a　second　self　for　me。　Yes；　in　my　own　thoughts　I　shall　live　your　life。　You　shall　have　the　holiday　life；　in　the　glare　of　the　world　and　among　the　swift　working　springs　of　intrigue。　I　will　lead　the　work…a…day　life；　the　tradesman's　life　of　sober　toil；　and　the　patient　labor　of　scientific　research。
  〃You　shall　be　our　aristocracy；〃　he　went　on；　looking　at　Eve　as　he　spoke。　〃If　you　totter；　you　shall　have　my　arm　to　steady　you。　If　you　have　reason　to　complain　of　the　treachery　of　others；　you　will　find　a　refuge　in　our　hearts；　the　love　there　will　never　change。　And　influence　and　favor　and　the　goodwill　of　others　might　fail　us　if　we　were　two；　we　should　stand　in　each　other's　way；　go　forward；　you　can　tow　me　after　you　if　it　comes　to　that。　So　far　from　envying　you；　I　will　dedicate　my　life　to　yours。　The　thing　that　you　have　just　done　for　me；　when　you　risked　the　loss　of　your　benefactress；　your　love　it　may　be；　rather　than　forsake　or　disown　me；　that　little　thing；　so　great　as　it　wasah；　well；　Lucien；　that　in　itself　would　bind　me　to　you　forever　if　we　were　not　brothers　already。　Have　no　remorse；　no　concern　over　seeming　to　take　the　larger　share。　This　one…sided　bargain　is　exactly　to　my　taste。　And；　after　all；　suppose　that　you　should　give　me　a　pang　now　and　again；　who　knows　that　I　shall　not　still　be　your　debtor　all　my　life　long？〃
  He　looked　timidly　towards　Eve　as　he　spoke；　her　eyes　were　full　of　tears；　she　saw　all　that　lay　below　the　surface。
  〃In　fact；〃　he　went　on；　turning　to　Lucien；　who　stood　amazed　at　this；　〃you　are　well　made；　you　have　a　graceful　figure；　you　wear　your　clothes　with　an　air；　you　look　like　a　gentleman　in　that　blue　coat　of　yours　with　the　yellow　buttons　and　the　plain　nankeen　trousers；　now　I　should　look　like　a　workingman　among　those　people；　I　should　be　awkward　and　out　of　my　element；　I　should　say　foolish　things；　or　say　nothing　at　all；　but　as　for　you；　you　can　overcome　any　prejudice　as　to　names　by　taking　your　mother's；　you　can　call　yourself　Lucien　de　Rubempre；　I　am　and　always　shall　be　David　Sechard。　In　this　society　that　you　frequent；　everything　tells　for　you；　everything　would　tell　against　me。　You　were　born　to　shine　in　it。　Women　will　worship　that　angel　face　of　yours；　won't　they；　Eve？〃
  Lucien　sprang　up　and　flung　his　arms　about　David。　David's　humility　had　made　short　work　of　many　doubts　and　plenty　of　difficulties。　Was　it　possible　not　to　feel　twice　tenderly　towards　this　friend；　who　by　the　way　of　friendship　had　come　to　think　the　very　thoughts　that　he；　Lucien；　had　reached　through　ambition？　The　aspirant　for　love　and　honors　felt　that　the　way　had　been　made　smooth　for　him；　the　young　man　and　the　comrade　felt　all　his　heart　go　out　towards　his　friend。
  It　was　one　of　those　moments　that　come　very　seldom　in　our　lives；　when　all　the　forces　in　us　are　sweetly　strung；　and　every　chord　vibrating　gives　out　full　resonance。
  And　yet；　this　goodness　of　a　noble　nature　increased　Lucien's　human　tendency　to　take　himself　as　the　centre　of　things。　Do　not　all　of　us　say　more　or　less；　〃L'Etat；　c'est　moi！〃　with　Louis　Quatorze？　Lucien's　mother　and　sister　had　concentrated　all　their　tenderness　on　him；　David　was　his　devoted　friend；　he　was　accustomed　to　see　the　three　making　every　effort　for　him　in　secret；　and　consequently　he　had　all　the　faults　of　a　spoiled　eldest　son。　The　noble　is　eaten　up　with　the　egoism　which　their　unselfishness　was　fostering　in　Lucien；　and　Mme。　de　Bargeton　was　doing　her　best　to　develop　the　same　fault　by　inciting　him　to　forget　all　that　he　owed　to　his　sister；　and　mother；　and　David。　He　was　far　from　doing　so　as　yet；　but　was　there　not　ground　for　the　fear　that　as　his　sphere　of　ambition　widened；　his　whole　thought　perforce　would　be　how　he　might　maintain　himself　in　it？
