able himself! He walked home
slowly, so oppressed and out of heart that he felt ready for suicide.
Coralie lay in bed, looking white and ill.

"She must have a part, or she will die," said Berenice, as Lucien
dressed for a great evening party at Mlle. des Touches' house in the Rue
du Mont Blanc. Des Lupeaulx and Vignon and Blondet were to be there, as
well as Mme. d'Espard and Mme. de Bargeton.

The party was given in honor of Conti, the great composer, owner
likewise of one of the most famous voices off the stage, Cinti, Pasta,
Garcia, Levasseur, and two or three celebrated amateurs in society not
excepted. Lucien saw the Marquise, her cousin, and Mme. de Montcornet
sitting together, and made one of the party. The unhappy young fellow to
all appearances was light-hearted, happy, and content; he jested, he
was the Lucien de Rubempre of his days of splendor, he would not seem to
need help from any one. He dwelt on his services to the Royalist party,
and cited the hue and cry raised after him by the Liberal press as a
proof of his zeal.

"And you will be well rewarded, my friend," said Mme. de Bargeton, with
a gracious smile. "Go to the _Chancellerie_ the day after to-morrow with
'the Heron' and des Lupeaulx, and you will find your patent signed
by His Majesty. The Keeper of the Seals will take it to-morrow to the
Tuileries, but there is to be a meeting of the Council, and he will not
come back till late. Still, if I hear the result to-morrow evening, I
will let you know. Where are you living?"

"I will come to you," said Lucien, ashamed to confess that he was living
in the Rue de la Lune.

"The Duc de Lenoncourt and the Duc de Navarreins have made mention of
you to the King," added the Marquise; "they praised your absolute and
entire devotion, and said that some distinction ought to avenge your
treatment in the Liberal press. The name and title of Rubempre, to which
you have a claim through your mother, would become illustrious through
you, they said. The King gave his lordship instructions that evening to
prepare a patent authorizing the Sieur Lucien Chardon to bear the arms
and title of the Comtes de Rubempre, as grandson of the last Count by
the mother's side. 'Let us favor the songsters' (_chardonnerets_) 'of
Pindus,' said his Majesty, after reading your sonnet on the Lily, which
my cousin luckily remembered to give the Duke.--'Especially when the
King can work miracles, and change the song-bird into an eagle,'