xpressions of friendship and
interest, till Lucien felt as if they were old friends already, and took
his promises and speeches for more than their worth. Des Lupeaulx made a
point of knowing a man thoroughly well if he wanted to get rid of him or
feared him as a rival. So, to all appearance, Lucien was well received.
He knew that much of his success was owing to the Duc de Rhetore, the
Minister, Mme. d'Espard, and Mme. de Montcornet, and went to spend a
few moments with the two ladies before taking leave, and talked his very
best for them.

"What a coxcomb!" said des Lupeaulx, turning to the Marquise when he had
gone.

"He will be rotten before he is ripe," de Marsay added, smiling. "You
must have private reasons of your own, madame, for turning his head in
this way."

When Lucien stepped into the carriage in the courtyard, he found Coralie
waiting for him. She had come to fetch him. The little attention touched
him; he told her the history of his evening; and, to his no small
astonishment, the new notions which even now were running in his head
met with Coralie's approval. She strongly advised him to enlist under
the ministerial banner.

"You have nothing to expect from the Liberals but hard knocks," she
said. "They plot and conspire; they murdered the Duc de Berri. Will they
upset the Government? Never! You will never come to anything through
them, while you will be Comte de Rubempre if you throw in your lot with
the other side. You might render services to the State, and be a peer
of France, and marry an heiress. Be an Ultra. It is the proper thing
besides," she added, this being the last word with her on all subjects.
"I dined with the Val-Noble; she told me that Theodore Gaillard is
really going to start his little Royalist _Revue_, so as to reply to
your witticisms and the jokes in the _Miroir_. To hear them talk, M.
Villele's party will be in office before the year is out. Try to turn
the change to account before they come to power; and say nothing to
Etienne and your friends, for they are quite equal to playing you some
ill turn."

A week later, Lucien went to Mme. de Montcornet's house, and saw the
woman whom he had so loved, whom later he had stabbed to the heart with
a jest. He felt the most violent agitation at the sight of her, for
Louise also had undergone a transformation. She was the Louise that she
would always have been but for her detention in the provinces--she was a
great lady. There was