  When　emotion　had　subsided；　David　had　a　suggestion　to　make。　He　thought　that　Lucien's　poem；　Saint　John　in　Patmos；　was　possibly　too　biblical　to　be　read　before　an　audience　but　little　familiar　with　apocalyptic　poetry。　Lucien；　making　his　first　appearance　before　the　most　exacting　public　in　the　Charente；　seemed　to　be　nervous。　David　advised　him　to　take　Andre　de　Chenier　and　substitute　certain　pleasure　for　a　dubious　delight。　Lucien　was　a　perfect　reader；　the　listeners　would　enjoy　listening　to　him；　and　his　modesty　would　doubtless　serve　him　well。　Like　most　young　people；　the　pair　were　endowing　the　rest　of　the　world　with　their　own　intelligence　and　virtues；　for　if　youth　that　has　not　yet　gone　astray　is　pitiless　for　the　sins　of　others；　it　is　ready；　on　the　other　hand；　to　put　a　magnificent　faith　in　them。　It　is　only；　in　fact；　after　a　good　deal　of　experience　of　life　that　we　recognize　the　truth　of　Raphael's　great　saying〃To　comprehend　is　to　equal。〃
  The　power　of　appreciating　poetry　is　rare；　generally　speaking；　in　France；　esprit　soon　dries　up　the　source　of　the　sacred　tears　of　ecstasy；　nobody　cares　to　be　at　the　trouble　of　deciphering　the　sublime；　of　plumbing　the　depths　to　discover　the　infinite。　Lucien　was　about　to　have　his　first　experience　of　the　ignorance　and　indifference　of　worldlings。　He　went　round　by　way　of　the　printing　office　for　David's　volume　of　poetry。
  The　two　lovers　were　left　alone；　and　David　had　never　felt　more　embarrassed　in　his　life。　Countless　terrors　seized　upon　him；　he　half　wished；　half　feared　that　Eve　would　praise　him；　he　longed　to　run　away；　for　even　modesty　is　not　exempt　from　coquetry。　David　was　afraid　to　utter　a　word　that　might　seem　to　beg　for　thanks；　everything　that　he　could　think　of　put　him　in　some　false　position；　so　he　held　his　tongue　and　looked　guilty。　Eve；　guessing　the　agony　of　modesty；　was　enjoying　the　pause；　but　when　David　twisted　his　hat　as　if　he　meant　to　go；　she　looked　at　him　and　smiled。
  〃Monsieur　David；〃　she　said；　〃if　you　are　not　going　to　pass　the　evening　at　Mme。　de　Bargeton's；　we　can　spend　the　time　together。　It　is　fine；　shall　we　take　a　walk　along　the　Charente？　We　will　have　a　talk　about　Lucien。〃
  David　longed　to　fling　himself　at　the　feet　of　this　delicious　girl。　Eve　had　rewarded　him　beyond　his　hopes　by　that　tone　in　her　voice；　the　kindness　of　her　accent　had　solved　the　difficulties　of　the　position；　her　suggestion　was　something　better　than　praise；　it　was　the　first　grace　given　by　love。
  〃But　give　me　time　to　dress！〃　she　said；　as　David　made　as　if　to　go　at　once。
  David　went　out；　he　who　all　his　life　long　had　not　known　one　tune　from　another；　was　humming　to　himself；　honest　Postel　hearing　him　with　surprise；　conceived　a　vehement　suspicion　of　Eve's　feelings　towards　the　printer。
  The　most　trifling　things　that　happened　that　evening　made　a　great　impression　on　Lucien；　and　his　character　was　peculiarly　susceptible　to　first　impressions。　Like　all　inexperienced　lovers　he　arrived　so　early　that　Louise　was　not　in　the　drawing…room；　but　M。　de　Bargeton　was　there；　alone。　Lucien　had　already　begun　to　serve　his　apprenticeship　in　the　practice　of　the　small　deceits　with　which　the　lover　of　a　married　woman　pays　for　his　happinessdeceits　through　which；　moreover；　she　learns　the　extent　of　her　power；　but　so　far　Lucien　had　not　met　the　lady's　husband　face　to　face。
  M。　de　Bargeton's　intellect　was　of　the　limited　kind；　exactly　poised　on　the　border　line　between　harmless　vacancy；　with　some　glimmerings　of　sense；　and　the　excessive　stupidity　that　can　neither　take　in　nor　give　out　any　idea。　He　was　thoroughly　impressed　with　the　idea　of　doing　his　duty　in　society；　and；　doing　his　utmost　to　be　agreeable；　had　adopted　the　smile　of　an　opera　dancer　as　his　sole　method　of　expression。　Satisfied；　he　smiled；　dissatisfied；　he　smiled　again。　He　smiled　at　good　news　and　evil　tidings；　with　slight　modifications　the　smile　did　duty　on　all　occasions。　If　he　was　positively　obliged　to　express　his　personal　approval；　a　complacent　laugh　reinforced　the　smile；　but　he　never　vouchsafed　a　word　until　driven　to　the　last　extremity。　A　tete…a…tete　put　him　in　the　one　embarrassment　of　his　vegetative　existence；　for　then　he　was　obliged　to　look　for　something　to　say　in　the　vast　blank　of　his　vacant　interior。　He　usually　got　out　of　the　difficulty　by　a　return　to　the　artless　ways　of　childhood；　he　thou